How often to water Ebb Flow 12 site?

My friend just put his Ebb Flow 12 bucket system into but after veggin for about 6-7 weeks he watered 3 times for 15 minutes each time every 24 hours.... Now that the lights are on 12 on and 12 off I told him to water right when the lights come on then another time 4 hours later, then 4 hours after that, then maybe once in the middle of the dark cycle.... what do you guys think???

I guess i should add they are 2 gallon buckets using hydroton with little rockwool plugs about an inch in diameter

Transpiration all but stops in lights off. There's no need to water in lights-off, and it in fact can cause root problems. It's wise not to water in the last 2h of lights-on unless you have extremely vigorous plants which would otherwise wilt.

Roots in pellets can tolerate frequent watering, as much as every 2h beginning at lights-on. Make sure the RW cube is about 1/2" above the flood level.

Flood duration need only be long enough to raise the flood level to overflow, then shut off the pump. This may be 3-4 mins depending on the pump capacity, tray size, etc. Mechanical timers may limit you to minimum 15min increments; select a digital timer so you can program single minute interval runtimes.

Plants may not transpire at night but they do grow. DWC roots are in water 24/7 and they don't seem to mind. I flood for 15 minutes every 2 hours (day and night) but I got net cups. If dude's in 2 gallon buckets I'd say every 3 hours and at least once at night halfway through.

E S said:

Plants may not transpire at night but they do grow.

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If transpiration stops because photosynthesis has stopped, the plant is not actively growing.

DWC roots are in water 24/7 and they don't seem to mind.

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That's because there's a 24/7 air supply to the roots in DWC.

I flood for 15 minutes every 2 hours (day and night) but I got net cups. If dude's in 2 gallon buckets I'd say every 3 hours and at least once at night halfway through.

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Nope, never water in lights-off!

Al B. Fuct said:

If transpiration stops because photosynthesis has stopped, the plant is not actively growing.

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Plants most definitely do grow at night all you gotta do is pay attention.

That's because there's a 24/7 air supply to the roots in DWC.

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Bio-buckets have what's in the water and nothing else (no airstones, no supply lines). No reason E&F can't have the same dissolved oxygen levels.

Nope, never water in lights-off

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I've been doing it for years and a few keystrokes can't touch my experience.

Damn Al.... you really think that was worthy of negative rep? Why you so uptight my fiend? If you had some bad experience watering at night, chime in and let us know.

any chance you could post up some pics of your garden and hydro setup so i can see the results accomplished from watering during lights out ?

I'm in coco for the summer.

E S said:

Damn Al.... you really think that was worthy of negative rep?

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Spreading bullshit is ALWAYS worthy of neg rep.

Why you so uptight my fiend?

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I'm not uptight and this isn't about me, it's about the science.

If you had some bad experience watering at night, chime in and let us know.

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No, I have had no bad experiences with watering in lights-off because I don't do it.

Photosynthesis stops in lights-off and thus so does transpiration. If you water in lights off, the water will just sit there in the rootmass. This isn't my opinion; that's just how plants work.

NEVER water in lights-off. It's a great way to encourage root rot.

I mist the leaves sometimes when lights off but not overkill, just enough to clean dust and anything else off them. I always water within first few hours of lights on seems to work out the best for me.

The plants will begin photosynthesising at lights-on, so that's the time for the first watering. Avoid watering in the last 2h of lights-on unless you have vigorous plants which would otherwise wilt.

Misting is generally unnecessary. A little dust on your plant won't hurt it, certainly not worth risking encouraging leaf fungal problems.

AL---So Im better off flooding 6 times for 5min than 3 times for 15?

Fman said:

AL---So Im better off flooding 6 times for 5min than 3 times for 15?

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15 min flood duration is excessive, no matter the medium. You need only raise the water level in the tray to overflow then shut off.

If using pellets, which hold next to no water, you can flood more often. The action of water draining out of the pots will draw air into the rootzone. Air has more air in it than aerated water, so yes, flooding pellets more often and for a shorter duration is preferable.

Al --Thanks. Yes in pellets now. Im going to switch to fytocell soon. Does that get flooded more, or less, or the same?

al your the shit lol... Once i start my setup I think im coming to you haha

Fman said:

Al --Thanks. Yes in pellets now. Im going to switch to fytocell soon. Does that get flooded more, or less, or the same?

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Fytocell is much more absorbent than pellets and thus can't be flooded as often. I flood small plants (clones in wk1-2 flowering) in Fytocell 2x/lights-on, larger plants get flooded 3x/lights-on.

Gimme The Spliffff said:

al your the shit lol... Once i start my setup I think im coming to you haha

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Only on a cannabis board would 'you're the shit!' be high praise.

Most folks don't think I'm the shit... rather, they think I'm A shit, slightly different meaning.

Al B. Fuct said:

Fytocell is much more absorbent than pellets and thus can't be flooded as often. I flood small plants (clones in wk1-2 flowering) in Fytocell 2x/lights-on, larger plants get flooded 3x/lights-on.



Only on a cannabis board would 'you're the shit!' be high praise.

Most folks don't think I'm the shit... rather, they think I'm A shit, slightly different meaning.

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haha u know ur " shit "

Yes, and I'm also somewhat familiar with the trivial differences between shit & Shinola.

Al B. Fuct said:

Yes, and I'm also somewhat familiar with the trivial differences between shit & Shinola.

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haha whats up al everything goin aight?