HYDRO Bubbleponic design question: Minimum safe depth of reservoir/tote/bucket?

[MSsucks]

I'm putting together something like Nebula's bubbleponics DWC article. My question is about the tub/tote that is the base/container.

In an effort to reduce the total height required for my indoor grow, I'd like to make the top of the pots as low as possible in order to provide me with as much room between them and the light as possible.

What is the minimum height or minimum depth, depending on how you look at it, of this container?

I know there is an air-gap between the bottom of the net pots and the top of the nutes. What is the minimum safe depth of water/nutes? What is the minimum safe distance (air-gap) between the top surface of the nutes and the bottom of the net pot?

Thanks.

[gbauto]

Only advice I can give on that would be if you're using rockwool in your net pot, don't let it sit in the solution.

[furrysparkle]

Same with rapid rooters

[Toker1]

The minimum air gap distance is only a few inches when the plant is young, before the roots touch the water. Then you increase it to 4 inches or so when the roots are touching the water.
The smaller your container is, the smaller your roots will be. Smaller roots = smaller fruits. Not to mention that you will be filling and messing with it more often when it’s smaller. So it’s really your discretion.
If height is an issue...can you make the basin/reservoir with a wider square foot print instead?

[MSsucks]

If height is an issue...can you make the basin/reservoir with a wider square foot print instead?

Yes, to a point. In Nebula's example, she is using a 10 gal tote that has a smaller footprint in both length and width. I don't have an example of it's dimensions now, but it's at least twice as tall as what I have found that is 16 gal.

I didn't know the roots couldn't touch the water. I know that I've seen pics of the roots growing down into the water?

[Toker1]

the roots should be submerged into the water... I meant when the plant is so young that it does not reach yet. In that case you want the water line closer to the net pot. Once the roots touch the water, you can begin increasing the air gap, but you want the roots to be submerged in DWC.

[D.A.A.S.69]

What does the MSsucks mean ?

[MSsucks]

multiple sclerosis sucks

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yeah, Multiple Sclerosis sucks big time. That must be tough.
I thought you were talking about the State of Ms., it ain't to far from sucking either.

[DW2]

I thought that He was making a comment about Microsoft! LOL

[DW2]

Howdy MSsucks, I use a Sterilite 10 gallon tote, it is approximately 13 inches tall and using 3 3/.4 inch net pots (3 inches tall) there is barely enough room for an air gap towards the end of the grow. I grow five plants in my reservoirs and have had 'root balls' that have taken up to 2 gallons of the capacity of the reservoir. I have my totes up on top of 5 gallon buckets, so that the totes are easily drained into a 5 gallon bucket for disposal when changing out the water. I have had plants grow up to 57 inches tall and even above the lights at times. Like Toker1 said, a wider, lower profile tub would lower the over all height requirement, but could have it's own problems with filling more often and trying to get the 'root ball' the spread out, etc..
I would recommend the 10 gallon totes (be certain to get ONLY an opaque one, no light colors, if you can see a shadow thru it, it's too light), and do some LST'ing to keep the plants lower.

[MSsucks]

Yes, after thinking about it more, I don't think it's worth the headache for a few extra inches. I think I'll just stick to the standard 10 gal totes.

Thanks.