bubbleponic questions for a newbie

[lukey boii]

Hey all, im new on this site but not totaly new to growing. Im now onto my third grow and want to give bubbleponics a go, ive got a few questions for those experienced in this field.

1. At first the roots are top fed by a pump, does this continue once the roots grow down into the water/nutrient solution? Or is it fine to discontinue the use of the pump and let the roots solely feed/drink from the reservoir solution??

2. What size air pump will i need? I wana run 16 plants, using two different containers so 8 in each container.

3. How close can i put the plants to eachother? Im growing SOG style so the growth on top isnt the issue, the issue im concerned about is the roots growing to close together and strangling one another.

Thanx in advance for any help guys i hope this site is a little more helpful than some of the other, peace

 

[gudkarma]

1. the roots are feed by the recirculating pump till they grow down into the solution.

then you can shut off (& remove) the pump.

1a) you could just hand water till roots hit the solution.

1b) i uses to grow my cuts in a smaller cloner, with collars (no net pots), till they had long beards & then transplant them to 5" netties and hydroton.

no recirc pump need then.

2. if you're not going with a pro air pump, one air pump (big is better) for each rez.

go to walmart & snatch the biggest & best pumps you can afford.

if the pump has two outs use two stones... in ONE rez.

bigger stones isnt better unless your pump is very powerful. scale your stones to the pump size so that the water "boils" with bubbles

3. i run SOG every day all day.

i keep 4 plants per square foot in 5x5 pots. i'm experimenting with 4x4 pots & 9 plants per square foot now... working great.

the difference between you & me is my roots are contained in pots & yours would be mingling in the rez.

when i clone with the bubbler, the roots get intertwined and i just carefully separate them in water... easy peasy.

it's no big deal.

& they will not "strangle" each other in the rez either.