The way that the instructions have it set up, is so that those two containers sit on top of each other, and are connected by those fill/drain fittings. The bottom container is the Reservoir. That is where the water comes from when the top container floods, and then once the water pump turns off, it drains right back down into the bottom. All you need is a small water pump, maybe 100gph, probably less for that particular system. connect the pump to the flood fitting, using a piece of flexible 1/2" hose, and leave the overflow fitting without any hose attached to it - it goes directly into the bottom reservoir, so theres no need to have a hose there.
The only hose youll need is the one connecting the pump to the flood fitting. Just stick the submersible water pump inside the bottom tub, fill it with water, put the top part on, making sure the fittings are screwed on tightly, and then put your square pots in. This system is for 6 plants, which in all actuallity can potentially grow to a decent size for such a small system. Fill those square pots with loose rockwool mini cubes, with a 1 1/2" rockwool cube on top, but half buried, and then all you need is your clone/seed/seedling to transplant into it.
Once you have your plant in your rockwool cube, before you flood the tray with your plants in there, first remove the square pots one last time from the system. Then you want to make sure your water's pH is adjusted to 5.8-6.2, because hydroponic systems grow plants in a lower pH. If you were to go higher, like the pH that plants grow in a soil medium, the plants would lock out any nutrients that you introduced into your reservoir when they were ready. So keep the pH within that range, and your plants will grow nice n steady.
So your pH is adjusted, and your ready to feed your ladies. Just pop the pots back into the system, and switch your pump on, and flood your tray for no longer than 15 minutes, and then turn the pump off, and it will drain back into the bottom. You should order a High yield timer from htgsupply.com, and once you get it, set the timer for twice a day - i set mine to 12 noon, and 12 midnight. All you have to do is flip up just one of the tabs on the timer, and thats one fifteen minute increment. so you let it flood for 15 minutes, and get the rockwool inside your pots nice and saturated, and then as the water drains out into the bottom, as the water level gets lower and lower, its actually sucking oxygen into the pores in the rockwool mini cubes, aswell as the bigger 1 1/2 " cube. This oxygen is vital to the plant, and is actually what makes hydroponics work. there are other ways to get that oxygen distributed to your plant's root system, like for instance an air pump with (in this system's case) a 6" or 12" air stone hooked up and running bubbles throughout the reservoir 24/7, would provide enough oxygen in the water to where your plants would thrive. But having both the air stone, AND the air being sucked into the rockwool when the tray drains, your plants will do great things.
So you've flooded the tray, and you think that its not enough. Just remember that less is more when it comes to hydroponics. Overflooding/overwatering your plants will slow down growth immensly, and you dont wanna hurt or slow down your grow, do ya? lol.
You want the rockwool to get dry, to the point where the roots stretch out looking for moisture, but you dont want the roots themselves to dry out. So maybe even start out flooding once a day, until you get a feel for what your rockwool and your plants like to do.
I hope that made it a teeny bit easier to understand. If not, then im sorry i confused you even more - but seriously, of all the ways to grow hydro, Ebb&Flow is one of the easiest grows to maintain, and gives Excellent results.
Once your plant is ready for nutrients, around 3 wks after your plant breaks the surface of your grow medium IMO, then you want to start off using 1/4 strength of whatever nutrient system you prefer. I personally am using Fox Farm's trio of nutrients right now. Hydroponic Grow big, Tiger Bloom, and Big bloom. These nutrients are organic based, and are really gentle on the plants man. You actually have to be trying to kill your girls in order to give them nutrient burn. Anyway, these three bottles are about 12 bucks a piece, and really are worth every penny. You use Grow big and Big Bloom for vegetative, and then Big Bloom and Tiger Bloom for Flowering. There is a feeding schedule you can get ahold of at
www.foxfarmfertilizer.com . This schedule is fool proof, and will give you a successful harvest every time.
I gotta bounce, but your going to need to understand PPM, or EC . so start a thread asking somebody to explain this to you. If your using hydroponics, this is one of the most important things to keep an eye on. PPM is basically the nutrient salt buildup in your reservoir tank/ the amount or strength of the nutrients that youve added to your water. Keeping it nice and on the low side early on is the safe bet, and then jacking it up higher a bit when you go into bloom, a little higher as you progress, and then back down a bit before harvest. This is how you use PPM, but like i said, i gotta run and i cant explain it all at this moment in time, lol, but im sure somebody out there can and will be happy to explain it to you man.
Everybody was a newbie at one point in time to growing pot. This applies to everyone, no matter what brother, so dont be afraid to ask questions. Questions are what makes us all better growers as we go along, all we ask is that you just remember the answers that you are given, lol.
Good luck man, and i hope that this helped out a little bit. I hope you figure out what you wanna do, and when you get your grow started, im sendin you nothin but good vibes n the best of wishes in you n your plants man
-K1.
