Hydroponics set up?

[ELEL95]

I decided to try hydro growing after a few good grows in soil. I have a set up similar to this one, plastic tote, water pump, air stones, and the irrigation distributor, http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/pr...rod=16&xSec=53 (the one that plays on the video) I want to know if I need to set up a timer on the water pump to allow the rockwool, and hydroton to dry then turn on again? I am not using a dripper, just an open hose. I have tried two different times and my seedlings die each time. I have the pump set up to be on 24/7 and the hose is directly on the side of the rockwool cube through the net pot. The water level sits about a foot below the bottom of the pots. With the air stones on 24/7 also.

One more question when the roots reach the water do I stop using nutrients? How do I feed my plants when the roots reach the water at the bottom of the tote.

[tinytoon]

You are drowning them. RW holds water like a mofo and has to be able to dry out some or the first to go will prob be from stem rot. Try cutting it back to like 10 mins every hour or two. To start your water level should be right at the bottom of the basket so the spray from bubbles can wet the hydrotron. Try and keep water level up as much as you can to keep the "splash" effect effective. As for nutes you dont stop nutes until you reach a week before harvest to do your flush. Nutes get mixed and added to rez and the plants feed directly out of rez.

[ELEL95]

Thank you very much I have been on this forum about a week and was hoping to get your insight you seem to know a shit load about all this.
Also just to verify, no nutrients till I get a couple of true sets of leaves and always start with 1/4 to 1/2 strength of suggested nutrients.
If you could point me to the right forum or maybe a web site with any additional info, I have spent about 3 hours on youtube already.

[tinytoon]

Well first off I dont know if I know a shit load or not but I retain allot that I read and I read ALLOT!! lol :jointsmile:

Yes correct about 1/4-1/2 strength

From what I can tell this site here has more info than anyone could prob absorb. Search engine works really well and every "sticky" post is very valuable.But as a second site to look at try Home - - International Cannagraphic Magazine (http://www.icmag.com). Nice site but I like this one a whole bunch more. For forums here if growing Hydro then that forum is a must and also Basic Growing and Indoor Growing.

[LOC NAR on probation]

Just one thing we learned about that system, bubblaponics.

If you run the drip inside and the line is stuck into the netpot be carefull.

We watched plants start off very well. Then after about 3 weeks they seem to stop growing and at about 8 weeks we had prefect little bonsai that would get no bigger. Less than a foot tall. Normally we can easily check everything to see what it was but the driplines are inside stuck into the netpots.
upon taking it apart we found roots had grown 3 to 4 inches up the drip lines and clogged it off but only giving enough for a bonsai. It was strange but problem solved and back to top drip feed

We found in that system it was better to run the drip just to start and then let the bubbler dwc take over.

[tinytoon]

Hey Loc I have no clue how to hook up a drip line and tired of hand watering, could ya give a poor guy some directions?? :D

[LOC NAR on probation]

Hey tinytoon we are coming over to your side with DWC and the drip just to get them roots started down. In the beginning we ran the drip 24/7 and did good untill root problems from just staying too wet. Now we start the drip 15 minutes every 2 hours but only untill we see roots coming out of the netpots.Then cut back to every 4 hours then 6 hours then DWC. This all happens in the first 2 weeks of clones after they have rooted and are put in there finale bucket or container.

We started with 6 plants in a 10 gallon tub and one small pump with a 3/4 inch line running in the middle with 1/4 lines tapped into it to each netpot. No drip emmiters as they clog. All yard irragation parts from Slowes except the pond pump.

Now after seeing your buckets we are switching over and have everything on a main rez with a controller. A pump will be put in the main rez and 6 of 1/4 lines coming out to each bucket. A small tie to attach the line to the netpot. Not fun to come in and the floor is all wet because one came loose. This is temp just to get roots started so we only need a minute or two just to wet them and not flood too much more than can drain back to the main rez. Once roots are going good then the lines are removed.

[tinytoon]

Thats what I trying to do is get a drip up top to quicken the root process and get to the water faster. I'm getting to dam old to be down on my knees hand watering clones till roots pop.

