This plant is 25 days old. Is it normal to be looking like this? I’m feeding her a diluted General Hydroponics nutrient solution. Started with RO water. She was nice and green up until a few days ago. I haven’t changed a thing so I’m not sure what is going wrong if anything.
Are you in hydro? If not, then she needs to be planted in to some soil. She’s outgrown that rock wool.
I’m trying out undercurrent hydroponics, I’ve done soil but this is my first attempt at any type of hydroponics. I thought I was supposed to wait until I can see the roots starting to poke through the sides of the cube before moving her into the undercurrent unit.
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Ok, i’m not a hydro person, I do soil, so let me see if I can get a hydro person to help you.
@peachfuzz @TDubWilly
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Nutrients might be running a lil high… ppm Should be around 150 to 200 and ph should be around 5.6 to 5.9 …
But it looks like that block is staying too wet for to long… that’s why your not seeing any roots. There not having to search for anything… 
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Yeah, I haven’t given her anything today because it seemed to wet. I read that putting a heating pad under it will help dry it out somewhat. Is this something that I should consider doing?
Just checked my solution and I believe that was the problem. PPM was at 600 and ph at 6.5. I just added RO Water and adjusted the ph. It’s now 200ppm & ph 5.8. Water must have really evaporated because when I initially mixed the solution it was within range. Crazy how quickly water evaporates even in a cool basement.
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Don’t add a heating mat… it was your ppm and ph and block is a lil too wet for too long…
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Ok, so should I just let the block dry out a bit and let the roots make their way out of the rockwool before transplanting into the undercurrent system? Or do you think I should transplant her sooner? I was thinking about transplanting her on my next day off which is in 4 days.
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I would say definitely let it dry out more, when i first began i probably would lose a good 75% om my germinated ladies because i overwatered them not realizing i was shooting myself in the foot, overwater, giving a prime environment for ANY contaminate to set up shop, and boom, damp off. oh and you should check ph and ppm ATLEAST once a day, i run ebb & flow and usually check ph about an hour after flood OR as soon as i wake up.
good way to do it is start a spreadsheet and take two readings a day, one an hour after lights on, and one an hour before lights off. This will help to establish trends and will lead to a more intuitive relationship with your children all across the board.
i also suggest not waiting the four days, but it all depends on what your little guy is saying, but as a guide if you dont see roots poking out it probably isn’t ready. but waste no time once you see the root exposing itself or it could create an issue even in the short time you are at work.
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Have you been feeding these pants ?l
I’m feeding her General Hydroponics Flora nutrients.
This is my first time trying hydroponics so I’m still learning. My PH & PPM were too high & I was overwatering. I went off a feeding chart I found online for marijuana but apparently it didn’t give me the proper doses.
My PH was at 6.5 and PPM was at 600. @peachfuzz advised me that I should be at a PH between 5.6-5.9 and a ppm between 150-200. So now my solution is at PH 5.9 and PPM 200. I’ve invested in a BlueLab Meter to constantly monitor the solution so this hopefully doesn’t happen to me again.
Is there a good feeding chart for GH Flora that I can go by? I know the GH chart on the bottles is way too much for marijuana and the chart I found apparently also gave me incorrect information.
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you must always feed the pants. but dont forget about the plants either. 
feeding charts are great guides, but you should never follow them to the tee, as i said you have to get to know your strains and learn to “talk to them” start out light with feeding. like 1/4 strength atleast and 1/2 strength as best and then slowly add more and more based on what needs you see arrising. WRITE IT ALL DOWN. This will help to dial in your nutes. none of this is an exact science. (unless your a scientist, then i guess maybe)
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A scientist I am not. As you can see by the photos of my poor girl. 
I have been taking a photo of her every day since germination and I have began writing everything down when I check on her. If she doesn’t make it it will be sad but at least I know what I have done wrong.
I see in allot of member’s grow pictures that allot are using water chillers to keep the solution at the optimal temperature. I am seriously considering purchasing one but at a $300 price tag I want to be sure that it is absolutely vital for what I am doing.
