Bubbleponics/DWC top fed seedling issue HELP

[chasingwaterfalls]

How is your rockwool? Has it gotten "mushy" or not kept its cube shape?

I started a topfed DWC last month (first hydro attempt, so just sharing my experience!), too. I had rockwool that turned soggy and would fall apart when touching it. I had seedlings in these rockwool cubes stall after sprouting their first set of leaves. It seemed like this caused the rockwool to be waterlogged and the plants looked like they were suffocating.

I've used rockwool in the past and haven't had any issues before with soaking the rockwool and keeping it damp (when I was using it for cloning).

So, my guess is the top feed. I kept a water pump dripping onto my rockwool cubes 24/7, and it seemed like it kept the rockwool too wet. I removed one seedling from the rockwool and transplanted directly into the hydroton. It's alive now, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it.

I started another seed in a rockwool cube, and I've only been handwatering once every day or two. This one's not stalling like my first round!

Hope this helps, just one novice's experience.

 

[TheWizZ]

How is your rockwool? Has it gotten "mushy" or not kept its cube shape?

I started a topfed DWC last month (first hydro attempt, so just sharing my experience!), too. I had rockwool that turned soggy and would fall apart when touching it. I had seedlings in these rockwool cubes stall after sprouting their first set of leaves. It seemed like this caused the rockwool to be waterlogged and the plants looked like they were suffocating.

I've used rockwool in the past and haven't had any issues before with soaking the rockwool and keeping it damp (when I was using it for cloning).

So, my guess is the top feed. I kept a water pump dripping onto my rockwool cubes 24/7, and it seemed like it kept the rockwool too wet. I removed one seedling from the rockwool and transplanted directly into the hydroton. It's alive now, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it.

I started another seed in a rockwool cube, and I've only been handwatering once every day or two. This one's not stalling like my first round!

Hope this helps, just one novice's experience.

This is my first time around so with that said I don't feel like my rock wool is soaking wet but it definitely stays moist to the touch because of the constant top feeding... I'm kinda on the fence right now on what to do. I was under the impression that as long as the water has oxygen in it that the plant couldn't "drown". I'm thinking about unplugging the pump and plugging it in twice daily for like 10 min at a time or something.. I'd just hate to have to start over for something so stupid.

Appreciate the help bro!

 

[TheWizZ]

How is your rockwool? Has it gotten "mushy" or not kept its cube shape?

I started a topfed DWC last month (first hydro attempt, so just sharing my experience!), too. I had rockwool that turned soggy and would fall apart when touching it. I had seedlings in these rockwool cubes stall after sprouting their first set of leaves. It seemed like this caused the rockwool to be waterlogged and the plants looked like they were suffocating.

I've used rockwool in the past and haven't had any issues before with soaking the rockwool and keeping it damp (when I was using it for cloning).

So, my guess is the top feed. I kept a water pump dripping onto my rockwool cubes 24/7, and it seemed like it kept the rockwool too wet. I removed one seedling from the rockwool and transplanted directly into the hydroton. It's alive now, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it.

I started another seed in a rockwool cube, and I've only been handwatering once every day or two. This one's not stalling like my first round!

Hope this helps, just one novice's experience.

Also my rockwool looks messed with because I opened them to drop the germinated seed into it

 

[chasingwaterfalls]

It is dumb ha but i did the same thing for a few days before getting another timer for the pump.

Ill post pics if it matters to you later today, but i have one seedling that is going through what youre talking about and one thats doing fine in rockwool, just 3 weeks later. The only thing i changed was how often i was watering/how wet the rockwool got.

 

[TheWizZ]

It is dumb ha but i did the same thing for a few days before getting another timer for the pump.

Ill post pics if it matters to you later today, but i have one seedling that is going through what youre talking about and one thats doing fine in rockwool, just 3 weeks later. The only thing i changed was how often i was watering/how wet the rockwool got.

Yeah I'd def like to see some pictures. I may just start top feeding manually idk.

 

[rkymtnman]

Yeah I'd def like to see some pictures. I may just start top feeding manually idk.

where is the rockwool cube located in the netpot? towards the top, middle, bottom?

another thing you can try is to put maybe an inch of hydroton on the bottom, then set the rocwool on top of that and fill in the rest of the way with hydroton. bring yoour water level in the res to right at the bottom of the netpot and the bubbles breaking the surface will wet the hydroton enough to keep the rockwool moist but not soaking wet.

 

[chasingwaterfalls]

Would top feeding not be needed at any point then, if the bubbles keep the bottom of the rockwool wet?

 

[rkymtnman]

Would top feeding not be needed at any point then, if the bubbles keep the bottom of the rockwool wet?

i'm not a fan of rockwool for these reasons: seems like it's either way too wet or too dry.

topfeeding is a great idea until the roots come out of the netpot: you just have to figure out what is just right, not too wet and not too dry.

i've had much better luck with rapid rooters for starting seeds. just my 2 cents. i start mine in a little aero unit and the rapid rooters are always soaking wet but i usually have roots coming out of the rapid rooters within maybe a week of the seed germinating.

 

[chasingwaterfalls]

The one on the right is the one that went through what sounds like the same issue as yours. The one on the left is a seed i planted in rockwool 3 weeks after i planted the one on the right, and it's already bigger.

