few questions for you experienced hydroponic guys/gals

[md.apothecary]

For clarification.... this is what the page says, so those reading/watching can understand what's going on.

BTW, The very top of the page is really bolded. I bolded it here not to prove my point, but to illustrate the page exactly. The colors were added by me to show reference. (hxxp://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/rockwool.asp)

Delta Gro-Blocks are cubes of stonewool (rockwool) that have a grooved base which promotes drainage to avoid root rot. Grodan stonewool is pH neutral, making it easy to maintain the ideal gardening pH value of 5.5 - 6.5. Each block is wrapped in white plastic on all sides for individual use.

They can be used for direct planting or "potting up" of plants started with Grodan Macroplugs or A-OK plugs. When your seedlings have a couple of small leaves and the roots emerge from your Macroplugs or A-OK plugs, soak the the Gro-Block in pH5.5 water overnight and insert the starter plugs in the holes the next day. Hold off watering for 1 to 2 days to prompt the roots to expand quickly into the Delta Gro-Block.


Once your plants have outgrown the Gro-Blocks, simply expand the growing medium by blocking onto a Grodan Slab. No pots, no soil, no mess!

Not using hydroponics? Stonewool can be planted directly into soil, indoors or out.


Delta Gro-Blocks provide more evenly distributed pores and a robust design, giving your plants the optimum zone for root growth throughout the entire block. Stonewool is recognized the world over as the ideal hydroponics growing substrate.



"soak the the Gro-Block in pH5.5 water overnight" ... why?

"to prompt the roots to expand quickly into the Delta Gro-Block."

Here you sure said that rockwool has no lime?

Ahh, I was waiting the back track defensive manuver...

It's LIME FREE because certain companies, pre-soak the cubes. How can a rockwool cube truely be pH neutral?? You know this one... remove the lime! How do you remove the lime??? Pre-soaking!

 

[md.apothecary]

This is kinda fun... :woohoo:

 

[massproducer]

Honestly this is going no where, you obviously do not have a lot of experience with rockwool, I am not going to argue with you over FACTS. I have been growing using rockwool for several years, No companies sell pre soaked rockwool.

Either way you do what ever works for you, but DON'T give advice that lead people to follow your bad habits.

ROCKWOOL HAS TO BE PRE-SOAKED, to dissolve the residual lime, end of story

 

[massproducer]

"soak the the Gro-Block in pH5.5 water overnight" ... why?

Same as all other rockwool products...To dissolved the residual lime

 

[massproducer]

but i do agree and never ever disagreed that once the lime has been dissolved, rockwool's PH is rather stable

 

[snuggles]

We could do an experiment, I would do it but my pen needs calibration...yikes. Take a glass of water pH it to a certain number...say 5.5 and then soak a cube in it, take the pH of the water and I can almost guarantee the pH will change. When I first tried Rockwool I didn't soak very well and my pH was going nuts, long story short it was the rockwool. I could be wrong but I always took the soak as a way to condition the cubes pH, maybe I have been wrong all this time though I dunno. IMO always soak the rockwool.

I get your point of view to an extent MD, soil transplants work the same sorta. With the transplanting you want the roots to search too just like the rockwool. If I can get a screwdriver to calibrate I'll do a test for us. I always lose my darn little screwdrivers for the pH meter LOL....stoner

 

[md.apothecary]

Here's how the experiment should run...

Take the rockwool cube get a pH reading of it dry if at all possible.

Soak in pH balanced water let's say pH of 7 at neutral 24hrs, check to see if pH of cube has changed.

Then on another cube, do it at say 5.5 pH and again see if it's changed after 24hrs.

I'm willing to bet the cube takes the pH of the water, thus showing that the rockwool cube simply takes the pH of the water.

However, the complications of such an experiment are the fact that it's got to be done without contamination. Also to ensure proper calibration of equipment is also a large factor as well, as mentioned above and without observer bias. To which point, can't be done by anyone really who has already read this thread. But it would be interesting to see the untampered results.

 

[massproducer]

If we are going to do an experiment then you would need to check the PH of the water, not the cube as the lime is going to dissolve into the water, and I can guarentee that the water's PH will rise by atleast a whole point.

Remember what lime is used for in soil...It is used to raise the PH of acidic soils

 

[md.apothecary]

either way works... give it a shot.

Thanks!

 

[Ilikebigbuds]

hey guys I have never been big on reading directions, I never have done anything to my rockwool cubes. I would pour distilled water over them until saturated and plant my beans cover the hole with a little rockwool wet some more and cover. the next day I would drain water add a little more and the next day I would drain and add more water. just plain distilled water I have always sprouted my beans with no trouble this way. I asked the fella who sold me my cubes at Home Harvest Garden supply Inc. if it was needed to treat these cubes and his response was "not necessary" so I never even looked at the directions on the packaging until today!

