DWC net pots - Big vs Small

[JSB99]

I have a question about net pot sizes with DWC.

I recently read that smaller net pots are better because the roots don't have to travel as far to get nutes.
That seemed to make some sense, but then I was thinking that larger net pots would allow the roots to spread out over a greater area, creating an umbrella of roots.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

 

[hondagrower420]

Either way is just a means to an end.

I never thought about spreading roots out. I would think it is more important for them to hit the water.

I classify any net pot under 6in small.

8in and up is what I, myself would call large.

Remember that you have to use less water in your rez the bigger the net pot.

 

[JSB99]

Either way is just a means to an end.

I never thought about spreading roots out. I would think it is more important for them to hit the water.

I classify any net pot under 6in small.

8in and up is what I, myself would call large.

Remember that you have to use less water in your rez the bigger the net pot.

Yeah, I always used the 6" net pots. Probably stick with those.

 

[pop22]

bigger is always better........lol!

 

[Anon Emaus]

I don't think it matters at all, my roots only come out of the bottom of my netpot. My netpot only needs to be the diameter of my stem in reality.

 

[firsttimeARE]

I'd say it depends on your setup.

If you aeroclone seeds it doesnt matter* because you weave the roots into the res day 1 of transfer and then fill in medium around the roots.

If you use starter cubes smaller may be better in the sense that water is going to penetrate to the center of a 6" netpot easier than a 10".

*Smaller is always better for the fact that you can put more water in your setup. More water is good because there is more buffer against pH and EC changes. Meaning less maintenance. Less work is always better.

 

[Gregor Eisenhorn]

I'd go with the small ones. I had to buy a huge netpot in order to eliminate light leaks from my reservoir (the lid wasn't flat, it had grooves and holes in the middle I couldn't saw away without making a bigger hole).

I've noticed that I put a lot less water in the reservoir, 10l in a 18l tub that increases the need for me to top up more often. I also believe that the big netpot caused a delay in the roots search for water. Bigger netpot= less water in reservoir and more growing medium for the roots to push through.

But people start their clones/seedlings in smaller netpots and once a long root zone is established, they transfer the netpot into a bigger one.