First Tomato Setup

[JHazzardB]

These are just shots to show the overall growth. I'm please with the new growth. I'm losing the baby leaves and have more sturdy new growth coming.

[JHazzardB]

Just posting an update. I'm having a ton of bud failure. The buds are not developing into flowers. They turn yellow and brown and die. About 1/4 of the clusters have done this so far. But growth has been okay and some plants are filling out nicely while some are curling up. I ordered some new tomato seeds so hopefully the ones that don't appreciate my setup for them will be replaced with another plant who will.

Background for bud failure:
Temperatures: 75F during the day and 63F at night.
Humidity: around 35-45%
Water: Now set for 15 minute run time every two hours. It was constant 18hrs on.
lights: hps and MH, 16/8hrs.
nutrients: Nutrients that MHP gardener recommended. Strength about 75%.
https://www.morgancountyseeds.com/st...&productId=487
https://www.morgancountyseeds.com/st...&productId=475
Epsom Salt picked up from Target.

Not the prettiest tomatoes, but it's a learning experience for me. Thanks for looking!

[GpsFrontier]

How have you been doing to try and pollinate the flowers?

[JHazzardB]

Hey GPS! Thank you for replying to the thread

The buds haven't turned in to flowers yet. There have been zero flowers just a bunch of buds. The buds are failing before they reach flower-hood. It makes me suppose night time temperatures or nutrients are to blame.

I also forgot to mention that my reservoir is heated to 71F.

[finewoodstudio]

Have been growing tomatoes indoors hydo now for 5 years. lot of what you have is correct but one glaring error. Here is what I shot for, and my tomatoes were planted 12/1/14 and are now flowering. I pollenate them with a electric tooth brush.

PH 5.8 - 6.2
EC 2.5
PPM 1600-2000
temp night 65, day 75
humidty 55-75%
lights on 6am - 9pm.
I do provide CO2 for more growth. not an issue for you.
lighting 2700K and 6500-7000K (red and blue spectrum).
water temp 70. (heat in winter, cooling in summer).

Your humidity is too low. also how much light in lumens are the plants getting? Need a meter, or lower the lighting which will increase the lumens. Are you pruning the plants? I do not know how large they are but lower leaves should always be removed upto the first fruit, but not a issue for you! Also a larger reservoir will buffer the swings in PH, EC, and temp.
Cheers, RS

[JHazzardB]

Thanks for the response finewood!

The lighting each 4x3 area has a HID lamp that hovers about 15" above the tallest plant. One section has a MH lamp thats about 6500K and the other has a HPS sodium lamp thats about 2700K. They are both rated at 400W I believe. I can probably look up the lumen ratings in a little bit but I believe for how big they are, they should have ample lighting.

Yesterday my humidity ranged from 30%-58%. I got my new Mylar roll in the mail yesterday so I will finish enclosing them today to trap in humidity.

I noticed your EC is run a lot higher than mine. My EC is normally around 1.6 with its highest around 1.95. I'm going to assume I need to bump it up? More food for all the buds?

As for the CO2, I have a small gas heater in the garage that only gets vented when the garage door goes up (don't worry, it's not poisoning me ) Do you think this would add CO2 or is it just CO? Does it matter?

I am pruning the plants. Suckers are removed and any leaves (i call them branches) that have dried up or dying get removed.

[finewoodstudio]

The lighting should be OK, but the plants need both lighting. Should be good for now and it might be challenge when the plants get larger. Idea range of EC is 2.0 to 3.5. EC measure total dissolved solutes and the more solutes the better plant growth. Last year I had my EC 1.5 and it was hard getting the buds to flower. Then when they did the fruit would be small and not grow. I increased the EC and they took off as you are starving the plant.

The higher humidity will also help in the flowering. Adding CO2 will increase plant growth. I think you will see better results by increasing EC and humidity. You want CO2 not CO!