Anyone else grow NFT?

[JohnGault]

Hi Folks:

After looking here, and various other sites I seem to find myself as a serious minority. Hardly anyone grows using the NFT method as I do.

Right now I veg in a home made Aero system...



.....and flower in a also home made NFT setup.



Would love to find some folks who have more experience than I to discuss design, flow rates, nute, and Ph requirements specific to NFT growing.

Any body out there?

Thx.

JG

 

[Work2much]

It's not really that popular for some reason. There are some great older grows if you can master IC's lame search engine, or better yet google search icmag nft.

One thing I've never seen is tree's in NFT. That would be cool. Obviously something larger then piping/fencing would be needed. Maybe just a larger diamter pie, say 12" around for max root space.

 

[ayatayo]

NFT is my hydro dream (I've only grew in soil/coir until now)........no media at all, only a solid water pump...........simplicity.........one day for sure......by the way, your set up looks so clean.........hope we'll soon see it work!

 

[HBxNLmaster]

i am thinkin about building an nft table but im even newer than you at nft as i have always used DWC. so do you basicall put fence post on an angled table and pump up water to top of each one. could you post a picture of how your pump works manifold etc.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Nutriculture's tanks systems work really well, having the Res under the table keeps the rootzome warm, but the whole thing is harder to clean. Lots of UK growers started out with these, great systems, but hard to keep perfect all your round, many have problems with Pythium [there is now a solution] root rot, but most do not lag the systems, so....

The book I keep on plugging, Molyneux's Guide to NFT is brilliant, I made my own system the day I read it and never looked back. These generally ended up being, 8'x4' MDF or Ply sheets, the 2 long and 1 short edges [8',8',4'] with 2" x 1" batons, the edge with no baton is lowest and drains into a plastic household gutter on into a plasterers bath. Angle the table at 1:50 or more, so make the top end min 2" higher than the bottom, easy, all done for less than £50 psm.

 

[Spanishwilly]

So now that pythium has been NFT addressed, why have NFT systems fallen out of favour? They sound good to me. I really like the simplicity of drain to waste I have to say, but my mind is open.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

I stopped because it did not work with my move outdoor, I like the manoeuvrability of individual pots over planted in tables, but really miss the speed and vigour of the NFT plants.... when they go right... there may be the reason why it seems to be on the wane, if IC posters are a good guide to what is going on. To get an active system right requires a lot of attention, a perfect crop, for the advantages to actually make themselves felt. If you get NFT wrong, it can go very wrong very quickly.

Also, in Spain, like the UK, Courts see Hydro setups as scary and Professional, so a more "innocent looking" garden with low fi pots using Coco looking like Peat.... lets you stick a few extra ones in for the same paranoia level ;-)

 

[kg beans]

ive been growing in nft for the last 20 years!,its foolproof and believe me its gotta be cos im an idiot! ive just started some new seedstock off in soil and remembered why i changed to nft in the first place !!!

 

[corradogang*]

So now that pythium has been NFT addressed, why have NFT systems fallen out of favour? They sound good to me. I really like the simplicity of drain to waste I have to say, but my mind is open.

I use the one that has a rez below the tray .


Great system unless you want to grow monsters, great thing about it is simplicity, rapid growth, low maintainence, low noise (important for alot of ppl) and for a bonus you have'nt got tubes of water all of the place so chances of breakdown are virtualy zero all you have to do is check the water and clean the pump every other month or so

btw here in the uk it is the most popular system

 

[one Q]

mediumless in a tray

 

[Spanishwilly]

Also, in Spain, like the UK, Courts see Hydro setups as scary and Professional, so a more "innocent looking" garden with low fi pots using Coco looking like Peat.... lets you stick a few extra ones in for the same paranoia level ;-)

You know, that clinches it. I´ve been giving it some serious consideration, and I´ve decided against getting caught.

 

[British_Bulldog]

...many have problems with Pythium [there is now a solution] root rot, but most do not lag the systems, so....

Hi Chaos,

What do you mean by not lagging the system bro?

& what is the solution u mean for root rot pls?


Many thanks and all the best,

Peace

 

[newhiddengrower]

I use a Aero/NFT system if that counts. With 2"netcups in 14' 4inch PVC Pipe.

 

[Andyo]

years ago

years ago

I used to do nft 15 20 years ago but when i found how to reuse hydroton in flood n drain i stopped ,with hydroton in flood drain pots i can move them around in the trays
still only the root n stem to get rid of ,A

 

[kg beans]

must admit that is one major drawback with nft,you cant move em around like individual buckets!

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Hi Chaos,

What do you mean by not lagging the system bro?

& what is the solution u mean for root rot pls?


Many thanks and all the best,

Peace

HI BB

Lagging... Most NFT systems get the rootzone too hot during the first week/s as the small clones shade little of the top plate area, allowing the rootzone to get over spec temps. Any area going over 24 deg C is loosing oxygenation and also a prime target for any Pythium type root rot problems. So all pipes and "top plate".... lit parts, are lagged, meaning insulated. That Eco insulation is great, the Aluminium/Fibre/Bubblewrap type stuff they use as an alternative to Kingspan [the new builders high density foam boards with 1 side foil] Basically, anything that stops your table's baby roots getting boiled before the growing canopy shades the problem away. Yes it is a bit of an extra fiddle to do, but getting a garden consistently right is usually because the grower has nailed every possible problem before it happens, attended to every possible detail.

