Just built my drip system - thoughts?

Howdy,

I just finished putting together my first hydroponic system. I'm wondering if you guys think this will still work with inset 5.5" net pots? My concern is that the roots could wiggle their way through the rockwool and hydroton into the resevoir. Here's some pics:

[attachment=o93077] [attachment=o93078] [attachment=o93079]

It's a 10 gallon rubbermaid tote so the bottom of the pots will probably sit about 6" away from the nutes. If it is an issue I was thinking of just putting some removeable screening just above the water line to prevent the roots from getting in. Any input?

If you want to do more than 1 week veg, you will probably only want 2 plants in there, or they will have root problems with too little space, no matter what you do. You can put the screen thing in there, or just put a screen peace over the return feed hole. Also, I would probably throw an air stone in there because those roots sitting in the water without good Oxigen can get root rott. Last thing, if you just use hydro ton, or clay pellots as the medium you can keep your drippers on almost 24 7, and that equals more oxigen to the roots and better growth.
How many plants did you want to put in there? Good job, keep it up.
Adieu

Well I originally wanted to have 4 plants in there but after actually buying the container I realized they would've been really crowded so I went with just the 2. I do have a 12" airstone chillin' in there it's just not in the pics :D

I've never heard of running the drippers 24/7 tho. I ordered a 1 minute interval electric timer that I had planned on setting for 3 times a day into the rockwool cubes. Do you think the constant drip would be a better idea?

(this is my first grow/setup, sorry for the n00b questions)


Thanks a lot for the response :)

hey, i have pretty much the same setup, or i did, ur gonna need an air stone and pump the roots will grow through what ever mesh u put in there so there gonna hit the water, which aint bad if u got a bubbler in there. I currently have the same setup with a seperate resevior. this way the roots are always wet and never submerged. and its very easy to do. so u have a couple options. also u might want to pick up a new lid and cut the holes for the pods on opposite corners, so they have alot of grow room and dont shade eachother

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JackdaWack

hey, i have pretty much the same setup, or i did, ur gonna need an air stone and pump the roots will grow through what ever mesh u put in there so there gonna hit the water, which aint bad if u got a bubbler in there. I currently have the same setup with a seperate resevior. this way the roots are always wet and never submerged. and its very easy to do. so u have a couple options. also u might want to pick up a new lid and cut the holes for the pods on opposite corners, so they have alot of grow room and dont shade eachother

---

So it's cool that the roots touch the water then? That's awesome to hear! The reason I put the pots where I did is because I'm growing in a 2' x 2' x 10' space, so the plants are either going to hit each other or the walls. The pots are spaced 3" apart from each other and 5" away from the walls on either side. (see pic of space)

[attachment=o93136]

Think it'll be a major issue? I'm using a 400w MH for veg and a 400w HPS for flowering.

I think that the drippers on 24 7 or almost constently are better, but you can't use RW as the medium because it would become to moist and cause you problems. Biggest thing when using a drip system with RW is to get good drip timing down, it can make all of the difference.
If you want the dripper on almost full time then you will need to put your plants/clones right into hydro ton, or clay pellots or Lava rock. They do not keep alot of moisture so you can run your drippers almost all of the time.
I will get back to you with some basic RW drip scheduals and Hydro ton/clay pellot times as well.
Adieu

yeah ur gonna have to use grow rocks as medium and if the roots are submerged u need to get an airstone with the air pump. best/easiest way to grow hyro right here. the rocks dry out in about 45 mins so i water every 30 mins for 15 mins works great, stay away from rock wool and that kinda medium with this setup it makes things difficult and complicated, u could run them 24/7 also but i think its good to give the roots a break. i see why u put the holes where they are

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JackdaWack

yeah ur gonna have to use grow rocks as medium and if the roots are submerged u need to get an airstone with the air pump. best/easiest way to grow hyro right here. the rocks dry out in about 45 mins so i water every 30 mins for 15 mins works great, stay away from rock wool and that kinda medium with this setup it makes things difficult and complicated, u could run them 24/7 also but i think its good to give the roots a break. i see why u put the holes where they are

---

Hmmm, well the reason I decided to go with the rockwool cube covered in hydroton is because of that "Mr. Green's: I Grow Chronic" movie off of pot-tv.net. He uses rockwool cubes just sitting on an irrigation tray for vegging. That's what I was shooting for with this setup, but instead of the tray for drainage it'll just drip back down into the resevoir.

If I used just hydroton how would I get the seedling into it? Just plant the seed and water like any other medium?

Thanks again for the advice guys, I'm just trying to get this right the first time around.

bump :dance: