atrumblood
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I am starting to map out my aeroponic system, and I was wondering. Is rockwool a better choice for aeroponic/hydroponic, or would Rapid Rooter plug's do better?
Rapid Rooter or RockWool
- Thread starter atrumblood
- Start date
LoudBlunts
Well-Known Member
both work fine....i prefer rapidrooters!
atrumblood
Well-Known Member
ok, I was just conerned about the rapid rooters causing some mold or fungus. Should I be worried about that?
LoudBlunts
Well-Known Member
and why would that happen? and why wouldnt it happen with the RW?
atrumblood
Well-Known Member
hmmmm, well I guess I just assumed that because the plugs are of organic origin. but if I have nothing to worry then it's all good.
GrowinBomb707
Active Member
ive heard that about the rapid rooters as well
grandpabear3
New Member
rw is dookie....rapid rooters are the way to go!!!! they aren't as fiddly as rw
just my opinion from experience
just my opinion from experience
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
I absolutely agree that RW cubes can be fiddly. They hold too much water if you let them. However, once a grower is experienced with them, they're highly reliable. I get 100% strikes in 7 days in 40mm cubes. However, the cloning environment is also very important for reliable, quick results. A temp controlled clonebox and a heat mat contribute significantly to reliably high strike rates. See: https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/15030-batch-clones-rockwool.html for an illustrated tutorial.
I'm not a fan of any sort of organic materials (peat, coco, etc) in a recirculating hydro op. They can support mould or fungal growth and can decompose with exposure to H2O2, a useful steriliser and root oxygenator. If the materials break down, there's a possibility that bits may get loose in the nute solution and foul pumps. I used peat (jiffy) pots for cloning in one of my earliest ops which used clay pellet media. Peat bits washed right through the pellets and into the res. Rockwool or some other similar medium would have been able to trap the bits before they could do any harm.
I'm not a fan of any sort of organic materials (peat, coco, etc) in a recirculating hydro op. They can support mould or fungal growth and can decompose with exposure to H2O2, a useful steriliser and root oxygenator. If the materials break down, there's a possibility that bits may get loose in the nute solution and foul pumps. I used peat (jiffy) pots for cloning in one of my earliest ops which used clay pellet media. Peat bits washed right through the pellets and into the res. Rockwool or some other similar medium would have been able to trap the bits before they could do any harm.
grandpabear3
New Member
i just knew you would find this damn thread al, i've tried your method and followed your cloning in rw thread with all the bells and whistles, i simply failed too many times to justify continuing with rw. no offense...as you know i have a lot of respect for your brain and your op. rockwool is the woman on the rag of all cloning methods...i'll leave it to those of you with all that expertise and stick with the homemade ezcloner.
with respect al.
with respect al.
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
hahahahahahah
dude, it's either the watering or the clonebox temp causing you grief. I fully appreciate poor success with cubes til I worked out 'damp not soaked' on a consistent basis. That's why I go into SUCH detail about that in the cloning thread.
grandpabear3
New Member
fair enough...but
not the temps...i got the thermo heat mat as per your instructions...watering, well i weighed them and bought the salad spinner blablabla....i simply suck at it! i really did follow ALL the guidelines you laid out....but i will admit i have a full time gig still.....so i'm gone more than i'm here, the wife helps some but sh'e less than interested. as soon as i can make enough money to "work from home" maybe i'll give it another go. but in the meantime i have a cool new salad spinner and a heat mat with a thermostatic control that i can use for my ezcloner in the winter if need be! thanks al
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
Well, ok, that's strange, I've never seen anyone who got the temps & watering right not get roots in ~7 days. Shouldn't need to hover over them all day, getting a look in every 12h should be ok.
You'll enjoy having dryer lettuce, I guess!
You'll enjoy having dryer lettuce, I guess!
MadDawg
Active Member
What should the temp be for ROCKWOOL germination? I bought A-OK StarterPlugs (rockwool) and I followed the directions and placed the seed into the soaked ROCKWOOL cube & placed the RW CUBE into a ZIPLOCK baggy (because I don't have ventilated dome).
Where should I place the baggy (Light or darkness)??? |
What temp should the wet RW cube be in???
Thanks in advance!
-MD
Where should I place the baggy (Light or darkness)??? |
What temp should the wet RW cube be in???
Thanks in advance!
-MD
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
We determined in another thread that you were using 25mm cubes instead of wrapped 40mm cubes. That's the difference, the small cubes were drying out on you too quickly.
First of all, the RW cube must not be kept wet, rather only damp. It must not be saturated. This will drive out all the air from the material, necessary for root formation. If I knew the actual size of the cubes you have, I could tell you fairly closely how much water makes them just damp instead of wet.
Doesn't matter whether the bean is exposed to light or not when you're germinating. Can be in the dark or light. Once it sprouts and you see the seed leaves, they should go under 18-24h light.
A 30C heat mat will speed germination dramatically. Top of the fridge or on the back of a CRT monitor are less precise though effective means of making them only slightly warm as well.
grandpabear3
New Member
sure thing and good luck
you really only need a moist paper towel in a ziplock left open in the dark and poof
grandpabear3
New Member
still got the old adsl running i see.We determined in another thread that you were using 25mm cubes instead of wrapped 40mm cubes. That's the difference, the small cubes were drying out on you too quickly.
ya, al i know...hmmmm, i guess this thread was before the other one and we just got another reply on it, i wouldn't bother you twice....again
First of all, the RW cube must not be kept wet, rather only damp. It must not be saturated. This will drive out all the air from the material, necessary for root formation. If I knew the actual size of the cubes you have, I could tell you fairly closely how much water makes them just damp instead of wet. he's using the same ones i had...1.5'' cubes
Doesn't matter whether the bean is exposed to light or not when you're germinating. Can be in the dark or light. Once it sprouts and you see the seed leaves, they should go under 18-24h light.
A 30C heat mat will speed germination dramatically. Top of the fridge or on the back of a CRT monitor are less precise though effective means of making them only slightly warm as well.
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
A paper towel will do! That's what I usually use, one folded in quarters and put in a plastic sammich bag.sure thing and good luck
you really only need a moist paper towel in a ziplock left open in the dark and poof
And yes, I'm posting between the ADSL winking off every 8-9 mins. took 3 tries and 20 mins to get this to post!
grandpabear3
New Member
dammit man...poor bastard., i'd lose my mind if i lost my internet priveledges....das nawt how u spewl dat huh?
Al B. Fuct
once had a dog named
WIN! ADSL fixed. I guessed it was a faulty -48V sply on the DSLAM in my local CO and damn if I wasn't right. FIG JAM. 