Starting 1st DWC Grow Nirvana ICE

Wassup everyone. Im starting on my 1st Hydro grow hoping to get a larger yield than my previous grow. I had one soil grow before and Yielded about 8-10Oz's Dry from 3 Plants. (2 White Widow, 1 blue mystic) in a 2x4x7 Grow tent with no scrog under a 600W HPS/MH. Which I thought was pretty decent for my first grow ever. Heres my new setup and I'm hoping to get a anywhere from 10-16Oz's DRY hopefully. PICS COMING SOON OF SETUP.

Seeds: FEM Nirvana ICE, FEM Karmelo (Freebie)

New Setup:

Same 2x4x7 Grow Tent
600W HPS for Veg, 600W MH for Flower (I dont have a seperate flower tent, I just switch lights)
AC Cooled Hood
440 CFM Exhaust Fan
Huge Carbon Filter so I dont have to worry about smell.
Two 5 Gallon Homemade DWC buckets with Hydrofarm Drip Ring kit.
10" Net Pots with some hydroton.
Fox Farm Trio Nutrients
1.5" Rockwool Cubes
Small Humidifier
Scrog Net for when plants grow some. (This will be a scrog grow)
Some CFLs to start out seedlings with for about a week or so.


Check out the beginning of my first soil grow here. (I didnt get to update much)

Here is right before harvest


The thing im worried about is my pots being too big. I got 10" net pots because thats what was suggested with the 5 gallon bucket setup. (only bought 2lbs of hydroton because theres no hydroshop near me and I didnt know how much 2lbs in hydroton was. Turned out to be nowhere near enough, so I ordered 10lbs today)

Main thing is with my pots being so big and the rockwool cube being so small and starting from seedling, where would i place the rockwool cube in the net pot. Near the bottom, in the middle, or near the top of the hydroton? I dont want the small plant to be crushed by the hydroton or not be able to grow out of it, but i also dont want the plant to be so far up where the roots cant penetrate the hydroton enough to reach the water. Suggestions anyone?

Im headed to work now. Ill keep you all updated.

Can anyone answer any of my questions?

Heres pics of my setup before i switch to HPS after they sprout and get leaves. The seeds were germinated in a cup of water, then the tailroots came out using the paper towel method and were transferred into 1.5" Rockwool.




Is my rockwool ok tho sitting under that light like that? they currently are wet. I took them out of a PH 5.5 water soak a few hours ago then transplanted the newly germinated seedlings. Question is can i Just keep em like that and just dunk 1/2 the RW into PHed water every now and then?

Top feed water until roots are below the net pot.

place the rock wool as close to the top as you possibly can, while still leaving enough space to completely cover the rock cube with hydroton as well.. Get me? For the start of the plants life you will have to top feed as stated above until the roots have grown enough that they reach down the net pot. Just pour some water over it once a day to keep the rock wool moist and promote the root growth downwards.

Also, I'd recommend leaving the rockwool uncovered until the seedling has grown out of it and is tall enough that you can place hydroton over the rockwool without injuring the leaves etc.. The seedling might not be able to push it's way through hydroton let alone without damaging itself.

Get me?! Good luck!!