This is not the best example of his, but here in the first photo is Heath Robinson lagging away.... http://strainguide.org/wp-content/uploads/Heath%20goes%20Vertical%20%28again!%29/HomeGrown420%20-%20Heath%20goes.htm

The IWS systems that many are changing too are also vulnerable to Pythium, despite claims they are not.


The solution to Root Rot/Pythium is a product called Pro Plant, it is very expensive, but you need little. Not sure if it is available in all shops, ask them. As it is officially sold in Litre bottles at like £100 or £200 a pop, decanting into 50ml pots is not totally cool, so the trade may be a bit "under the counter".

Used in Preventative, Maintenence and Cure doses, just the Preventative is enough to fix it totally. A friend who was going to chuck in the towel after many wrecked crops and many sterilisations/new kit etc frustrations has never had the problem since.

Used as a cure to an existing Pyth problem, it works very well too, you never get that much of a root system back, but interestingly, you do get a normal healthy yield

 

[Andyo]

never got pythium

never got pythium

Ive never had pythium in nft ,but i had hi chlorine levels ,you could smell it in the tap water.
DO in water is only 10% less @25c, though i found 18-21 c best for nft ,Also hard cuttings as opposed to soft cuttings were better.
i remember a friend going extreme with the cf like .35 and no burn just monsrer heavy plants.
Somthing else we did was let the plants drink nearly all the nute solution ,no top ups for the last 5 days before tank change.
Another trick we i used was to let the root system dry very much between pump cycles usualy over night.
Dammit my interest is back guess im putting in an NFT tray at one end of the flood drain lol.A

 

[JohnGault]

Wow:

Thanks for all the replies.

I too have never had pythium problems in NFT as long as I keep the water flow low enough.

As roots grow they act as a sort of dam, and if you have too high a flow the water will back up causing oxygen starvation. Just to be sure I throw an air stone into the res.


For those that wanted to see my flower system in operation here's a couple pics of its next door neighbor.







Has anyone noticed a variation in PH, and PPM levels needed for NFT vs. DWC, E&F, Aero, etc.?

JG

 

[British_Bulldog]

HI BB

Lagging... Most NFT systems get the rootzone too hot during the first week/s as the small clones shade little of the top plate area, allowing the rootzone to get over spec temps. Any area going over 24 deg C is loosing oxygenation and also a prime target for any Pythium type root rot problems. So all pipes and "top plate".... lit parts, are lagged, meaning insulated. That Eco insulation is great, the Aluminium/Fibre/Bubblewrap type stuff they use as an alternative to Kingspan [the new builders high density foam boards with 1 side foil] Basically, anything that stops your table's baby roots getting boiled before the growing canopy shades the problem away. Yes it is a bit of an extra fiddle to do, but getting a garden consistently right is usually because the grower has nailed every possible problem before it happens, attended to every possible detail.

This is not the best example of his, but here in the first photo is Heath Robinson lagging away.... http://strainguide.org/wp-content/uploads/Heath%20goes%20Vertical%20%28again!%29/HomeGrown420%20-%20Heath%20goes.htm

The IWS systems that many are changing too are also vulnerable to Pythium, despite claims they are not.


The solution to Root Rot/Pythium is a product called Pro Plant, it is very expensive, but you need little. Not sure if it is available in all shops, ask them. As it is officially sold in Litre bottles at like £100 or £200 a pop, decanting into 50ml pots is not totally cool, so the trade may be a bit "under the counter".

Used in Preventative, Maintenence and Cure doses, just the Preventative is enough to fix it totally. A friend who was going to chuck in the towel after many wrecked crops and many sterilisations/new kit etc frustrations has never had the problem since.

Used as a cure to an existing Pyth problem, it works very well too, you never get that much of a root system back, but interestingly, you do get a normal healthy yield

Hi and thanks Chaos,

I see what you mean and how that could be a problem.

I think it would be more of a problem with someone using full on late flowering levels of light when the girls are v.small.

Using air-cooled lighting and increasing light at good levels throughout their life I think could definately prevent the roots from boiling, especially since I've never had any problems like that myself (using 2 layers of thick light-proof white-black-white on top).

Using the black lids that Nutriculture sell would make overheating worse too, as the radiant heat is absorbed rather than reflected from something like mylar or white-black-white.

Thanks for the heads up on the pythium product

...though i found 18-21 c best for nft...

Andyo - the recommended best temp. for NFT res/root zone is 22 degrees C.

18 degrees is too cold for the roots really - have you done a side-by-side with one tank at 18 degrees and another at 22?

Just to be sure I throw an air stone into the res.

Definately man, that's v.important, and a lot of air too.

Also adding H202/Oxyplus helps a lot in maintaining good levels of DO, as well as keeping pythium at bay.

Another trick we i used was to let the root system dry very much between pump cycles usualy over night

If you have enough air being pumped into the tank via airstones, then you don't need to let the roots dry out, as they won't be struggling for air. Think about DWC: that has roots permanently submerged, but they still love it with a lot of air being pumped around them.


All the best

Peace

 

[Loosey]

Im running GHE's Aeroflo and its nft/aero. How i should adjust the chambers water levels? Keep it steady or leveling it day/night?

20-22 celcius seems to be nice temps for it, hard to keep it steady though. I also had problems using clones in this systems as the water temps raised like hel*. Only 4 from 10 made it. Need to buy water chiller or do something for it as summer comes in with higher temps.