4" Rockwool Cubes and 4x8 coco Mat HELP!!

[trenton]

If your are using this combo then please help me ASAP. I have a 4x8 flood and drain with a coco mat on the bottom and the plants are in 4" rockwool cubes. You know that this setup retains alot of water so if you have this setup please tell me how often you flood the table and for how long. Thanks.

 

[LoudBlunts]

why RW on a coco mat? i say stay coco all the way thru! use coco pots or coco blocks:

BOSS COCOGRO CUBE 6" CASE OF 24 - Katalog - Grow Media-Coco, Rock, Soil, etc - BOSS COCOGRO CUBE 6" CASE OF 24 [720465] - HorticultureSource.com



anyways.... coco retains lots and lots of water. i would only flood maybe 1 to twice a day. The RW will dry out, but the coco mat (depending if you got the 1/4 inch thickness or the 1 inch thickness) will retain moisture. the RW cube will get moisture from the coco mat.

but IMO, if you are doing a SOG, you shouldnt be using a coco mat, as the roots will grow out and into the coco mat, making them nonmovable.

i would suggest pots next time, coco pots are great. I also know you want to stay and stay organic as possible, lose them RW cubes.

 

[FilthyFletch]

Ive used similar setups and have a 3x3 table with 4x4 rockwool cubes going now. I dont like the coco stuff and personally would avoid it and use rockwool slabs but I always use square pots with hydroton and 4x4 cubes then place those on the rockwool slabs as this way the roots dont dry and you get better drainage. Your gonna have a few variables.Is your table 6,8,10 inch deep?. Whats stage of growth are you in? I currently flood 10 minutes 4 times a day every 6 hours. I was floddoing once a day first week then 2 weeks went to 2 and now after 3 weeks have been going the usual 4 times once every 6 hours but since your not using hydroton or pots its alot more difficult as you have to figure evaporation and I assume you have a film stretch over the table to protect the roots since no pot or are you using the table filled with hydroton? Let me know which method your using and what stage and I can try to help more. Just make sure your using either the covering film or hydroton over te coco slabs and rockwool or your in for a troubled grow if its just cubes on top of mat and no root protection

 

[trenton]

The tray took approx 13 minutes to fill untill water started going back into the resevoir through the drain valve. Pump turned off. How long should it take for the table to drain back into the resevoir through the filler side..???

 

[LoudBlunts]

i dont think the draining part you should be worried about, although it can take a minute depending on how much and how big


if it takes 13 mins to flood the tray then you should flood for 13-15 mins.

 

[LoudBlunts]

where the pics at?

 

[trenton]

It took approx 13 minutes to flood and another 28 minutes to fully drain. Is that OK. That means there is standing water/nutes in the tray for a little while. 41 minutes to fully cycle.

 

[LoudBlunts]

its fine. as the medium drains the aeration starts. air pockets almost.

you should have your res aerated tho with air stones or bubble curtains, something.... if you havent already

 

[fdd2blk]

where the pics at?

i forgot my camera. i'm going back tomorrow.


it looks something like my lavender buddy's. he uses 6 inch rockwool and a cocoa mat........

 

[fdd2blk]

we all keep the plastic on.

 

[LoudBlunts]

fdd i was about to say!!!

you better make trenton take pics!!!!

no more answers until we see pics, but i guess nevermind...hahaha

lavender buddy has always looked good. im sure trenton has alot more.

is trenton still going organic hydro? if so, what nutes? and WHY IN RW?????

 

[FilthyFletch]

my 3 x3 trays takes about 8 minutes to fill but I set it for 10 and takes about 6 minutes to drain.It drains via 1 drain overflow with riser then when it falls below the risers it drains from the fil port.Total fill and drain time is about 16 minutes.Since I use 4x4 cubes in square pots then filled with hydroton I remove the cube plastic

 

[trenton]

The res is airiated with 2 air stones. I also have a water heater and a water cooler to keep the water temp perfect. I also have a tri-meter which keeps track of the PH EC/PPM and water temp. My Grow Thread will begin tomorrow. The title will be Trenton's Gone Hydro Crazy

 

[trenton]

Is it normal for the PH of the resevoir to go up each day and have to PH down the water everyday.... Do the nutes sitting in the water just cause the PH to go up with time.

 

[CALIGROWN]

yes it will fluctuate.....

 

[Redrum]

Is it normal for the PH of the resevoir to go up each day and have to PH down the water everyday.... Do the nutes sitting in the water just cause the PH to go up with time.

Not trying to butt in where I dont grow.. but have to ask. Have you noticed a PPM increase as well?

I got stupid one week and battled a PH attack...lol.. didnt check and my PPM was through the f'n roof. salt salt salt.. I must have used like $20 worth of PH down. Live and learn what can I say.

Not saying that your doing this but I found that I was leaving perhaps 3 or so gallons in the res when changin the tank out because my pump isnt a bottom feed.. then putting my new nutes and water in the tank.. in effect I was building an extremely salty brew after a month or so. This is all I can assume was raiseing the PH.

 

[trenton]

I have been flood and draining once a day now. Before It floods i notice that the rockwoll cubes are still really wet. Should I wait longer and perhaps flood every 2 days. Crap hear of people flooding 4 times a day. Im so confused. I really dont want to over water my plants.

 

[LoudBlunts]

don't go off what other people are doing. your plants will tell you when they want water. you kinda have to figure out your own schedule....dont base your water schedule from others as you may be using different mediums and such!!!

 

[trenton]

So when you are using a flood and drain hydro. Do you want to wait for the rockwool cubes to be almost dry top to bottom or still moist? After 24 hours mine seem to be just damp/moist on the top of the cube but at the bottom they are still really wet (I could actually pick up the cube gently squeeze it and ring water out of it).

 

[LoudBlunts]

you are forgetting about the coco mat.

the coco mat will retain lots of water.

if you only have to flood once a day, then you only have to flood once a day.


i know a few people who floods coco once a day and they are set. no more needed watering.