has anyone used pargro quick drain rockwool cubes?
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homebrewer
Well-Known Member
I've used rockwool exclusively since I began hydroponic growing years ago. The overwatering problem is operator error and not an issue of the rockwool. Ever thought about flooding/dripping/watering/feeding less frequently? I think the last thing rockwool needs is the ability to dry out faster. More feedings mean quicker salt buildup in the medium.
silasraven
Well-Known Member
WHAT? the roots are in water all the time from what ive been lead to believe how can you dry a hydro plant and still retain moisture?
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
Maybe you should sit the next couple of plays out
the problem is if i water less frequently then as long as im using h202 it will probably fix the root rot problem im having but ive noticed unless your able to water frequently the plants grow extemely slow and it makes it not even worth using the rockwool in the first place
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
What is your environment like? Do you have plenty of airflow? Are your cubes too big for your plants? Why type of hydro system do you run? How big are your plants and how many times are you flooding during veg and flower? I get rapid growth in my rockwool cubes and I'm not saying it's the end-all-be-all of hydro mediums, but when used and maintained correctly, it performs beautifully.
4" squared cubes watered twice a day max. sea of green with no veg time. temp 78-83, humidity 45-50. im not gonna lie the air flow isnt that good i gotta get more fans. i do have success though when i let the cubes get almost bone dry before watering and when i say bone dry im not kidding, watering like every 5 days the first 2-3 weeks and growth is slow
i81two
Well-Known Member
I grow 99% of all my plants in rw also and air flow below the canopy is very important. I use those little 6" fans and put them right in the tray just above water leval.
With that said, plants do love to be watered more often. Specially if ur conditions are ideal. They just grow faster and bigger because of the constant nutrients at the root zone. In lying the problem of root issues.
I like to run benificials, so my take is keep your water cool and add stuff like GH vegan blend, sub cult. M and B and use lots of flora nectar to feed em.
There should be no problem (unless ur room is stagnant with high rh and lacks proper fresh air and fans) to water ur 4x4 rw 2x pday in veg and 3 in flower.
With that said, plants do love to be watered more often. Specially if ur conditions are ideal. They just grow faster and bigger because of the constant nutrients at the root zone. In lying the problem of root issues.
I like to run benificials, so my take is keep your water cool and add stuff like GH vegan blend, sub cult. M and B and use lots of flora nectar to feed em.
There should be no problem (unless ur room is stagnant with high rh and lacks proper fresh air and fans) to water ur 4x4 rw 2x pday in veg and 3 in flower.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
I clone into rapid rooters, then plant in soil cups. When roots are established, I knock the dirt off of the roots and move the cuttings to 6" rockwool cubes. Two floods per day in veg and three in flower work well with my environment.
My plants would be dead if I watered every 5 days. It sounds like your temps and humidity are good, I'm just really surprised that you can't water multiple times a day without root issues. Even if I dunk a cube into water and set it on a desk, that cube dries out in 24 hours even without a plant in it.
What kind of hydro system/method are you running?
ebb n flow. i dont know what kind of rockwool you use but no way in hell the grodan cubes dry out in 24 hours. i use 4 inch squared grodan cubes and they take like a week to dry out. did you ever put the rockwool on a scale and see what % of the weight is gone before you water again?
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
After your table drains, your cubes aren't sitting in puddles of water are they? Does your flood table completely drain with zero puddling?
if i do a a 50/50 Perlite/Vermiculite mixture does it wick and soak up like a sponge? with 100% perlite i want coarse perlite right? im trying to find a medium that wicks but at the same time has alot more air to water ratio. the cubes im talkin about are in flower with no veg and homebrewer theres no puddle brotha
illbeyourhuckleberry
Member
i feel like my 4x4 cubes stay wet for days after I totally soak them, i water twice a week and they still never dry out... I have them in 2.5ga buckets with the rest of the space filled around the cube with the small Grodan Grow Chunks. temps 75/80 humidity 55%
@[URL="https://www.rollitup.org/members/i81two-203833.html"]i81two [/URL]do you have your fans blowing across top of the RW? Are you all covering the rockwool?
@[URL="https://www.rollitup.org/members/i81two-203833.html"]i81two [/URL]do you have your fans blowing across top of the RW? Are you all covering the rockwool?
nicedreamz
Well-Known Member
Hey homebrewer are you using the B'CUZZ blocks? I'm using the Grodan as well and my blocks have been wet for 4 days under my 1K hps. It looked like that 's what you're using when i was following the GH vs DG thread? If so i'm guessing they must be different forms of RW? You said that yours will dry out in a day with no plant, mine would probly stay wet for a week under no light. Curious to know what the differences are.