Rockwool flood n drain?

[smackhead1984]

quick setup plan guide:
3 x 600 w
over 30 sq. feet
flood and drain on tables
well ventilated
starting under 75w seeds and cuttings purPle light flourescent


hi there,
my problem is im starting seeds in rockwool and sent a friend to the shop for me to buy some tubing and connecters, but all he got was tubing and forgot the drippers, so i was wondering if they'd be ok just watering them by flowing it in briefly a few times a day or does it have to be dripped? if dripped then on a timer or constant? also when starting seeds or cuttings in a propagator are they ok to be hand watered? if so how often? i imagine they dry out quicker? ...ive never used rockwool before, just squishy starter cubes.

also how many litre reservoir do u think i need for flood and drain for 20 to 25 15 litre pots?

and im gonna get an air pump to keep the res fresh what standard would i have to get for whatever litre res u recommend?

thanks in advance for any light u can shed

[stinkyattic]

What's your table size? 4x4 should be 40 gal, 2x4 should be 25.
You can flood n drain RW. You MUST pre-set the pH of the slab FIRST before adding plants!!! The flood cycles will be less frequent than a more porous medium like hydroton. Personally, I prefer HT for flood n drain and coco for drip, but if you already bought your RW slab, then get your table set up ASAP so you can get the pH adjusted while the seedlings are rooting.

[smackhead1984]

thanks stinky u always answer my threads, really appreciate it,

how often would u say to water them? i would like to build my own table, tray an res AN do IT 4' x 9' i dunno what size pot i should finish in, i got out 12 medium which are 15 litres i think and 10 which are 22 litre which i would of used for soil but am i right in sayin u dont need as big a pot when in hydro? if so shall i only fill them 3 quarters? im gonna use clay pebbles i think but i aint bought em yet..

[stinkyattic]

Naw you still fill them all the way.
Can I suggest pricing out tray/res combos at the hydro shop? Rubbermaid tubs need to be reinforced with a wood exoskeleton to hold all that water... my buddy lost the security deposit on his cottage when his reservoir (40 gallon rubbermaid) collapsed under the weight of the water... The white Botanicare plastic is CHEAP and designed to be used as a system, and you can use the res to put the tray on. 4x9 is HUGE. Try 4x6 tops if this is your first time out, and you will want to run at LEAST a 600hps on a mover over that space, up to 2 hps1000s.
Clay pebbles in e&f get flooded 6x per day spaced 4 hours apart for 15 minutes.
Veg your clones for 2 weeks and plan to finish them in 1 gallon polypots, or veg them 1 week and finish them in 6" quart squares packed in tighter.

You REALLY want a mother plant for any hydro system other than DWC by the way. Makes your life easier- larger plants suffer root rot in e&f systems more easily than small plants.