Multi-flow/Ebb&Grow Users: TIPS&TRICKS

[BigForest]

"Anybody use these yet" sure beats hydroton balls,cleaning and all definitly a pita
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wGoi92
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wGoi920Nyw

 

[rr14]

here's a suggestion for these setups. Run two lines from your res, with 2 pumps. Also, I'd seriously consider upgraging to two pumps pumping out of the unit as well.

I left for vacation for a week and found my stuff dead as a doornail when I got back. The feed pump was nolonger working. I was in week 7. When I left everything was fine. I was pissed!

Also, run filter bags on your feed pumps to keep any junk out of them.

 

[EvilTwin]

here's a suggestion for these setups. Run two lines from your res, with 2 pumps. Also, I'd seriously consider upgraging to two pumps pumping out of the unit as well.

I left for vacation for a week and found my stuff dead as a doornail when I got back. The feed pump was nolonger working. I was in week 7. When I left everything was fine. I was pissed!

Also, run filter bags on your feed pumps to keep any junk out of them.

Even with double pumps, I would never have left a grow at that stage unattended for 7 days. Anything can and will happen.

And BigForest...you've posted in two locations on that new media. And your top link as bad by the way. Do you work for them? Before hyping it, you should know how much it costs.

I personally don't mind hydroton. It's been a very good medium for me. I turn on some good music, get stoned and clean it. Not a problem at all. Take a Zen approach to it.

If you want to use a non-reuseable probably expensive medium, fine. You use it and tell us all about it.
ET

 

[BigForest]

Even with double pumps, I would never have left a grow at that stage unattended for 7 days. Anything can and will happen.

And BigForest...you've posted in two locations on that new media. And your top link as bad by the way. Do you work for them? Before hyping it, you should know how much it costs.

I personally don't mind hydroton. It's been a very good medium for me. I turn on some good music, get stoned and clean it. Not a problem at all. Take a Zen approach to it.

If you want to use a non-reuseable probably expensive medium, fine. You use it and tell us all about it.
ET

well im jumping the gun but ive change out 24 and 32 buckets with three people and its time consuming and realy tedious work.now i havent tried these new stg's but stores are starting to sell'em so i will definitly report back my experience for all.The prices are 50$ for 6 buckets where as the the hydroton balls are about 50$ for 3 buckets filled.Reuseable idk We'll see though ,just order some.
Bye the way i do not work for them.

 

[EvilTwin]

BigForest,
Well good for you. Give it a run. Actually it's not the first such product. Some people use rockwool flock in buckets very successfully. Expensive though.

My position on throw-away products like that are twofold. You have to dispose of it which creates a nuisance and then you have to re-order. For me, that's a matter of security since the nearest hydro shop is over 200 miles away. So delivery guys coming with boxes and boxes of stuff on a regular basis makes people ask questions. Especially in a tiny town like I live in.

I have a good supply of hydroton and with care and proper cleansing...an occasional vinegar soak and such, I'm good for years.

What's that old phrase...different strokes for different folks. Good luck on that.
Peace,
ET

 

[BigForest]

Im good with the hydroton they've did me very well,i have 2 big blue barrels full of em.just open enough to try something new to see how efficient it is and if its something i would put in regular rotation.Vinegar soak im gonna try that now see you can learn something everyday if ya wanna.

 

[EvilTwin]

Im good with the hydroton they've did me very well,i have 2 big blue barrels full of em.just open enough to try something new to see how efficient it is and if its something i would put in regular rotation.Vinegar soak im gonna try that now see you can learn something everyday if ya wanna.

Hi BF,
It's good to keep an open mind. I've heard all sorts of accounts of how people use hydroton and found that there's a certain number of people who simply throw it away at the end of a run. The theory is that the pores in the hydroton get clogged.

I've also talked to people who reuse it for years. I do the vinegar soaks just in case there's something to the pore clogging thing. I also throw in a certain percentage...parhaps 1/3 of higromite. That's that rock stuff they harvest from the ocean bottom. It holds moisture well and also provides silica to the plant so you don't need to add it.

One thing about cleaning hydroton is that I'm retired so I don't have work or family obligations. Plenty of time to attend to such things.

On the price on that new stuff you're trying...with a system as big as yours, won't that cost you like $300 a run just for disposable media? If time is of the essence, I can see how that might be worth it, but I'll just keep washing the pebbles. lol
Peace,
ET

 

[Vespatian]

I'm going to try the STG inserts in a couple of weeks but have concerns about how many buckets can be fed from a single rez, and the fact that the STG material itself holds ALOT of water which may increase the chances of pythium, or in some way negatively affect yield. We'll see.

My cost comparison between the two products is as follows:

Hydroton: 50L bags = $32 = 7 buckets = $4.57 per bucket

STG inserts: Cost per bucket, purchased by the case with discount = $6.40 per bucket.

I don't clean and re-use hydroton so the single-use per bucket cost is apples to apples for me.

 

[BigForest]

if they hold more water than would that equal less feedings, more time drying for the medium??

