Starting A Small Stealth Deep Water System - Newbie

I got a 3 foot stealth cabinet and just a wee bit confused on getting started. The instructions suggest to plant seeds in dry rockwool in net pots. Add enough water to the reservoir just to the bottom of the net pots. Leave in dark for 24 - 36 hours then turn lights on. (Instructions don't say to wait until the seeds sprout.) If I'm turning the lights on at this stage, is 18 hours per day? Also, am I running the air pump during this time?

I'm assuming putting the seeds in the rockwool and leaving them in the dark for 24-36 hours is a way of germinating them, but I have never heard of doing it in dry rockwool? However if the rockwool was at the bottom of a netpot, water level was near the bottom of the pots & your air pump is on, it would bubble up onto the rockwool and give the seeds the moisture they need to germinate. So yes I say your instructions are pretty spot on! But I would reccomend leaving your lights on for 24 hours a day for a couple days (after they sprout) or until you feel your plants are healthy and ready to go into 18/6 (18h on 6h off - veg) keep in mind the bigger your plants get in veg, when you switch to 12/12 (flowering) they're going to grow two to three times (maybe four of five because hydroponics is the shit) the size that they got to in veg, so calculate everything with the space of your grow box. I'd love to see your stealth cabinet too. Good luck!

I guess because I've put the seeds into the dry rockwell that are sitting in the netpot with the water hitting the bottom of the pot, it keeps the rockwell moist. The rockwell sucks the water up like a sponge which seems OK if the rockwell doesn't get soggy. The confusion hit b/c the instructions weren't clear about when exactly to turn lights on; just lights on after 24-36 hours not if they sprout then turn on. Probably worrying too much but would hate to lose my seeds due to my stumbling around learning curve. There are mixed ideas on the web about exposing germinating seeds to light and not letting rockwell sit in water. Some ppl put seeds that are planted in moistened rockwell under light and some say no light until the seeds sprout then move seedlings from indirect light to full light. sheesh.... Never felt this uncomfortable with tomato seeds but I was working with soil and not hydro. With tomato seeds, I germinate just under the surface of the soil in a small cup that I've placed in a loosely closed baggie and in no time, my seeds would sprout up. Anyway, thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated...

I completely feel you on the confusion, everyone does it differently, for my hydro plants I veg in soil haha. They get super happy when they get into their new homes. I didn't understand your first post until I read it a few times but the instructions make sense, just a little offbeat. So you're growing tomato plants in a stealth growbox? Or... some kush? Haha

ihavealotofquestions said:

I completely feel you on the confusion, everyone does it differently, for my hydro plants I veg in soil haha. They get super happy when they get into their new homes. I didn't understand your first post until I read it a few times but the instructions make sense, just a little offbeat. So you're growing tomato plants in a stealth growbox? Or... some kush? Haha

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Oh, no... sorry... not growing tomatoes. Just saying I'm in a learning curve with the hydro so feeling a bit uncertain and clumsy. I'm like a hen over the chicks hoping my "babies" will grow up all right. So being new to the hydro system makes me feel a little anxious.

Tomatoes were easier and I didn't think twice about it. Just set the seeds to germinate and wait. With kush in a hydro feels different and I'm just wanting everything to work out. I see some beautiful kush plants out there. Everyone makes it look so easy but I guess it is once things are set in motion.

I think that's how everyone is with their babies haha. Good luck hope to see some pictures!