Res recirc question?

waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Is it really necessary to recirculate water in your main res between floods? I run a continuos flood system now but am going to time it to see if there is a difference in growth so just wondering if I should add an air stone in it. If it is not needed I would prefer not to as I don't run any air now and floom for DO now. Thanks in advance for any insight.
 
SnaFuu

SnaFuu

Well-Known Member
As long as you're flooming that's recirculating, no?

Are you asking if you can stop this? Cause i'd say thats a bad idea.
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Actually i floom using the pump so yes it would be off. Between floods the main res would be idle. Pretty sure thats not a great thing but thought I'd ask. The light off period would be mean atleast 6hrs of res just sitting there. The upper res would be completely drained fyi.
 
Clown Baby

Clown Baby

Well-Known Member
When you say you're going to start timing it, does that mean you're going to a flood and drain system? If so, that means your roots are going to have fresh air sucked in after every flood/drain cycle, so adequate D.O. isn't going to be an issue.

The only issue I can see an airstone addressing might be keeping nutrients mixed? I know some of the organic-based stuff (eg all that mud in floranova) likes to settle out of solution. But if you're running something totally synthetic like dynagro it shouldnt be an issue.

I don't know how it would affect you from a reservoir-bacteria standpoint, as I typically use bleach to keep a semi-sterile reservoir. But i've never had problems running a flood-drain without an air pump

Take this for what it is: advice from a stranger on the internet.
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I combine top feed on a timer with recir rez flooming over ornamental rocks (flooming) + magnets (pics in my thread)

Growth is amazing, so when you ask 'is it necessary?" only if you want to begin to take your grows to another level
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
So top feed is better than flood and drain? I've never heard that before. I did do top feed when i first started hydro but was a newb (still am lol). And had issues with plugged feeders and stuff so I switched. Perhaps to quick to quit huh lol. At that time I was using flora nova :(, now I run completely sterile (I hope) res with weekly H2O2.
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
My first top feed drip was a disaster.

Back then I was not using Hydroponic-Research V+B

Had I, I probably would not have gone down the hpa super highway

But it actually helped me understand how roots feed, which helped me develop the hybrid system I use now.

Come by and watch it + my HPR (High Performance Rez) in action
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
PetFlora said:
My first top feed drip was a disaster.

Back then I was not using Hydroponic-Research V+B

Had I, I probably would not have gone down the hpa super highway

But it actually helped me understand how roots feed, which helped me develop the hybrid system I use now.

Come by and watch it + my HPR (High Performance Rez) in action
Click to expand...
I will do that, thanks!
 
Hydroburn

Hydroburn

Well-Known Member
I run a 100 gallon flooming DWC system and tried turning off the water pump during the 12 hour dark cycle and started seeing leaf droop. I didn't play with any more on/off timing or anything... just decided to leave it on 24/0.
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Hydroburn said:
I run a 100 gallon flooming DWC system and tried turning off the water pump during the 12 hour dark cycle and started seeing leaf droop. I didn't play with any more on/off timing or anything... just decided to leave it on 24/0.
Click to expand...
But your roots are always submerged correct? So when pumps off they are sitting in water with no air? If that is the case then no the plants would not like that lol. My setup is different in that the roots are not submerged when pump is off.
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Hydroburn said:
Well I guess I don't understand what you mean by 'continuous flood system' then.

Good luck.
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Basically a flood and drain with upper and lower totes and water is pumped up to flood. With pump off it drains back to lower res. I have always ran it with out a drain cycle so I guess kind of NFT but deeper lol. I,ve never known what to call it lol. Its a DIY thing! Plants have always done well but strain I have now looks like its getting to much water, i actually put on timer today to see if plants react.
 
bird mcbride

bird mcbride

Well-Known Member
My upper and lower res F&D system fills the table and the lower res through a 1" electronic valve, then it pumps it back into the upper res from the lower res.
I have it like this so i can get the table closer to the floor and I can get away with using cheap timers and 1/2 hour water cycle.
In this system the upper res gets air but the lower res doesn't.
 
