Grow Mediums Anyone out there have experience with 24/7 drip systems?

[Animatey]

Hey Guys,

I recently switched from passive hydro (hempies/smart pots with soiless mix) to active hydro (DWC) and I will never look back. It helped me solve my biggest issue: how often do I water? With DWC the answer is 24/7, and I like that answer a lot.

The only part of dwc I don't like is having the roots in with the pump and stones, and the temp sensitivity that can occur when having roots submerged in nute solution. So for my next grow I planned on using either hydroton or perlite and doing 24/7 drip.

I have looked around on the internet, and there is too much mixed information for me to be able to discern if this method can be successful. My biggest fear is that seedlings wont develop full roots like they do in dwc with the bubbling nutes underneath.


Has anyone done successful grows with either hydroton or perlite on a 24/7 drip schedule?

Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your grows!

 

[pop22]

DWC with its currents and airbubbles, out grows every other form of Hydro. I've never seen more than a few broken roots and that was mostly from moving the net pot around. O broke the main stem on a white widow, 90% off. It was in DWC. I tied up together with yarn, and it not only recovered, it doubled its size ( to 43"!! )!

 

[Animatey]

DWC with its currents and airbubbles, out grows every other form of Hydro. I've never seen more than a few broken roots and that was mostly from moving the net pot around. O broke the main stem on a white widow, 90% off. It was in DWC. I tied up together with yarn, and it not only recovered, it doubled its size ( to 43"!! )!

Thanks for the reply man, I agree I haven't seen anything like it! This shit is crazy!

However, In this case I have limited space, and dwc way overgrew it on my last grow, so badly I had to move it out of there. I want to try a drip system, but I am so terrible with watering times I can't imagine trying to get a drip just right, BLECK...!!!! I like the idea of having an external rez, because I can make it huge if I need to leave town for a week. So drip lends itself to some of these things quite nicely.

I have seen some articles and some posts of people saying they have done continuous drip, but I didn't see any full journals or anything like that, nothing really convincing.

 

[Gadgetguy]

I believe if you go with hydroton/lava rock or any VERY WELL draining medium you can run 24/7 drip. This is something I plan on doing soon as well, just doing my research and about to flower out a soil run first.

 

[KsjAuto]

Hi there
I have used top feed system for years, leca as medium..
All my grow journal on site is with "DRIP setup" not 24/7 but root mass is soaked 24/7
You can not over water in hydroton/leca...

Right now im on a sec/min timer (diy timer / arduino 15$,enclosure cost was10$)
40 min off / 50 secs on
I try to recirculate my res in 24 hours

If you go with the 24/4 drip

Heres how to diy a "airlift" for cheaps
It´s the same method used in waterfarms/aquafarms/plantit gemini. These setups typically runs 24/7

[video=youtube;xV8vZqHd0ao]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV8vZqHd0ao[/video]

Root mass in a 3L / 0,79 gal bucket

:Sharing One:

Edit:
Link to a gemini plantit grow journal
https://www.autoflower.org/f44/first-grow-waterfarms-autoxtreme-dutch-passion-17365-6.html
GHE Waterfarm grow journal
https://www.autoflower.org/f61/first-hydro-grow-seven-white-widow-one-fruit-auto-26499-20.html

 

[Happy Horticulturist]

Hey there

Yes what KSJ is saying is 100% true. I've done 24/7 drip with clay pellets and airlift system before and it was awesome. Highly recommended. I think perlite would probably also work as well, but clay pebbles have better drainage so maybe go with them just to be safe.

Using clay pebbles / hydroton remember to WASH the pebbles and wash them again. Then SOAK them for at least 24 - 72 hours in some how ph (about 5.5) water and make sure the pH of the water doesn't raise or else add more pH down and let them soak for longer.

Your idea is a sound one. Good luck

 

[pop22]

I believe if you go with hydroton/lava rock or any VERY WELL draining medium you can run 24/7 drip. This is something I plan on doing soon as well, just doing my research and about to flower out a soil run first.

drip system are probably alright, but if the dripper plugs up.... DWC is resilient. airpump dies? no biggie you can actual go days without it if you need time to get another. Using RDWC? Pump dies? No sweat! Your reservoirs and your control tank all have airstones ( they do don't they?? lol ) you could got till the next res change without a problem. DWC/RDWC is simpler than it looks and has the power to sustain itself without bother for long periods. With all other mechanized hydro systems, power/hardware failure gone undetected more than a few hours and your plants are toast. All systems work, DWC/RDWC are the safest. I can go away for a week and expect my plants to be just fine. There's no other system I'd trust like that!

