First time DWC - Sour diesel

[Newgrow2021]

Please help! This is my first time, I’m taking the DWC route I’ve attached pictures of my set up and how it’s coming along. I believe there is an issue with my leaves but I’m not quite sure. I’m using the floratrio, calimag, and hydroguard. I’ve been looking through all of the post but I keep finding post about top fed DWC. Any tips or advice will be appreciated!

[RetiredGuy]

I think you have too much light for such a young seedling. Do you have a fluorescent you can use for another week? It also looks dry, I assume it is in some type of starter cube. You need to make sure it doesn’t get too dry ( or too wet).

[Newgrow2021]

Do you suggest I fill the water higher inside of the bucket?

[gbauto]

Are you top-feeding the seedling?
I've been growing in hydro for about 5 years and that's one of the tricks I've learned.
I will top-feed until I get roots hanging from the basket.
Once the roots are in solution, I stop top-feeding.
I set the solution level about 1" below the net.
You don't want the net submerged in solution, that can promote funk growing around the base of the plant.
It normally takes a week or so before I get roots dropping, so be patient.
The plant is developing a root system as well as vegetative growth, so a lot is happening at once.

[YYCannabis]

Raise the light up another 6-8”. The weird leaf growth is trying to tell you it’s too much light right now.
As as gbauto mentioned, you should be doing some watering from the top with plain water. Do not water directly on the plant, but rather, pour the waters least 2” away the plant. This will help to get the roots to grow out to the sides and will provide some extra humidity for her. 👍

[Newgrow2021]

So I’ve raised the light up, removed water from the bucket so the pot isn’t directly in it. I top feed a small amount twice a day. And my leaf tip is starting to rot. I’ve also checked the ph it’s at 6.3 as of this morning. I’m struggling man lol

[thesprinklerguy]

I would definitely say to top feed more often if not constant until the roots reach the nutrients. There should be a gap of at least a few inches below your pot and the nutrients and hopefully lots of air bubbles in the bucket.
What type of light are you using and how far away is it?
Also, let your PH drift between 5.5 and 6.5, if your using Cal- Mag then the upper range of the PH is covered. Here are 2 charts from YYCannabis that should help. I'm using the same nutrients but start out at 5.5 and then use PH down when I get to 6.3 or so.

[Newgrow2021]

Right now I’m just using a small fluorescent light approximately 10” away

[thesprinklerguy]

That should be fine for veg. This time I'm using LED for veg but they aren't great lights. My previous grows were all done with cheap fluorescent from Home depot for veg and they always did great. A lot of these commenters on here are pretty much pros and looks like everyone is giving great advice and the entire website is full of valuable knowledge. You'll have it all down in no time, it's so much easier than it seems.

[YYCannabis]

Hang in there. You’re 1 set of leafs away from being off to the races. 👍

I’d also recommend you cover the basket to prevent light leaks. I can see openings around the hydroton marbles which will cause water problems later.

[Newgrow2021]

Don’t mind my stupid question but what do you recommend I cover it with? If I’m top feeding for a while should I make the cover easily removable?

[YYCannabis]

I use cooking foil (see pic) Some people use disposable paper plate. You can use whatever you have available, as long as it can block the light 👍

[thesprinklerguy]

I have a question for you. in the first couple of weeks from seed I was having problems with most of my plants where the leaves were clawing and a little strange. I did my research on the GWE site and checked all of the possibilities and after going through everything found that my problem was that my net pot covers had the reflective side up. Once I turned them over everybody recovered. I guess my question to you is have you seen any ill effects with the aluminum foil at the base of the plants? I'm wondering if it was just because mine were young seedlings and you have more mature plants.. Curious to know your thoughts as you are obviously on top of your game.

[YYCannabis]

I didn’t really see any difference between foil or paper towel or anything else I’ve used. My foil has a 3” diameter hole in the middle so it’s not reflecting light directly from underneath...but not sure if that makes a difference. I use that 3” space around the seedling as my top feeding area. I simply use a large syringe filled with water and squirt it down into the hydroton; do this 2 or 3 times a day until several roots start to kiss the surface of the reservoir, then back off to once per day until it seems like several roots get a few inches deep in the reservoir. At that point, top feeding is no longer necessary.

If your seedling has funny looking or deformed leaves, chances are it was from too much light. Simply raise the light up, and watch the growth for improvement. 👍

And just as a side note: studies on tomatoes show that a plant will grow larger fruits if the ground around the plant was covered with red fabric. They didn’t know if it was because of red spectral light reflecting up under the leaves was causing it, or if it was a genetic “competitive response”, as if the plant was aware it’s neighboring plants were already making large red fruits and it needed to “catch-up”.

[thesprinklerguy]

Thanks, very interesting. When I was having the issue the lights were the first thing I checked and raised while going through the different reasons for my clawing leaves, as well as moving my top feeds closer to the sides and away from the plants to just allow it to gradually disperse through the hydroton and hitting the roots at the bottom only.. About a day or so after flipping the pot covers I was able to put the lights right back where they were with no issues.
Unfortunately when I bought my tubs there were virtually none available so I had to get clear tubs which I painted with 4 coats of black before setting up. As a result I'm finding that light is getting in there through the paint so I just have everything completely covered with cardboard for now. Hydrogaurd is doing it's job though. I may try to get a red blanket or something instead. It may or may not help but after reading your comment why wouldn't I?
Thanks again for your input

[RagWeedDWC]

Are you using any nutrients?
Concur with keeping the bottom of net pot about a inch or two above the water. Top feed until one or two roots have grown down into the water. The SD I grew DWC for my last grow, had a rocky start and looked a lot like yours. But it did pull thru.

I use plain RO water with a light dose of Hydroguard, Calmag about 1/5 recommended. Once the roots hit, I start with week one feed schedule at 1/2 strength, but by week 3 at full strength.

I learn something new with every grow

[Newgrow2021]

It died guys, I'm going to start over but this time I want to make some changes. Anyone have a detailed journal I can use?