But since he brought it up....have any of you guys tried a 15 min on/15 off timer with your air pump......... When he asked about drip timing I told him about my aero cloner, which I found works better 15 on/15 off than constant......It never lets the clones dry, but I think near drying makes the roots go look for water sooner...... It might be rougher on an air pump than a water pump because of the back pressure from the water, but an anti-siphon/one way valve should help that... Once the roots are in the water, I wouldn't see any benefit at all......but to help those roots get a jump until then, a little "dry" spell might help them. I quoted it because you obviously never want dry, when it comes to a root dry=dead.....still solution available...they just have to reach out instead of being spoon fed. I'm intrigued that I don't see mention of damping off.....does it never happen or is that where the touch comes in with controlling the bubble spit, for lack of a better term?
I won't claim any appreciable knowledge of dwc or bubblers........I did make a diy bubble cloner but my stones clogged constantly and I could hear the airpumps vibration more than the ballasts from my lights.....so I gave up on it. But bubble is basically poor man's aero and I guess dwc kinda grew out of the roots in the rez on some of those aero setups as well..........so if it works for aero, why not bubble? I believe it's the "Harvest a lb every 3 weeks" post that says his secret is the nft timer at 1 min on/5 off.....spray 'em, let 'em breath, spray 'em, ditto...
Yeah, I hear ya...if it ain't broke don't fix it........but it couldn't hurt to try it out with a cheapo air pump, small tub and single plant....if it makes the roots grow to the water faster, it'd be a good thing, wouldn't it?