Noobies first time using rockwool. Please any working methods that u reccommend!!!!
- Thread starter UFEELIT?
- Start date
goten
Well-Known Member
Their should be a little whole on top of your cube
If not just use the tip of a knife or screwdriver ect to make you a little whole then cover it back up
Metasynth
Well-Known Member
I soak my cubes in pH'd 5.5 water...Then I shake out the excess, being careful not to squeeze the cubes...I pop the germinated seeds in, then I throw them on a tray in veg and make sure I check 'em twice a day to make sure the cubes stay moist. Lately, i've been putting the cubes in DWC tote with a top drip set up to make sure the cubes don't dry out. I do NOT cover them with a humidity dome, not for seeds.
Metasynth
Well-Known Member
Yes, pre-soak your cubes in 5.5 water, rockwool has a high pH naturally and you need to lower it to make for a happy seedling environment.
goten
Well-Known Member
yea pre soak your cube in ph water 5.5 or 5.8
I fill a cup up with ph water and drop the cube in their and leave it for about 30 mins , then take it out and let it sit overnight
Whatever you do , do not just leave it in the ph water overnight cuz the cube will completely come apart and you will have little fibers of the cube just floating around
I fill a cup up with ph water and drop the cube in their and leave it for about 30 mins , then take it out and let it sit overnight
Whatever you do , do not just leave it in the ph water overnight cuz the cube will completely come apart and you will have little fibers of the cube just floating around
Metasynth
Well-Known Member
I've left mine in water overnight several times, and never had that happen...ever...But I find a 30 minute soak is just fine.
goten
Well-Known Member
It happened to me one time when i first started trying out hydro lol
I left the cube in a pot of ph water then the next morning when i went to take it out it was all in pieces lol
Metasynth
Well-Known Member
Must have been damaged before it was re-hydrated...they're sorta fragile little things, rockwool cubes...lol
cowell
Well-Known Member
umm..
a little off track here, but you seem to be asking the same question over and over.. the guys that tried to help didn't give you bad advice.
The reason you lower your ph to 5.5, has nothing to do with the PH of rockwool.
You lower your ph on the water you soak your cubes in (or make it more acidic) to help disolve the epoxies that hold the spun rock fiber into shape.
You can also us 1/4 strenghth nute solution to do this even faster.
The suggestion is 5.5 to ph the water you soak your cubes in - as it's the lowest PH you can go without locking out nutrients in your plants, so it's safe.
I have a bowl of rockwool cubes that have been soaking on my counter for 2 days... Not one of them has fallen apart.
The fibers you get floating around, are just loose fibres coming off the cubes... if you're gentle with them, they don't fall apart.
You are recommended by Grodan to soak the cubes for 24 hours in water ph'ed to 5.5. then rinse them under fresh water that can be ph'ed anywhere from 5.5 to 5.8 (that's hydro guildlines) to wash off any residual epoxies and rock fiber.
They also recommend using 1/4 strenghth nute solution for 4 hours then rinse with straight water ph'ed 5.5 - 5.8.
Again, the reason for the soak is just to disolve the glue and shit in the cubes..
You don't need a humidity dome for seedlings... vented or not. That's what the guys were saying to you in previous posts.. you CAN use it, you just don't need it. Heat mats are awesome for clones and seedlings - and worth the money IMO.. use it for sure.
I haven't had a problem soaking my cubes in tap water.. but if it makes you sleep better at night.. use RO water, bottled water, rain water.. whatever.. It will all work the same.
Hope that helps sum up what the other guys were already helping with.. good luck.
a little off track here, but you seem to be asking the same question over and over.. the guys that tried to help didn't give you bad advice.
The reason you lower your ph to 5.5, has nothing to do with the PH of rockwool.
You lower your ph on the water you soak your cubes in (or make it more acidic) to help disolve the epoxies that hold the spun rock fiber into shape.
You can also us 1/4 strenghth nute solution to do this even faster.
The suggestion is 5.5 to ph the water you soak your cubes in - as it's the lowest PH you can go without locking out nutrients in your plants, so it's safe.
I have a bowl of rockwool cubes that have been soaking on my counter for 2 days... Not one of them has fallen apart.
The fibers you get floating around, are just loose fibres coming off the cubes... if you're gentle with them, they don't fall apart.
You are recommended by Grodan to soak the cubes for 24 hours in water ph'ed to 5.5. then rinse them under fresh water that can be ph'ed anywhere from 5.5 to 5.8 (that's hydro guildlines) to wash off any residual epoxies and rock fiber.
They also recommend using 1/4 strenghth nute solution for 4 hours then rinse with straight water ph'ed 5.5 - 5.8.
Again, the reason for the soak is just to disolve the glue and shit in the cubes..
You don't need a humidity dome for seedlings... vented or not. That's what the guys were saying to you in previous posts.. you CAN use it, you just don't need it. Heat mats are awesome for clones and seedlings - and worth the money IMO.. use it for sure.
I haven't had a problem soaking my cubes in tap water.. but if it makes you sleep better at night.. use RO water, bottled water, rain water.. whatever.. It will all work the same.
Hope that helps sum up what the other guys were already helping with.. good luck.
goten
Well-Known Member
The answer to your question did not need more then 2 sentences
Ever heard of the K.I.S.S method ,
Dont come asking for advise just to reject it ,
Your never gonna have a good grow if you keep on disregarding right answers to your questions
cowell
Well-Known Member
If you mean rinse the cubes out after the initial soak..I just use tap water personally.
If you mean to carry on watering with no special ph'ed water.. no, you have to ph your nutes when you are watering the plant down the road.. Different nutrients intake at different ph ranges, so if you keep it within a range where a plant can take in all the nutrients it needs - you'll be groovin.
Hydro is between 5.5 and 6.1 ph (sweet spot being 5.8 )
Soil I believe is 6.3 - 6.8 ph (sweet spot being 6.5)
Don't be so quick to dismiss guys like goten there.. he tries to help alot of people, and we are all guilty of just not wanting to spend 1/2 hour typing stuff we've already typed a few times before... so he gave you the right info.. you wanted some more explaination.. it's all good. Honestly, he's helped me out before.. or I've helped him out before... I smoke alot of weed, but he's a good member who won't steer you wrong so - be nice