So with a pond pump (assuming turned flow down or regulator??), a piece of tubing (capped on 1 end??) and your drip lines attatched to the tube. Am I close?? lol

Sorry Elel95 we are not trying to jack your thread honest :jointsmile:

[LOC NAR on probation]

This was my first hydro system6 DRIP HYDROPONICS SYSTEM HYDROPONIC KIT - eBay (item 150446438485 end time Jun-20-10 08:45:30 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/6-DRIP-HYDROPONICS-SYSTEM-HYDROPONIC-KIT-/150446438485?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23074e7855)

Still have a few just like it I built. A very good starter and easy to use.

What I have seen for buckets is a drip ring with a slot so it can be removed after a while when not needed. In the main rez I would go more for a manifold like this and run to each bucket. It's a slow change over but it will be all buckets soon.
SH Hydroponics, Inc. > DiG Six Outlet Irrigation Manifold (http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=128&xSec=28)

OR SH Hydroponics, Inc. > DiG Twelve Outlet Irrigation Manifold (http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=140&xSec=28)

They look easy enough to make and the one with the shut offs makes it easy to only hit the plants that need it. Like a sea of green.

Sorry for the hijack and I will get a few pics of awesomeness as I finaly found my problem. Let's call it partner. You know the person you count on for just the basic observation and a few meter checks. They were supposed to be watching the rez temps ealy in the morning to see what temp swings were. They said temps were fine after 12 hours of 1000 watt like being on. Well we start with 69 degrees before the light comes on and I go over and check just before the light goes out and the temps were 80 degrees. I don't know about anyone else but those temp swings don't work. Major cyanobacteria out breaks along with root rot the farther you get the worse the rot.

It's all about living and learning. This time it was tuning in a partner instaed of the room. LOL

[ELEL95]

the more info. on this post helps me also. I have a tote with a pump and a 6 port irrigation manifold on it, 1/4 inch hoses from each pushed into the side of the net pots. The pots sit in the lid. I have a timer on the pump but have not yet figured out the right timer settings yet.

I was told to do 15min or 30min on and 3 or 4 hours off. I might be wrong if anyone can correct me or guide me in the right direction. I also keep the bubble stones on 24/7.

I was also told to completely remove the pump as soon as the roots hit the water and keep the stones on.

[LOC NAR on probation]

Keep the air stones on at all times.
When we start we go 15 minutes on time every 2 hours just for the first few days. Then we back it off to every 4 hours for a week then every 6 hours for the rest of the time.

We are also trying DWC and use the pump only the first week just to get the roots going to the water.

When your roots reach water you can remove pump. In the long run it's better. I think the roots grow better and happier. If you water all the time like we did in the beginning the roots do not develop good because they are soaked by the drip line and if you have a pump problem there are not many roots to hang in the water and dry out fast.

I would say watch the drip lines as roots will clog them up but since you will remove them soon I don't see a problem.

That unit from stealth uses rockwool cubes that are wrapped in plastic and when the drip line is in there all the time the plastic keeps the roots from going side ways to the water line.

[ELEL95]

I am trying this new product called SURETOGROW, instead of rockwool. I do not plan to wrap anything in plastic. I will post pictures when I get my pots going. I am germinating some purple urkel seeds at this moment.

I am not using the stealth hydro system, I made one on my own. I am just using an open ended hose, with no dripper.

I have grow a few plants in soil never used hydro. I have a couple of questions just to verify; I use only water till I get a few sets of true leaves, at that point I use nutrients at 1/4 to 1/2 strength. Any help will be appreciated.

[LOC NAR on probation]

It's like a couple sets of leaves or a couple weeks yes. then 1/4 to 1/2 nutes. You got it.

I have seen the suretogrow and want to try it. On the drip lines they are better with no drip emmiter just an open 1/4 inch line. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't clog. When the pump is on just look to see if water is running down the netpot. And if things slow down growing look for that.
Your system will do better if you only run the drip for like the first month just to get the roots to the rez water and then they can take over.

Way to go building your own. Most of us have to see a system up close and hands on and then go home and improve on it.

I have not tried the purple urkle yet but had some papaya that went purple and everyone loved it. Good Luck.

[Daddynobucks]

is a single feed line only wets the pellets in a small area, that why I made feed rings with 6 holes in them, more even wetting of the media.better fuller root growth
Not sure if rockwool is the same

Daddy

[ELEL95]

Thank you everyone I have a seed that I am going to put in to a cube of suretogrow and set up in the garden I was planning to do it earlier but seed did not pop till today so I will keep you guys posted and post up some pics also.

Again thanks to everyone.