In a Waterfarm; does the Hydroton need to be covered?

[AWnox]

Hello everyone,

I've had a few experiences with the Waterfarms now and I was just wondering if anyone might have some different insight on my particular issue. At times the drip tube on my Waterfarm spews out too much water (drip tube working with a 60 gal pump and air stones with 2 100 gal) and it keeps landing on the lower leafs of my plant causing minor spotting here and there. There has also been a few times where algae has crept in the Waterfarm so I was wondering if anyone places any sort of covering over the hydroton in the Waterfarms as to cover the pebbles from light reducing chances of algae growth and the leafs from the water splashing out of the drip tube? If so what materials can be used? I have thought of aluminum foil but I have the feeling it will cause temperature problems because it'll be under the 400W MH and that will surely cause it to heat up some. Any thoughts RIU?? Thanks for reading guys.

Regards,

AWnox

 

[mike91sr]

I used cardboard wrapped them in mylar. I kept them for about a month, until my plants were tall enough to trim the bottoms. No heat problems, but they were wrapped smooth n not all wrinkled. 1600w at the time and no reflective heat problems. You can also reduce splash by putting the ring as close to/into the hydroton as possible(cut the pumping column)

I also only use my drip rings until the roots get into my individual res(with airstone), so no algae problems here.

 

[AWnox]

I used cardboard wrapped them in mylar. I kept them for about a month, until my plants were tall enough to trim the bottoms. No heat problems, but they were wrapped smooth n not all wrinkled. 1600w at the time and no reflective heat problems. You can also reduce splash by putting the ring as close to/into the hydroton as possible(cut the pumping column)

I also only use my drip rings until the roots get into my individual res(with airstone), so no algae problems here.

Thanks for the reply Mike. Never thought of turning off the drip ring once she's big enough, makes sense. Thanks for the suggestion about the cardboard Mylar, i'll give it a shot see how it goes.

BTW, I was checking out some of the Green House Seeds grow videos, and one thing they do is that they always dry the plant out for a few days, about 5 days or so. They say they make sure the roots get a lot of air and then they feed her plenty and she explodes the next 2 weeks and then they repeat again in some cases. I was wondering, is this possible with a hydro/drip system like a waterfarm? Can you just empty out the res and just have your air stones sending air around your roots for a few days then fill the res up again?? Sounds dangerous hu? Lol yeah that's kinda why I haven't tried it yet... Anyone out there has??

 

[VX420]

It would die on the first light cycle. Drying a plant in soil is not he same as Hydro. I got 2 in water now that are pre flower.. if one turns Male.. I will try it to see how long it lives

 

[AWnox]

Yeah that what I figured. I don't care how much air you put to those roots, it could only spell trouble.

 

[VX420]

As a note, I lowered the water on one of my DWC because theplant looked water logged... 24 hours laterwhen I checked the roots a lot of the top roots, looked dead and dry.

 

[Tmac4302]

You can use practically anything. I like to use just a piece of mylar. Cut a hole in the top, tape down the corners, and you should be good.

The reason why you can have dry periods in soil and coco is because that is your growing medium. In hydroponics, water is your growing medium. There is no buffer to it like there is in medium based grows.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend turning the drip ring off ever. It recirculates your nutrient solution, aerating the water as it tumbles down the hydroton. Air stones work great. Air stones and drip systems work excellently together. Idk why you would want to turn it off. It can only help your plant.

Tmac

 

[AWnox]

You can use practically anything. I like to use just a piece of mylar. Cut a hole in the top, tape down the corners, and you should be good.

The reason why you can have dry periods in soil and coco is because that is your growing medium. In hydroponics, water is your growing medium. There is no buffer to it like there is in medium based grows.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend turning the drip ring off ever. It recirculates your nutrient solution, aerating the water as it tumbles down the hydroton. Air stones work great. Air stones and drip systems work excellently together. Idk why you would want to turn it off. It can only help your plant.

Tmac

Thanks Tmac, I never turn mine off. I have noticed specially with the Waterfarms that the better aeration you have and the stronger air pumps you have to carry that super oxygenated water up to the top and back down to replenish the hydroton constantly is very much beneficial to the plants, they love it. The water is super oxygenated and nutrients are replaced and refreshed every second circulating the water as fast as possible through the waterfarm. Right now I have a 60 gal for the drip tube and 2 100gal for the air stones (2). Growing Sensi Seeds Big Bud, so far so good @ day 10.

 

[VX420]

Thanks Tmac, I never turn mine off. I have noticed specially with the Waterfarms that the better aeration you have and the stronger air pumps you have to carry that super oxygenated water up to the top and back down to replenish the hydroton constantly is very much beneficial to the plants, they love it. The water is super oxygenated and nutrients are replaced and refreshed every second circulating the water as fast as possible through the waterfarm. Right now I have a 60 gal for the drip tube and 2 100gal for the air stones (2). Growing Sensi Seeds Big Bud, so far so good @ day 10.

I can tell you for a fact, that water touching air in anyform removes bad stuff from the water by oxygen exchange ( nature made it thisway). Drip rings are good.

 

[mike91sr]

I can tell you for a fact, that water touching air in anyform removes bad stuff from the water by oxygen exchange ( nature made it thisway). Drip rings are good.

what kind of bad stuff gets removed when oxygen touches h2o?

 

[VX420]

what kind of bad stuff gets removed when oxygen touches h2o?

All kinds of thing inthe water both good and bad at the micro level... You can see this anywhere. Get a bucket ofwater and put some dirt in it, let it sit for a few days... Then put an air stonein it and start pumping... you will get a hell of a smell as the oxygeninteracts with the water releasing water molecules from the junk they are boundtoo. I do this with salter water fish (Reef Tanks). If the water stares to getbad, and I don’t want to change it right then, I move the pumps to “Oxygenate”the water more and you can smell the waste in the air while you do it. Waterabsorbs O2 threw agitation (like in the ocean) until it is oxygen saturated and can nolonger holds more 02

 

[VX420]

what kind of bad stuff gets removed when oxygen touches h2o?

All kinds of thing in the water both good and bad at the micro level... You can see this anywhere. Get a bucket of water and put some dirt in it, let it sit for a few days... Then put an air stone in it and start pumping... you will get a hell of a smell as the oxygen interacts with the water releasing water molecules from the junk they are bound too. I do this with salter water fish (Reef Tanks). If the water stares to get bad, and I don’t want to change it right then, I move the pumps to “Oxygenate”the water more and you can smell the waste in the air while you do it. Water absorbs O2 threw agitation (like in the ocean) until it is oxygen saturated and can nolonger holds more 02