Aeroponic question

[ducky]

I've grown my plants a couple times before, however i never got the chance to grow my plants over a month. In that month my plants grew to about a foot tall. I have a four site aeroponic system and use ionic grow. I use the round clay pebbles in the net cups with starter plugs, the question i have is, when i put the starter plugs into the net cups how far down should i have them? I sit and wait for the water to get the starter plug moist but it never happens, so i always have to put the starter plug further down or move around the clay pebbles so that more water can get to the starter plug. Which this works, but can also lead to root rot which happened to one of my plants 3-4 weeks into growing. I start my plants in a plastic ziplock bag in a moist paper towel so that they will germinate and then i put them in the starter plugs, but i would rather just be able to start them in the starter plugs already in the aeroponic system. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lyfr]

can you water from the top till they get roots?

 

[ducky]

I can't water from the top just using the aeroponic system because it is just a mister/sprayer. I'm not sure how to water from the top, i've never done that before.

 

[Megatron]

You have to diversify your options... If you're doing the Aerospring, style, Rubbermaid tub with the sprinklers inside (like mine) you'll have to drill a hole tap it and put a barbed fitting on it. Then take a 4 way junction T and hook it all up with some clear tubing from home depot. there yah go.

 

[BuddyLuv]

or dump the pepple but them in 3 in rockwool and call it a day.

 

[ducky]

I started to take pictures but the camera went dead, I will have pics up tomm. of the setup of what I am using.

 

[Megatron]

These are exciting times!

 

[ducky]

well i got the pictures taken now, only problem is the site says i cannot upload them from photobucket and i am trying to figure out another way to upload them, there is no MJ in the pictures or seeds or anything though.

 

[Megatron]

Saw the pix. Same setup as mine.. (i just made mine myself) Do you understand what I am saying about making the top feed system? It would be pretty easy. After you have roots established, you can just cap the barb fitting off with a vacuum cap and a zip tie. (or leave it constantly running.)

 

[ducky]

i somewhat understand what you are talking about. Basically its a drip type system and then once the roots are poking out of the starter plug turn off the drip and then the mister/sprayer will be able to work. right?

 

[ducky]

pics are up

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Are your misters working correctly? I cannot understand how the starting plugs do not get wet if the misters are operating as they should.

 

[ducky]

the misters work fine, i do not know if i am putting the starter plug down far enough or what. how long is it suppose to take for the starter plug to become moist so that the seed can start to germinate.

 

[ducky]

the water/nutrients hit the net cup and clay pebbles only in certain area, not around the whole cup due to the positioning of the mister, i am guessing that aeroponics works like this. when i try moving the clay pebbles around to position the starter plugs water/nutrients start to come out of the cups spraying upwards getting the top of the cover wet.

 

[Megatron]

Just leave the misters running too. It won't hurt anything to have it all running. As long as the pump is over 200gph it'll work fine.
I have never seen the top of my hydroton wet. Miy plants are growing fine. As a matter of fact, I can dig down about an inch before I start seeing wet hydroton.

 

[Megatron]

you will need to completely cover those plugs with either hydroton or some sort of shield (to prevent algae)

 

[ducky]

i have plastic covers that go over the net cups. after i germinate the seed, i put it in the starter plug in the aero system. Isnt the starter plug suppose to get water/nutrients so that the seed will grow roots down through the starter plug. the water is not getting to my starter plug unless i move the starter plug away from the middle of the net cup and to the side so that the water will hit it.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

the misters work fine, i do not know if i am putting the starter plug down far enough or what. how long is it suppose to take for the starter plug to become moist so that the seed can start to germinate.

Aren't you presoaking your plugs?

 

[ducky]

I put them in a paper towel to let them germinate and then once have germinated i put them in the starter plug in the aeroponic system.