Need some advice for hydro ebb & flow in rockwool.

[nickols7]

I am using 20 gal resi and I have 7 Purps that I am getting ready to flip. I have been using this method for about four years except I have recently changed my medium. In the past I always used 50% coco and 50% perilite. I am now 100% rockwool. My room is a 12 by 8 closet and I am very persistent in keeping the conditions optimum. I use 1 12 inch Can Fan that is hooked up to a 12 inch charcoal filter. I have a 60 inch cool tube with two 600 watt chrome dome HPS bulbs. I also have a 4 inch inline fan pulling air through the tube to keep it cool. My temp only fluxuates from 73 degrees to 80 degrees. I have always been able to keep my Ph stable between 5.6 and 6.3 when using coco and perilite. I am encountering some nute burn and possible salt buildup now that I am keeping the PH in the same range using rockwool. It seems as though the Purps thrive only when I allow my PH to hit 7 to 8. I use a very complicated recipe that includes: GH Flora Micro, Grow, and Bloom; Floralicious Bloom, Flora Nectur, Veagan Compost Tea, KoolBloom, and Superthrive. I foliar feed with liquid light and pentrator gold. I change the resi at least once a week. Sometimes twice. I flush with Flora Kleen. My pumps were originally set on 10 min on and two hours off 24/7. I have since set them to 2 min on 2 hours off in trying to diagnose and cure my problem. I have air stones in the resi just as before and I also run an underwater pump for circulation. My PPM'S at the present moment are 500 where as before I had them around 950. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Below are some pics.

I have some minor yellowing around the tips of some of the fan leaves, spots are noticable on some leaves[Brown], and some leaves are rolling under.

 

[nickols7]

"Many a fool has stated that knowledge is power. Knowledge can only be knowledge. It is what one does with the knolwedge attained that has the potential to be power." quote]

 

[Locked]

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Welcome though to MP..lots of good info and cool people here..good luck

 

[StoneyBud]

My strongest suggestion to you would be to simplify your process. You've made something very easy into something very difficult.

I've been using ebb and flow for more than 25 years. Growing weed for more than 40.

In my ebb and flow, I use tubs filled with hydroton, a reservoir with GH 3 part Flora and one fountain pump set to one hour on, two off.

I never have to clean my reservoir, never have to dump it and I get 20 ounces of world class weed from each crop in a 3.5 x 5.5 foot area.

Simple.

You need to convert to the KIS principle.

Good luck man!

If you would like some details on making your process simple, PM me.

 

[skallie]

overwatered

end of

lol

rockwool imheo is crap for holding excess water you just need to water say when they need it sorry i didnt see pics initially but check weight every so often to see if they are light if so water until saturated then set your timer accordingly.

you need to cover the cubes as light will get to roots unless you do so.

stoney is the KIS method the same as the KIS MA *** METHOD

its a joke stoney

lol

skallie

 

[StoneyBud]

stoney is the KIS method the same as the KIS MA *** METHOD

hehe, not quite man. One keeps it simple and the other would complicate the hell out of it.

I agree with you however. Using Rockwool as the only media would be much more appropriate as a drip Hydro. Too much retained solution for ebb and flow. Oxygen maximization to the roots would be aided by using a media such as lava rock or hydroton.

 

[nickols7]

Yea I know the way I am doing seems to be a little extreme and in my opinion it is. The truth is my bro in law convinced to try this method. He does it this way and gets 3 to 4 ozs per plant!!! But then again he has been doing it this way since the death of moses! Besides he lives about a three day drive away from literally. He usually coaches me through my probs but I havn't been able to contact him in a week or so. I will say this though. When my lights came on an hour ago, my angels were radiant and responding very well to my adjustment. Overwatered and overdosed on acid, they are no more!!! I will bring you all along for this journey. Thanks for the thoughts!

 

[StoneyBud]

Hey nickols7, good luck to you man. With the rockwool, it depends a lot on the specific conditions you have. Some pics of your system would make it more clear to all of us.

There are a lot of ways to build each type of hydroponic system. You may have done it in a way that is better with the rockwool.

 

[nickols7]

Hey Stoney Bud,

I will take some pics tonight when the lights come on of the entire system.

One thing I noticed about my issues was overwatering. I was advised that overwatering was not possible when using rockwool by itself. This is untrue. I switched my timers down to 2 min on and 2 hours off only in the light cycle. In the dark period I only allow the pumps to run twice at 2 min on and 2 hours off. This has significantly improved the girls productivity! I will post some more pics tonight.

I am curious to know how you simplify the recipe. I will try and pm you when I get on here tonight. Thanks for all the help.