Drumfounded
Well-Known Member
I'm really starting to think I simply made a lot of newbie mistakes with the diy 'aero'. I know it's not true aero but I at least bought high pressure mist heads and a 540gph pump, lol! Also, that grow was with some bagseed. My ebb grow was with three week old clones from a friend.Wow, lots of stuff here that baffles me. I have built many different systems over the last few years and just not seeing what you guys are with the difference between the two. I think the terminology is the first issue. True aero is not a fountain pump and sprayers, which is what I run. True aero is setup with a minumum of 60 psig and mist heads with droplets measured in microns. PH with my sprayers has been more stable, nute uptake seems to be less efficient than E/F with the need to run higher ec. Res size should be based on stability rather than whats needed to achieve a cycle be it flood or spray IMO. As for the use of grow media, they both require something, don't they? I used net pots and hydroton for both. Plant growth for me is hard to judge due to it being my first run but its preforming well. Root development is great. Also I have not had a nozzle plug after the first start up but I think picking the proper nutes helps. I have mixed thoughts about what is better and may go back to E/F. Roots are my main issue now, trying to keep them out of lower res is a problem for me. Any thoughts or tips would be a help, thanks. Also I felt rich this run and decided to try a new nutrient regime, seeing if my cheap A + B nutes preformed as good as a more pricey brand. I chose Aqua Flakes in a side by side grow. The Aqua Flakes plants are a 1/3rd bigger with more side branching. But...... They are pricey!!!! Taste will also be a factor.
Glad to hear you're doing well with your setup! Definitely interested to see your results if you end up doing a side by side.
I wonder if you could use something like a tub drain strainer to keep the roots out? Or make something that would be the same effect but finer, using a screen maybe.