When growing marijuana, the cliché that goes “just an ounce of prevention is worth pounds of cure” is one that may well be overused, however, it remains a good measure. During the setup phase of any hydroponic, grow project, if growers pay enough attention to detail, the chances of having green, and successful crops increases.
Of course, the precise course of action you take all depends on the resources you have, space, and of course, other unique needs of the particular cannabis strain that you wish to grow. Keeping all that aside, know that there are some practices and tasks you should observe when it comes to the hydroponic growing area, such as installing LED Grow Lights to keep your marijuana buds healthy and productive as they mature.
Tips for You to Implement
- Start Hydroponics with Sterile Equipment and Tanks
When starting your growing operations, if you can afford new equipment, this step may not be necessary for your project at first, but the truth is eventually, reservoirs, tanks, filters, pipes and other parts of your hydro system will require you to sanitize them. This is important as it helps to prevent the spread and development of pathogens, to be precise root rots. When you start the growing operation, you should keep several bottles of hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol on hand in order to disinfect your grow equipment regularly.
- Start with Pure, pH Neutral Water
In an ideal situation, the water that circulates through the hydroponic system has a pH of about seven (neutral). If this is not the case, an RO (Reverse Osmosis) system will provide and create neutral water. Until you obtain an RO system, you can consider using distilled water.
- Install Proper Lighting
Today, numerous types of grow lights are available, with the best ones and the not so good ones in the market. Know that the right Dorm Grow light will help to take your set up to the best level and depends on your grow space, the distance you install the lights, your plants, and the budget you have. Note that HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lights are much better for smaller types of rooms. LED (Light Emitting Diode) light fixtures are suitable for smaller growing areas and they facilitate the growth of cannabis, but they are more costly when compared to CFLs. Regardless of the type of light you choose; make sure that it produces enough light between 400-700 nanometers. As you grow your plants, a relatively inexpensive grow light meter may help you to determine they are doing the right job.
- Watch the Grow Space Temperature
In an ideal situation, the water that flows through the system needs to be about 180C (or 65F) to facilitate the nutrient absorption and prevent the chances of algae buildup. However, the air temperature may be warmer. In the grow room, if you are able to achieve 240C (75F), your marijuana plants should be quite content.
- Maintain Suitable Levels of Humidity
Based on their development stages, cannabis plants actually do best when the humidity levels vary. When cannabis are in their bud stage (when young), they need about 60-70% of humidity levels. As they develop and move into their blooming phase, they will need 40% of humidity to grow well. A dehumidifier and humidifier will help to achieve the best levels, accordingly.
- Understand the pH
The good news is that reading the pH is not a problem since there are so many pH-reading tools now available in the market. Understanding the pH is quite important because if the pH of your water is not really in the right range, your plants will not be able to grow well and eventually, they would even die. For cannabis growing through hydroponics, you should aim for a pH range of about 6.0, but you should allow the range to be between high 5s and low 6s.
- Maintain Proper Air Flow/Ventilation
For the best health of plants, keeping the air well circulated is a critical aspect and it aids in keeping a well-distributed temperature. You should mount fans or place them in a way so they can cover most of the unobstructed area. In addition, know that proper ventilation helps to maintain an ideal temperature in the grow space, one that is not too hot and keeps help with the exchange of air.
- Find a Consistent Seed Source
The fact is that all the preparation, planning and procuring of the products necessary for the hydroponic project, cannot make cannabis that has poor genetics into a robust and durable strain. Any cannabis plant will only produce the best seeds if the seeds genetically have the power to produce. Attending to its needs and the growing environment ensures that it will come closer to its potential, as soon as possible.
Hydroponics is actually an ideal method to grow cannabis/marijuana. A subset of hydroculture, this is a method of growing plants without any bit of soil, just using nutrient solutions in water solvents. If you are planning to grow your marijuana crops using hydroponics, it is advisable that you follow these tips to get the best, green results.
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