Lil'Stick , Wedding CK, Russian Queen 2024 by MOG.

[Mañ'O'Green]

Time for an update, the younger plants got their first fertigation last night. The Lil'Stick is doing well. The polliwog is not going to make it.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Time for an update. I diluted the reservoir from 800 PPM to 500PPM and flushed the rock wool cubes today. I cannot see the run-off coming from the Big Mama and I am concerned it is not getting the 20% target. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I mixed a new batch that starts fertigating tonight.

The little polliwog is showing signs of life! I don't thin k it will amount to much, I have a hard time culling any live plant

 

[Entombed]

Hey MoG,

I have my first Grodan block and I got the floraflex cap for it and the clips. What name is this part or where did you get this manifold for the 1/4" tubing?

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hey MoG,

I have my first Grodan block and I got the floraflex cap for it and the clips. What name is this part or where did you get this manifold for the 1/4" tubing?

View attachment 1712327

That is all standard drip irrigation/irrigation parts from home depot.

 

[Lil Dab]

Hey MoG,

I have my first Grodan block and I got the floraflex cap for it and the clips. What name is this part or where did you get this manifold for the 1/4" tubing?

View attachment 1712327

I couldn’t find those locally like I did most other parts but I did find them on Amazon

Amazon.com

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I couldn’t find those locally like I did most other parts but I did find them on Amazon

Amazon.com

If you want to be good at hydroponics you need to learn to MacGyver stuff .

 

[Lil Dab]

If you want to be good at hydroponics you need to learn to MacGyver stuff .

Oh for sure would you like to see my fittings collection?

 

[BII]

A question about use of the stone wool blocks. I have a Grodan Big Mama 8x8x8 inch block to experiment with, but don't have the reservoir, drip system, automation, etc. that would normally be used. What problems, if any, should I expect if I simply manually feed, drain-to-waste, the cube; treat it essentially the same as my coco/perlite pots?

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

A question about use of the stone wool blocks. I have a Grodan Big Mama 8x8x8 inch block to experiment with, but don't have the reservoir, drip system, automation, etc. that would normally be used. What problems, if any, should I expect if I simply manually feed, drain-to-waste, the cube; treat it essentially the same as my coco/perlite pots?

The only thing you must watch out for is channeling. If you irrigate rock wool too fast, the water may form channels that the water just flows out the bottom without wetting the entire media. It can become hydrophobic just like any other media leaving dry pockets. That is why drip is the preferred fertigating method. The slow movement of the water allows the capillary action of the water to wet the entire cube. I use Yucca powder as a surfactant to aid the capillary action.

I would get a 10" deep bucket that the Big Mama fits in and put a drain valve on the bottom. Then flood irrigate all the way to the top of the Big Mama let it soak in and then drain off the waste with the valve. You need to be sure to fertigate to just above the top of the cube so you do not get a salt build up. When the plant gets big you may need to do this several times a day.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I was so sick yesterday I forgot to check my PH and wouldn't you know it drifted down to 5.3, I see a bit of Mg lock out. Hopefully I caught it before too much damage. I will Know tomorrow.