Question, why is my ebb and flow system not draining back into the Reservoir below?

lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
HighPar said:
here is the top plant that I have from two weeks ago when it was flourishing nicely since then it's still looks like that but it hasn't grown at all no new leaves at the top just stays the same height maybe gets a little bit thicker I did use Silica on to of the Advanced Nutrients grow solution.

I also use the amino acids that I bought from kelp4less. I also have piranha tarantula and the other one. I also have a powder form of mycorrizae concentrate
Click to expand...
That looks good. You can get them back to that level of health. But even if you don't, just realize that this is hard and we have all fucked up a lot along the way. Just make adjustments and keep going.
 
lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
I was thinking about this and you should maybe hand water them until you can bring them back to a healthy state. You could stack them on another rockwool block if you have enough. That will give them some root space, less saturation on the already established roots, and extra time between feedings. I've done it a bunch of times.
 
H

HighPar

Member
lusidghost said:
I was thinking about this and you should maybe hand water them until you can bring them back to a healthy state. You could stack them on another rockwool block if you have enough. That will give them some root space, less saturation on the already established roots, and extra time between feedings. I've done it a bunch of times.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much sir for everything. I decided to try that yesterday:-) I put them all on another rockwool block I did have a lot line over I cut it up and used it
 
SnoopyDoo

SnoopyDoo

Well-Known Member
You'll be fine with ebb and flow and rockwool. I started with that same set up. I suggest covering the top of the rockwool as that likes to grow algae.

Get the metal leg out of the rez - you may need a different rez or the frame may need to be flipped. 900ppm doesn't seem too high to me. You start at 900 ppm and then top the res with fresh water everyday and the PPM will slowly drop over the course of a week. Flush the system and change the rez weekly.

Rather than putting another rockwool block under the plants, I suggest putting them on some ~1-1.5 PVC pipes. You'll get explosive root growth under there. Make sure the roots don't grow into the drain....
 
lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
SnoopyDoo said:
You'll be fine with ebb and flow and rockwool. I started with that same set up. I suggest covering the top of the rockwool as that likes to grow algae.

Get the metal leg out of the rez - you may need a different rez or the frame may need to be flipped. 900ppm doesn't seem too high to me. You start at 900 ppm and then top the res with fresh water everyday and the PPM will slowly drop over the course of a week. Flush the system and change the rez weekly.

Rather than putting another rockwool block under the plants, I suggest putting them on some ~1-1.5 PVC pipes. You'll get explosive root growth under there. Make sure the roots don't grow into the drain....
Click to expand...
I didn't notice the leg in the rez. Good eye. I'm not using an ebb and flow system, but I feed my flowering plants around 900ppm. The stacked rockwool idea works well, but that's up to him. One thing I started doing with rockwool cubes was sliding the sleeve up and inch or two to create a lip at the top. It makes it easy to top feed them, but it also exposes the roots. They go nuts in the dark like that.
 
horribleherk

horribleherk

Well-Known Member
Hope you've got it going I used to grow in rockwool 4in. blocks & they were on top of 12x36 slabs 3 plants to a slab I've ran a few e&f setups mostly put together I've had to put shims under one side of my tray to slant me nutrients back to the drain but pretty much what goes up must come back down when the pump shuts off the nutrients return to the reservoir I've since started using coco & smart pots I've tried dec but returned to e&f you'll just have to keep playing with your setup when everything goes right you don't learn much when it goes wrong you've no choice but to look for solutions & something that's gonna work for you & don't be afraid to experiment I recently tried using a soiless mix in my setups it's working but giving me less than perfect results so it's back to coco for me the quality is there but growth & yield is lacking20210315_104245.jpg
 
lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
horribleherk said:
Hope you've got it going I used to grow in rockwool 4in. blocks & they were on top of 12x36 slabs 3 plants to a slab I've ran a few e&f setups mostly put together I've had to put shims under one side of my tray to slant me nutrients back to the drain but pretty much what goes up must come back down when the pump shuts off the nutrients return to the reservoir I've since started using coco & smart pots I've tried dec but returned to e&f you'll just have to keep playing with your setup when everything goes right you don't learn much when it goes wrong you've no choice but to look for solutions & something that's gonna work for you & don't be afraid to experiment I recently tried using a soiless mix in my setups it's working but giving me less than perfect results so it's back to coco for me the quality is there but growth & yield is lackingView attachment 4854813
Click to expand...
It sounds like we're just about on the exact same path. I've started using these and mimicked my rockwool slab setup. I fill 6 of them and keep the rest empty, and push them together into a 2x2 square bed. (I've been talking about them a lot on here, so sorry if you're tired of hearing me mention them)
www.thecocodepot.com

GroEzy™ 6" Coco Grow Cubes

GroEzy™ Cultivation Blocks Size: 6" x 6" x 6" Volume: Approx 1.5 Gallon Packing: 32 units per case Pallet: 54 cases per pallet Coco Grow Cubes, the perfect foundation for growing strong, colorful plants, you may enhance your gardening experience. Made from high-quality coconut coir fibers, these...
www.thecocodepot.com www.thecocodepot.com
 
horribleherk

horribleherk

Well-Known Member
lusidghost said:
It sounds like we're just about on the exact same path. I've started using these and mimicked my rockwool slab setup. I fill 6 of them and keep the rest empty, and push them together into a 2x2 square bed. (I've been talking about them a lot on here, so sorry if you're tired of hearing me mention them)
www.thecocodepot.com

GroEzy™ 6" Coco Grow Cubes

GroEzy™ Cultivation Blocks Size: 6" x 6" x 6" Volume: Approx 1.5 Gallon Packing: 32 units per case Pallet: 54 cases per pallet Coco Grow Cubes, the perfect foundation for growing strong, colorful plants, you may enhance your gardening experience. Made from high-quality coconut coir fibers, these...
www.thecocodepot.com www.thecocodepot.com
Click to expand...
You're on to something here they kind of remind me of an overgrown root riot cloning plug the only reason I quit using rockwool slabs was the cost
 
lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
horribleherk said:
You're on to something here they kind of remind me of an overgrown root riot cloning plug the only reason I quit using rockwool slabs was the cost
Click to expand...
My issue was their lack of wicking. I first tried leaving them in the wrapper, but when I tore them open I noticed that there was a lot of area with no root growth because it stayed dry. Then I tried without wrapper under panda film, but I was still having the same issue because I was trying to top feed them. They definitely work much better when flooded.

My other issue was disposal. I would end up with too many to risk throwing out with my trash, so I had to sweat all the way across town while taking them to the dump. I use the old coco around my yard to fill in holes that my dog digs and whatnot, and missed having it while I was using rockwool.
 
horribleherk

horribleherk

Well-Known Member
lusidghost said:
My issue was their lack of wicking. I first tried leaving them in the wrapper, but when I tore them open I noticed that there was a lot of area with no root growth because it stayed dry. Then I tried without wrapper under panda film, but I was still having the same issue because I was trying to top feed them. They definitely work much better when flooded.

My other issue was disposal. I would end up with too many to risk throwing out with my trash, so I had to sweat all the way across town while taking them to the dump. I use the old coco around my yard to fill in holes that my dog digs and whatnot, and missed having it while I was using rockwool.
Click to expand...
Disposal was a lot of my problem with rockwool the coco /smart pot combo works out well for me my smart pots usually have a root ball that fills it complete royal gold tupur is my coco of choice I use it right out of the bag
 
SnoopyDoo

SnoopyDoo

Well-Known Member
lusidghost said:
I didn't notice the leg in the rez. Good eye. I'm not using an ebb and flow system, but I feed my flowering plants around 900ppm. The stacked rockwool idea works well, but that's up to him. One thing I started doing with rockwool cubes was sliding the sleeve up and inch or two to create a lip at the top. It makes it easy to top feed them, but it also exposes the roots. They go nuts in the dark like that.
Click to expand...
Similar concept to what I was suggesting with the pipes. You can reuse the pipes though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top