Nothing Fancy

spyralout

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I can but I don't have any complete grow pics as my last I had to rip out because I had to leave for a couple weeks. And no pics of previous grows left ?

Tomorrow sometime I can start a how too the way I do things... That should start a good debate and sharing thread as some of what I say can be controversial depending on the topic. Also can branch off a bit on other like why VPD is more important in hydro vs soil etc.
Sounds good, looking forward to it ?
 

Caddis

Zinger
I wondered about @NotAuquaMan starting that?
I’m definitely interested in a Hydro dedicated thread.

I don’t know about the @ thing, used right?
Everyone that only got likes, I figured out how to get the other ones! ??
Upgrades pending.
 

spyralout

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I wondered about @NotAuquaMan starting that?
I’m definitely interested in a Hydro dedicated thread.

I don’t know about the @ thing, used right?
Everyone that only got likes, I figured out how to get the other ones! ??
Upgrades pending.
Have you checked out Site News ? It'll keep you updated with what's happening on the site plus it has some tips on functionality. Any questions, ask away.
 

Caddis

Zinger
A few days ago, we held commencement exercises for some young ladies.
This is what they home looked like after 12+, one complete dump at flip and a couple of half dumps.

Someone posted somewhere? about only replacing half the solution to maintain the bennies, think that’s right? Saves water too, so it could apply sterile?
Regardless, it worked for me.
I have not done anything but pull the stone, no rinse.
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NotAquaMan

In Bloom
A few days ago, we held commencement exercises for some young ladies.
This is what they home looked like after 12+, one complete dump at flip and a couple of half dumps.

Someone posted somewhere? about only replacing half the solution to maintain the bennies, think that’s right? Saves water too, so it could apply sterile?
Regardless, it worked for me.
I have not done anything but pull the stone, no rinse.
I th View attachment 8728 View attachment 8728 View attachment 8729 View attachment 8730 View attachment 8727 View attachment 8730 View attachment 8730
Wow someone actually said that. I'm impressed I have been saying this since I started hydro if I had to bet who on here might have said this I'm going to guess it was @Jewels and the reason I guess that is his background in aquatics.

This is so right change 50% water max at a time. Now with that said we also lack a substrate or media for ideal bacteria population. This can easily be addressed but later today when I sit down and start that RDWC thread I will get into that. Also how to establish and why types do well. You actually don't need hydrogaurd if you are seeding and maintaining denitrifying bacteria. The bacteria in hydrogaurd don't actually reproduce well in water so there are some other modifications that can be done to aid that but I'm not certain it's worth the effort. I will get more into it later.

Also never clean or wipe your res or sites below the water line unless in between grows. That clear slippery film is actually bacteria and you want to keep it.
 

spyralout

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only replacing half the solution to maintain the bennies, think that’s right?
This is so right change 50% water max at a time.
So I understand correctly. On a new res and system, I toss in 3 cups/gal of bennies. Then every 3 days or so I toss in 1 cup in the res, 1 in the epi. Repeat with fresh topped up res. Is this achieving the same thing?

@Caddis that is a very clean system, nice job (y) my last run I used megacrop and I got some brown stains in the res and gunk built up on the air lines. The buckets weren't bad. Stones were about 75% as clean as yours. This run will be GH3 (only using Micro & Bloom). Those UC brand bulkhead nuts have those nice grips, but man, last time I checked they were crazy expensive.
 

NotAquaMan

In Bloom
So I understand correctly. On a new res and system, I toss in 3 cups/gal of bennies. Then every 3 days or so I toss in 1 cup in the res, 1 in the epi. Repeat with fresh topped up res. Is this achieving the same thing?

@Caddis that is a very clean system, nice job (y) my last run I used megacrop and I got some brown stains in the res and gunk built up on the air lines. The buckets weren't bad. Stones were about 75% as clean as yours. This run will be GH3 (only using Micro & Bloom). Those UC brand bulkhead nuts have those nice grips, but man, last time I checked they were crazy expensive.
Yes essentially but the question then is why keep adding bennies if they are thriving? Is it because they are dying off due to lack of food source or other reasons? Adding to much bacteria does not give any benefit and could actually have negative effects
 

spyralout

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Yes essentially but the question then is why keep adding bennies if they are thriving? Is it because they are dying off due to lack of food source or other reasons? Adding to much bacteria does not give any benefit and could actually have negative effects
How can you ensure they are thriving other than visually seeing that the water looks clean and there's no gunk? I've just been doing it this way, not knowing any better. In one of the discussions started by @SSGrower, there was talk about UV and bennies, where straight UV lacked something that the bennies provide for the roots, but it wasn't really clear what it was. So one of the experiments I was going to try was having UV in the RO collection can, UV in the Epi, and adding more bennies than usual to keep up the good herd as the UV is killing off the bad and the good at the same time.
 

NotAquaMan

In Bloom
How can you ensure they are thriving other than visually seeing that the water looks clean and there's no gunk? I've just been doing it this way, not knowing any better. In one of the discussions started by @SSGrower, there was talk about UV and bennies, where straight UV lacked something that the bennies provide for the roots, but it wasn't really clear what it was. So one of the experiments I was going to try was having UV in the RO collection can, UV in the Epi, and adding more bennies than usual to keep up the good herd as the UV is killing off the bad and the good at the same time.
UV will kill the bennies I don't suggest trying that. How to test for bacteria? Well for instance you can test for denitrifying bacteria by adding a tiny amount of pure ammonia like 1ppm. Then testing for free ammonia vs nitrates. If in 24hrs if there is no free ammonia then you know you have adequate bacteria for that bioload
 

NotAquaMan

In Bloom
I use mega crop in my hydro because of the small amount of organics and small amount of ammonium. Usually ppl avoid either in hydro and if you run a sterile system I suggest you do avoid both.

