Stacking EC in a rockwool cube???

[MCDOOGLE]

I've been top feeding my rockwool plants by hand for 4 weeks. Learning what they need and everything else has been quite the hassle but I'm getting it dialed in. In a video produced by Athena nutrients featuring jungle boys they touch on stacking EC in a cube which is a pretty basic process and understanding. so, with that said I'm waiting on a flood and drain bucket system. How does my process change when I switch to flooding "bottom watering"? I've heard and read about flushing the top of the cube once a week to flush cube to prevent salt build up. is that the only difference or is it going to need a water from top daily as well?

 

[PK1]

@MCDOOGLE keep your questions in your current diary. You don't need to make different posts.

 

[MCDOOGLE]

@MCDOOGLE keep your questions in your current diary. You don't need to make different posts.

ok new to this appreciate it

 

[Anthem]

I've been top feeding my rockwool plants by hand for 4 weeks. Learning what they need and everything else has been quite the hassle but I'm getting it dialed in. In a video produced by Athena nutrients featuring jungle boys they touch on stacking EC in a cube which is a pretty basic process and understanding. so, with that said I'm waiting on a flood and drain bucket system. How does my process change when I switch to flooding "bottom watering"? I've heard and read about flushing the top of the cube once a week to flush cube to prevent salt build up. is that the only difference or is it going to need a water from top daily as well?

Bad idea, bottom feeding rockwool is not a good idea. You need to study up !!!!!!

 

[Cashmeh]

Bad idea, bottom feeding rockwool is not a good idea. You need to study up !!!!!!

Unused nutrients get trapped in the rockwool due to wicking :) very bad idea for long term.

 

[MCDOOGLE]

Bad idea, bottom feeding rockwool is not a good idea. You need to study up !!!!!!

first off sorry for the new post when there was no need to create a mess.

@Cashmeh @Anthem I figured because I have seen a bunch of flood tables with rockwool being used. that's the same concept am I wrong? or maybe they were doing it wrong? really dont know but i want as much information so i can do this correctly. thank you all for the input its really appreciated

 

[Anthem]

first off sorry for the new post when there was no need to create a mess.

@Cashmeh @Anthem I figured because I have seen a bunch of flood tables with rockwool being used. that's the same concept am I wrong? or maybe they were doing it wrong? really dont know but i want as much information so i can do this correctly. thank you all for the input its really appreciated

They are in flood tables but that is just to an inexpensive way to create a watertight floor. They are 99 percent with rockwool used for top injector feed and drain to waste. Probably not the ideal way for a novice to start out. Not trying to be a dick but shit can go bad very very fast with that kind of a set up. You have to be on your game to play with that stuff.

 

[MCDOOGLE]

They are in flood tables but that is just to an inexpensive way to create a watertight floor. They are 99 percent with rockwool used for top injector feed and drain to waste. Probably not the ideal way for a novice to start out. Not trying to be a dick but shit can go bad very very fast with that kind of a set up. You have to be on your game to play with that stuff.

I totally get it. no offense taken. gotta start somewhere. looking into just adding slabs and goin with a drip. thanks for the input !!!

 

[Anthem]

I totally get it. no offense taken. gotta start somewhere. looking into just adding slabs and goin with a drip. thanks for the input !!!

Have you grown the plant before?

 

[MCDOOGLE]

Have you grown the plant before?

i have grown a couple different times with dwc and general hydro nutrients nothing crazy. this is my first time using rockwool so im looking into the drip system but will most likely keep hand watering. ive stepped it up in quality equipment this time. blue lab ph meters, ph doser, guardian meter with connect, ro water, roie720 led w/ controller, inline fan with temp and humidity control, co2 w/ controller (havent set up yet )

 

[Anthem]

i have grown a couple different times with dwc and general hydro nutrients nothing crazy. this is my first time using rockwool so im looking into the drip system but will most likely keep hand watering. ive stepped it up in quality equipment this time. blue lab ph meters, ph doser, guardian meter with connect, ro water, roie720 led w/ controller, inline fan with temp and humidity control, co2 w/ controller (havent set up yet )

Well you have some decent equipment listed. You will need to take a look at a dab pump and netafin if you really want to do it right. There is a search option at the top of the page. Type in this guys name and start reading his posts. They are old but this guy knows what is up. "Jackmayoffer". Once you start reading some of his posts you will find the guys that were the kings well before I ever found this site. I would suggest you look at the people posting to his thread and look up their names as well. Some will be hit or miss but others have posts on here that are a wealth of knowledge. What you want to do it about as hard as it gets in terms of skill set required. I am sure someone is going to say no it is not but rockwool/drain to waste is the top shelf in regards to quality and quantity per plant. But again everything has to be on point to achieve results. Start reading.

 

[Moshmen]

They are in flood tables but that is just to an inexpensive way to create a watertight floor. They are 99 percent with rockwool used for top injector feed and drain to waste. Probably not the ideal way for a novice to start out. Not trying to be a dick but shit can go bad very very fast with that kind of a set up. You have to be on your game to play with that stuff.

