Rockwool 6inch Drip Times

[YoungCa]

Ive read up and down these forums and have found no answer. I simply want advice on drip times with 6in grodan using floraflex. That's the exact system I have so any other system would really be of no help. I've heard multiple coco growers opinions but I need rockwool growers advice!? I want to get a knowledge of how many times a day you water and for how long on timers. Room will be in the low 80s for veg rh close to 70%. Flower 78 degrees and 60 rh. Also have circulating fans.

 

[Saint Skinny]

lets start with which floraflex cap you'r using. is it the Flood and Drip, the one with 2-4 holes that you can place different drippers in?

Or is it the one with a bunch of half moon cutouts in a circle?

I have the second one down, but theres more to just the cap to dialing in drip times.
Theres the media, which you specified as rockwool.
But then theres the pump, if I'm using a 275gph pump and your using a 158gph pump, than my drip times would be too short for your setup, and you wouldn't get enough water if you followed my timing exactly. There's also the number of drippers per pump, etc. Maybe I can be more help when I get a bit more info from ya, If I have time I may mess around with mine to see what I can figure out.

 

[YoungCa]

I'm using the second one but I've started a clone in the cube and it's been about a week and it still seems fine no water stress? Is that normal?

lets start with which floraflex cap you'r using. is it the Flood and Drip, the one with 2-4 holes that you can place different drippers in?View attachment 720249

Or is it the one with a bunch of half moon cutouts in a circle?
View attachment 720250

I have the second one down, but theres more to just the cap to dialing in drip times.
Theres the media, which you specified as rockwool.
But then theres the pump, if I'm using a 275gph pump and your using a 158gph pump, than my drip times would be too short for your setup, and you wouldn't get enough water if you followed my timing exactly. There's also the number of drippers per pump, etc. Maybe I can be more help when I get a bit more info from ya, If I have time I may mess around with mine to see what I can figure out.

 

[Saint Skinny]

I'm using the second one but I've started a clone in the cube and it's been about a week and it still seems fine no water stress? Is that normal?

I would say lack of any sign of stress is a good thing, when you say water stress, do you mean wilt, like they get kinda limp and the leaves droop? IDK about normal, havent done any cloning with them, but I personally would've rooted the plant in a smaller rockwool plug then transplanted. If it isn't showing any sign of stress, I'd say your okay.

 

[YoungCa]

Well there in a rockwool 1.5 inch. I transplanted from that to 6inch. It just looks happy and it's been a week without me adding water? Maybe circulation isn't good enough? I'm happy I only put one clone in the cubes because I just want to get this learning curve from soil out of the way.

I would say lack of any sign of stress is a good thing, when you say water stress, do you mean wilt, like they get kinda limp and the leaves droop? IDK about normal, havent done any cloning with them, but I personally would've rooted the plant in a smaller rockwool plug then transplanted. If it isn't showing any sign of stress, I'd say your okay.

Well

 

[Saint Skinny]

One problem I have run into with rockwool is that it can sometimes hold a bit too much water for smaller plants (relative to the block size)

There is definitely a learning curve with Rockwool... Many a growers have overwatered their plant or crop to death when experimenting with rockwool, myself included. Do you have a heat mat you can set the block on to try speeding up evaporating? Lowering RH% may not hurt either, depending where it's at to start with

 

[YoungCa]

I'm going to look into it. Just finished my last soil run now I'm going to do a tray for trial on the rockwool will post about it on this thread

One problem I have run into with rockwool is that it can sometimes hold a bit too much water for smaller plants (relative to the block size)

There is definitely a learning curve with Rockwool... Many a growers have overwatered their plant or crop to death when experimenting with rockwool, myself included. Do you have a heat mat you can set the block on to try speeding up evaporating? Lowering RH% may not hurt either, depending where it's at to start with

 

[Saint Skinny]