This was my last grow with mega crop version 1 that I had to rip out because I had to go away for 2 weeks. I had my daughter do all the testing and water parameters for 2 weeks while gone. 20 min crash course... She did very well and only needed a few calls. They were way to big to flip and I didn't want to fuck around trying to cut em down before flip in the end.

Dec.6 to Jan 2 about 3.5 weeks
 

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Jewels

Tilts at Tables
Seems like a good a place as any , so I'm going to throw this out there,,,,

Electromagnetic radiation is used to decontaminate the water from various chemicals, bacteria and other materials, including:

  • Cryptosporidium
  • Giardia
  • Chlorine
  • Chloramine
  • Viruses
  • Salmonella
  • E. coli
  • Meningitis
  • Dysentery
  • Flu
  • Cysts
A germicidal or mercury vapour lamp is used to create UV light. A glass component of the lamp creates a transparent surface for the shortwave UV light to pass through. The shortwave radiation ultimately eliminates any bacteria or microorganism that it encounters.

Although quite effective, UV disinfection doesn’t remove dissolved organics, inorganic compounds or particles
found in the water.


Ever lost a crop to meningitis ?
 

NotAquaMan

In Bloom
Seems like a good a place as any , so I'm going to throw this out there,,,,

Electromagnetic radiation is used to decontaminate the water from various chemicals, bacteria and other materials, including:

  • Cryptosporidium
  • Giardia
  • Chlorine
  • Chloramine
  • Viruses
  • Salmonella
  • E. coli
  • Meningitis
  • Dysentery
  • Flu
  • Cysts
A germicidal or mercury vapour lamp is used to create UV light. A glass component of the lamp creates a transparent surface for the shortwave UV light to pass through. The shortwave radiation ultimately eliminates any bacteria or microorganism that it encounters.

Although quite effective, UV disinfection doesn’t remove dissolved organics, inorganic compounds or particles
found in the water.


Ever lost a crop to meningitis ?
I agree it's good if you run sterile but it's not good if trying to run live with bacteria. It's actually an amazing treatment for cyanobacteria in aquariums. Like 2-3 days and dead. There are 2 schools that work imo sterile and live but you can't mix them
 

spyralout

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UV will kill the bennies I don't suggest trying that. How to test for bacteria? Well for instance you can test for denitrifying bacteria by adding a tiny amount of pure ammonia like 1ppm. Then testing for free ammonia vs nitrates. If in 24hrs if there is no free ammonia then you know you have adequate bacteria for that bioload
the idea was to try and get the "beneficial" part of bennies (whatever that is) while having UV and bennies fighting the bad bacteria. The extra bennies was to overcome the UV killing them all off.
 

NotAquaMan

In Bloom
the idea was to try and get the "beneficial" part of bennies (whatever that is) while having UV and bennies fighting the bad bacteria. The extra bennies was to overcome the UV killing them all off.
In theory but not practice is my opinion. I want to be clear to anyone reading there is no best way and I'm not suggesting everyone in hydro should do it the way I do. If you add bennies and do full res changes there is nothing wrong with it.

About the best example I can give is I used to mix my own nutrients and test individual nutrient levels to see what what being uptaken in my planted tanks when I used to be in that hobby. It's a lot more similar to hydro than people think. Now if you have ever had a planted tank the term EI will likely ring a bell. It was developed by a man named Tom Barr. It's was basically a way to feed plants while ensuring nutrient ratios stayed within a certain balance. Over the years almost everyone from aquatics to aquaponics has used this method so it's nothing new but more so just not widely recognized by hydro growers. It's an evolution to the complete res change as was once also the principal for both aquatics and aquaponics which have been around far longer than our hydroponic systems.

It's basically a more advanced version of what we use now but understand neither is right just different and method IMO should be chosen based on experience.

If your newer to hydro the simplest will likely suit you best. If you are looking for a more advanced approach then these discussions are for you
 

spyralout

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In theory but not practice is my opinion. I want to be clear to anyone reading there is no best way and I'm not suggesting everyone in hydro should do it the way I do. If you add bennies and do full res changes there is nothing wrong with it.

About the best example I can give is I used to mix my own nutrients and test individual nutrient levels to see what what being uptaken in my planted tanks when I used to be in that hobby. It's a lot more similar to hydro than people think. Now if you have ever had a planted tank the term EI will likely ring a bell. It was developed by a man named Tom Barr. It's was basically a way to feed plants while ensuring nutrient ratios stayed within a certain balance. Over the years almost everyone from aquatics to aquaponics has used this method so it's nothing new but more so just not widely recognized by hydro growers. It's an evolution to the complete res change as was once also the principal for both aquatics and aquaponics which have been around far longer than our hydroponic systems.

It's basically a more advanced version of what we use now but understand neither is right just different and method IMO should be chosen based on experience.

If your newer to hydro the simplest will likely suit you best. If you are looking for a more advanced approach then these discussions are for you
Definitely. I don't have nearly as much experience as you (or any of the hydro growers I've met), so I'm all ears. I have found that even though both classified as Hydro and similar concepts, F&D and RDWC run quite differently in my limited experience.

I don't do full res changes, I just top off. So basically if I have a 20 gal res, and it goes down to 10 gal, then I will add back 10 gal worth of water and the same strength nutes for whatever growth stage I'm targeting. The EI sounds like something I'd like to know more about. I am always about continual improvement.
 
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