Quote Originally Posted by FLYINGRAT
Hi guys, Iv been lurking for some time and doing a lot of reading. I have built myself a hydro unit and have been testing it out and have a few questions that I couldn't find in the arrchives.
I'm going with a drip system and in my testing I have a single line to each 6" net pot. I put the grow rocks in and after 15minutes of feeding about 3/4's of the rocks maybe 4"s down the centern of the 6" potare wet. Is that sufficiant to reach all the roots that will be in there..?
Also, Iv been looking all over for some kind of "tip" for the end of the feeder hose that might spread the nutes out a bit more. All I can find are the sprinkler type tips.
any ideas or links would be greatley appreciated. Thanks.
I have a bit of experience with drip systems. The biggest problem was that the drippers would plug up before the plants were mature. I ended up running half inch tubing along the pots, and then running 1/4 inch lines from the larger tubing to each pot. However, I just stuck the open end of that tubing right into the rocks and let her rip. No maintenance problems that way and it worked great. Not only did this move the nutrients around a lot more, but it also aerated the water. My plants were in buckets, and rather than putting a plug at the end of the large 1/2" tubing, I put a valve on it and pointed it directly into the last bucket. So, depending on how many plants and the size of your water pump, obviously the best pressure on the lines would be when that valve was closed. If however I felt there was too much nutrients going to each plant, I would open the valve at the end a bit and it would drop the pressure in the line (emptying excess water straight into the last bucket) thereby slowing the flow of the 1/4" lines.

keylime