Help?: Hydroponic Tomato Problem, Pictures and Log

[widespreadpanic]

I'm new to hydroponics and I seem to be killing my young tomato plants. Here's my setup: I have an ebb and flow system (greentree hydro) to be exact. Hydroton medium. I'm doing it outdoors fueled by sunlight. The information I came across said that tomatoes ideally like and E.C. of 2.0-3.5, and a ph of 5.8-6.3 and a 50 gallon reservoir temp of 65°-75°.

I'm using general hydroponics maxigrow for the vegetative state of the plants. I seem to be killing them. I'm wondering if my nutrient levels are too high for the age of the plants? The E.C. is between 1.5 - 2.0. The PPM is 1000-1400. My PH has been around 5.5-6.5.

I started my seedlings in my Aerogarden and I tested it and the PPm was at like 5000 and they were doing great in there? It has me perplexed, I know the aerogarden is dummy proof, so I am assuming the nutrient levels can be high there but very mild so they won't burn the plants? Can anybody help? I posted pics of plants below. They are not before and after, they are two different plants as well as my log of what I've been doing. Thanks in advance.

[GpsFrontier]

I cant tell much from the chart, I just don't know how exactly it is you keep records. By looking at it, I see two pH levels for each day so I can't tell what is going on there. Also I have no idea what the values under fertilizer refer to, but anyway.

A 50 gallon reservoir is huge for two small plants, but not a problem. If you are maintaining the pH between 5.5-6.5 you should be fine there. If the nutrient temp is kept between 65F and 75F continuously, you should be OK there also. Though 75F is at the upper edge, and I would prefer it to be lower. I don't use PPM/TDS/EC meters myself, and I'm not real familiar with maxigrow nutrients. But if I'm not mistaken the directions recommend 1 tsp per gallon for the maxigrow. With plants that small you could probably do fine on 1/2 to 1/3 the recommended mix.

What is the air temp?
What is the watering cycles?
How high does the water level get with each cycle?
Is it humid, Is there good air flow?
Do the leaves wet?
Do the plants get plenty of good light?
Do you see any pests or bugs on them?
Are the plants cool weather or warm weather variety's?

[widespreadpanic]

Thanks for responding. I have a greentree hydroponic system with 18 buckets. As of now I have 4 cherokee purple plants in one of my three rows of six pots.
I cut off the other 12 buckets piping b/c I don't have a plant for them. I originally started by keeping my 55 gallon drum only 25 gallons full to save on nutrients; but, later I decided I should use the 55 gallon drum and get used to adjusting the nutrients/ph/ec.

I need help, here's how to explain my chart:

1)the air temp is measured in the column that says: high/low, h/l, or 60°/49°

2) I'm watering every 3 hours for 16 hours during the day, then I water twice every 4 hours during the night.

3) the water cycle floods way above the roots of the veg.plants that I started in my aerogarden. I later buried the root base at the bottom 2 inches of hydroton in the buckets, thinking I could bury them like I do my "earth" tomato plants.

4) It's been very humid and rainy and windy. Yesterday it rained 2.64 inches in 24 hours and the wind was blowing 40 MPH. I have plastic wrap around the plants to protect them from the wind.

5)I don' t know what it means do the plants wet?

6)I think the lights alright, although I'm trying to jump start the season here on Hatteras Island, NC. 27936

7)no bugs man, this is user error for sure!

8) the variety is Cherokee Purple Heirloom Mater'

[GpsFrontier]

1)the air temp is measured in the column that says: high/low, h/l, or 60°/49°

So I take it that the air temp is ranging from 66 to 43 degrees at the moment.

2) I'm watering every 3 hours for 16 hours during the day, then I water twice every 4 hours during the night.

Watering every 3 hours, but for how long is the pump pumping at a time (5 min, 30 min, 60 min etc.). I am asking because I'm wondering if the roots are being suffocated. Also with only one watering in 3 hours (unless it's a long one) they might not be getting enough water. Both situations could be a problem? It looks like you are watering more at night. With once for 3 hours during day, and twice in 4 hours at night (in other words, once every 2 hours at night). That would be odd, especially when the plants don't really need it at night.

P.S. Are you using an air pump and stone in the nutrient reservoir?

3) the water cycle floods way above the roots of the veg.plants that I started in my aerogarden. I later buried the root base at the bottom 2 inches of hydroton in the buckets, thinking I could bury them like I do my "earth" tomato plants.

Not sure how deep the buckets are. I wanted to know where the water level in the buckets was in relation to the top of the growing medium. I was wondering if stem rot was setting in. Tomatoes are very susceptible to root and stem diseases and fungus, especially when small like that.

4) It's been very humid and rainy and windy. Yesterday it rained 2.64 inches in 24 hours and the wind was blowing 40 MPH. I have plastic wrap around the plants to protect them from the wind.

5)I don' t know what it means do the plants wet?

Well that is what I meant. If the leaves and stems are wet all the time, fungus could set in and be quite damaging to small tomato plants like that. Humid conditions aid in fungus because the leaves and stems don't get a chance to really dry, so they remain wet continuously.

8) the variety is Cherokee Purple Heirloom Mater'

I have no idea if that variety is a cool weather variety or not. Going by your chart and the maximum daytime high is 66 degrees, unless this is a cool weather variety it might not be suited for your cold conditions. You could either get a cool weather variety (if that isn't) or build a greenhouse for it, and heat the greenhouse.

[le0n]

At a glance I would say it's a combination of too long between watering as the Hydratron doesn't appear to be holding much moisture and there could be heat build up inside the plastic around the Tomatoes, they need the air to circulate.

Cheers Leon...

[widespreadpanic]

Originally Posted by GpsFrontier

So I take it that the air temp is ranging from 66 to 43 degrees at the moment.
Watering every 3 hours, but for how long is the pump pumping at a time (5 min, 30 min, 60 min etc.). I am asking because I'm wondering if the roots are being suffocated. Also with only one watering in 3 hours (unless it's a long one) they might not be getting enough water. Both situations could be a problem? It looks like you are watering more at night. With once for 3 hours during day, and twice in 4 hours at night (in other words, once every 2 hours at night). That would be odd, especially when the plants don't really need it at night.

P.S. Are you using an air pump and stone in the nutrient reservoir?
Not sure how deep the buckets are. I wanted to know where the water level in the buckets was in relation to the top of the growing medium. I was wondering if stem rot was setting in. Tomatoes are very susceptible to root and stem diseases and fungus, especially when small like that.
Well that is what I meant. If the leaves and stems are wet all the time, fungus could set in and be quite damaging to small tomato plants like that. Humid conditions aid in fungus because the leaves and stems don't get a chance to really dry, so they remain wet continuously.
I have no idea if that variety is a cool weather variety or not. Going by your chart and the maximum daytime high is 66 degrees, unless this is a cool weather variety it might not be suited for your cold conditions. You could either get a cool weather variety (if that isn't) or build a greenhouse for it, and heat the greenhouse.

Thanks for all your help. I really, really appreciate you taking the time.

Answers to questions.

1)You are right about the air temps. I live in north carolina and it's getting warmer but not quite the ideal temp range yet.

2)I am "flooding" my plants for 15 minute intervals. I was confusing and incorrect with my schedule, let me restate. I flood my plants for 15 minutes every flooding. My schedule is 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm, 2am.
I do not have an airstone, I was told it was not needed in an ebb and flow system where air is sucked in by the ebbing and flowing of the water through the hydroton. I do currently have a pump circulating the nutrients that will be hooked up to an aquarium chiller once the weather warms up.
3) the buckets are 12"-16" I think. I placed the plants all the way down in the bottom of the bucket and then poured in the hydroton around them. I did this b/c in my experience dirt growing maters that's a great way to get fast healthy root growth. Does it not work the same way hydro?

Thanks again for taking the time to try and help a noob. It's greatly appreciated.