New to DWC
- Thread starter Reefah
- Start date
C
Classyathome
High - welcome...
Yes
and
water (with nutes, once the seedlings lose their coty's - first round leaves)...
Yes
and
water (with nutes, once the seedlings lose their coty's - first round leaves)...
I prefer Hydorton to vermiculite although I've never tried it. I'm sure it would work tho. Read up on the Lucas formula and get yourself equipped with a pH meter and a tds meter at least. Read read read.
mgk
bendoslendo
Member
i can't imagine vermiculite working in net pots. I never tried but won't it all come pouring through?
Also, I can imagine the retention/wicking properties of 100% vermiculite medium causing stem rot.
Also, I can imagine the retention/wicking properties of 100% vermiculite medium causing stem rot.
Buffalo Brown
Member
this would apply to chunky vermiculite only ?
Sloppy Seconds
Member
I use lava rocks as they are cheap, seem to work fine.
Really? I've never done this... I'll have to give it a try next time.. which will be soon!
mgk
Mickymouse
Member
hydroton Is never really in the water.Doest effect PH much.It just holds the plants up.
during the seedling stage the hydroton is immersed in the water, so that the breaking bubbles splash on to the rock wool cube, thus providing the seedling with oxygenated water. not soaking the hydroton beforehand will lead to wild ph swings at this point, as well as all the nasty red dust washing off into your rez.
You definitely need to rinse the hydroton, but you do not need to soak it. It is PH neutral, if you're getting wild PH swings, something else is off.
Also, I've never had my hydroton net pots in the water, at any stage. Yes, the water level is higher with seedlings to get splash on the hydroton, but it's certaiinly not immersed.
Think of it as a fail safe. Hydroton does not absorb or wick. In the seedling stage, a waterline too low or a cube too high by as much as 1/4 inch can kill a seedling in a matter of hours. Once was enough for me.
By maintaining contact until roots show, the possibility of death by dehydration is removed. Note, once roots form, Large cubes will minimize O2 to the upper roots and should be avoided.
Interesting F/B, I never ran into that issue. I'm betting the fact that I never used cubes probably helped me from having it. I always put the rooted clones straight into the hydroton, which means I probably had a better idea of the root depth?
Makes sense to me any way
I'll also disagree on the hydroton not wicking. There is definitely some capillary action there. Not much, and as you point out, probably a bad idea to rely on it, as little as it does. But, it is there
Makes sense to me any way
I'll also disagree on the hydroton not wicking. There is definitely some capillary action there. Not much, and as you point out, probably a bad idea to rely on it, as little as it does. But, it is there
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As jm mentions, it adsorbs rather than absorbs. As such there's no capillary action as we see in celery or Rockwool.
My "problem" is I transplant to Hydroton at the first sign of sprout or root. If there's no roots to see, there's no roots to break. A longer root system would alleviate this.
My "problem" is I transplant to Hydroton at the first sign of sprout or root. If there's no roots to see, there's no roots to break. A longer root system would alleviate this.
