I've been creeping around a bit, Thought I would introduce myself and perhaps get some feedback.

I'm planning a deep water culture system, homemade. I'm going to start with one growing area, and a reservoir, with the intent that I will probably expand to have many growing areas eventually once I get cooking.

I've got a small aquarium pump that will be pumping water from the reservoir to the growing areas, and back. I'm planning on putting an air stone in the growing areas (plastic totes basically) and in the reservoir both.

My tap water is about a pH of 8.2, so it's fairly basic. I'm told adding nutrients should lower this somewhat. The reservoir will be fairly large, and get flushed and changed every Saturday.

I want to start seedlings in soil, then switch them into the hydroponics area. I'm going to use aquarium gravel as the growing medium.

The plan is to grow lettuce at first since there is no flowering involved in it, and then add tomatoes later, and eventually some dill, and basil.

This would all be grown under compact florescent lighting on a timer to run 16 hours a day. Obviously when I want to begin fruiting the tomatoes this will change, however, for the lettuce and herbs this should work well I think...

Let me know if there's anything wrong with this setup, and if you have any suggestions. I'd appreciate comments anyways actually!

Thanks,
Steve

Does a DWC really go two weeks with no movement of water at all? Hard core.

It's quite possible for me to run different solutions for the tomatoes then for the lettuce. What would you reccomend? I haven't bought nutrients yet, there is a hydroponics store nearby that i'm going to hit on Saturday

What is an old fish fancier?

Tomatos, on average, have a crown of 6-8 square feet. 100 w cfl lamp / 6 square feet = 16 watts/square foot, not adequate.

I was also wondering if you could add vinegar to lower pH?

Not quite sure why anyone though I raise fish... I've never tried and have no desire to...

Thanks for the info everyone. My seeds just arrived today, And tomorrow I go to the hydroponics store and get the rest of the system! Wish me luck!

vinegar can be used. not sure how well it works for big shifts as I don't have to adjust things much.

not sure about the fish thing either, just speculating on what greystoke meant by it.

Here are some pics!

Just one bucket for right now. No reservoir like i'd planned because I only have the one tote to grow in right now, and I had difficulty finding the fitting I want. Whats a good way to go through the bucket to allow for the drain that is water proof?

I'm using 3 23 watt CFL's at the moment, which I know is woefully not enough. I'm hoping I can track down some 40 watt CFL's or find an old florescent ballast or something.

I've got a line on a guy selling used 400w metal halide bulb/ballast and reflector for $40, so i'm going tonight to take a look at them. If they are in good shape, i'm going to set one up, and start 2 tomato plants in a separate bucket. How far from the ground should I hang a 400w Metal Halide light. I'm told it will fairly effectively cover a 4x4 area?

The lettuce and herbs I planted haven't sprouted yet, but I guess it takes a few days, and I'm just a bit ancy.

Wish me luck!

Either way, I'm gonna start my tomato plants tomorrow! Gonna start three sprouts, and take the best two and put them in their own tub. Should be a good time! Wish me luck! I'll post pictures when i get something decent in size. Should I be giving these sprouts nutrients yet? So far they are growing in just water, but aren't big enough to transplant yet.

Lots to figure out here. Thanks for all the help everyone!

Don't be cheap with the sprouts (planted seeds), take a least half a dozen to start, even if you choose only 2 later. What if 1 of the 3 is not germinating at all (or delayed) and one looking week after a while?

I've tested nutrient requirements of tomato seedlings a while back for my own purposes. I've used 0.4 - 0.5 - 0.7- 0.9 and 1.2 mS (EC) from start (for germination even), no plain water for tomatoes with me...

The best results with the longest root size were the ones grown in 0.9 (total concentration of the NS. Even germination rate was considerably better from 0.7.
The formula used was my own tomato formula which has a ratio of 1-1.5 N/K, standard Ca, Mg/S and TE. I have good water tough, as low as 0.1 mS and a base PH of 7.1. If you do not control or correct your PH for the seedlings, a slightly higher nutrient concentration may correct the PH to the better and will make a difference. I do not agree with the "myth" that all plant seeds need to be started with water and very low nutrient concentration. This "less is more recommendation" is probably due to people who have terribly overdone it in the past or have had no EC-meter. But if the concentration is too low, you may give your plants a bad start and may delay development and potential considerably. If plants germinate and grow in nature, they do not do so in some low fertilizer soil or in plain water, - they do so in the very same environment as they'll grow up, don't they?

Another option (and safer method) would be to grow your tomato seedlings in a decent (professional) potting mix, repot them at 5-6 inches (or higher) in hydro by cleaning the the roots carefully from the dirt. I would even recommend this method for anyone who has little or no experience in growing seedlings in nutrient solution. It's anyway a good idea to have a few extra seedlings if the ones in the NS are not doing as well as expected, respectively to have a control group to compare.

Cheers
Lucas

PS: half strength... here we get lost in translation and semantics again.
The question is half (or only quarter) strength of what exactly...?!

I understand the fact that everyone sees and handles these measures, recommendations etc., in his own ways and by his/her own means very well. But then again, recommendations are even more inaccurate and confusing as the whole thing already is.

Let me put it this way to not get misunderstood: I do not criticize the way it is handled in many cases, but I obviously can't agree or correct anything at such degree of (in)accuracy. Then It's easier to stick with some common recommendations proposed at a multitude of websites and the standard replies of most forum members.

Best is to find your own "complete system" by trial and error and stick with the working one.

Good Luck
Luchas

Unfortunately most people (beginners even less) have got the ambition and time to actually (and at least BASED on some scientific principals) put it to the test.

With tomato seedlings I found out that root development is delayed when nutrient is to week. Because the root growth and size obviously and continuously is adapting to the sprout/plant size. Hence too low concentration doesn't promote- but delays plant AND root growth.

Hint: do not fall for the phosphorus myth or for seeding formulas/products with high phosphorus (P) content. It's nonsense as seedlings do NOT need any surplus of P.

There is only one root and plant growth enhancing product I warmly recommend for any seedlings: any serious TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM based products ->

I planted my tomato and pepper plant seedlings last night. I added the same 2.5ml / l formula to them for now.

Something I noticed yesterday is that, my poor seedlings are cold. I measured the temp of the growth medium, and they were sitting at around 61 degrees. Pretty chilly by my standards. To warm them up, i've moved the light much closer, and now the seedlings are sitting at about 71 degrees. Here's hoping that is both a) helpful b)not gonna kill em all!

I pulled one, and the root was fairly well developed and long, but the tip was turning black. I've started another couple, and i'm gonna leave em by and not water unless they go bone dry, and see how that does. I'm not gonna water the existing ones anymore and see if they recover.

I've also removed the tomatos and peppers from the bag, and dropped their temps down to 71 ish.

Most importantly: if you change more than one parameter (light, temps, nutrient concentration) and it goes wrong, you'll never know exactly what did cause the trouble and actually has to be avoided next time. And what you suspect being the cause, overwatering - may not even be close. In fact rockwool always, even if dripping wet, has air content - and too much water (only) shouldn't cause sudden death.

As I said, half strength says nothing to me, and it might have been too much in your case - especially together with increased temps. Anyway I suspect the change of temperature as being the main cause here.

This is the action I have now taken, and i'm just gonna let it go and see how she does after this. I took the cubes, and dipped them in condensate from my dehumidifier. This water will have a pH of pretty close to 7, and be effectively pure. This should dilute but not eliminate excess fertilizer. I then placed them on a towel until they were no long wet, but moist.

I'm gonna sit back and see if they recover. Those that aren't pretty much dead are still standing upright. In the mean time i've planted 8 more seeds just in case the original batch die.

Am i supposed to leave them i the little plastic dome until secondary leave sprout? or take it off?

-Steve

I disinfected everything with a 1:3 bleach solution, and let it soak in nice and long. Then replanted everything to start again. Kind of sucks when I was hoping i'd have two weeks of growth by now, but live and learn right?

I love growing tomatoes and peppers and a lot of other good things to eat in my indoor grow room.

I always grow my lettuce separate from my normal grow systems. I put them in a raft system in an unheated basement. As far as starting from seed goes for the lettuce, I just wet the hydroton and sprinkle a few seeds onto it just above the water level. They always germinate with in 24 - 48 hours.

Wait, you put a few seeds directly in the hydroton and they sprout in it? Funky... I would think the seed would fall into the water fairly easily!

The conditions should be nearly ideal here, and i'm struggling to understand why nothing has sprouted. The seeds are moist, sitting at about 70 degrees, and under light. It's very frustrating...

[IMG]http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e252/Dragone19/Garden Stuff/dsc03719.jpg[/IMG]

Hi your system sounds pretty good. One thing I would recommend if you are going to grow hydroponically you should start your seeds with a medium such as rapid rooters or rock wool. I prefer rapid rooters. This would work much better in the transfer into your machine .If you go with soil you will need to wash it all off of the roots before transferring it. That will be difficult to with out stressing the plant, where if you use the other 2 I suggested you can place them directly into the machine once rooted.
Ps. check out this link if you want to see the items.
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-92079508180652/hydroponic-gardening.htm