Didn’t you say you were going to be running an undercurrent system?
I have an undercurrent system that this plant will be going into and an 18 site aeroponics system that I will be setting up soon.
if water temp is to high just sanitize some water bottles fill them and freeze them to drive temps down. if you have a problem with low temps then an aquarium heater is a must. btw all of this information i provide was gained by reading and validated the hard way. so pretty much i learned it all by first finding out what not to do. now that ive found my equilibrium with the new environment i have the babies are doing great.
Start with 600 PPm for week 1
900 PPm for week 2
1200 PPm for week 3
if you go over 3 weeks veg
1500 PPM week 4
1800 PPM week 5 and hold there
at bloom I flush and go to 1000 PPM week1
1300 ppm week 2
1600 PPM week 3
1900 PPM week 4
flush weekly…VERY IMPOTANT
and hold there until last 2 weeks and ad your bloom enhancers.
HERE IS SOME MORE INFO I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD HAVE…
Knowing What Your Plants Are Eating and How Much They Can Handle
October 20, 2016 by Devin Martinez
One big question growers ask is “Why are my plants suffering even though
I used all the right nutrients, feeding cycles, lighting cycles, and adjusted
temperatures and conditions to their absolute best?”
That’s because their pH and PPM levels are off, making it difficult for your
plants to eat. pH refers to potential of Hydrogen ions in your water, which
will determine if your water is too acidic or has too much alkaline in it.
PPM (parts per million) refers to the concentration of minerals and soluble
matter in your watering solution.
Correct pH and PPM levels are the backbone of any grow, and will be the
difference between a healthy grow and a huge waste of time and money.
pH Levels
Simply put: the right pH level will create an environment where your plants
can absorb nutrients quickly and easily, leading to a better harvest.
Nutrient-rich water is filled with elements that are helpful to your plants.
However, if those elements can be broken down properly those same elements
can harm your plants.
pH levels is important to understand because the right level will determine
the quality of helpful bacteria in your water that help break down elements,
helping the metabolic rate of your plants. How? In two ways:
? When pH levels are too low (pH level of around 5 of lower), heavy
metals like iron and aluminum change and can become toxic to your plants
? If the pH level is too high (pH level of around 6.5 or higher)
elements like calcium and phosphorus can’t be broken down completely, which
will hinder the growth of your plants
This change in properties is due to how acidic your water is or is not.
You’ll want your plants’ nutrients to be a little acidic otherwise they can’t
break down, but too much acidity and your nutrients can become toxic.
So remember: pH too low= toxic to your plants, too high= growth decrease.
That’s why you want to have the perfect level of acidity in your water,
which will be around 5.5-6.0
Typical pH Levels
? 3.5 and below: Root Damage
? 4.0-4.5: Poor Nutrient Uptake
? 5.0-5.4: Good pH Level
? 5.4-5.8: Perfect pH Level
? 6.0-7.0: Acceptable pH Balance
? 7.5-8.0: Poor Nutrient Uptake
? 8.5 and Above: Root Damage
Note: Soil grown plants tend to need a little bit higher of a pH than hydroponics
because soil retains and releases certain elements to your plants at different times.
However, both hydroponic and soil pH levels should stay within the same optimal range
of 5.5-6.0 pH.
PPM Levels
PPM (Parts Per Million) refers to concentration of the particulates in your feeding
solution.
From minerals found in tap water to natural elements found in your nutrients, your
job is to make sure that the PPM levels in your water solution are on point so you’re
not under- or over-feeding your plants. While it’s an easy concept to understand on
the surface, it’s a little more complicated when you have to adjust elements.
Now, pH plays a huge factor in PPM levels because even though you may have the correct
PPM reading, some of the particles- and the concentration of those particles- can be
harmful for your plants.
For example, let’s say your plants need to be at a PPM level of 700. You mix your
solution and you get a PPM reading of 700 but your pH is around 4.5. That means that
the majority of the available food for your plants is likely to have lots of heavy
metals in it, which will quickly toxify the plant. You’ll need to adjust the pH level
of your solution to make sure you’re not toxifying your plants.
