Modifying drip system? Will this work???

I have a 40 gal panda res from gen hydro. I am thinking about cutting out three inch holes on the res lid and use three inch net pots instead of the two gal pot setup.
I can only supply 20 gal for each res change so the res doesn't fill. If I was to cut the three inch holes and re-plumb the feed line to each net pot, would the plants grow even though they are not sitting in water and just being dripped on?

I think they would grow as long as I keep the drippers going and the roots wet. Does anyone have any personal experience or info on this? Greatly appreciated!

They will do well. latewood did a drip to waste in perilite. On yours you have to keep the drip running 24/7. I did on my system with no problems. The water roots will hang way down. You could put a large object in the rez to bring water up close to under netpots. Mine stayed 6 to 8 inches below netpot.

Recirc top feed- it's a classic! Works like a charm.

The roots will grow down into the solution in the res very quickly- you might want to toss an airstone in there, as a backup for your drip pump. If you lose the pump, they'll keep going as a DWC.

I've built a hundred systems like this- only drawbacks are that media will end up washing into your res, and that media pH will interact w/ res pH- so I'd avoid peat and coco based media. Hydroton works wonderfully.

Think about how you're going to service the res when you can't pull the lid- ie pump access, testing. The GH res's have a porthole, but you're going to want to make sure that you can pull the pump for service - might be a little tight. I'd think about valving the feed manifold so that you can pump out the res w/o having to dick w/ swapping hoses- this'll be a PITA when that res is full of roots.

Have fun- be careful.

It is actually better if you don't have your plant sitting in nutes. You want as much air to get to the roots as possible. Your drip should be on a timer, maybe once every 7 minutes so that the roots can actually dry out a little. Believe it or not, it is the consensus.

Thanks for the replies. Now I feel better about cutting holes into the res cover.

hydroton holds alot of water so dripping for 15 min. every 3 hrs would prolly do during light and none during dark.it is totally possible to overwater in hydro.

Dive:stoned:

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Originally Posted by Divestoned

hydroton holds alot of water so dripping for 15 min. every 3 hrs would prolly do during light and none during dark.it is totally possible to overwater in hydro.

Dive:stoned:

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You must be high!

Use a hole saw so you make nice neat holes. Lows/H-D has 'em. Cheap, and fit right in yer drill.



b0nger

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Originally Posted by rhizome

The roots will grow down into the solution in the res very quickly- you might want to toss an airstone in there, as a backup for your drip pump. If you lose the pump, they'll keep going as a DWC..

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If you take any advice from this thread, I'd say this is the gem.
In the future if you have problems, you can then look at teh DWC threads for additional help.

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Originally Posted by stinkyattic

If you take any advice from this thread, I'd say this is the gem.
In the future if you have problems, you can then look at teh DWC threads for additional help.

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OK Stinky, what's wrong with my advice?

We are willing to learn.

i use 3" pots in my drip system. with a 1" rockwool cube and some lavarock to hold it in place. seems to support a 3foot plant easy. i have my pump running with my lights. lights on drippier is on, lights off drippier off. seems to provide a nice soak n dry cycle.

Opie Yutts I never said anything was wrong with your advice, but Rhizome's idea of creating a hybrid drip/DWC system that turns into DWC when the plant gets larger is a VERY ingenious one. In this situation, the OP has no way of restricting or confining root growth the way you can in a tray, and since it ISN'T an aeroponic chamber, there WILL come a time in the grow when those roots find the nute solution, and preparing by building a DWC backup is VERY good advice.

That's pretty much the same theory of my hybrid settup. It works great.