Hydroponics Tips

[jackalope]

I get emails from Advanced Nutrients about twice a month. Usually, I just delete them after reading a portion, but this time they sent some 'tips' that I thought I would share with you ...... take them with a grain of salt if you wish, I'm pretty skeptical of some of their stuff, since they are not too secretive about what kind of plant growth they are promoting ..... i.e. pot! I am pretty concerned about how some of these tips will affect the aquaculture that I raise, even though they sound good if there's no aquaculture involved, so be careful about which tips you follow! Whenever I read any of their material, I don't read 'nutrient solution,' I see 'fish water' instead!

Grow Tips is a collection of the most useful hydroponics growing tips that I have found.
Each of them is designed to help you do a better job of growing from seedling
to harvest.

Tips include:

* How to combat bacterial & fungal infection
* Airstones don't dissolve oxygen into water
* Potency without absorption is useless
* LED lights now suitable for growing
* The difference between beneficial microbes
* Why silica is necessary


Tip #1 - How to combat bacterial & fungal infection

First step is to completely clean out your system. If possible, remove each plant, rinse it
off and perhaps dip it in an H202 solution.

Next, trim off any dead roots.

Finally, clean your entire system using strong bleach. In fact, I suggest soaking all your
equipment in bleach for a few hours... particularly your pump and tubing. And, of course,
you'll want to rinse everything thoroughly before putting your plants back in.



Tip #2 - Misconception: airstones don't dissolve oxygen into water

This is a common misunderstanding. Airstones diffuse air through the water but this
doesn't mean that oxygen is dissolved in the water. So, how do you increase dissolved
oxygen levels?

Water and nutrient solutions that circulate at a rate fast enough to exchange their
volumes several times per hour will help to maintain dissolved oxygen levels. Also,
solutions that pass through the air or through biofilters will help to draw ambient oxygen
from the air and dissolve it into the solution.

It comes down to this. The more nutrient solution surface area that's exposed to
ambient air, the greater the potential for increased oxygen levels.



Tip #3 - Potency without absorption is useless

The nutrients you use can be of the highest quality. But if your plants can't fully absorb
them, they are worthless.

The key word to consider here is 'chelated'. Every single one of the micro-nutrients in
the fertilizer you use should be chelated for maximum absorption and uptake. Also, a
high percentage of the macro-nutrients should also be chelated.

Chelated fertilizers provide such benefits as faster peak bloom time, better tasting
vegetables, more aroma and color in your flowers.



Tip #4 - LED lights now suitable for growing

It used to be that LED lighting was frowned upon for use in growing plants. They just
didn't generate enough light intensity.

No more. A new generation in LED lighting now provides not only the intensity your
plants want but also allows you to customize the light spectrum to fit your growin
needs.

This provides you with a number of benefits. The lights last longer than HID, saves
electricity and generates less heat which cuts down on cooling costs in the grow room.
If you haven't discovered the new generation in LED light, you should check it out.



Tip #5 - The difference between beneficial microbes

You probably already know that beneficial microbes create ideal root zone
environments. This means your plants do a better job of taking up nutrients... resist
stress and disease... and help your roots remain strong.

But there can be a big difference in the quality of the microbe products you buy. Most
hydroponic companies save money by having outside companies produce their
microbes in bulk. As a result, the quality can vary all over the lot.

Also, the beneficial microbes you get are pretty much generic. There is little or no
testing on different plants. This is important because specific beneficial microbes work
better on certain plants than others.

So how do you know you are getting quality beneficial microbes? Check to see if the
manufacturer grows their own in-house where quality can be controlled. If they do, then
chances are you'll be getting tested, customized quality microbes.



Tip #6 - Why silica is necessary

In your grow room, you always live with the threat of powdery mildew, gray mold, spider
mites, aphids, root rot and other problems. How do you protect your plants without
resorting to poisons or pesticides?

The answer is silica.

Plants accumulate silicon to build their cells. They also store it as protection and
foundational support between cells. In fact, your plants contain as much as 10% of their
weight as silica.

The problem is silica isn't supplied in most hydroponic fertilizers or root zone media.
That's why providing silica is necessary no matter what type of hydroponic system or
nutrients you're using.

Just make certain that the silica you provide is the right type to provide crop protection
and potency enhancement.

All comments are welcomed!

[dufflight]

I wonder if AP gets enough silica. By the size of a lot of the plants they must be getting some.

[JCO]

Tip #6 - Why silica is necessary

In your grow room, you always live with the threat of powdery mildew, gray mold, spider
mites, aphids, root rot and other problems. How do you protect your plants without
resorting to poisons or pesticides?

The answer is silica.

Plants accumulate silicon to build their cells. They also store it as protection and
foundational support between cells. In fact, your plants contain as much as 10% of their
weight as silica.

The problem is silica isn't supplied in most hydroponic fertilizers or root zone media.
That's why providing silica is necessary no matter what type of hydroponic system or
nutrients you're using.

Just make certain that the silica you provide is the right type to provide crop protection
and potency enhancement.

To me, this seems to be the most valuable of all from the list because it tells how to protect plants from insect vermin and other maladies, but it doesn't tell how to make certain that the silica you use is the right type to provide crop protection and potency enhancement nor where to find out that information.

[jackalope]

I've written to Advanced Nutrients and asked about their silica solution - Rhino Skin (Potassium Silicate), and chelated iron i.e. toxcicity to fish .... I will post their answer if/when I get one back.

[badflash]

If your growbed is quartz gravel, you'll have all the silicone you need.

Also, the thing about airstones not putting oxygen in the water is nonsense. If you use an airstone in a still tank the fish will swim around happily. Turn it off and watch them come to the surface and gulp air.

[jackalope]

If your growbed is quartz gravel, you'll have all the silicone you need.

Also, the thing about airstones not putting oxygen in the water is nonsense. If you use an airstone in a still tank the fish will swim around happily. Turn it off and watch them come to the surface and gulp air.

I've noticed that too, like I said, you're welcome to take some of his 'tips' with a grain of salt