Flowering Ebb & Flow or Top Feed? Need Help.

[Medical MJ]

Remodeling and upgrading on some gear, I have a 3x3 and a 4x4 table to flower 12 or 24 clones in one galon smart pots filled with hydroton per table, I'm looking for the best way to feed the plants and also use less water and nutes due to cost.
Ebb & flow or top feed?

 

[CovertCrops]

If you want to save water go with a top-feed setup. I run 5 tables all top-fed with a 25 gallon res per table. It works quite well and I know I would be using more water if I set them up to E&F. Good luck

 

[Medical MJ]

I was thinking the same (top feed) thanks.
Do you use hydroton in net pots? Rockwool? Coco? I'm using one gallon smart pots filled with hydroton. Your 25 gallon rez for a 3x3 or 4x4 table? Could I use the same 40 galon rez to feed 24 clones in the 3x3 table and 24 clones in the 4x4 table? Or would 2 seperate rez be better?
So how would I run the top feed system? 15 min on & 15 min off on the pump in the rez? The question goes for both veg and flower.

 

[CovertCrops]

I use 1.7 gal pots filled with hydroton. They get watered 15 on/off or 15 on/ 30 off. I use a 25 gal rez for up to 16 plants. You could run multiple tables off of the same res with multiple pumps and timers but this means all your plants will eat the same thing.

I use multiple rez's because each table is at a different stage of growth. Check the link in my signature to see how i run my setup. It will give you a better idea. Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[Medical MJ]

Thanks and very nice set up you have I like it. I am running multy tables for the same reasons has you, the trays are put to flower 4 or 5 weeks apart depending on strain, so every 4 or 5 wk's I have a harvest.
How do you rate the adjust a wing with spreader to the yield master II?

 

[CovertCrops]

Thank you. Adjust-a-wings are great if you don't require air cooling. They really distribute the light very well, no more dark corners. I swapped them out for the YM II's because I needed the air cooled hoods to keep temps down. The YM II are ok, not really anything to write home about.

 

[Medical MJ]

I use adjust a wings myself, and yes they do work very well. Do you use a medium adjust a wing with a 600 or a 1000 on the 3x3 tables? Spreader or no spreader?

 

[CovertCrops]

I have only used the medium AAW's with 600's and 400's over 3x3 and 4x4 areas. A 600 with an AAW will cover a 4x4 nicely. Spreaders with 4's and 6's suck. I used them for a few grows and noticed that nothing grew directly below the light. I would end up with a hole in the garden. I quit using them and had a much nicer canopy.

 

[Medical MJ]

I have only used the medium AAW's with 600's and 400's over 3x3 and 4x4 areas. A 600 with an AAW will cover a 4x4 nicely. Spreaders with 4's and 6's suck. I used them for a few grows and noticed that nothing grew directly below the light. I would end up with a hole in the garden. I quit using them and had a much nicer canopy.

I'll try mine next run without the spreaders, I think it will be more of a direct narrower beam versus the wider footprint attained by using the spreader.