I'm going to look into it. Just finished my last soil run now I'm going to do a tray for trial on the rockwool will post about it on this thread

Good luck! I'm curious to see how things go, I love science! Variables and Hypotheses and info, oh my!

lol sorry, I kinda took a ride on my geek ship for a sec... Im back now haha

 

[YoungCa]

Saint. I ive been doing pretty good but im trying to resize a pump because my pump is too heavy duty for my current setup. I have 8 hydroport bubblers that 8 attachable drip lines and there are 4 a table. im running the drip lines to 1/4th barbed tees and spliting that flow into two lines. for a total of 128 drip lines. So two a site. the trays are 3x6 and the pvc is about 6ft for each tray and capped at the end. My question is how much gph pump should i get for these many sites. Btw i water every two hours for about 15sec my couple runs gets me to my desired run off and i dont run my pump 3 hrs before lights off so that the cubes can dryback over the lights off period.

 

[Trenton735]

Saint. I ive been doing pretty good but im trying to resize a pump because my pump is too heavy duty for my current setup. I have 8 hydroport bubblers that 8 attachable drip lines and there are 4 a table. im running the drip lines to 1/4th barbed tees and spliting that flow into two lines. for a total of 128 drip lines. So two a site. the trays are 3x6 and the pvc is about 6ft for each tray and capped at the end. My question is how much gph pump should i get for these many sites. Btw i water every two hours for about 15sec my couple runs gets me to my desired run off and i dont run my pump 3 hrs before lights off so that the cubes can dryback over the lights off period.

I use rockwool and I still don’t have drip times dialed in 100%. But I cant remember the size pump 16 plants on a 3x6 grow tray so similar set up. I can check the gph later though. I read somewhere these cubes should take about 102ml per feed. I ran it til I got 102ml and it was about 15-20 sec with my pump. I’d suggest trying the same. I try to go by feel on the dry back because I don’t wanna buy a expensive meter. I believe it’s 50% dryback in veg and 70% throughout the day and 30-40% dryback over night and 60% throughout the day during flower. I only feed 4 times during lights on and it seems sufficient

 

[YoungCa]

I use rockwool and I still don’t have drip times dialed in 100%. But I cant remember the size pump 16 plants on a 3x6 grow tray so similar set up. I can check the gph later though. I read somewhere these cubes should take about 102ml per feed. I ran it til I got 102ml and it was about 15-20 sec with my pump. I’d suggest trying the same. I try to go by feel on the dry back because I don’t wanna buy a expensive meter. I believe it’s 50% dryback in veg and 70% throughout the day and 30-40% dryback over night and 60% throughout the day during flower. I only feed 4 times during lights on and it seems sufficient

I haven’t yet found a timer that does seconds. My grow has been great I haven’t had too much a problem. Had to figure it out but once you learn the curve it’s easy from there.

 

[Saint Skinny]

I haven’t yet found a timer that does seconds. My grow has been great I haven’t had too much a problem. Had to figure it out but once you learn the curve it’s easy from there.

There are some Cycle timers that run in seconds. I'll link some below
the Spartan Series by Titan Controls
Some specs:

• 5 seconds to 30 minutes ON time
• 5 seconds to 60 minutes OFF time
• Built in photocell
• 3 modes: Day only, Night only, or Both
• 1 yr warranty
• MSRP $44.95

If you're okay with an 'off brand' for a bit less $:

Century Short Period Cycle Timer
Has all the same specs as the Spartan

 

[cemchris]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0752PHMTL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those do down to the sec and are .90 on amazon. Have used them for a while.

or

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N78E9ZT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These also work but the biggest delay you can have between cycles is about 89 mins. Also goes down to the second. Also 15 bucks. I did not like these.


Trenton is right on the 102mlish (or something around there) feeds for 6in. Your goal is trying to keep the ph stable inside the block while the lights are on. Heavy soaks and drys (while can be done with good success) make the ph a lot more wavy in the cube.