OPINIONS: 4'x8' Cocotek Hydroponic Growing Mats

Hi Id like some opinions on this product vs clay pebbles or any other hydro medium.

I have (4) 4'x8' trays and plan to utilize a ebb/flow hydro system. I have used the clay pebbles b4 and I find the after harvest cleanup to be a lot of work. Esp 400-500L of this stuff. Im thinking that the mat will be easier as I can just roll it up and be done with it post harvest.

My plan (per your opinions on this stuff) is to put my clones into 4" r/w cubes and place the cubes directly onto the mat. Im hoping that the roots will grow in and under this stuff and prosper.

My questions:
1. Will this medium (mat) effect my yield vs the clay pebbles?
2. These mats come in sizes 4'x8'x0.25"....Since they are so thin (1/4") do they expand upon getting wet from flooding?
3. Do you have a better solution?

Thank you in advance for your help.

what does it take to get people to post around here? No one's used these mats? Is everyone a newb like me?

Heya

first...lemme say that I've never tried exactly what you are talking about doing.

I have messed around a bit with these mats tho....both in hydro (DWC) and soil. (beds)

comments

I'm gonna predict that you'll see a substantiall drop in yield vs. hydroton.

The roots will penetrate the mat but it takes awhile and they will spread laterally first. (soil beds)

The mat won't expand in water. what ya see is what ya get.

I also think it may be hard to get it to lay flat in the tray with just the weight of the 4" cubes on it. Have you tried unrolling a mat of it?

I used it as a block to keep hydroton out of the buckets in my DWC and saw far less rooots in the water/a lower yield that run. I now use plastic gutter gaurds...

hope that helps somewhere along the line. good luck

beenthere donethat said:

Heya

first...lemme say that I've never tried exactly what you are talking about doing.

I have messed around a bit with these mats tho....both in hydro (DWC) and soil. (beds)

comments

I'm gonna predict that you'll see a substantiall drop in yield vs. hydroton.

The roots will penetrate the mat but it takes awhile and they will spread laterally first. (soil beds)

The mat won't expand in water. what ya see is what ya get.

I also think it may be hard to get it to lay flat in the tray with just the weight of the 4" cubes on it. Have you tried unrolling a mat of it?

I used it as a block to keep hydroton out of the buckets in my DWC and saw far less rooots in the water/a lower yield that run. I now use plastic gutter gaurds...

hope that helps somewhere along the line. good luck

Click to expand...

Thanks for your thoughts