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#1
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Hello everyone and well met.
I am trying hydroponics for the first time as my wife will not let me take out any of the grass at out new house. This first year is more of an experiment than anything else. I have two 5 gallon buckets. one has 2 tomato plants (one lemon boy and the other is big beef). and the other has 4 bean plants (purple string beans that i have been growing for many years, always letting some pods go to seed for the next year). The buckets are black with black lids so there is no issue with algae. I am using a zeer cooling setup to ensure that the roots do not get too hot in the black buckets. I am using the EcoPlus Commercial Air pump I got online. When I started I added a cup on azomite in each bucket and maxigro at one tsp per gallon. I want to go simple so I have not even check ph. I also am not changing the liquid. I use a dip stick in a hole to check the level of the water. I use this same hole add water when the system get low. when adding water for the first 4 weeks I used the maxigro and the weeks after I have been using maxibloom. I am very happy with the plants. Very large, producing well (no harvest yet). only slight problems with bugs. Not enough to take action against the bugs. Here a couple of pics from week 3. I have not taken any newer pics. So what is my problem. I am using 5 gallons of water every two days for only two buckets. Is this normal? It seems like a lot for just two buckets. |
#2
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Can you post some pics of the reservoir setup?
Theirs 2 things I would do from reading your post. 1. You must check the PH of the water. You can buy a PH checker along with up/down liquid for less than $20. 2. You need to wrap the 5 gallon containers with something that will reflect the sun instead of absorbing it. I know you said you are using something to cool it down inside but when it gets very hot that sun will make it like an inferno inside those buckets. Most dollar stores sell those sun reflectors that unfold and go inside the car up to the windshield of a car. They usually cost a dollar or 2 buy them and wrap up the baskets. |
#3
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Hello Remembering,
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P.S. I'm guessing you live in a hot dry climate. Humidity levels greatly affect how much water a plant drinks. |
#4
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On the PS medium temp and humidity. I live about 30 miles from the west coast. a couple days over 100 so far this year but mostly in the 80. Humidity not high enough to even be checking so I do not know for sure. |
#5
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Hello Remembering,
I would never suggest spending money when you don't need to. However pH test drops, and pH up and down don't cost much at all. But as Stan mentions, pH is important. I understand you have been growing in soil for a long time, but there are a lot of variables in soil conditions that you don't have in hydroponics. Also even though plants are resilient and adaptable, the science clearly shows that plants absorb nutrients best within a specific pH range (regardless). pH conditions outside of that rage can lead to nutrient deficiencies, even when the nutrient solution isn't lacking anything. It's up to you, but if you don't want to check the pH in your hydroponic systems, you don't have to. But we won't be able to help you much when you can't give us the basic information. It's just a mater of time before you start having problems, and one of the first questions will be, what is the pH?. If we don't know the answer, we don't know if it could be pH related or not. It's that simple. So what's the point in replying when the person can't (or wont) give the vital information needed? Quote:
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Last edited by GpsFrontier; 06-28-2014 at 06:54 AM. |
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