Quick Simple Hydro Question(s)

Maybe this should be in Noobie Central...here goes:

I have a fourteen hole tray with netpots suspended over a res. The plants are in hydroton and Rapid Rooter plugs. While some of the roots have descended into the nutes, some haven't. If I want to water them, should I water the Rapid Rooter? The hydroton? Both? Does it make a difference? I'm just looking for the most effective way to encourage the formation of new roots that will descend into the nutes.

Also, my plants were being starved because their nute solution was too weak. Given the Rapid Rooter/Hydroton combo, should I be watering them with nute solution? Or just plain water? They are about 30 days olds.

Thanks so much!!

30 days olds and they arent yet in the nute solution?
30 days olds plants definately need nutrients. Somethings wrong.

Did you let roots form at the bottom of the rapid rooters before transfering them to the system/pellets? I use rockwool, but i still think you should only water the pellets.

Yeah...fitzyno1. It's a long sad story. Thanks for responding. Light yourself up - here goes...
My system is DWC...two reservoirs that constantly circulate nutes and a 14 hole tray that sits on top. When I transferred the plugs to the hydroton and stuck them in netpots, roots were prolific. This was about two weeks ago.

Roots started to grow through the netpots. Unfortunately, in my zeal to follow the suggestion that you don't burn young plants, I first filled the res with nutes that were just too fuckin' weak. (BTW, I'm using PBP Grow and Liquid Karma). Some of the plants kept looking sicker and sicker and I finally came to the conclusion that they were probably deficient in everything.

In the meantime, some of the roots were pretty well developed and some were just starting to develop. Those that were just starting out just kinda froze. I started feeding them by hand, with almost full strength PBP, CalMag and LK (and a drop of thrive alive)...that seems to have brought them back and everyday they are looking much better and starting to grow side shoots.

Again remember, some of the plants have descended nutes and some don't. I'm not sure whether I should be feeding the ones without roots by hand or just giving them plain water. I also want to encourage their roots to descend so I'm not sure how much liquid (either water or nutes) I should be using...thoroughly wetting the hydroton or pouring a little on the Rapid Rooters.

I hope this is making a little bit of sense.

The plants that don't have roots, what do they look like now? If the top growth looks heathy, they are fine. Use 1/2 or 3/4 strength nutes in the rez and hand water the pellets with that solution. Have you any pix?

Thanks fitzyno1...most of the plants are looking much much better in their new growth. A couple of the plants still seem weak or recovering.

Unfortunately, no photos yet.

So, your recommendation is to thoroughly water the hydroton? Cool. Thanks! This is my practice grow...having not done anything in five years.
I'm hopeful to get it dialed in this time...leaving me some awesome smoke...while I kick it up a notch after Xmas. The plants are small but most are
beginning to form nicely, grow, and put out side branches. Because of my system, I want them small or else it turns into a complete jungle. Given that
I have a 400W, I'd prefer to avoid a lot of side growth at any rate.

I'd say you'll see roots in a day or 2, you may have had a bit of root rot. With you growing in organic nutients, i dont know how to help you with root rot. Rhizotonic may do the job if it actually turned out to be root rot.
Anyway, hope all turns out well for you.

Thanks, fitzyno1. The existing roots look good. The water temp is decent (mid to high 60s to very low 70s). The pH has been between 5.6 and 5.9. I'm also using Hydroguard. I'm currently also using only PBP Grow and LK. At somewhat lesser doses than called for. I decided not to give them anymore CalMag because I'm using tap water and I'm pretty sure there's a sufficiency.

My thinking is that when I inadvertently starved them, they weren't getting enough nitrogen or magnesium to develop further roots and started cannibalizing themselves to provide the nutrients. I don't want to swing too far in the other direction and burn 'em but I do want to make sure that they get the nutes that they've been craving. The first time I hit 'em with the top feeding, I could see green returning to the bottom leaves within minutes. It was amazing. So yeah...I feel like I'm wibble wobbling between poles to find the right balance. It will be easier when all the plants no longer need to be hand fed.