How much room do the roots need in hydro DWC set up?

[Sucker4theHighgrade]

I am nearly there, ve got a new light coming as I underestimated the noise from the 2200W Phlyzon lamp I had been given (light for sale, UK =) ) Anyways have read everything on this page and am sure I am all set but as this is my first plant I am super paranoid about things I can't work out which brings me to m question:

How much room do I need to leave between bottom of the plug and the ground, Ionly have abotu 10-12cm between seed plug and water stone, will that be a problem?

Thanks for the support btw, love this forum

[ChubbNugg]

It seems a little slim to me. I'm sure others here know more about it.

[Sucker4theHighgrade]

Glad it's not just me, am plugging everythign in tomorrow so I can still raise them, I just eagerly cut holes in my Wilma box to slot the pots into which looks good but seems like it wasn't clever after all, did you find any guidance on height between pot and water level and water depth?

[ChubbNugg]

I'm an organic man. I love the earth and the teaming life within it. The only time I use hydroponics is in my turbo cloner. What a Fun machine ! you could mosey on over to Nebula's tutorials. She has a nifty looking tote with many grows published using it. You may learn something over there.

[SoOrbudgal]

I've seen healthy roots 4ft long they just get all weightless an tangled in the tote

[Blowdout2269]

I'm not sure that I understand the question.
Between the plug an the ground?
Do you mean between the bottom of net pot and the water? If so, I'd say about for to six inches if heathy roots are started. Lmk if u are talking about something else

[Sucker4theHighgrade]

pretty much, by plug I meant the seed plug sitting in the pot, its got a couple of cm of pebbles underneath, then a couple of inches to water level and water is about 4 inches deep (airstone on the bottom)

[DW2]

Howdy Sucker4theHighgrade, I try to keep an air gap (from the bottom of the net pot to the top of the water) of about 50 to 75 mm. I also keep the water very well aeriated as well. I use a 10-gallon tote with 6 gallons of water/nutrient mix. I usually have up to three plants make it to maturity (approximately 4-to-5-foot height) and the reservoir usually gets filled up with roots, they grow around all of the air stones and the water pump. Just keep the roots cool (62° F - 70° F), keep out all light intrusions and well aeriated (I use four 2-in x 4-in air stones in each reservoir).

[ChubbNugg]

I read somewhere that submersed air stones can build up films, and trap bacteria that are bad for plants. Is that true?

[DW2]

ChubbNugg, I have not had any problems with 'films' forming on the air stones. The roots do surround the stones (i imagine looking for O2) completely during a grow. I clean the air stones after a grow buy first soaking them (for 48 or more hours) white vinegar (the 5% kind used for canning) and then rinse them with plain water and a soak in H2O2 for 48 hours to sterilize them. The bad bacterial and algael growth is kept under control by the aeriation and by keeping the water temperature below 70° F. I tried using the 'friendly' bacteria before, but they did not work well for me.

[Blowdout2269]

If not using Hydroguard I get a pink film. But the introduction of good bacteria keeps the reservoir clear and the stones clean, minus the discoloration from nutrients.

[ChubbNugg]

do you think the pink comes from the DC Red#5 in the bloom nutes?

[Blowdout2269]

I don't think so. It's some kinda of growth that I could manage with H2o2. But since I moved to Hydroguard, haven't seen it at all. And I use more bloom nutes than ever atm.