Grodan media questions...changing from drip to ebb and flow... will this work?

[rr14]

I currently have some plants in 1 gallon containters that were on a top feed drip system. I''d like to change them to a ebb and flow setup because thats what I have in my flower room. My question being that probably 2/3 of the 1 gallon is higher than where the water will fill to on my ebb tray, will the grow media wick; will the water travel up the media to soak all of it? The media is the grodan mini cubes with a 4" block at the top of the 1 gallon container.

I just don't want the plan to suffer because only part of the root ball is getting wet.

Also, would it be bad to completely soak the media in an ebb setup for 15 minutes 4 times a day? Would it be too over saturated?

 

[ugmjfarmer]

Should be fine as long as 2/3rds of the container can flood and you let the flood cycle be long enough to wick upwards. I have run that way for awhile and not had problem with loose mini cube rockwool, although I am converting to a drip feed on mine due to the wanting to use less water than e&f. The problem with running this way becomes salt buildup, so you will want to pour through some nutrient solution from the top of the container once a week or so.

15 minutes 4 times a day is just fine with rockwool mini cubes, you almost cannot over water them. rockwool is a very forgiving media to overwatering, you'll have to try super super hard to get overwatering signs.

 

[Dr.Greenthmb420]

2/3 is Fine and then once a week or so do a full top watering. Flooding too far up can lead to "damping-off" in younger plants.(not that big of an issue with older, more sturdy based plants.) When your plants are only 4 to 6 inches tall you may only need once a day and then build up to 4 times a day towards the end.

I Have switched to STG (sure to grow) and it allows up to 7 or 8 Floods a day by the end of flowering. First round with it, but Im 2 weeks into flower and flooding my buckets 5 times a day right now.

The Key with Rockwool type media (like most media) is to add more underneath or around it at VERY FIRST signs of root exposure!

I did a Hybrid system I built myself that incorporated both Drip and ebb and flow since it requires a top feeding once in a while to push back down built up salts. Grodan has a good website that explains proper technic with cycles, flood height, and even seperates drip system instructions from flood table instructions.

I included some pics below to give you an idea of what I did. This is only used for Veg. I use a Awesome Bucket system for flowering. My posting in my signature will give you a really good idea of how to build a simular setup.

GOOD LUCK MY FRIEND!

 

[hydr1]

I use hugo blocks, and/or one gallons with mini cubes on top of a coco mat. I flood for half hour before lights on and half hour before lights off.

 

[Dr.Greenthmb420]

Looking swell my friend. Here is mine at 2 weeks of flowering

 

[growshopfrank]

If you can for the first week or so check the plants periodically during the light cycle and if they show any wilting do a little top watering until they get established in the flood and drain.

 

[Dr.Greenthmb420]

Here's another.

 

[DHF]

Hey RR.......Evidently none of the above caught that 2/3`s of the medium was ABOVE the flood level instead of below....No offense to the above posters , but.........

Yas gotta take everything with a grain of salt and adapt it to your surroundings......

The only wayta know whether they`re wicking up the juice is ta physically witness and check ........

The ideal setup is ta flood from below on a regular basis 3-4 times daily lights on , and then do a top flush with 1/2 strength juice once a week to remove residual salt buildup from the upper regions.........but.....

I`ve heard big things about H&G`s drip clean doing away with salt buildup but have yet to experience it......

Krunch swears by it , and if it works as told , your 1/3 bottom flood wouldn`t be a problem , cuz roots be in da bottom and if like coco , it`s not a bad thingy for the upper 1/3 ta stay drier for the development of "air roots" and total plant health IME.....

Good luck Bro...DHF...........