another newbie question

hello,

right im a bit confused about this hydroponics lark. Ive got a storage container with a lid to plop my netted pots in, all the ph stuff and plant food almost sorted. now ive got an air pump with a large stone but do i need a water pond pump to supply water to the seedings?

ive read that you lower the level of the water as the roots grow but how does the water get to the seedings? if this isnt right let me know.

do i just pour some water and food on the rockwool cubes? or do i need a pump?

i have been tring to find out this for a while on the net but everything just skips that part out.

Also does anyone know where i can get some of those pendant 150w hps lights? the ones from econolight ran out.

thanks for you help

Bro, I suggest some more reading, looking for DWC systems, and DRIP Systems. Google them, and the replies will bring you back to this site. GOOGLE works better for this site thant this site's search engine does.

I've seem many growers start seedlings in a DWC system, here, with no feeding of the root base or cubes. It is possible and can be successful. For a faster grow, you can use a water pump and a feeder sytem, like a Drip System, but them it has to be on a timer. A Constant DRIP will saturate and drown the root base.
I persoanlly use this:

and I get this:

hey.... yoyo.. hey pop your seeds with the paper towel method. soak papertowel in distilled water, wring out, place seeds on one side of paper towel, fold the other side over encasing your beans, place in unclosed ziplock freezer bag keep damp for couple days or until they crack.. then to the tub

instead of putting nets in the lid which will require a dwc or drip(fountain pump you sugested) just pop them in 3" or 4" rockwool cubes... soak the cube first in phed tap water for 20 min to an hour.. poke a hole in the top with a skewer stick or pen and plant seed root down.. yeah i put my root down, put your root down..
then just water daily keeping the cubes in about 3/4 inch of water/nutes. this will by you at least 3 weeks with an airstone.. water from the top on each cube for the first couple of days... no fountain pump, nets, pumps, tubing, lid, drain, res needed.. ... until your ready for your grow.

ah i see you have your cubes .. you need to water from the top untill the roots are long enough to drink from the wicked moisture in the rockwool... usually i water the first couple of days after i plant cracked seeds or plant clones..

one of my first grows i made a ebb and flow type set up with clear rubbermade tubs ... i used two 2x4 flat underbed storage tubs.. at the hydro store they have teal drains for flood tables.. they're in the hydro catalog as well.. put the drains in with a paddle bit. one in the left corner of one tub and one in the right of the other so that the water that fills them drains easier into the res.... fill the clear tubs with 3 inches of expanded clay.

next is the res.. get the black heavy duty type from the hardware store.. the thicker the better. 27 gallon. also a pump that pump at least 4 foot high.. 1/2 inch tube end cap and spaghetti line tubing... then create a drip line by inserting the spaghetti lines striaight into the 1/2 inch tube.. i use the light blue drip lines with the gold grommets..drip lines go to the top of cubes nest to plant.. and thats about it.. be sure your flow rates stay good... best to put the pump on a timer and regulate floods..