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Roots Won't Grow in Top-Fed Sytem

D

Devolicious

New member
Hey there. First post here. I'm looking all over and don't know the right way to phrase the search.

This is my first time growing. I received three clones in rapid rooters. One died overnight. One is quite stunted with roots just beginning to poke though the net basket. The other one is growing really nicely and I've been LSTing it.

The problem is that the roots WILL NOT extend even TO the net baskets, much less grow out of them and reach the bubbling water below.

Transplanted about 5 weeks ago and I'm getting distressed. When I poke through the hydroton, I can see a big furry ball of white roots ready to do...something. They just won't DO anything!

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

Thanks.
 
Hey Devolicious, welcome to the forum!!! You are among wild and crazy friends here.

I'm on my second hydroponic grow, and on my first grow (last summer), I had that issue with one of my two plants: on one, the roots came down into reservoir and formed a very nice mass, but the other plant remained a runt, and the roots never made it down to the reservoir. She produced some very nice bud nonetheless. Here is what I have learned about these root issues:

1. The oxygen to the roots issue is a very big deal I have learned. Nebula (who runs the forum) recently suggested raising the water level in my reservoir so that it was like 2 inches below the bottom of net pot. It had been much lower previously. That has helped a ton on my second grow: the oxygen from the airstones is bubbling all over the bottom of the net pots and reaching the roots much better. All my roots emerged on this grow and are in the reservoir. (I'm about to begin week 6 vegetation).

2. I think some plants are just going to be smaller than others, because I was treating my 2 plants (same strain) the same way on my first grow.

I'm sure you will get other information from the more advanced growers on this forum, so hang in their: your girls will be all right!!!!
 
I have not used a top fed but have done DWC. Never had this happen. Some more info and perhaps pics to show your setup would help. Curious as well.
 
Thank you for your replies! I'll snap a few pics tonight after work and post them. Thanks for responding. I've been so frustrated by this!
 
Are the feed lines at the bottom of the rooter plugs? I am using a DIG 6-outlet distributor ($6) with a 127 GPH H2O pump the plastic tubing runs up to the bottom of the Rockwool cubes and encourage root growth until they reach the water in the reservoir. Good aeration is very important in DWC, I use two 4" air stones in my six gallon reservoirs.
Good luck with your grow.
 
DW2 said:
Are the feed lines at the bottom of the rooter plugs? I am using a DIG 6-outlet distributor ($6) with a 127 GPH H2O pump the plastic tubing runs up to the bottom of the Rockwool cubes and encourage root growth until they reach the water in the reservoir. Good aeration is very important in DWC, I use two 4" air stones in my six gallon reservoirs.
Good luck with your grow.
Click to expand...

Thanks, DW2. No, the emitters are at the top...they drip down every 5 hours for 15 min through hyrdoton. Almost a direct drip on the plug itself.
 
A continuous flow of water will train the roots better. The flow is just a small stream or trickle, not a lot. The pump is rated at 127 GPH (but that is most likely an unrestricted flow). Once the roots are well established into the reservoir, the trickle flow could be turned off, but it does help keep the upper portion of the roots moist.
The continuous flow is probably the greater factor in getting the roots to grow down than whether the stream is above the root plug or below it.
 
DW2, I moved the air stone to the center of the reservoir and raised the water level as suggested by Nebula. WOW WOW WOW what a difference! The root growth was IMMEDIATE. Within 24 hours, I saw the stunted plants roots shooting southward, and then the big plant (who was net-pot bound) started sprouting like crazy! The effervescence of the bubbling water made all the difference in the world!

Thank you so much for your input on this!
 
Welcome Devol

You did the right thing, so to let you know one of my air-stones got disconnected my first grow I just thought it was a runt, it didn't grow well. If you have a 10 gallon tub with the 5 gallons in it mark that spot for yourself for when the plant starts sucking water down. and make sure the water is about 2 inches below the net pot.
 
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