HydroRed's Horticultural Whorehouse
- Thread starter HydroRed
- Start date
Major Blazer
Well-Known Member
15 min is too long of a flood. You want to drain it as soon as it reaches desired depth. How many times per day depends a lot on media and stage of the plants. For example I filled air pots with rockwool mini grow cubes and 25% hydroton and in late flower, I only needed to flood 2x /day. Regarding drainage, it should drain 100% of the way if possible.
Opie1971
Well-Known Member
I was relaying what I've been told, hence why I said that I haven't tried mine yet. Not trying to mislead anyone, I'm new to flood and drain myself. And you don't have much of a choice if your timer only has 15 min intervals for on/off.
Sorry for jamming up your thread Red.
CoB_nUt
Well-Known Member
If that's the case.Then my flood timing would only be like 4 maybe 5 minutes. I do have some smaller harbor freight fountain pumps.They have a lower flow rate than my ecoplus185. If I used that it would extend the flood time to 6-7 minutes...8 tops.
This in an empty system.I assume it'll be shorter with claypebbles and a plant in the pots.
CoB_nUt
Well-Known Member
I re-read the thread from page 1 a few days ago. Red floods his for 15 mins 4 times a day. 3x at lights on and 1 at night.
Now I can't remember,but does Red germinate and plant the seedling straight into a clay pebble netcup or does he use a rooter plug,rockwool,or peat pellet?
Now I can't remember,but does Red germinate and plant the seedling straight into a clay pebble netcup or does he use a rooter plug,rockwool,or peat pellet?
Major Blazer
Well-Known Member
No worries man. I feel you with the timer - grab a digital one if you can. I think they're under $20. Flood and drain is awesome, I hope it works out well for you.
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
In hydroton, a 15 min flood every 4 hrs is pretty much ideal starting point. I do that from start to finish on my tables. Its when you use rockwool that it fucks up how often you can flood etc. The hydroton is so inert that you could flood much more often with no issues. As for water on the bottom, thats the difference between the mixing trays and an actual flood tray. Theres no channels for a total drain in the mixing trays like there is in the flood trays . Its never created any issues for me as Ive been using this exact method and setup for over 2 yrs straight. I'll flood every 4 hrs, and 1 time at night just to keep the roots wet til the light comes back on. I noticed in my room with sufficient air flow and good humidity that my tray can dry out before the first flood at lights on.
Major Blazer
Well-Known Member
I tend to be a perfectionist and air on the side of what's ideal, but clearly it doesn't seem to matter that much with results like these.
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
Either rooted cuts in the bubble cloner into 1 gal pot with hydroton, or I'll start a seed in a rooting plug then transplant to the 1 gals. I'll put em in solos if im doing a reg seed run and I need to sex them off before they go to the 1 gals, or I'll keep em in solo cups if Im running a lot of testers.
CoB_nUt
Well-Known Member
Thank you! Might be firing up 1 of the F&D tub/totes this week.If I can clean out my tent of the ppk system.
zypheruk
Well-Known Member
@HydroRed question im growing in a cabinet with two levels, top level has a diy flood n drain table. Now I was thinking of growing plants in a sog in hydroton but it's way to heavy when saturated, so was thinking just pure perlite and some hydro nutrients, would it be just as simple as growing in hydroton?.
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
I've done all perlite grows before yrs ago. It does work just as good in hydro as hydroton, but if I remember correctly it is heavier and a pain to rinse and reuse. Algae seemed to love it as well.
whitebb2727
Well-Known Member
It should work. I prefer small individual paper packets taped shut. Take what you need out of the freezer and use it. It last longer that way. I used to store it in one container and remove, use and refreeze. It doesn't last as long. About 8-12 months vs 18-24 in individual packs.
HydroRed
Well-Known Member
I really think your gonna dig it! So easy to use and maintain, and yields great results too.
Do you let it dry before you store it? Also, do you mix it with flour or anything? I didnt dry it or add anything to it, but it doesnt seem to be taking as fast on the Mothers Milk -if the pollen does take.
whitebb2727
Well-Known Member
I don't add anything. I do let it dry for a couple days. It depends on the humidity when you collect it.
I normally fold it up loosely in paper to dry it. Fold it where air can move through it.
CoB_nUt
Well-Known Member
I let mine dry in then open air in a box on top of parchment paper surrounded by rice for a day or to.No airflow not in the same location.
CoB_nUt
Well-Known Member
Red, I see on your smoke reports, you reveg. I take it you don't take any clones?
I am trying to copy your outline.I am gonna need to get thru a lot of bean/different packs this year and this way seems the most efficient. That is with getting a decent yeild to boot.
Tring to decide on take clone before I flip,or chancing the reveg. I have had 100% success reveg thus far but I'd hate to lose out on a pheno/strain because my reveg attempt failed.
The strains I reveg now I am familiar with and know wut it takes to get them to reveg.
edit* Also, I have a 10 gal tote as my flood res, How many gals of solution should I use to ensure the pump doesn't run dry during a 15 min flood? I'm going with what you do......copycat
I've learned over the years lurking forums,to find someone who's grow you like and their method and copy them.Althought our environments may be different,it can be ironed out by being meticulous if issues arrive.
I am trying to copy your outline.I am gonna need to get thru a lot of bean/different packs this year and this way seems the most efficient. That is with getting a decent yeild to boot.
Tring to decide on take clone before I flip,or chancing the reveg. I have had 100% success reveg thus far but I'd hate to lose out on a pheno/strain because my reveg attempt failed.
The strains I reveg now I am familiar with and know wut it takes to get them to reveg.
edit* Also, I have a 10 gal tote as my flood res, How many gals of solution should I use to ensure the pump doesn't run dry during a 15 min flood? I'm going with what you do......copycat
I've learned over the years lurking forums,to find someone who's grow you like and their method and copy them.Althought our environments may be different,it can be ironed out by being meticulous if issues arrive.
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HydroRed
Well-Known Member
90% of the stuff I do is one way or another something I picked up from others over the years. The other 10% is usually the "ironing out" part lolRed, I see on your smoke reports, you reveg. I take it you don't take any clones?
I am trying to copy your outline.I am gonna need to get thru a lot of bean/different packs this year and this way seems the most efficient. That is with getting a decent yeild to boot.
Tring to decide on take clone before I flip,or chancing the reveg. I have had 100% success reveg thus far but I'd hate to lose out on a pheno/strain because my reveg attempt failed.
The strains I reveg now I am familiar with and know wut it takes to get them to reveg.
edit* Also, I have a 10 gal tote as my flood res, How many gals of solution should I use to ensure the pump doesn't run dry during a 15 min flood? I'm going with what you do......copycat
I've learned over the years lurking forums,to find someone who's grow you like and their method and copy them.Althoughtnour environments may be different,it can be ironed out by being meticulous if issues arrive.
I dont pull clones from things before I flower them. I do have a 100% reveg rate but can understand not wanting to chance losing out on "that one" pheno. I just take my chances lol.
What size gallon tray are you using with the 10 gallon tote? You gotta figure out how many gallons your tray will hold to achieve fill height before draining back to the res. Then fill your res with how ever many gallons it takes to put the water level above the pump. Add those 2 together to find out what you need to have total in your res to keep your pump fully submerged and your tray filled at the same time. Maybe add a gallon to that number to give yourself some wiggle room.