This is my first hempy grow that I started from seed - in these same containers. Best to use light proof buckets. These were about 2 quart containers I had laying around. Wrapped them in garbage bag plastic to keep light out of the roots. These were small autos.
The sequence....
Those are just small dixie cups with a few small holes poked in the side about 1/2" up from the bottom. Need to be watered every few days depending on temp and humidity.
The roots dont need to get to the bottom. The perlite wicks water all the way to the top. In fact, the roots are happiest if they dont get to the bottom.
They will get the perfect mix of water and O2 ABOVE the water line. Thats the whole point of hempy buckets. Once the roots hit the water...
Mini hempy buckets. They have a small reservoir built in just by the way they are made. Ive done that with every thing from small dixie cups to 3 gallon buckets - all with 100% perlite.
By the way, thats how I start all my seeds. Just soak them then stick in the perlite. No rooters or anything...
With rotating sprinkler heads, you may have issues with the roots keeping them from rotating as they grow longer and spread out - which will cause problems with all the roots getting even watering.
Roots always grow toward the water source. Always.
Those temps might be ok, but keep an eye out for root rot. By the way, I found that running a sterile rez drastically cut down on fuzzy hairs. Thats why I keep my rez down below 60F now and never let root chamber temps go over about 68F
Thats an interesting looking version of an ice chest...
No screen will stop roots. They can and will grow through any opening large enough o pass water. If the mesh or fabric is tight enough to stop the roots, the water flow will be drastically reduced.
Plus, even if your screen works - the roots will just clog up that screen.
The only thing I know...
Sorry to hear about your rough times. Its been one heck of a year for sure, but glad to see you back at it.
Awesome on the fuzzies!!!
I would take small steps at this point. Thats not really all that far off on the side of too many large droplets. Plus other areas dont look over misted. With...
My 2 cents worth...
You're risking loosing the plants to save a few $ on nutes. Toss the rez and all the nutes in the buckets. Flush well. Flush again and use some chlorine at 4-6 PPM or H2O2 each time to clean/kill as well as possible before re-filling with new nutes. Scrub everything uou can...
Cold water and no light should be safe. How cold is cold for you?
What nutes - ANYTHING organic in hydro nutes is bad and will accelerate bad bacterial growth.
It wont matter what kind of aeration you are doing. Any aeation will speed up the C02 exchange rate and speed up the PH rise.
Back when I was doing reef aquariums there were always big debates on which type of aeration worked best. Turns out they are all almost exactly the same if they...