I started my clones in 1 inch rockwool cubes, now there in flood/drain buckets, rockwool cubes sit 1/4 inch into the flood line, how often should i flood?, im worried about rootrot for keeping the rockwool saturated, they are in veg, 1st flood 2hrs after lights on 2nd flood 5hrs later , last one 5hrs later , 3 floods a day, plants are 8 inches tall.. 15 min floods.. anyhelp appricieated
Flood/drain- rockwool/hydroton, how often to flood
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ronno
Active Member
I run a flood and drain also with hydrton. Capp ebb flow. In beg I fed 3 times on 15 min cycles. First an hour after lights on one in between and one an hour before lights off with a ppm of 300 or so. No problems. I'm flowering now and I have been feeding 2 times. I tried adding 1 more and noticed a little burn starting so I'm back to 2 feedings my ppms are 800 now. Worked my way up using Lucas formula. When I planted I kept the rockwool 1/2 inch above flood line. I had to top feed the first week and everything is growing great
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hellraizer30
Rebel From The North
This is how i flood,
veg. With growdan/rockwool x2 during lights on for 15min.
veg. With ton x3 during light on for 15min.
bloom. With growdan/rockwool x3 during lights on for 15min.
bloom. With ton x 4 during lights on for 15min.
veg. With growdan/rockwool x2 during lights on for 15min.
veg. With ton x3 during light on for 15min.
bloom. With growdan/rockwool x3 during lights on for 15min.
bloom. With ton x 4 during lights on for 15min.
hellraizer30
Rebel From The North
givememeganja
Active Member
whats the difference in hydrotron than planit's clay pebbles?
hellraizer30
Rebel From The North
Not much clay is clay only difference is shape
kushnotbush
Well-Known Member
Once you have roots out of the cubes you don't have to soak the cubes anymore, just make sure the roots are getting wet and the flood level is below the cubes. This works pretty good but truly it is better to just make sure your not keeping them too saturated. Hellraizer's times are what I use and it works for me if I use smaller cubes, I do find that I have to flood less time when using larger cubes. YMMV, but a good way to figure out how saturated they are is just to throw a empty cube on the table for a bit and just pick it up and see for yourself. Good luck with your grow.
KnB
KnB
ive been watering from the top for the first 3 or 4 days using rapid rooters in hydroton. But it seems like im having problems getting the roots to fill the pots. Also having problems with half of the clones not stretching for the first 2 weeks of flower. Thinking stem rot but cant get this hydro thing down
Clown Baby
Well-Known Member
In hydroton, I start flooding clones/small veg every 5 hours. (one interval is rounded to 4 to make a 24 hour day)
Once I get into full flower, I flood every hour and a half.
If you want to make it easy, you can just flood every 3 or 4 hours from veg through flower.
To givemeganga: Hydroton LECA was really high quality compared to the stuff I'm seeing in hydro stores now. Hydroton was durable, whereas the new stuff, although it's much lighter, just crumbles. The bottom of my bags always turn out to be dust and little granules.
Once I get into full flower, I flood every hour and a half.
If you want to make it easy, you can just flood every 3 or 4 hours from veg through flower.
To givemeganga: Hydroton LECA was really high quality compared to the stuff I'm seeing in hydro stores now. Hydroton was durable, whereas the new stuff, although it's much lighter, just crumbles. The bottom of my bags always turn out to be dust and little granules.
@clown
Do you water from the top the first few days of transplant into clay? My clones dont grow an inch in the first week of flower, and some never grow. they just sit there and make a 1 gram bud on the top. Its starting to get rediculous. Havnt been able to get this problem solved
Do you water from the top the first few days of transplant into clay? My clones dont grow an inch in the first week of flower, and some never grow. they just sit there and make a 1 gram bud on the top. Its starting to get rediculous. Havnt been able to get this problem solved
Clown Baby
Well-Known Member
Yea. just pour a cup of water in there a couple times a day. make sure not to keep the lights too strong.
I actually recently started using 3 gallon buckets on 4x8 tables, and the buckets are too tall to flood. So I run hydro halos now (same timing intervals as flooding, but i just have to deal with a shitload of tubing now) this eliminates the topfeed issue.
But yea, once you get em nice and rooted, you should be all set. It shouldnt take more than a week. Kelp has a lot of hormones and can help expedite the rooting process. Great additive for veg.
I actually recently started using 3 gallon buckets on 4x8 tables, and the buckets are too tall to flood. So I run hydro halos now (same timing intervals as flooding, but i just have to deal with a shitload of tubing now) this eliminates the topfeed issue.
But yea, once you get em nice and rooted, you should be all set. It shouldnt take more than a week. Kelp has a lot of hormones and can help expedite the rooting process. Great additive for veg.
pacificarage
Well-Known Member
Where's this "Hydrotron" talk coming from? It's Hydroton.Tron = hydroton
Widespread
Member
When they're tiny (barely rooted), I flood 3x/day @ 15 min.
Then 2x/day @ 30 min.
I go 12/12 while small (scrog), and somewhere during the stretch I add another 30 min. feeding.
I think Hydroton drains well; the girls' feet should not be too wet as long as ebb/flow tray drains properly.
You guys think the duration is important, and 15 min is better? Just curious.
Then 2x/day @ 30 min.
I go 12/12 while small (scrog), and somewhere during the stretch I add another 30 min. feeding.
I think Hydroton drains well; the girls' feet should not be too wet as long as ebb/flow tray drains properly.
You guys think the duration is important, and 15 min is better? Just curious.
Stewie2018
Member
Flood and drain complete time = 15 minutes. Make sure you include the time it takes to fill and drain. I grow 8 plants (Always) it takes 2 minutes to fill and 2 minutes to drain, so I add that to my time of 11 minutes. Never exceed 15 Minutes.
Veg: 3 times a day
Flower: 4 times a day
Use this as your base schedule, Always!
After 8 years, I've only adjusted this a couple of times for a few Landrace phenotypes and new lights.
As a Software Engineer with a minor in horticulture I use an aid to help. I use a capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor Module that I've connected to a Particle Argon. I wrote code to send the data to an app on my phone. I calibrate the sensor before every grow to make sure all is well. Using Hydroton at the schedule above, I always have good capacitance where the plants do very well.
Veg: 3 times a day
Flower: 4 times a day
Use this as your base schedule, Always!
After 8 years, I've only adjusted this a couple of times for a few Landrace phenotypes and new lights.
As a Software Engineer with a minor in horticulture I use an aid to help. I use a capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor Module that I've connected to a Particle Argon. I wrote code to send the data to an app on my phone. I calibrate the sensor before every grow to make sure all is well. Using Hydroton at the schedule above, I always have good capacitance where the plants do very well.
Tolerance Break
Well-Known Member
Why the long flood times?
I flood for 2 minutes in a 4x4, twice a day in flower for a SOG grow (single stalk)
I find the cubes hold more than enough moisture, and I see signs of over-water stress when I add a third flood. Mind you, my plants don't get much over 26 inches, my temp averages 79 between day and night, and my humidity drops from high 60s at the start of flower to sub 50 by the end of flower.
I flood for 2 minutes in a 4x4, twice a day in flower for a SOG grow (single stalk)
I find the cubes hold more than enough moisture, and I see signs of over-water stress when I add a third flood. Mind you, my plants don't get much over 26 inches, my temp averages 79 between day and night, and my humidity drops from high 60s at the start of flower to sub 50 by the end of flower.