Alaric

Alaric

Well-Known Member
waterdawg said:
Actually i floom using the pump so yes it would be off. Between floods the main res would be idle. Pretty sure thats not a great thing but thought I'd ask. The light off period would be mean atleast 6hrs of res just sitting there. The upper res would be completely drained fyi.
Click to expand...
R U saying u don't flood for 6 hrs-----with lights off?

Way I c it----you oxygenate while flooding-----but would not feel comfortable with no flood for 6 hrs (if the case).

IMO, 24/7 isn't necessary for nute delivery----really helps with op cost if running aero and pumps that consume as much power as a 1k.

I've come to the conclusion after running constant circulation, DWC, and so called aero in 6" x10' pvc pipes -----as long as u keep your nutes cool and fed to the plants when required (I know many opinions about this)----and all other factors are within bounds----success.

Running high 60s for nute temp isn't required-----I've had many runs of 2/1k running mid 70s----never had a root problem.

Best regards to all my fellow potheads,

A~~~
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Well yes if I was flooding I thought people were only flooding once or twice evry lights of cycle? I have it set for two floods now i think. I'd have to look but this is the first day flooding. Im going to see how the girls do next few days. I thought plant got oxygen when drained? So confused lol.
 
Alaric

Alaric

Well-Known Member
waterdawg said:
Well yes if I was flooding I thought people were only flooding once or twice evry lights of cycle? I have it set for two floods now i think. I'd have to look but this is the first day flooding. Im going to see how the girls do next few days. I thought plant got oxygen when drained? So confused lol.
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When u have water/nutes moving through air it's oxygenated-----think of a moving river----do fish and plants live in rivers?

A~~~
 
JustADudeMan

JustADudeMan

Member
waterdawg said:
Well yes if I was flooding I thought people were only flooding once or twice evry lights of cycle? I have it set for two floods now i think. I'd have to look but this is the first day flooding. Im going to see how the girls do next few days. I thought plant got oxygen when drained? So confused lol.
Click to expand...
Hey waterdawg,
Not sure if you remember I was going through timing issues with my new setup, I was getting a lot of pyth from 24/7, so I cut i pulled the slime off and the dead roots, I'm now running a 30 min flood with 2.5 hrs between..
They seem to be recovering great, new bright white hairs are bursting through and the plants are just maybe stunted from the shock,
But so far the extra air time allowed the roots enough oxygen the pyth hasn't come back,
Just my 2 cents, find out where you strain likes an stick with it. I played with my timer or a week to get it right, at worst I had a couple droopy leaves,

Sounds like an interesting setup! How tall does it stand? I'm thinking of using a tote for a dwc in flower because I only have two pipes, something in those off weeks would be nice ...
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
Alaric said:
When u have water/nutes moving through air it's oxygenated-----think of a moving river----do fish and plants live in rivers?

A~~~
Click to expand...
I realize that but thought the whole reasoning behind F/D was more oxygen. I run constant flow so yes do understand the oxygen in flowing water or my plants would be long ago dead lol, beside i fly fish in rivers lol.
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
JustADudeMan said:
Hey waterdawg,
Not sure if you remember I was going through timing issues with my new setup, I was getting a lot of pyth from 24/7, so I cut i pulled the slime off and the dead roots, I'm now running a 30 min flood with 2.5 hrs between..
They seem to be recovering great, new bright white hairs are bursting through and the plants are just maybe stunted from the shock,
But so far the extra air time allowed the roots enough oxygen the pyth hasn't come back,
Just my 2 cents, find out where you strain likes an stick with it. I played with my timer or a week to get it right, at worst I had a couple droopy leaves,

Sounds like an interesting setup! How tall does it stand? I'm thinking of using a tote for a dwc in flower because I only have two pipes, something in those off weeks would be nice ...
Click to expand...
Ya thats why i want to try a few things differently next run. This last grow sucked!
 
waterdawg

waterdawg

Well-Known Member
My roots were always slightly off color except when treated with peroxide. Don't really know what the issue is/was, still waiting for two different strains to finish :(. Taking a long time sadly. The plants growing are actually showing signs if over water I think.
 
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