Recirculating, Top Feed Coco, DIY Hydro

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HippieMonkey

Member
I am currently building this system - http://www.homehydrosystems.com/system_plans/Flood and drain system plans/6 plant 2 liter bottle system/6 Plant Flood & Drain Hydroponic system.html

Have bunch of babies already in seedling stage in root riots, some of them are dying cos they are crying for transplant, but the system is not ready yet...

I have a lot of coco coir left from my previous grow, how does this idea sound if I use it as growing medium in this kind of system?
-Multiply feeds per day with recirculating nutrient solution.
Multiply feeds ofc after the root mass is established

Is 2 liter "pots" enough? Planning to grow almost 12/12 from seed (couple weeks veg max)

And the main question is recirculating nutrient solution in coco coir bad idea?

Thanks
 
R

RottyRzr

Well-Known Member
I ran recirculating hydro for several grows without any trouble but I did change out my rez at least every 2 weeks. I also kept an eye on ec and ph and adjusted as needed. I recently changed to drain to waste simply because I can now give my plants the same nutes every feed. With the recirculating system, there's no way to know which nutes are getting used up.
Oh, and I use coco/perlite with multiple feedings per day depending on plant size.
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I've grown using that same system. I used hydroton and 2 liter bottles work fine. The problem you might run into with coco is they fill from the bottom which might cause the coco to float. You say top feed in the title. Were you planning on adding drippers? If so then you might as well just use pots in a tray.
 
H

HippieMonkey

Member
xtsho said:
I've grown using that same system. I used hydroton and 2 liter bottles work fine. The problem you might run into with coco is they fill from the bottom which might cause the coco to float. You say top feed in the title. Were you planning on adding drippers? If so then you might as well just use pots in a tray.
Click to expand...
I am planning to use simple microtubing for top feed. Pots in a tray is simple but I am building big system for over 100 plants so I love the idea that all the runoff is collected and could be recirculated
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
HippieMonkey said:
I am planning to use simple microtubing for top feed. Pots in a tray is simple but I am building big system for over 100 plants so I love the idea that all the runoff is collected and could be recirculated
Click to expand...
The thing is that with that system it floods and then drains. If you top feed there is no reason to bother with all the PVC. The PVC is for transporting the nutrient solution into the growing containers. And maintaining it for a short flood period. Then when the flood period ends the solution drains back into the reservoir by gravity. Is your plan just to use the pvc to collect the runoff solution instead of using it to flood the containers?
 
H

HippieMonkey

Member
xtsho said:
The thing is that with that system it floods and then drains. If you top feed there is no reason to bother with all the PVC. The PVC is for transporting the nutrient solution into the growing containers. And maintaining it for a short flood period. Then when the flood period ends the solution drains back into the reservoir by gravity. Is your plan just to use the pvc to collect the runoff solution instead of using it to flood the containers?
Click to expand...
firstly I was planning to use is as a ebb and flow with hydroton but my seedlings are dying and the system is not ready yet so I got an idea to plant them into coco coir and to use the system to collect the runoff and to recirculate it, cos otherwise it would be such a waste to run DWC with 2l pots, right?
 
H

HippieMonkey

Member
the system is kind of perfect for collecting all the run off, I haven's seen anything better than that, all others seems to be such a pain in the ass if you are growing a lot of tiny plants
 
TCH

TCH

Well-Known Member
HippieMonkey said:
firstly I was planning to use is as a ebb and flow with hydroton but my seedlings are dying and the system is not ready yet so I got an idea to plant them into coco coir and to use the system to collect the runoff and to recirculate it, cos otherwise it would be such a waste to run DWC with 2l pots, right?
Click to expand...
Why are your seedlings dying?
 
myke

myke

Well-Known Member
Just rig up a tote, cut 4-6 netpot holes add an air stone some food and off they go.Really simple ,then just make a RDWC system.
That one you posted isnt the one you want.
 
Turpman

Turpman

Well-Known Member
Flood and drain back to res works fine with coco. I did a greenhouse grow. Used a 25 gal res 3 plants 3 gal containers. Ran 400 ppm. All grow. Mind you it was hot and dry like 110f hot. Dumped the last few gallons out of the res and refilled. Took about 4 or so days to drain new res. Ppm stayed at 400.
Id say go for it. Just like anything monitor ph and ppm. May not be the best way to utilise coco but it works.
 
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