Net pot size/rockwool cube size DWC

[Sloppy Seconds]

Hey Gang, just some quick questions:
I wanted some idea what size net pot to buy, I'm doing DWC with 5 gallon buckets w/lids.

I was reading some have had problems with the 2X2's, the plant is too "floppy" and the 4X4's are more stable.

However, with the 4X4's they fill so much of the net pot you dont get much medium in around it.

I'll be using lava rocks and airstones.
Any ideas? I want to go sometime this week to buy them. btw how much do they cost? anywhere else I can buy them other than the Hydro store?
Thanks!

 

[Oscuridad]

Sounds like you're doing larger plants if you're using 5 gallons, right?

You'll probably want to depend on a different means of supporting your trees than just worrying about the rockwool/netpot size.

IMO get whatever size you like (5"+ nets would probably be ideal, $1-2) and just plan on trellising or drill a few holes in your bucket lid/rim for when you need to tie them up.

Just buy the small rockwool cubes.. a big sheet for $15 or whatever.

Probably will need to hit up a true hydro store to find this stuff, in most cases. Especially the rockwool.

 

[Sloppy Seconds]

Thanks Oscuridad, yea I planned on tying them up or supporting them somehow.
I have 4X4's and 2X2's already so I can switch between the two.

If I go with the 2X2 and 5 inch net pot it sounds like I would still have plenty of room for the lava rock. cool

some have said the 2 inch cube's were too small so I wanted to check here first.

Any other thoughts? Thanks everyone for looking.

 

[RedReign]

The size of the rockwool cube has no bearing on the stability of the plant. You can get by without any type of rooting medium. People who use aero/bubble cloners place the rooted cut directly in the net pot surrounded by hydroton or lava rock.

I use rapid rooters that are about 1" in diameter, they work fine. If you use rockwool, the smaller the better. Rockwool holds alot of water. So smaller clones/seedlings are at a higher risk of root/stem rot with larger cubes.

5.5" heavy duty netpots work perfect for 5 gal buckets.

 

[Sloppy Seconds]

thanks RedReign, make perfect sense to me! I have some 2 inch cubes and I'll use them. I can stop at the hydro store Thursday for the net pots. cool

 

[FreezerBoy]

You can quarter those cubes if you want. I cut my own 3/4 x 1 cubes out of a larger 6" block. The point of DWC is to deliver massive amounts of oxygen to the upper roots. The more exposure the better. I have 5" pots and wish I'd gotten 3". So I made some with solo cups and a old soldering iron.

 

[stevewinthrop]

heh, 5.5 inch sounds so big to me for a net pot... I've only used 2 inch and 3 inch net pots, 2 inch were fine in the beginning, but my mothers were getting about 2 inches around at the base of the stem, so I switched to 3 inch. I grew a couple of 6 foot beasts in 3 inch netpots, but now I'm pretty much strictly sog, and they also work beautiful for that.

Also, i've heard that if you're doing 5 gal buckets, that the "bucket lid netpots" are the way to go, they have a 3, 5 and 8 inch size, they aren't that much more expensive than 5 inch netpots if you get the 3 inch bucket lid, heh.

Anyhoo, good luck with your eventual DWC grow, you'll be very pleased.

-- steve

 

[Sloppy Seconds]

Thanks everyone, I didnt know there was a "bucket lid net-pot"! I'll take a look at them when I go to the hydro store.

Thats why I love this place! good luck everyone.