Such thing as overwatering top feed hydro?

ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
Alright well I started my top feed hydro system setup goes as follows.

2 1000w lights (1 on for now until I flower)
18g res
1 Giant air stone in the res
2 4x4 Trays (1 in use now)
6" fan for light cooling
growing medium is hydroton in 2 gallon pots.
18 clones
Nutes- ph'ed water with pro blend grow 120ml

forgot to mention im using a drip system with drip rings i made myself.

Alright first two days I ran the system with no plants to get everything situated. I planted clones 2 days ago and today i noticed a lil bit of drooping. They seem nice and green just a little drooping. the pump is on 24hr since i think the hydroton doesnt retain water. Could that be the problem? I heard its okay to have the pump on 24hrs.

WHAT SHOULD I DOOOO? :sad:
 
researchkitty

researchkitty

Well-Known Member
You leave the AIR PUMP on 24 hours a day. Not the water pump. If the plants have water in the tray 24 hours a day they will drown and die. Flood the tray for about 15 minutes, 2x a day and see how that goes for your setup.
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
researchkitty said:
You leave the AIR PUMP on 24 hours a day. Not the water pump. If the plants have water in the tray 24 hours a day they will drown and die. Flood the tray for about 15 minutes, 2x a day and see how that goes for your setup.
Click to expand...

That will kill my plants Im using hydroton they hold no water at all. Im not doing ebb n flow even that is too little for that method. Im going to try using drip stakes instead of a DRIP RINGS i made. cause some or dripping and others are spraying. Im gonna try using the drip stakes and see what happens. or maybe like 15min on 15 off with a timer. but alls gonna have to wait til monday cause my hydro store is closed tomorrow
 
Serapis

Serapis

Well-Known Member
I would go in cycles. Hydroton does retain water for at least 30 minutes before drying out, at least on it's surface. I use waterfarms with drip rings and they drip 24/7.... maybe your dropping is just plain old shock? They were planted only 2 days ago, right?
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
Serapis said:
I would go in cycles. Hydroton does retain water for at least 30 minutes before drying out, at least on it's surface. I use waterfarms with drip rings and they drip 24/7.... maybe your dropping is just plain old shock? They were planted only 2 days ago, right?
Click to expand...
yea too days ago. im afraid of over watering and root rot. My homemade drip rings spray in some holes and drip through other holes. I installed a valve in between my pump and feed line i closed it about 1/4 of a turn and it seems to drip perfectly but will this cause my pump to go out prematurely cause of all the back pressure?
 
Serapis

Serapis

Well-Known Member
It just means the pump won't have to work as hard. If it was my set up. I would ream out the holes that are spraying so they drip, and then get your flow back up. By reducing flow to cut out the spray, you may end up with dry spots or under watered spots. But I don't think it will harm the pump if you take no further action to resolve the issue.

Can you share some pictures? I'd love to see your stuff.
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
Serapis said:
It just means the pump won't have to work as hard. If it was my set up. I would ream out the holes that are spraying so they drip, and then get your flow back up. By reducing flow to cut out the spray, you may end up with dry spots or under watered spots. But I don't think it will harm the pump if you take no further action to resolve the issue.

Can you share some pictures? I'd love to see your stuff.
Click to expand...
give me 20 mins i'll take a video for you :clap:
 
hellraizer30

hellraizer30

Rebel From The North
hydrotron wont dry out as fast as you think I water x3 for 15min during lights on and nothing during lights off x2 x3 cycles a day will NOT KILL YOUR PLANTS
so, and 2 gal pots will hold alot of water in those rocks
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
i see i see. tomorrow im gonna run and grab a timer do 30min on and 30 off when lights are one when lights off i'll do 30 mins on and 1hr off does that sound good?
 
hellraizer30

hellraizer30

Rebel From The North
no water when the lights are on, and food onces at lights on and again at the mid point and last 1 hour before lights out. each flood 15 or 30min whatever you feel
you like better
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
hellraizer30 said:
no water when the lights are on, and food onces at lights on and again at the mid point and last 1 hour before lights out. each flood 15 or 30min whatever you feel
you like better
Click to expand...
thing is that my trays dont flood. its pretty much re circulating. water goes right through hydroton and back into my res.

im gonna try the 30 on and 30 off method and see how it does me. The whole 3 times watering a day doesnt seem like its enough
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
im so mind fucked. idk what i should do!!!!

anyways heres the video

[video=youtube;aoij-jJ20Ug]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoij-jJ20Ug[/video]
 
ran4it2

ran4it2

Active Member
they look great! you think 30 on 30 off is too much?

My avg temps are like 70-75 and when i look at the hydroton that doesnt get water it looks really dry.
 
brownbearclan

brownbearclan

Active Member
Ran4it2 awesome setup! My first thought after seeing your clip is that maybe you need to leave the rings as is and maybe just hand water the cubes for a few days or so until the roots drop down into the hydroton from the rockwool cubes. Could just be they aren't getting what they need just yet and the watering rings are getting them. If they are then I think that's too much water too often. ::shrug::

hellraizer30 said:
View attachment 1411727View attachment 1411726these monsters are were on 3 cycles 15 min during lights on healthy? and yes its a drip system
Click to expand...
Lookin' good! What medium are you using in the pots?
 
hellraizer30

hellraizer30

Rebel From The North
the top layer that gets light and moving air will dry out and yes 30on 30off is drowning them, listen you got to cut back to water if your
still skeptable about it just go to 30min on every 4 hours and no water when the lights are off
 
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