Accepting input on veg system for rdwc please.

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

Sup IC!

Thanks for stopping in and letting me pick your brains. I plan to just run a 5 gallon bucket RDWC veg system in the future, but I need something to get me by until I upgrade my space. Here is my plan for a veg system, along with a couple questions.

I will use two 4ftx4ft flood/drain tables with 7" depth. I am going to run two of these tables in a RDWC setup, I will install 2 drains on the side of each table like a bucket, and let them drain to the controller. The nutrient solution in the controller will then be routed to a chiller and then on to 2-4/table 1/2" feedlines on each table. So its RDWC with 2 tables substituiting the buckets.

Each table will have 12 6" netpots installed with hydroton. This is simply for vegging them to 18" high and 12" around.

My questions are:

Have any of you constructed tops for tables? I would like something strong, light proof, resistant to getting the nasties. (wet/soggy, porous) I am not looking for the cheap way out just the best way to do this.

Also if you have any input on this please feel free to express yourself, I am open to ideas.

I think once this is done it will be pretty nice, will be tempting to bust one out in it.


I am going to install 2-4 feed hoses on the rear of the table that will

 

[jm420]

I think Pirate made his own covers he uses an aero set up but it sounds like same idea.search pirate

 

[bron2k]

wasup pure! i use to veg on a 4x8 tray and covered it with that pink styrofoam installation sheet from home depot. it comes in a 4x8 and a couple other sizes. it's the shit cuz it can't mold and resistant to getting the nasties. (wet/soggy, porous). it's perfect for what you're trying to do. i then wrapped it with the black and white poly so no light can penetrate through. the only problem i had with this style of veggin is my roots gets really tangled and when it's time to take them out to go in the buckets. you're going to be tearing up a lot of roots. i recently switch to flood and drain on my 4x8 tray and using 4x4x5 grodon cubes. it's a lot easier and i dont have to use a water chiller anymore for my veg. i'll try to take some pics for you tonight if you want. good luck bro!

 

[Snype]

What up Pure,
I've been trying to figure out the same thing for my Veg. It was mainly reading your threads that got me to make the switch to DWC and I love it now. Veging is my only problem. Right now i'm using 2x4 trays with llds that have cut outs for 15 holes per tray but i've been using it as an ebb and flow until I can figure out something better. Hopefully you'll figure something out.

 

[BigGreen]

Use that pink foam it works great. I use the 2 inch stuff. I havent had any problems with root tangle because they will be out of there in like 2 weeks. Just pull the plants out every couple days and make sure there not tangled bad. I put up some pics for ya in 30 mins.

 

[BigGreen]

Here ya go PK
The only difference is that I top feed with 1/4 line which I dont think matters because when they get big I just tuck the line in the side of the net pot squirting right in the table. The foam works great and the plants grow fast as shit. You can fallow in my thread Im actually going to be flowering them out in there this run as well.



You will definitly like this setup they grow very fast.
Good luck

 

[bron2k]

damn it biggreen you beat me to it lol. yea it's easier for you cuz you only have 8 sites. try 49 bro lol. pureknowledge has 24 or something close to that. so his plants would be closer to each other like mine. if you pulled them apart everyday or made sure they didn't tangle it's not that bad. but it's not fun moving them around! that's my opinion on it!

 

[MikeRoOrganix]

I have never used tops in my e&f tables, I find it is plenty good if you cover the cubes/netpots with something (aluminum foil or I use water heater tape, there are also plastic individual site covers for sale at hydro shop). Personally I would just keep an E&f veg table it is so easy and versatile.

 

[BigGreen]

Thats a 3x6 tray and Im using 8 inch pots and actually its a 12 site Im just waiting for a little more root then the rest go in but ya it could tangle if you dont watch em in the 2nd week. I guess I dont mind taking 10 minutes to check if there tangled no big deal for me.
Check out in here you can see it in action https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=136148

 

[bron2k]

here's a quick shot of my old 4x8 cover pureknowledge! it looks better when it's on the table lol.

 

[PuReKnOwLeDgE]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone. One thing that concerns me about the pink foam top is it's strength, I see it bowing a little bit in the middle Big Green but overall thats a sweet setup man. I have no doubt that it could serve it's purpose but I am not sur eyet if thats the route I want to go.

Mikero-E&F is cool and believe me it crossed my mind but I don't have the patients to be dealing with any algea or nasties in an open table. I am a big fan of submerging my roots in nutrient solution 24/7 and blasting them with oxygen. RDWC is my baby and its hard for me to imagine stepping out of the box. Thank you for your suggestion though

I will be running 24 plants bron2k is correct, I would like 12 per 4x4 table to allow space for bonsai bush forming. As far as roots tangling that is something I have thought about, its going to suck but I will coax them girls out with as less stress as possible.

One thing crossing my mind for a lid is plexi glass, black of course. I am thinking this would give a nice sturdy fit and look sexy.

What about plexi glass added inside the tables to creat virtual individual buckets?

Leave the middle wide open, seperate plants with side walls in between, drill holes in the walls for water circulation, maybe a large rectangle cutout on the bottom for more water flow?

Sorry brain storming out loud. If I figure somehting out I like I won't bother building a RDWC bucket system for veg in the future, so i would like to nail it the first time.

 

[CovertCrops]

Sup PK

Here's my new veg setup. works great.

Best of luck with your new veg setup.