Please Help Hydro Timers

hey iv just setup my hydro system. i need to know how long/often i need to set my timers for my drippers? they are 13 days old and still small. about to be tranplanted into the clay balls from light mix soil.

been thinkin should i just have my drip feed on 24/7 until i get the roots established

thanks in advance.

Just seedlings? 4 times a day (24 hours) for 15 mins worked great for me. Make sure their roots are nice and developed before you crank up the feedings.

Drip feed for 24/7 ? constant feeding will drown your plants, I would feed maybe 3 to 4 times a day, even twice a day may be enough, too much feeding and your roots will rot, I currently grow in rockwool grow cubes and have grown in hydroton pebles, even for my full grown plants I only feed twice a day with no problems.

So I Should Not Leave The dripper On 24/7?

MrkingT said:

So I Should Not Leave The dripper On 24/7?

Click to expand...

I would think not, weed likes a little dryness now and then, giving the roots time to take up oxygen.

MrkingT said:

So I Should Not Leave The dripper On 24/7?

Click to expand...

... the game changer is the cost of pump replacement (10-$30) vs. the risk of killing a weed plant (the cost of 1-4 zips, potentially) ...
I'd go with the timer, all things being equal

but then again; I dunno, I've always left mine on 24/7 w/o problems...
and here is the disclaimer: I use 1/4" vinyl and make sure the flow isn't all over the rockwool cube ( hence keeping it constantly wet)....so basically once the plant is established; I make sure the tube drips off to the side ...

and here is the thing about water pumps on a timer (the hermetically sealed, epoxy filled, impeller type) : I've owned literally dozens if not close to 100 pumps, powerheads et....the failure often happens on startup, as the magnetic impeller wears and gets out of round.... it is actually less likely to stop/fail if it runs constantly vs. a constant off/on cycle

....As for constantly wet hydroton; hopefully the air/water thing is near O2 saturation anyway... I'd bet if rot happens, if anywhere, it will more likely be in the rockwool/grow plugs, rapid rooters, et ... edited to add: not going against anything above, just relating my experience

I would think not, weed likes a little dryness now and then, giving the roots time to take up oxygen.

Click to expand...

If the water was well oxygenated would it not be the same as DWC? Im running a basically ebb and flo setup that circulates 24/7 and plants actually seem to like it better than timed floods. Im a newb so I have no ideal what is best just what I have experienced with my system.

waterdawg said:

If the water was well oxygenated would it not be the same as DWC? Im running a basically ebb and flo setup that circulates 24/7 and plants actually seem to like it better than timed floods. Im a newb so I have no ideal what is best just what I have experienced with my system.

Click to expand...

I'm sure Dee Tee and Pinworm have their reasons for using a timer, not the least of which you lower the risk of drowning/rotting your grow .... again, I've left them on 24/7 just because I don't have to think about it...easy for me to say cuz I only grow for personal/hobby reasons.... I use hydroton and its easy to direct the flow of the drip over the rockwool; at 1st, then later on move the line away from the main stem and off to the side....

about the only major downside to using a timer is that yes, its absolutely harder on your $10 fountain pump or whatever....but then again, given the value of the crop, who gives a dang?

I run my drip system 20 minutes on/4 hours off as I think it is better for the root system to get a little more oxygen instead of being soaked 24/7. My plants seem to thrive with that schedule.

How about you add air stone and pump air into your res! Now your feed solution is well 02ed......timer , no timer is up to you......

Dr. Who said:

How about you add air stone and pump air into your res! Now your feed solution is well 02ed......timer , no timer is up to you......

Click to expand...

iv allready got a airstone with airpump already in there iv set my drip system to flow 15 mins 5 times while light is on 1 time at night im a newb at this so im just playing around see what has the best results