Ebb and Flow - Medium adn watering.

Hi,

Well thanks for to your help I know have a much better understanding of Ebb and Flow.

I will be using this system for my next grow.

I was thinking of filling the tray with grow rocks, I am wondering how efficent this meduim is?

Also would there be any addvatage to leaving a 2" rez of water in the bottom of the tray (Maybe adding some air stones for extra airation) or would this just be pointless?

How often would I water a meduim like this?
Would it be worth covering the top of the tray with some sort of light/water proof sheet.

Do you mean Hydrotron or hydrocorn (expanded clay) ,I use it.

expanded clay.

Little odd shaped redy orange balls. with lots of bubbules inside.

I've used it for sometime, good drainage you can flood for 30 min an hour max.I don't like to have water in the bottom of the tray.Thats not to say you can't.Just personal pref.

Right now I'm using coco/perlite. But I can tell you a lot about hydrotron. Flood and drain is very good.

30 mins in every hour?
Is that not alot. I thought you only flooded like 4 time aday. or is that for rockwool as it holds so much water?

If I wanted to extend the time between floods by putting the plants in pots filled with Vermiculight and Perlight would that mean I could flood less offten?

Do you get better results with more floods providing that your medium can drain quick enough?

You don't have to flood that often, thats the max. The bigger your plants get the more often you will want to water,other factors too.Heat, humidity,light
I don't like using perlite or vermiculite in the flood table,it floats out of the net pots,plugs drains,jambs pumps.

okay.

That is fine, just trying to work out how this sytem works.
So you flood and drain as nessasry, I gess you have to watch your plants and see how they are doing.

I have grown DWC with good results, but I think that it is too much work.

Play with the drain fitting till you get the water height you like, a least 2 inches. I flood pretty deep, I like how the water will push all the air out of the media during flood,then fresh air is drawn into the media when it drains,simple but very effective.