Holy shitballs!! Those are some big fat ladies RR!! Were you getting anywhere near that yield when you weren't using the smartpots? Covering the res is on my "to-do-list". I just put on the plexiglass cover this week, prior to that I just had the white/black reflective plastic draped over top. Did you have to transplant using the smartpots, or did you start right in the 2 gallon?
PH question for ebb and flow(from newb)
- Thread starter skinzilla
- Start date
I put the rooted clones straight into the smart pot. Veg it and then put it into the bloom room all in the same pot. You could use the 3 gallon pots for more root room and even more stability at the base. I have to support my plants with hooks to keep the from falling over.
I do get larger yields in smart pot over rockwool cubes. I did a run side by side a couple/few of years back , after a friend started raving about the differences he was getting using this method, using the same strain on each table and I liked the results of the smart pots better. I had to see for myself if there was a difference worth spending a few extra bucks. The coco, perlite, and smart pots cost a bit more than the rockwool but it seems worth the change to me with the increase in yield. I tend to get bigger water roots with the addition of the perlite, that's why I add it to the coco. Plus the perlite allows more air, and an increase of room for the roots and the mix never compacts over time. Just my preference.
I went to the smart pots mainly because I didn't want to deal with the coco coming out the bottom of the other containers I had available to me at the time. I hate dealing with picking shit out of my table and shit floating around in my res. hehe
Some good shit here ^^^^for you Brudda. I use Hydroton E&F in 2 gal pots, not a table. Iv'e used this method for 25-30 years. as long as my PH is in the zone of 5.5-6.5 I don't add down. RR? I don't think I hav lost a pump to abrasive material. I love my little clay pellets, mostly cause I started with real stone 
I get Clones from a dude uses RR's smart pot coco method I can just drop them on top of some stone and they run side by side keepin right up with the rest. 4-5 O's on average. And Absolutly Nothin leaks out into my system..
I hav been tryin house&Garden nutes and thier Drip Clean Product. I must say you are not gonna get a salt build up on your stones.
I get Clones from a dude uses RR's smart pot coco method I can just drop them on top of some stone and they run side by side keepin right up with the rest. 4-5 O's on average. And Absolutly Nothin leaks out into my system..
I hav been tryin house&Garden nutes and thier Drip Clean Product. I must say you are not gonna get a salt build up on your stones.
Have been really hearing good things about the House&Garden line. They say the drip clean is the shit to keep it clean. Even for drip line systems that normally get clogged.
About the abrasive dust, like i said above, that was my opinion. And like opinions, they can be changed when proven wrong, lol. Looks as if I have been proven wrong. But I still don't think running grit through a small pump is a good idea. Cannot give my background, it'd blow you away, hehe, and why I say that but it involved moving a lot of liquids with pumps.(that's why hydro came to me like a duck to water) The liquids we moved had grit in it and we rebuilt pumps on average of once a year due to the abrasive nature of the material in the liquids. Ate down/pitted the impellers and reduced flow and pressures needed to maintain the systems..But this was a semi industrial usage situation.
I've been using Flora Nova lately and haven't been having a problem with salt build up either. Might just be lucky with that. But I still flush once a month just in case. Maybe out of old habits, hehe Some of the other lines I've tried over the years really build up fast.
About the abrasive dust, like i said above, that was my opinion. And like opinions, they can be changed when proven wrong, lol. Looks as if I have been proven wrong. But I still don't think running grit through a small pump is a good idea. Cannot give my background, it'd blow you away, hehe, and why I say that but it involved moving a lot of liquids with pumps.(that's why hydro came to me like a duck to water) The liquids we moved had grit in it and we rebuilt pumps on average of once a year due to the abrasive nature of the material in the liquids. Ate down/pitted the impellers and reduced flow and pressures needed to maintain the systems..But this was a semi industrial usage situation.
I've been using Flora Nova lately and haven't been having a problem with salt build up either. Might just be lucky with that. But I still flush once a month just in case. Maybe out of old habits, hehe Some of the other lines I've tried over the years really build up fast.
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Damn straight it's cool. It's what we're here for. When I first got here, I measured indoor colas against my thumb. Because of IC, I now measure colas against my forearm with hand and fingers extended. Darn you IC, darn you to heck 
Po' Freezer's got too damn much weed.
Po' Freezer's got too damn much weed.
Oh you are right on the grit.It can't be good. I spend lots o time rinsing new stone.
the drip Clean? first time I used it was in my flush station after 10 days and final flush. What it broke lose and returned to my rez was scary. looked like a kid poured beach sand in it...
I know it's been asked in multiple threads, but seeing as how some of you experienced guys have done both coco and hydroton, have you noticed any big difference in quality potency? Yield isn't as important to me, because i'm legal/medical and don't sell(my license is too precious to me), but quality is obviously important. Also, RR, do I treat coco any differently than promix/soil? I know to add 25% perlite(thanks to you), but any other things I should know? What's the best PH range for coco? Why coco and not promix? Thanks again folks.
No running grit through a moving object probably isnt the best thing. But in a mag drive pump, what really moves besides the impeller and shaft? Maybe the shaft seal will wear.... You seem like you have more knowledge in this area.
I grow commercially. a $100 pump will last a good amount of time and the math, well needless to say its not even a factor in deciding how to grow
I just wanted to point out this isnt something that is going to kill a pump in 6 weeks.
No worries, just discussion