I have starter mini blocks by grodan, and it clearly states on the front of the packing: soak briefly in a starter solution adjusted to ph 5.5 using either ph down or a lemon.
and also visit www.hydroponics101.com for more help.

huh? maybe I had no trouble because I rinsed my cubes each day.


so there's my 2 cents worth#$ LOL:hairpull:

 

[Aurora_Indicas_Dad]

lol,it didnt mean to get anybody arguing.i guess both of you have your own ways.i will be soaking mine though due to the fact i dont have the type of rockwool md is talking about.and no offence but since i stated that i was using gh plugs and hugo cubes (not the ones your talkin about) that would mean that i in fact would have to soak them so all in all,it kinda was false info.but i'm not mad at ya.thats why its good to have such a large # of people on a forum.if i would have said,im using delta grow blocks,then you would have been giving legit info.Either way its all good though man.i apreciate both of you for lending your knowledge and i thank mass for clearin that up.- Peace

 

[Ilikebigbuds]

this has happened to me here too! LOL :hairpull:


:48:

I have read that there are disadvatages to using those large blocks, they get heavy and hard to move when your plants get huge, and disposal after your grow is another issue to consider.

I use small cubes and bury in hydrotron.

does this help? sorry if maybe your question was misunderstood. :ciao:

 

[Aurora_Indicas_Dad]

i'm thinking about filling the pots with hydroton (around and top of my rockwool cube) or i was just gonna fill up all the unused space in the pot with shredded absorbant rockwool.i havent made up my mind yet.i'm sure it'll be fine using either method.

 

[Aurora_Indicas_Dad]

i will make sure i soak all the shredded rockwool in water with a ph of 5.5 the night b-4 i add it to the pots =)

 

[Ilikebigbuds]

just know when your rockwool is wet with water + Nuits and then light hits it algee will form so cover it up.

have a great grow!

 

[md.apothecary]

lol,it didnt mean to get anybody arguing.i guess both of you have your own ways.i will be soaking mine though due to the fact i dont have the type of rockwool md is talking about.and no offence but since i stated that i was using gh plugs and hugo cubes (not the ones your talkin about) that would mean that i in fact would have to soak them so all in all,it kinda was false info.but i'm not mad at ya.thats why its good to have such a large # of people on a forum.if i would have said,im using delta grow blocks,then you would have been giving legit info.Either way its all good though man.i apreciate both of you for lending your knowledge and i thank mass for clearin that up.- Peace

Technically it's not wrong info, it depends on HOW you read/interpret what it said. If you'll notice my interpretation is clearly stated above. However, I am letting it go. To each his own.

I'll be the first, and not the last (obviously) to tell you it's not necessary to do so, as people, myself included don't soak prior to placing seeds inside. My two week (9 day old) plants are proof enough for me to know it doesn't make a bit of difference.

This debate reminds me of those topics where everyone tries to push you into a 400w lamp when it might simply be overkill for your needs, but they believe it's the end all be all of necessary ways of growing. However, we have both failed to mention (well until now), any advice you get on here is NOT garunteed to work by any means. Your choices can be influenced one way or another, however, there are 1000's of variables you will do in your quest to grow that will change everything about your grow. You could soak your cubes with the improper solution and end up with a disaster and think that soaking is not the way to do it, but it was a simple mistake and vice versa. So in the end, take it for face value, and know that NO ONE IS EVER 100% RIGHT.

 

[Aurora_Indicas_Dad]

i totally agree man.your plants look beautiful and your right,obviously it doesnt matter if you do or dont.i guess people just do it to make sure the rockwool is at the right ph.either way,thanx for the help-peace

 

[md.apothecary]

Good luck with it, and enjoy the experience. If this is your very first grow, it's definitely going to throw some curves along the way. Stick with it, and you'll find your niche for sure! It's a super easy plant to grow... it's a weed!

 

[G_48911]

oh i've grew many times b-4(in soil)this is just my first grow with a hydroponic system. i'm sure i'll have some bumps along the way but it help alot to have this forum for reference,and i also have my friend to help me. i bought the system from him.he said the one thing he cant stress enough is having a good ph/ec meter.he says thats a very important tool when growing hydroponically. I should be good though.hell,i better be good,i've been doing nothing but filling my mind up with knowledge for 4 months,literally everyday..80-90% of my spare time

 

[pothead]

If you're a beginner hydroponic gardener, then the by far best system to use is Water Farm. It includes everything you need. I also heard that starting the seeds in rockwool is NOT recommended. I would start the plants in soil and as soon as the plant grows 4 or 6 leafs, I would pull it from the soil and place it into the water farm. Just my 2 cent...