“But won’t that throw my PPM levels off because you’re adding particles to your feeding
solution?” It can, and that’s what’s so tricky about PPM and pH levels: When you adjust
one you usually have to adjust the other, which can be simple or a huge pain depending
on the water and nutrients you’re feeding your plants.
Common PPM Readings
These readings reflect the PPM your water should have at a given stage of growth
? Seedlings: 100-250 (nutrients aren’t really needed here, hence there’s not a
lot of particles needed)
? First Half of Vegging Cycle: 300-400 (this is usually after you transplant,
which still don’t require many nutrients)
? Second Half of Vegging: 450-700 (you’ll start giving your plants more nutrients
at this stage)
? First Half of Flowering: 750-950 (your plants will be eating more as they grow,
so they’ll be taking in more nutrients)
? Second Half of Flowering: 1000-1600 (this is when your plant’s eating the most,
especially if you give it additives)
? End of Flower, Entering Harvest: As close to 0 as possible (this is when you’ll
be flushing your plants, so you don’t want there to be a lot of particles left over)
Adjusting pH Levels
When it comes to feeding plants there’s two ways of looking at it: homemade or store bought.
Same goes with balancing your pH: you can either purchase a pH buffer from a store or you
can use ingredients you can find around your home or in the grocery store– but both come
with their advantages and disadvantages.
Homemade pH Buffers
? Advantage: If pH levels are low you can use a little citric acid or even white
vinegar to help bring your water’s pH down. When you need to raise your pH levels you
can use a little bit of baking soda in your solution and bring those readings back up.
This will cost you less than picking up a buffering solution.
? Disadvantage: The issue with using these solutions is that they don’t work for
very long. You’ll find yourself having to add a little lemon juice every other day, then
having to use a little baking soda to even things out. Moreover, we’ve also heard of
growers using these ingredients and seeing severe spikes in pH, which if not handled
properly and quickly and bring your grow to a halt.
Premade pH Buffers
? Advantage: Most hydroponic companies out there will have pH buffers, usually
called . They’re much easier to use than citric acid or white vinegar mixes. They’re
designed raise and lower the pH of your water while keeping your water’s pH levels
balanced for longer than it would be without them.
? Disadvantage: As we’ve always mentioned, easier usually means more expensive.
These solutions usually won’t cost you an arm and a leg, but they’re definitely something
you can’t simply make at home and will cost some money.
Adjusting PPM Levels
Before you start adjusting your PPM levels, you’ll first want to make sure your tap water
is ready to feed your plants. That means you’ll want to adjust the PPM of your base water
before you start feeding it to your plantsNow, any time you add anything in to your watering
solution, you’ll be adding more particles in to it, so keep an eye out on your PPM levels at
all times.
? To rid your water of too many particles you can use things like a carbon filter or a
reverse osmosis machine to clean your water. However, many growers agree that most tap water
has helpful minerals (like calcium and magnesium) that actually help plants.
? During and after the vegging stage, your plants will want more out of their feedings
so filtering isn’t really necessary. That’s why we recommend only using filters at the
beginning of the plants life when low PPM readings are needed
? For a quick fix when PPM’s are high just add a bit of fresh water with a good pH
level and watch them drop. Filtered, pH’ed water is great when things get a little too
much in your reservoirs.
? When readings are low it’s usually time to feed your plants. When you add nutrients
to your feeding solution your PPM’s will go back up, and when your PPM’s and pH’s are in
balance your plants are going to be happy and healthy.
? Just remember that these readings need constant adjustment, so if you haven’t been
keeping a close eye on your plant’s PPM and pH levels there’s not better time to start than now.
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I hear ya, I’ve done so much reading and research but I am finding so much conflicting information.
I know everyone’s situation is different I’m just trying to control as much as I can which may be futile.
I have downloaded the ebooks from ILGM and have been reading them while I have down time at work/home.
Trying to get as much information as I can.
I just wish I had found this place before I started growing. This is an awesome resource!