First time using flood and drain hydroponics, I need help!!!!

  • Thread starter EL APACHE
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EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
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Hello everyone,
I'm a first timmer, using the flood and drain system. I have a 4x4 tray with 9 6 inch rockwool cubes. So my question is this, how many times during my light cycle do I flood my tray? At what time and for how long after my light turns on do I flood? I have ben told by two different guys at the hydro shop that I need to flood 3 times a day. And the other guy told me I need to flood only once a day. So before I get my clones this Sunday I would like to be sure so I don't have my girls die on me. Any firm advice would be very helpfull. Thanx my fellow potheads.
 
EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
8
Come on u guys, 31 views to this post and not even 1 reply. I realy need some advice.
 
rusty

rusty

111
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With RW you only need to flood once a day, to wet will cause problems. I'd recommend flooding when the lights first flip on, and just flood long enough to hit your drain; 3 to 5 min depending on your pump size.
 
deacon1503

deacon1503

1,224
113
Easy now...to the patient man go the spoils. I run mine 15 on 45 off with good results. Try that and adjust if needed. Welcome to the Farm!
 
F

Farmer Jon

Premium Member
Supporter
412
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A few tips for ebb-n-flow for ya:
1) aerate the nutrient solution well.
2) a 65 deg nutrient solution will hole enough oxygen for healthy plant growth.
3) Filling and draining should happen as fast as possible.
4) Don't veg to long, a 4x8 tray will fill rapidly.
5) Screening your canopy can improve yield.
6) Timing the flood and drain will depend on many factors; size of plants, stage of growth, RH% in the room, room temp., Root temp etc...
The best advice I can offer is to start with 1-2 floods a day and adjust as needed. It is better to allow the wool to dry out a bit rather than over-watering, A thirsty plant can be quenched. A over-watered plant will appear as if it is dry (droopy and limp) and most likely perish.
7) Keep the ph between 5.5-6.3 allowing drift to occur in this range (to many adjustments can have an adverse effect)

Hope this helps.
FJ
 
M

Mr.Newcastle

77
0
Great advice for you there El Apache. FYI, pre soak RW at exactly 5.0 water will neutralize the water at 6.0. Being off 5.0 by even .1 , I have seen, will raise your soak water up to 7.0 plus. I also like to use hygrozyme in my soak water. Peace.
 
hiboy

hiboy

2,347
113
I would stack that rw cube on another rw cube once you see roots and shine any coco mats. I use to flood my trays, but added drip lines and liked this way better. As a rule of flooding times, you want to water when the cubes are not quite dry on the bottom, however often you need to. If your roots dry up your plant will suffer. Temps and environment dictate watering times.
hiboy
 
EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
8
Thanx to all that replied to my questions! I was just confused when I got two people telling me, two totally different techniques. I will get some coco matts and see what happens. I'm so nervouse of messing up my first grow. Wish me luck;)
thanx all you guys!!!!!
 
hiboy

hiboy

2,347
113
Thanx to all that replied to my questions! I was just confused when I got two people telling me, two totally different techniques. I will get some coco matts and see what happens. I'm so nervouse of messing up my first grow. Wish me luck;)
thanx all you guys!!!!!

Dude forget the coco matts and just stack your cubes on top of one another. Matts are not a clean set up, imo,
hiboy
 
singlespeed

singlespeed

266
18
Great advice for you there El Apache. FYI, pre soak RW at exactly 5.0 water will neutralize the water at 6.0. Being off 5.0 by even .1 , I have seen, will raise your soak water up to 7.0 plus. I also like to use hygrozyme in my soak water. Peace.

I totally agree. It sucks having lockout immediately after getting clones because your PH was too high. 6' rockwool cubes are on the heavy side when fully soaked. Just lift a block, if it feels light they need more water. Be careful not to over watering either, rockwool holds water REALLY well. It's the downside to using it, because the roots are always wet it prevent the roots from receiving oxogen. IMO.
 
rusty

rusty

111
18
this is a good thread on another site by a pretty respected grower who runs rw flock in nursery pots, lots of good info/advice that might help u out.
 
EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
8
Thanx all u guys. All the info has been so helpfull. I have had my girls since Sunday, and I have been hand feeding once a day 2 hrs after light turns on. With dilluted nutes and purified water, and I have also been lowering my lamp 4 inches at a time, to give them a chance to come out of shock. I think that tomarows light cycle will be the first I start to flood my tray with a full nutes. So far they look so good and healthy. I will post picks as soon as I get home from work. Once again thanx all of you that posted with all that info.
 
singlespeed

singlespeed

266
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Glad to hear it. What strain are your growing? What size light are you using?
 
stickyicky

stickyicky

412
28
I agree with whats been said , my thoughts are, Flood once a day 1" up the cubes tell you see roots coming out of the cubes. Then go 2 times a day for a week, then 3 times a day once there rocking.
Only flood 1" up the cubes.

A sheet of cocomatt in your tray under your cubes works great for alot of reasons as well.


I use coco too!! I like the root protection and less prone to algae on bottom of tray. If I don't use coco, I fill my table w/ approx. 3" thick layer of hydroton. I like how hydroton dries out on top and you can water less, cuz down below hydroton is holding plenty of nutes at all times for the ladies. You don't "dry out" your medium. Hydroponics man! Make sure to aerate the rez too!! Welcome Farmer!!

Good Luck
 
stickyicky

stickyicky

412
28
Thanx all u guys. All the info has been so helpfull. I have had my girls since Sunday, and I have been hand feeding once a day 2 hrs after light turns on. With dilluted nutes and purified water, and I have also been lowering my lamp 4 inches at a time, to give them a chance to come out of shock. I think that tomarows light cycle will be the first I start to flood my tray with a full nutes. So far they look so good and healthy. I will post picks as soon as I get home from work. Once again thanx all of you that posted with all that info.

If you are using "purified" water (AKA reverse osmosis) you will need to supplement calmag.
 
G

gudkarma

Guest
do you know the ppm of your tap water?

or, as the guy above noted, are you using r/o water?

it's not about the nutes, just yet, till you get square on the water.

i dont use GH, but my partner does, neither of us uses cal-mag with our tap water... as its in the 150 to 200 ppm range.

here's a quick shot my next pull in two weeks.

love me some ebb/flow.
 
WigSplitta 1 004
EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
8
do you know the ppm of your tap water?

or, as the guy above noted, are you using r/o water?

it's not about the nutes, just yet, till you get square on the water.

i dont use GH, but my partner does, neither of us uses cal-mag with our tap water... as its in the 150 to 200 ppm range.

here's a quick shot my next pull in two weeks.

love me some ebb/flow.

I was going about it all wrong!! I was using r/o water. So now I have tap water going. My ppm was at 250 out of the tap. And my ph was at 5. After added my nutes. I hope I didn't cause damage to my herbs.
So what shoud my humidity be at. I'm doing all this in a 4x4 tent, 600 air cooled.
 
hiboy

hiboy

2,347
113
Humidity my man in flower is the 40ish area, and veg you can hit 55ish even.
hiboy
 
EL APACHE

EL APACHE

61
8
I was going about it all wrong!! I was using r/o water. So now I have tap water going. My ppm was at 250 out of the tap. And my ph was at 5. After added my nutes. I hope I didn't cause damage to my herbs.
So what shoud my humidity be at. I'm doing all this in a 4x4 tent, 600 air cooled.

I wonder if I should flush? Now I noticed 3 plants starting to droop and get a slight yellow tint on the bigger leafs. And how should I flush them?
 
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