Normally you would want that feed to come in higher imo, because the cube will be mostly full of roots you want the water to hit the stem at the top of the medium so it can disperse over the stones and get to the roots. This is only really for before the roots get into the solution as you would just keep it dry normally. The roots are getting water down below and using osmosis to transport it to the plant, the roots in the cup will be getting lots of air.
This was my exact plan, for now the tubes are in just to be there and run the system to make sure everything works before go time.
However when the rocks are in I plan on feeding the tube through the top most holes, feeding directly over the rock wool cube, and then cover that with one last layer of rocks.
To your other above question, this is my first try at any type of hydro grow (in highschool I grew outdoors in my grandmothers planter in miracle grow, just water, and my previous grows pictured here are soil grows) so to start I'm just going to plant 4 seeds in the small rock wook cubes placed in hydroton rocks, put them under my HID lamp and then ask a lot of questions about how to feed them and not kill them LOL. I work construction, so the build part is easy and as you see comes out clean....but that's where my knowledge about stops abruptly. Once I get the hang of water growing, I plan to use my other res I built and the main 25gal res and do SOG with small net pots....I think???
ilikeblazin: this is basically a highly oxygenated drip system, but because the water is being oxygenated by the air stone, the roots are getting their oxygen from their water (removing the need to let the hydroton rocks to release water to absorb oxygen), hence why they can be constantly bathed at the root mass itself. It also incorperates DWC as the roots leave the net pots...again growing into highly oxygenated water.
Whereas a traditional drip system the roots grow into a medium, not medium then water, because they have to be watered but not constantly bathed because without the oxygenated water drip system plants have to get their oxygen from the hydroton rocks as they dry out and water leaves oxygen is abosorbed by the rocks, then the plant. Drip system comes on again, plant gets water, forcing oxygen into the rocks, plant then absorbs...well you get the picture.
At least that is my understanding of how bubble ponics and/or DWC works, and why it allows the plant to grow into water never having to let the root mass dry. Same as aeroponics if I'm not mistaken, that just uses eration at the spray tip to create oxygen in the water.
Am I about correct for those of you more experienced?
Working great so far, I'll get some pics up today in my grow journal in my sig.
