How often to drip?

AnneCrank

New Member
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This is a 100 percent perlite grow. I currently have it dripping for 30 minutes at a time, every 2 hours. They are still seedlings. I was wondering what you guys think?
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
If you pull back the top and check its damp, perlite has a great capillary ability you might see moisture on the underside of the top.

I wouldn’t bother with dripping until the plants a bit bigger, is it running to waste?
 

AnneCrank

New Member
If you pull back the top and check its damp, perlite has a great capillary ability you might see moisture on the underside of the top.

I wouldn’t bother with dripping until the plants a bit bigger, is it running to waste?
Recirculating from the buckets to the container and back. You think it won’t drain well enough?
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
No it'll drain just fine perlite takes some beating in that department, I used perlite in the past it's a great substrate imo.
As long as you keep it damp it'll be fine, you'll see moisture gathering under the top, you'll also see and feel it's different to dry perlite.

A tip... Cover your pot walls with black and white, the white pot lets light through and the perlite goes green with algae.
 

Failmore

Well-Known Member
You may have to hand feed a little for the first few days till the roots get down a little.

I use a spray ring and had it spraying every 20 min for 5 seconds and this actually drowned my seedlings and stunted them.

So I had it run every 3 hours for 5 seconds after that.

Now they are big i run it once an hour.
 

AnneCrank

New Member
No it'll drain just fine perlite takes some beating in that department, I used perlite in the past it's a great substrate imo.
As long as you keep it damp it'll be fine, you'll see moisture gathering under the top, you'll also see and feel it's different to dry perlite.

A tip... Cover your pot walls with black and white, the white pot lets light through and the perlite goes green with algae.
Will do, covered the res already. You think more reflective insulation around the buckets will work for blocking light?
 

AnneCrank

New Member
You may have to hand feed a little for the first few days till the roots get down a little.

I use a spray ring and had it spraying every 20 min for 5 seconds and this actually drowned my seedlings and stunted them.

So I had it run every 3 hours for 5 seconds after that.

Now they are big i run it once an hour.
Damnnn, yeah these things drip superrrrr slow so I’m hoping to not have that problem
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
Will do, covered the res already. You think more reflective insulation around the buckets will work for blocking light?
Re drips really slow... That's OK providing you watered/fed the perlite to begin with, at that stage there using very little.

I had white corex lids on my pots and the top of perlite went green with algae, I can see the fill marks on your pots so I'd expect the same?

You can leave it and see what happens or you can wrap a length of black and white/panda plastic around it to prevent it.
Light and nutrients don't mix well!
 

AnneCrank

New Member
Re drips really slow... That's OK providing you watered/fed the perlite to begin with, at that stage there using very little.

I had white corex lids on my pots and the top of perlite went green with algae, I can see the fill marks on your pots so I'd expect the same?

You can leave it and see what happens or you can wrap a length of black and white/panda plastic around it to prevent it.
Light and nutrients don't mix well!
For sure! Thank you, this is very helpful. I normally do DWC but decided this might be a little less maintenance
 
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