Flood and Drain with Coco

Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
It would work basically like the ebb and grow system but with a tray instead of buckets. I just need to figure out the flood frequency for the roots just hanging in the air.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
It would work basically like the ebb and grow system but with a tray instead of buckets. I just need to figure out the flood frequency for the roots just hanging in the air.
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I've done this. It was a training table for RDWC, and I ran a 15 minute flood every 4-6 hours. The keys were to let it drain fully, keep it dark in the root zone and limit air exchange so it stays good and damp between floods.

One more important finding was that I had to suspend the netpots above the floor of the table, otherwise the roots in the middle of the pot on the bottom would die and rot- which led to problems later for obvious reasons.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
I've done this. It was a training table for RDWC, and I ran a 15 minute flood every 4-6 hours. The keys were to let it drain fully, keep it dark in the root zone and limit air exchange so it stays good and damp between floods.

One more important finding was that I had to suspend the netpots above the floor of the table, otherwise the roots in the middle of the pot on the bottom would die and rot- which led to problems later for obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
Cool beans, I use a 4 hour interval with hydroton. I plan a cover out of 1/8" aluminum with holes for the tiniest net pots I can get, just gotta fit a rapid rooter in there. I will put a couple support feet on the cover so it won't sag. I was thinking of tossing a coco mat in the bottom of the tray.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
Cool beans, I use a 4 hour interval with hydroton. I plan a cover out of 1/8" aluminum with holes for the tiniest net pots I can get, just gotta fit a rapid rooter in there. I will put a couple support feet on the cover so it won't sag. I was thinking of tossing a coco mat in the bottom of the tray.
Click to expand...
I ran 8" netpot bucket lids, also filled with hydroton. The tray cover was 1" foil covered foam board with holes cut in it sized for the netpots. Any holes not used were kept covered. I created a post in the middle so the board wouldn't sag under the weight because it was intentionally designed not to let the netpots rest on the floor of the tray. Therefore, I would avoid putting anything on the floor of the tray for the roots to get tangled up in. From the tray, the plants went into RDWC and as long as the nutes are on point, there's no such thing as transplant shock; they just kept on rocking!
 
cobshopgrow

cobshopgrow

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
The reason for looking at coco for flood and drain is scale. My new building would have so much hydroton with 36 - 4x8 trays and I am looking for a more disposable media and something I don't have to wash new. I have had good luck with Mills DNA Coco with Cork right out of the bag so I am thinking using that on the flood and drain on the larger scale. That means test it now so my next tent run I was thinking use coco in the flood and drain.
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just curious, do you have any experience with perlite?
pure perlite, or mixed with coco?
i guess you have, what was the downside compared to coco?

I used mostly coco so far, like it, but dont like the cal/mag cec chasing (ill come along with it, but, dont need to be).
Ill go for more and more perlite in my coco hempy mixes, less cec problems.
Not thinking in the same sclae as you nor have the years of experience you have, but would love to hear your opinion.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
cobshopgrow said:
just curious, do you have any experience with perlite?
pure perlite, or mixed with coco?
i guess you have, what was the downside compared to coco?

I used mostly coco so far, like it, but dont like the cal/mag cec chasing (ill come along with it, but, dont need to be).
Ill go for more and more perlite in my coco hempy mixes, less cec problems.
Not thinking in the same sclae as you nor have the years of experience you have, but would love to hear your opinion.
Click to expand...
I only grew once in perlite alone, that was about 15 years ago, it was a top feed grow in a shower stall just to make beans. One problem is the pots are so light that anything is top heavy in them, I was using 2 liter soda bottles so I used those plastic racks they are delivered to the store in to hold the "pots". lol

TBH expanded clay pellets are what I have used mostly in hydro but I want to get away from a medium all together as thats just more work and on a large scale work will multiply fast.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
I only grew once in perlite alone, that was about 15 years ago, it was a top feed grow in a shower stall just to make beans. One problem is the pots are so light that anything is top heavy in them, I was using 2 liter soda bottles so I used those plastic racks they are delivered to the store in to hold the "pots". lol

TBH expanded clay pellets are what I have used mostly in hydro but I want to get away from a medium all together as thats just more work and on a large scale work will multiply fast.
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. Cleaning hydroton blows!
 
cobshopgrow

cobshopgrow

Well-Known Member
got you, thnaks, like your coke bottle experience haha.
.
Yeah, thats probalby really the biggest issue with perlite, when it becomes top heavy, no good.
I do scrog mainly, this counter the problem a bit, also never used 100%, more 50/50 with coco.

What i do like about perlite, its nicely neutral and so cheap no recycling needed.
Without medium is the best, especially in your scale.
I failled trying DWC, nothing for my enviroment.

Saw a huge local tomato producer greenhouse who is using tons of cogr slabs.
Theyre really huge, using a own geyser for producing electricity and heating the greenhouses.
So your mentioned slabs could be one good way i large scale... my TV told me,lol.
 
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