Dwc top drip irrigation?

So far so good with first Dwc grow. My question is at what point do I take too drip out and add another stone. I’m at two weeks right now from seedling and they look like this

I'm only on my second dwc grow, but for me once the roots are about an inch under water I stop the drip. And first plant came out well, and the second one I'm doing now is in flower and big and healthy as can be.

I started with water level about an inch below the net pot and slowly lowered it as my roots got deeper into the bucket.

Spasticrat said:

I'm only on my second dwc grow, but for me once the roots are about an inch under water I stop the drip. And first plant came out well, and the second one I'm doing now is in flower and big and healthy as can be.

I started with water level about an inch below the net pot and slowly lowered it as my roots got deeper into the bucket.

Click to expand...

I think I’m at that stage next water change I’m gonna get rid of it. My roots are almost to bottom of bucket At the moment.

Oh yea your plenty good I'd say

Spasticrat said:

Oh yea your plenty good I'd say

Click to expand...

Copy that. I’ll probably fix it tommorow when I check the ph and ppms. Gonna just remove ring and add another stone.

I like to run my top feed all through veg to promote massive root growth.

So I have a question.
I run and ebb an flow system, the Active Aqua Gro and Flo 5 gallon, and about to start my next run. My last run did not do well at all and had a friend suggest I top feed my system. So I set it up and just waiting for my plants to pop so I can add them to the system.

I bypassed the fill on the control bucket, seen at the right middle of the pic, and connected directly to the Orbit manifold to create the top feed.


Do you think I should revert back to pumping back into the control bucket after the roots have established?

gr865 said:

So I have a question.
I run and ebb an flow system, the Active Aqua Gro and Flo 5 gallon, and about to start my next run. My last run did not do well at all and had a friend suggest I top feed my system. So I set it up and just waiting for my plants to pop so I can add them to the system.
View attachment 5191026
I bypassed the fill on the control bucket, seen at the right middle of the pic, and connected directly to the Orbit manifold to create the top feed.
View attachment 5191030

Do you think I should revert back to pumping back into the control bucket after the roots have established?

Click to expand...

Running it like this is good to begin with but the whole idea of flood and drain is the water level should come up to cover the roots then drain back down to nothing pulling in fresh air with it then it does it all over again. The question is how many times were you flooding last time. When they are seedlings they probably only need one flooding a day and as they grow then you can increase the amount of floods. You really need to get that old root matter our of the hydroton or you will have some major issue going into this grow.
The top feed with work fine but kinda defeating the function of the system but it will work either way

gr865 said:

So I have a question.
I run and ebb an flow system, the Active Aqua Gro and Flo 5 gallon, and about to start my next run. My last run did not do well at all and had a friend suggest I top feed my system. So I set it up and just waiting for my plants to pop so I can add them to the system.
View attachment 5191026
I bypassed the fill on the control bucket, seen at the right middle of the pic, and connected directly to the Orbit manifold to create the top feed.
View attachment 5191030

Do you think I should revert back to pumping back into the control bucket after the roots have established?

Click to expand...

yes otherwise your roots will fill/plug your return lines which are too small.Roots will just follow the flow.

Well this answers the question I was just about to ask!