1st time grower needing advice on which growing medium to start with

[Pikey]

Really appreciate the input @Pikey 👍 It's great to have a community that's willing to help a fellow newbie out. Very keen to get started!

With the Bio diesel nutes, are you just using A+B nutes or are you using all the other bio diesel stuff with it like growth enhancer, bloom booster, root and shoot etc.. Not sure if the rest is a must or you can get away with just the A+B nutes

Yeah just using their A + B nutes. Haven't found the need for CalMg either, but that depends on your water I guess 🤷‍♂️.

I did try a bit of the bio-diesel (guano) on the first run (as I was given a sample) but I'm not seeing any noticable difference not using it on this current run. So couldn't really say if it did anything or not (it does smell nice though 🦇).

Stick to the basic A + B whichever brand you go with, the additives are mainly there to lighten your wallet and there are better things to spend your money on in your grow .

 

[Dmase]

Yeah just using their A + B nutes. Haven't found the need for CalMg either, but that depends on your water I guess 🤷‍♂️.

I did try a bit of the bio-diesel (guano) on the first run (as I was given a sample) but I'm not seeing any noticable difference not using it on this current run. So couldn't really say if it did anything or not (it does smell nice though 🦇).

Stick to the basic A + B whichever brand you go with, the additives are mainly there to lighten your wallet and there are better things to spend your money on in your grow .

Thanks so much for the info mate. Appreciate it!

Now let's hope these seeds make it through customs🙏

 

[Pikey]

Yeah, good luck. It's very much a gamble these days, what seeds did you order?

 

[Dmase]

Yeah, good luck. It's very much a gamble these days, what seeds did you order?

First time ordering so hoping for some beginners luck.

I just went with 7 East genetics as I read their packages were still getting through. I ordered super lemon dragon, the kraken, alien dragon and pineapple punch.

 

[Pikey]

Very nice, you'll get your seeds no worries . 7 East know what they're doing

 

[Dmase]

Hey lads, just started my first grow in coco/perlite and the seeds have just sprouted. Just wondering when you would recommend starting to feed nutes? I wish thinking 3ish weeks from sprout but not totally sure

 

[Gazza]

At that stage I mix up about 5ml a and 5ml b veg nutes in a 2 litre spray bottle and then adjust ph to 6.0

Then increase as they grow.

 

[Dmase]

At that stage I mix up about 5ml a and 5ml b veg nutes in a 2 litre spray bottle and then adjust ph to 6.0

Then increase as they grow.

Cheers mate👍 Reading conflicting things on when to feed nutes, some say straight away and others say to wait a few weeks before feeding

 

[Porky]

Cheers mate👍 Reading conflicting things on when to feed nutes, some say straight away and others say to wait a few weeks before feeding

Definitely don't wait a few weeks in coco/perlite!
Start feeding it lightly like Gazza said!

 

[Dmase]

Definitely don't wait a few weeks in coco/perlite!
Start feeding it lightly like Gazza said

Definitely don't wait a few weeks in coco/perlite!
Start feeding it lightly like Gazza said!

Thanks mate!

 

[Dmase]

At that stage I mix up about 5ml a and 5ml b veg nutes in a 2 litre spray bottle and then adjust ph to 6.0

Then increase as they grow.

@Gazza Should I be worrying about measuring the ec at all? Ec is 0.8 coming straight out of the tap. With nutes added it's at 1.8 ec mixing 5ml a&b nutes in 2 litres of water. I'm reading ec should be around 0.3 for seedlings. Little confused..

 

[Old fox]

@Gazza Should I be worrying about measuring the ec at all? Ec is 0.8 coming straight out of the tap. With nutes added it's at 1.8 ec mixing 5ml a&b nutes in 2 litres of water. I'm reading ec should be around 0.3 for seedlings. Little confused..

Your tap water ec is high. Fill a large open container with tapwater, and leave it overnight. Chlorine should evaporate overnight, which will lower your ec for use next morning. Otherwise you can get a suitable filter(charcoal) professionally installed for your tap, which will reduce the ec of your water.

 

[Dmase]

Your tap water ec is high. Fill a large open container with tapwater, and leave it overnight. Chlorine should evaporate overnight, which will lower your ec for use next morning. Otherwise you can get a suitable filter(charcoal) professionally installed for your tap, which will reduce the ec of your water.

Appreciate the response mate! Will leave the water out for 24 hrs..

 

[Porky]

Appreciate the response mate! Will leave the water out for 24 hrs..

Yeah fuck that's horrible for tap water!!
Think @Mellow oldfark has similar over WA!

 

[Gazza]

@Gazza Should I be worrying about measuring the ec at all? Ec is 0.8 coming straight out of the tap. With nutes added it's at 1.8 ec mixing 5ml a&b nutes in 2 litres of water. I'm reading ec should be around 0.3 for seedlings. Little confused..

Sorry mate I’m on tank water, as fox said as your doing, can always go 2.5 ml a and b as well to drop the ec if 5ml is too much.

Good on ya for checking as well 👍

Put some pics up 😉

 

[Dmase]

Yeah fuck that's horrible for tap water!!
Think @Mellow oldfark has similar over WA!

Yeah I'm in WA and tap water taste like fucken shit here!

 

[Dmase]

Sorry mate I’m on tank water, as fox said as your doing, can always go 2.5 ml a and b as well to drop the ec if 5ml is too much.

Good on ya for checking as well 👍

Put some pics up 😉

Yeah I'll play around with it a little. Water left out over 24hrs dropped the ec by .1 so still sitting at .7 Was hoping not to have to drop more coin atm but will suss out the charcoal filter as old fox suggested. If anyone anyone has had a charcoal filter professionally installed could you give me a rough guesstimate on what that set you back. Might pop down to the shops and get some distilled water to mix in with the tap water for the time being.

Day 4 after sprouting

 

[Old fox]

Yeah I'll play around with it a little. Water left out over 24hrs dropped the ec by .1 so still sitting at .7 Was hoping not to have to drop more coin atm but will suss out the charcoal filter as old fox suggested. If anyone anyone has had a charcoal filter professionally installed could you give me a rough guesstimate on what that set you back. Might pop down to the shops and get some distilled water to mix in with the tap water for the time being.

Day 4 after sprouting

When my folks were alive, I had one installed at their place for them. Cost about $250. But that was nearly 10 years ago.

 

[Mellow oldfark]

Was going to try one of the caravan filters that clicks on hose fittings,see if they can reduce EC any.
Lots of brands probably all same producer.

 

[Pikey]

Was going to try one of the caravan filters that clicks on hose fittings,see if they can reduce EC any.
Lots of brands probably all same producer.

Those caravan filters are good at removing sediment and chlorine but, in general, GAC and CBF filters (Carbon) won't greatly reduce the TDS in your water. You would need to use an RO system to remove TDS and significantly drop your EC.

You can pick up a portable RO system with GAC filters for under $100 on the bay or around $130 with a CBF filter .