It just seems like the one with the rockwool issue is developing its leaves even though it's still tiny - it seems stunted. Keeping it around for shits and giggles for another week before i decide.
When i let my rockwool dry out, it didnt stay firm like how I'm used to it being. Instead, it fell apart and felt like cotton candy. I read elsewhere that someone had the same issue with their rockwool after soaking in water that was too acidic. For me, it didnt seem like the rockwool was working after it got soggy like this, so i removed the seedling from it and transplated in pebbles. The other two i left in the soggy rockwool shriveled up and died.

Manually watering the one on the left for now, just once a day, and checking the rockwool when i can.

 

[TheWizZ]

where is the rockwool cube located in the netpot? towards the top, middle, bottom?

another thing you can try is to put maybe an inch of hydroton on the bottom, then set the rocwool on top of that and fill in the rest of the way with hydroton. bring yoour water level in the res to right at the bottom of the netpot and the bubbles breaking the surface will wet the hydroton enough to keep the rockwool moist but not soaking wet.

They're in 5" net pots filled a little less then halfway and I have the rockwool sittin on top of that. The top of the rockwool sits flush with the top of the net pot.

 

[rkymtnman]

The one on the right is the one that went through what sounds like the same issue as yours. The one on the left is a seed i planted in rockwool 3 weeks after i planted the one on the right, and it's already bigger.

It just seems like the one with the rockwool issue is developing its leaves even though it's still tiny - it seems stunted. Keeping it around for shits and giggles for another week before i decide.View attachment 3875492
When i let my rockwool dry out, it didnt stay firm like how I'm used to it being. Instead, it fell apart and felt like cotton candy. I read elsewhere that someone had the same issue with their rockwool after soaking in water that was too acidic. For me, it didnt seem like the rockwool was working after it got soggy like this, so i removed the seedling from it and transplated in pebbles. The other two i left in the soggy rockwool shriveled up and died.

Manually watering the one on the left for now, just once a day, and checking the rockwool when i can.

i used to get clones in rockwool and i would cut them out with a sterile razor and just put them right in the hydroton. sounds like it worked for you too doing it that way.

 

[rkymtnman]

They're in 5" net pots filled a little less then halfway and I have the rockwool sittin on top of that. The top of the rockwool sits flush with the top of the net pot.

if you want to try it, try bringing your water level in the res up to maybe an inch above the netpot (so the bottom in underwater) and let the breaking bubbles keep the hydroton and the bottom of the rockwool cube moist. you'd be surprised how far the hydroton will "wick" the water up into the rockwool. just experiment til you find a water level that looks like it's correct.

 

[chasingwaterfalls]

i used to get clones in rockwool and i would cut them out with a sterile razor and just put them right in the hydroton. sounds like it worked for you too doing it that way.

Thewizz, last post and ill stop jacking your thread!

Rky, I'm not a fan of rockwool in dwc already, would the transplant shock be worth it to move my normal seedling to hydroton?

 

[rkymtnman]

if you can keep the bottom of the rockwool moist and the top dry, that should be good. the plant will search out the moisture and force the roots downward

 

[rkymtnman]

Thewizz, last post and ill stop jacking your thread!

sounds like both of you are having the same issues. we're all here to learn!

Rky, I'm not a fan of rockwool in dwc already, would the transplant shock be worth it to move my normal seedling to hydroton?

like i said, get a razor blade or xacto knife, sterilize in alcohol, and cut a vertical seam on one side of the cube and try to peel it away from the roots VERY gently. then transplant to the hydroton and i bet it perks up in 48 hrs.

 

[DrBlaze]

Try to resist the urge to do any more to it for about a week

try not to drench the rockwool and drown the new roots (this is where a drip ring comes in handy,

At the risk of repeating myself.

If you don't want to use drip rings, them hand watering the hydroten (but not the rockwool - it will stay wet and wick what it needs from the hydroten) is a good compromise.

Good luck

 

[TheWizZ]

The one on the right is the one that went through what sounds like the same issue as yours. The one on the left is a seed i planted in rockwool 3 weeks after i planted the one on the right, and it's already bigger.

It just seems like the one with the rockwool issue is developing its leaves even though it's still tiny - it seems stunted. Keeping it around for shits and giggles for another week before i decide.View attachment 3875492
When i let my rockwool dry out, it didnt stay firm like how I'm used to it being. Instead, it fell apart and felt like cotton candy. I read elsewhere that someone had the same issue with their rockwool after soaking in water that was too acidic. For me, it didnt seem like the rockwool was working after it got soggy like this, so i removed the seedling from it and transplated in pebbles. The other two i left in the soggy rockwool shriveled up and died.

Manually watering the one on the left for now, just once a day, and checking the rockwool when i can.

I think I'm gonna switch to watering once a day as well. You feeding them yet?

 

[TheWizZ]

At the risk of repeating myself.

If you don't want to use drip rings, them hand watering the hydroten (but not the rockwool - it will stay wet and wick what it needs from the hydroten) is a good compromise.

Good luck

Haha thanks again dude. I'm definitely listening I just probably won't get the rings this time around. I'm gonna go ahead and do what you said and water the hydroton around it. I raised the water level like you said as well.

 

[TheWizZ]

Thewizz, last post and ill stop jacking your thread!

Rky, I'm not a fan of rockwool in dwc already, would the transplant shock be worth it to move my normal seedling to hydroton?

No worries man were all trying to learn!

 

[TheWizZ]

if you want to try it, try bringing your water level in the res up to maybe an inch above the netpot (so the bottom in underwater) and let the breaking bubbles keep the hydroton and the bottom of the rockwool cube moist. you'd be surprised how far the hydroton will "wick" the water up into the rockwool. just experiment til you find a water level that looks like it's correct.

The water level is currently right up to the bottom of the netpot