 

[Animatey]

Hi there
I have used top feed system for years, leca as medium..
All my grow journal on site is with "DRIP setup" not 24/7 but root mass is soaked 24/7
You can not over water in hydroton/leca...

Right now im on a sec/min timer (diy timer / arduino 15$,enclosure cost was10$)
40 min off / 50 secs on
I try to recirculate my res in 24 hours

If you go with the 24/4 drip

Heres how to diy a "airlift" for cheaps
It´s the same method used in waterfarms/aquafarms/plantit gemini. These setups typically runs 24/7

Root mass in a 3L / 0,79 gal bucket

:Sharing One:

Edit:
Link to a gemini plantit grow journal
https://www.autoflower.org/f44/first-grow-waterfarms-autoxtreme-dutch-passion-17365-6.html
GHE Waterfarm grow journal
https://www.autoflower.org/f61/first-hydro-grow-seven-white-widow-one-fruit-auto-26499-20.html

Thanks KSJ! u r the man. I was going to actually ask this question in your critical jack thread but I didn't want to derail your journal. I have seen your results, some really awesome weed!

What about seedlings though? Like once they have maybe 1 set of true leaves, could you leave them in a drip system on 24/7? Or would they like drown somehow?

I noticed you are using canna's aqua, and so I have started to consider it. I like the idea that it is designed with recirculating systems in mind. However I think we use different lights for flower (I use an LED, where as your CJ is under HPS), and I think I would need to add cal mag... Not sure...

Thanks again for the vid and links, I will check them out!

 

[Animatey]

Hey there

Yes what KSJ is saying is 100% true. I've done 24/7 drip with clay pellets and airlift system before and it was awesome. Highly recommended. I think perlite would probably also work as well, but clay pebbles have better drainage so maybe go with them just to be safe.

Using clay pebbles / hydroton remember to WASH the pebbles and wash them again. Then SOAK them for at least 24 - 72 hours in some how ph (about 5.5) water and make sure the pH of the water doesn't raise or else add more pH down and let them soak for longer.

Your idea is a sound one. Good luck

Hey man, thanks for stopping by! I appreciate the advice on washing them, as I have struggled some with PH this grow. I will heed your words! Thanks man ;D

drip system are probably alright, but if the dripper plugs up.... DWC is resilient. airpump dies? no biggie you can actual go days without it if you need time to get another. Using RDWC? Pump dies? No sweat! Your reservoirs and your control tank all have airstones ( they do don't they?? lol ) you could got till the next res change without a problem. DWC/RDWC is simpler than it looks and has the power to sustain itself without bother for long periods. With all other mechanized hydro systems, power/hardware failure gone undetected more than a few hours and your plants are toast. All systems work, DWC/RDWC are the safest. I can go away for a week and expect my plants to be just fine. There's no other system I'd trust like that!

Hey man, I appreciate your enthusiasm lol ;D I have had the best results so far with DWC and I might stick with it simply because I can't afford to fuck up another harvest ;[

I am not sure what I am going to do yet... I wouldn't actually use drippers though, I would use drip line like I do with my dwc and it doesn't really clog... I guess there is less clay to wash in there. But if I use like half inch lines and just let it run over the wool like a river (like I do in DWC) lol ... the plant seems to like it ok... She is my best so far.

 

[Gadgetguy]

drip system are probably alright, but if the dripper plugs up.... DWC is resilient. airpump dies? no biggie you can actual go days without it if you need time to get another. Using RDWC? Pump dies? No sweat! Your reservoirs and your control tank all have airstones ( they do don't they?? lol ) you could got till the next res change without a problem. DWC/RDWC is simpler than it looks and has the power to sustain itself without bother for long periods. With all other mechanized hydro systems, power/hardware failure gone undetected more than a few hours and your plants are toast. All systems work, DWC/RDWC are the safest. I can go away for a week and expect my plants to be just fine. There's no other system I'd trust like that!

Gotcha, and thank you for the reply! Still in the planning stages here