It’s like starting over - less forgiving for sure

 

[tobh]

Well you have some decent equipment listed. You will need to take a look at a dab pump and netafin if you really want to do it right. There is a search option at the top of the page. Type in this guys name and start reading his posts. They are old but this guy knows what is up. "Jackmayoffer". Once you start reading some of his posts you will find the guys that were the kings well before I ever found this site. I would suggest you look at the people posting to his thread and look up their names as well. Some will be hit or miss but others have posts on here that are a wealth of knowledge. What you want to do it about as hard as it gets in terms of skill set required. I am sure someone is going to say no it is not but rockwool/drain to waste is the top shelf in regards to quality and quantity per plant. But again everything has to be on point to achieve results. Start reading.

fuck man, i forgot about Jackmayoffer. Dude was hella cool. kind of a dick sometimes, but he knew his shit.

Anthem is right. there used to be some gods around these parts that pretty much wrote the books on clandestine commercial grow methods, and a lot of them killed it in wool. Anthem is also correct about wool being probably the most advanced grow media simply because of how flexible it is and what you can do with it. You're on track to killing this run so far, and if you set up your equipment right and get that environment dialed, you will be blown away by how much faster the growth rates are vs just about any other method. The only other method that might rival it in speed of growth is RDWC in an undercurrent configuration. It's really a method for those looking to push their skills to the max. The nice thing is once you figure out your scheduling and all that, it's pretty simple to use. You just have to watch a ton of data points and have automation in place otherwise shit will go sideways quickly.

I trust you got this though, you saw how quickly your plants turned around by getting VPD more into the right range. You'll need to get a light meter too otherwise you're going to do what I did... Twice... and introduce calcium deficiencies and foxtailing come flower. Wish i had bit the bullet and bought an apogee at the beginning of this run but I didn't won't make that mistake again during another production run.

 

[Anthem]

fuck man, i forgot about Jackmayoffer. Dude was hella cool. kind of a dick sometimes, but he knew his shit.

Anthem is right. there used to be some gods around these parts that pretty much wrote the books on clandestine commercial grow methods, and a lot of them killed it in wool. Anthem is also correct about wool being probably the most advanced grow media simply because of how flexible it is and what you can do with it. You're on track to killing this run so far, and if you set up your equipment right and get that environment dialed, you will be blown away by how much faster the growth rates are vs just about any other method. The only other method that might rival it in speed of growth is RDWC in an undercurrent configuration. It's really a method for those looking to push their skills to the max. The nice thing is once you figure out your scheduling and all that, it's pretty simple to use. You just have to watch a ton of data points and have automation in place otherwise shit will go sideways quickly.

I trust you got this though, you saw how quickly your plants turned around by getting VPD more into the right range. You'll need to get a light meter too otherwise you're going to do what I did... Twice... and introduce calcium deficiencies and foxtailing come flower. Wish i had bit the bullet and bought an apogee at the beginning of this run but I didn't won't make that mistake again during another production run.

I believe he went to work for JB down my way after he quit posting on this site. JB is a shell now, the OG crew sold out several years ago and it sounds like they just cashed in on Luxx as well. They probably owned liberty bags as well. I liked the liberty bags. Hope they stick around. I wonder if they still own the nutrient company or if the sold it off as well. Smart about marketing I will say that!

 

[Indiva710]

I assume you have a small setup and a dab pump is definitely not needed now for drippers you will need either a booster pump or a leader jet pump would be ideal and the way to go..you def are not gna be able to hand water for much longer your gna need to be doing it several times a day and you need it on a timer or go with opensprinker which is a app controlled timer that you use solenoids to control or could go the cheaper route and get a seconds timer like a nearpow it has 20 different schedules you can have for it...and don't water at night unless your in flower and the dryback is getting to much and you might need to do a watering or two at night...and if u use slabs u have to presoak them and then cut the drainage slits in it after and it's kinda a bitch to do I use the new grodan gr40 unislabs they are 8x8x4 and does great

 

[MCDOOGLE]

@Indiva710 im still hand watering In 4”cubes idk how far it’s going to take me but I’m thinking about just taking clones and putting them in my ebb and flow system but idk if I’ll be able to make it to flower in a 4” cube with no slab. I never intended on using 4” blocks goal was to go from 1.5” to my bucket system but the system was “stuck in the port” since end of November I had everything planned out and the system falling through put me in the situation I’m in unfortunately

 

[Indiva710]

I use the grodan gr10 cubes which are 4in as well but no way In hell would I try and flower in them absolutely not how about u get the gr40 unislabs like I run and problem solved...I mean ya u can use slabs but they are a bitch to pre soak and cut the cubes out etc vs soak and place it on top viola...ya I'll choose Rockwool w crop steering anyday over rdwc again that's for damn sure I'm also disabled and maintance and resetting the room etc is a lot more work in rdwc plus more water more nutes etc and this crop w Rockwool for my 1st run has been thee quickest crop I've done yet and don't use half the water I used too in that wasteponics setup is what I like to call rdwc unless u have a water reclaimer which most people do not....hpa would be much better than rdwc as in growth speed and can crop steer in it as well plus it's stupid effecient..and no need to buy substrate use a neoprene collar and a net pot and done deal....but ya I most def wouldn't be trying to flower in a 4in cube that's for damn sure...well I mean u could if u was limited on height and u would of had to flip by now anyways but even then it wouldn't be ideal and keeping them fed actually would be the hard part doing it by hand...