question about flood and drain

CyberSecks

Active Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #1

hey guys so down below is a pic from another grower who isnt on the site anymore.
he told me hes using a flood and drain system but i dont see how it would work being there in pots? it doesnt look like the water floods over the top of the pots so how does this work?
anyone else have a setup like this cuz i wanna try for my new room

 

gumball

Well-Known Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #2

it floods the tray, and the plants take up water from the bottom as the tray drains off.

 

CyberSecks

Active Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #3

even in pots what if the roots arent to the bottom yet?

 

gumball

Well-Known Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #4

CyberSecks said:

even in pots what if the roots arent to the bottom yet?

Click to expand...

the roots dont have to be coming out, the medium will absorb the moisture and transport it to the dry medium above. kind of like a paper towel when you place one corner into water, the rest of the paper towel will continue to absorb the moisture. the roots will eventually reach the bottom of the pot and dangle out. the light will probably kill them if they come out of the pot to far. that is why some people set their pots on or just below the surface of a layer of hydroton, so the roots can expand out.

 

drgreentm

Well-Known Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #5

looks to me like that dude was using coco or something for his medium i use pots in flood and drain but im using hydroton and it works great 6x6x7 square pots filled with hydroton as the water level rises in the tray it does in the pot as well then when it drains so does the pots thanks to the hydroton.

 

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gumball

Well-Known Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #6

they look great Drgreentm

 

drgreentm

Well-Known Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #7

thanks a bunch gumball put allot of hard work in this op still waiting an some equipment to get it where i want it but soon.

 

CyberSecks

Active Member

• Jan 22, 2011

• #8

so you just let the water fill in through the bottom of the holes in the pots DRgreen? and the hydroton will absorb it?

 

drgreentm

Well-Known Member

• Jan 23, 2011

• #9

the hydroton will keep the roots moist till the next watering but holds less water than soil so i water more often.

 

CyberSecks

Active Member

• Jan 23, 2011

• #10

and will any kind of pot with holes in the bottom work?

 

drgreentm

Well-Known Member

• Jan 23, 2011

• #11

CyberSecks said:

and will any kind of pot with holes in the bottom work?

Click to expand...

yep pretty much any normal pot from say wal mart as long as its got drainage holes it should be good the bigger the pot the more hydroton my pots hold one gallon.