sven_lordy
Active Member
Hi there. This is my 3rd attempt with DWC. First couple of times I lost out to rot. First grow - pump not strong enough. Rot started when I changed to a flat disc air stone and the pump didn't have the pressure to push as much air through as the previous stones. 2nd grow - went too far in the opposite direction. I had a 20l (5 gal) bucket, filled with only 12 litres (3 gal) nutes, and added to that a 25w Hailea pump with 10" stone... it covered the entire base of the bucket. The water was an inch below the pot, but the amount of splashing meant the hydroton was constantly soaked to the top of the net pot. Rot set in on week 4 and despite treating with h202 then pool shock, I decided to start fresh with a new strategy.
So, I bought a 45l (12 gal) tote. I bought a 50mm by 300mm ceramic cylinder airstone. I've put the net pot one side of the tote and the airstone on the opposite side. A curtain of fine bubbles drifts from one side of the tote to the other. The water level is 2" below the net pot (holds 6.3 gallons to that level - MUCH more stable temps than before), and the roots haven't started to come through the net yet. The bucket is constantly fizzing with little bubbles bursting and only the bottom 25% of hydroton in the net appears damp from underneath.
My problem is that despite this, I came down this morning to see the plant yet again looking overwatered. Given no roots making touchdown yet, I've just switched the pump off for now. This last happened 3 days ago, so it's taking 3 days of running system for the plant to look oversaturated. The rockwool plug is sat a couple inches above the base of the net pot, so maybe I just transplanted the plant a little early? Maybe the amount of wicking the hydroton is doing would be fine if the plant was more developed and drinking a little more? I'm just after advice to ensure I don't create another environment prime for rotting.
The other thing confusing the crap out of me is that I'm running sterile. All I have in the res is fulvic, Flora TriPart and Silver Bullet Roots. There's no roots in the res water yet but my pH is climbing 0.6 - 0.7 points per day. The plant has been in the res for 5 days now and the constant pH Down doses have already taken my PPM's to 530, starting from 380 (it's still definitely a seedling). I sterilised everything thoroughly before putting it all together at the weekend, so I'm a little confused as to where the rising pH could be coming from?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
EDIT: PS... the Mars TSW2000 looks close to the plant, but it's only running on 25% power! No light stress has been showing... this is below the level where leaves start praying.
So, I bought a 45l (12 gal) tote. I bought a 50mm by 300mm ceramic cylinder airstone. I've put the net pot one side of the tote and the airstone on the opposite side. A curtain of fine bubbles drifts from one side of the tote to the other. The water level is 2" below the net pot (holds 6.3 gallons to that level - MUCH more stable temps than before), and the roots haven't started to come through the net yet. The bucket is constantly fizzing with little bubbles bursting and only the bottom 25% of hydroton in the net appears damp from underneath.
My problem is that despite this, I came down this morning to see the plant yet again looking overwatered. Given no roots making touchdown yet, I've just switched the pump off for now. This last happened 3 days ago, so it's taking 3 days of running system for the plant to look oversaturated. The rockwool plug is sat a couple inches above the base of the net pot, so maybe I just transplanted the plant a little early? Maybe the amount of wicking the hydroton is doing would be fine if the plant was more developed and drinking a little more? I'm just after advice to ensure I don't create another environment prime for rotting.
The other thing confusing the crap out of me is that I'm running sterile. All I have in the res is fulvic, Flora TriPart and Silver Bullet Roots. There's no roots in the res water yet but my pH is climbing 0.6 - 0.7 points per day. The plant has been in the res for 5 days now and the constant pH Down doses have already taken my PPM's to 530, starting from 380 (it's still definitely a seedling). I sterilised everything thoroughly before putting it all together at the weekend, so I'm a little confused as to where the rising pH could be coming from?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
EDIT: PS... the Mars TSW2000 looks close to the plant, but it's only running on 25% power! No light stress has been showing... this is below the level where leaves start praying.
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