Skunk War: Clay Pellets vs. Rockwool

GardenStateGrower

Active Member
So I've wanted to post a grow journal for years so here it goes.

I've been using clay pellets as my substrate since I switched from growing in soil 5 years ago. I've always had great results with pellets but I just got tired of washing fucking pellets so I decided to try my hand at another substrate-Rockwool.

The goal of this journal is to see how much I screw up growing in Rockwool and how much all you guys & girls can help me figure it out.

Half of my op is in pellets and the other is in 6 inch Grodan Rockwool, which I soaked in a 5.5 pH adjusted water for 6 hours. I've got the pellets in 2 gal pots in an ebb and flo system. The ladies are in 4 by 4 trays over 50 Gal reservoirs.

I've also got the cubes in an ebb and flow system but I've been hand watering them since I transplanted them a week ago.

My lights are all air-cooled 1000 watt HPS- one light for each 4 by 4.

Environment: I keep the air moving with a variety of fans. An A/C unit keeps the room at under 75 degrees and a dehumidifier keeps the humidity between 60 and 75%.

Lights are on for 18 hours per day right now.

I have a variety of strains VEGING including Hindu X Skunk, Shiva Skunk, and Bubblegum. All of the pellets have the Hindu in them and, for comparison purposes, about 5 of their sister Hindus are in the 6inch Grodan.

I use Canna Aqua nutes for everybody with a ppm of around 800 (right now) at a pH of 6.2. I also supplement with some superthrive and hum tea in with the nutes.

Week One: The Hindus in the pellets are looking pretty good. No signs of any malnutrition. Meanwhile the Hindus in the Grodan are simply not thriving as vigorously as their sisters in the pellets. Anybody have any suggestions? Am I over watering the cubes at my watering rate of once every 24 hours?

The cubes don't dry out by their next feeding but I always read it was impossible to over water in Rockwool.
 

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