 

[NorCalFor20]

i am also interested in the sure to grow inserts. I have a prepetual thing going with 4 inch rockwool cubes in the hydroton, but i hate hydroton, would rather throw it away then have to clean it and re use it.... I will wait for someone else to report back first.... I hate hydroton though its heavy as shit, its a pain to get rinsed, and once you do rinse it it still leaves shit in the bottom of the buckets. It reminds me of growing in dirt....

If someone gives a good report on these ill switch over, but i am concerned with the water displacement.... 24 buckets of hydroton works fine at displacing 55 gallons of water but what about these sure to grow inserts, i haven't been able to get a good answer from them on this matter...

I am wondering how i am even going to get all the roots out after this harvest, considering this my first time with the hydroton even, my first time in hydro....

I have plants vegging right now in 4 inch rockwool cubes so ill be stuck cleaning that crap again at least one more time... honestly though i hate rockwool too i am just doing this because it seems like the only option is rockwool/hydroton, and the last batch of grodan rockwool cubes i bought had root aphid eggs in it that hatched when i saturated the cubes... had to spend 60$ on a pesticide to kill them off...

heres my youtube video of grow in progress...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vviF6yLJxsY

I will probably end up selling this Multi-Flow system after I do 2 grows, when I can afford to get a Sub Culture RDWC system, love the results MASHUP had with that setup... seems like he was banned for "advertising"

 

[Vespatian]

I am 10 days away from trying out the STG inserts under one 1kw hood which I will compare against many other 1kw hoods over buckets of hydroton.

Matt, the STG Director of R&D, says he will have results this week re: how many STG buckets can be filled with one 55 gal. rez.

That would be a shame if Mashup was banned. I'm gonna throw a CC 4 pak under a 1kw and see how it performs.

 

[hempathy.inc]

How would I place the reservoir outside of a sealed room and and run the hose into the room still keeping it sealed

 

[D Rock]

Vespatian, I was under the impression that STG does not hold alot of water. In Fact on one of the STG vid's on Youtube the guy said if you were doing a Ebb & Flow Table to flood your table a couple more times a day than normal. (Normal being if you normally use rockwool.) Although I have the 1" cubes, 4" & 6" blocks I have yet to use them so I dont know first hand how they actually hold water. Just looking at the STG it looks like it Would Not hold as much water as say the same amount of Rockwool.
Regradless, After seeing the demo videos on youtube I went out and purchased some for my next grow. People have been saying elsewhere that STG is going to put rockwool out, as in out of buissness if you make rockwool. We will see...Im using it as my medium on my next grow.

 

[EvilTwin]

How would I place the reservoir outside of a sealed room and and run the hose into the room still keeping it sealed

Hi Hempathy,
I have an installation in my room that may do the trick for you. It's a water pass-through made with rigid pvc and supported well on each side. And on each side is a 1/2" barb fitting to attach the standard 1/2" vinyl tubing.

I use it for draining my res into the toilet and also I have a spare res I keep filled so at change out time, I use it to pump fresh water into the flower room res. Totally light tight yet I can move water freely through it.
ET

 

[Vespatian]

D Rock,
They hold a shitload of water. I was shocked. Unpack one of yours a do the dunkin' doughnut test.

This STG YouTube video (3:00 in or so) claims the material holds 30 TO 50 TIMES its wieght:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-CM2-lk1Q0

They hold mucho aqua.

Near the end of the video, they show a text screen making various claims. Among them are that the material holds 30 to 50 times its weight in water and that it is free draining. How a material could be "free draining" while it holds 30 times its weight is perhaps a new definition of "free draining". But I am still hopefull about this product and will give it every opportunity to perform.

 

[BigForest]

So if it holds more water woudnt that mean less feedings/waterings?????????
or would that back fire and drown roots??????????????

 

[hempathy.inc]

Eviltwin can you post a picture of this? It would be much appreciated.

 

[EvilTwin]

Eviltwin can you post a picture of this? It would be much appreciated.

I was afraid you'd ask that. But it was no problem to take a few shots. One shot with the straight connection is inside my flower room. The other one with an elbow angling the barb fitting down is outside the flower room. In my laundry room actually.

It's a sinple idea. The hose that goes to your grow room is two part. One from the res to the wall fitting and then on the inside of the flower room, from the wall to your pots.

I don't know what sort of system you have. But if you need a return line, well then you'd have to put in two of these.

I stabilized it with 3/4" boards on each side and drilled the hole to exactly fit the size of the 1/2" cpvc pipe I used. No light or air passes through the wall, but still I can drain my res and refill it through this. I added a little aluminum tape to make sure it was light tight.

Hope that explains it.
ET

 

[merkaba]

I have 2 areas that are 10 x 14 how many buckets do you think I can put in each area with how much light?

Thanks

 

[Vespatian]

I have 2 areas that are 10 x 14 how many buckets do you think I can put in each area with how much light?

Thanks

Four to five lights in each room, say 9 buckets per light = 8 to 10 lights and 72 to 90 buckets.