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Old 10-31-2014, 01:39 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
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Now for example; seedling like I have in pictures I posted, what (ml) Should I Cut That To and How Long To Feed For Till Full strength?
I just don it simply and easily. If I'm using just a little bit like for seedlings, I will take a gallon water jug and mix up one gallon of full strength nutrient solution. Then just dilute it as necessary from their. One gallon of full strength nutrient solution plus one gallon of plain water equals two gallons of half strength (50%) nutrient solution. If you want it more diluted just add more plain water. If you want it more concentrated add less plain water. If I'm needing more nutrient solution than that. Say five gallons, and I want it to be about 50%, just divide the amount needed in half. 10 mil x5= 50 divide in half= 25mil. Noe it's not always easy to measure small amounts. But any standard measuring spoons usually have the mil measurements on it as well. Example: 1 teaspoon =5mil, 1 tablespoon = 15mil and so on. I also have used a flavor injector syringe before as well. You know for injecting marinade into your chicken or pot roast. Mine didn't have the measurements because they were warn off. But I measured 10mil of water, and sucked it up in the syringe. then I cut a small line in the plastic body at the water level. From then on every time I wanted 10 mil, I just used the syringe and sucked it up to the line.

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Do I Need To Measure Out; 10ml Of Bloom, 10ml, Of Gro, 10ml of Micro?
Yes, if you decide to spend the money to buy the flora series nutrients, that is how I recommend you mix it. It is a three part nutrient that takes all three parts to work properly, and for continuously fruiting plants like cucumbers, peppers, tomato's, strawberries, etc. you want to use it in equal parts. 10ml Of Bloom, 10ml Of Gro, and 10ml of Micro for each gallon of water. If you do the math you can see just how expensive it is to use, but they work just fine and a good choice for beginners to get their feet wet growing. Eventually as you want to grow more, you'll need more nutrient solution and at about $0.30 to $0.35 cents a gallon of nutrient solution for the flora series, it will get expensive to use.

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Basically You Telling Me To Have 2 (Different Ways) To Check PH Level [/COLOR][/B]Instead Of Just Using Drops & Don’t Trust A PH Pen Because Calibration Could Be Off Right?
I'm not sure what two "(Different Ways)" your referring to. But for the pH pen, yes they can give you false readings so you can't really trust them. But if you do decide to get one (I don't even have one), make sure you have some of the general hydroponics pH drops also. That way you can always use the drops to check and make sure the pen is working properly. If the drops give you the same basic readings as the pen, then the pen is working properly. pH drops are the only reliable way to check pH, however the pH drops you were using are not designed for hydroponics and cant give you the readings you need. You can just toss those out or give them away to someone with a pool in their back yard that can use them. Once you have the general hydroponics test kit, that is the only pH tester you will need.

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Also You Said Just Buy More PH Up & PH Down
Because Yes I Have Some PH Up & PH Down That Came With That API Fresh Water Kit PH Kit I Have …..
Well I was just confused as to why you had pH adjustors on your list of things to buy. Simply because if you already had some and are short on money I don't know why you would be spending money to buy more of them when you already had some. But they are a necessity and in case you didn't have any then yes you'll need some.

However now that you are telling me that the pH adjusters you have came with the pH kit you were using (not the general hydroponics pH kit), I would suggest you toss what you have out as well (because I'm sure their not designed for hydroponics either), and get the general hydroponics liquid adjustors on your list to get. You don't want to use any pH adjustors that are not designed for hydroponics. I should also mention that the general hydroponics dry pH adjusters are a much better deal in the long run. They are a few dollars more for the one pound containers (about $10-$12 depending on where you get them), but last much much longer. However if money is tight, just get the cheaper liquid ones, they should last you 2-4 months anyway.

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Far As Water Goes I Have Been Using Purified Water – But As Of 3rd November I Have Bottle Water Service They Sell Reverse Osmosis Water In Five Gallons
That's fine, I don't know what they charge for the water, but you may want to consider building a water filtration system, or buying a portable RO system. As you begin to grow more plants you will need plenty of water on hand. I have had plants that drink as much as 2-1/2 gallons a day each. Not each system, each plant. Just something you will want to consider as you grow more and more plants.

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Should I Buy A TDS Meter? Would That Help?
Is This Good Brand ? I Know You Get What You Pay For
No. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, it's always nice to have another toy to play with. But you simply don't need one. In over 5 years of growing hydroponically, I still haven't bothered to get one. Simply because I would rather use that money for more nutrients, or to build another system.

Typically Hanna is a good a good manufacture. They make testing equipment in all price ranges, and anything half way reliable will cost at least $100 or more. Even at that just like pH pens, TDS/EC meters can easily give you false readings. But that's not why I have one, the main reason (besides price) is even if it is working well, it simply cant tell me what I want to know. I don't need to know the general strength of my nutrient solution because I know how I mixed them, and change them regularly so they are balanced. When they make one that can tell me how much of each individual element is in the solution, that's when I'll buy one. The ones available can only give you a total of everything in the water, but not what quantities that each are in. So you can easily have one or two elements depleted, and some at toxic levels, and even when the meter is working properly the number on the TDS/EC meter can read in a good range, but the balance of the nutrients can still be way off and you would never know it.

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How I Been Feeding So You Understand
This Exactly What It Says On Site In Mix Recommendations
I will have to get back to you on this, it's been a long day and I want to go through it thoroughly so I'm sure I understand it first. If I forget about it, remind me...
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