I have not completely figured out the “Search” function here, so I’m posting my question here and hope I placed in the right place.
I have done a good bit of reading that has left me more puzzled - IF that is possible!
I have C.A.P. Ebb&Gro system (up to 18 2 gallon sites)…
I can run soilless in it? I can run something like ProMix in it? The last time I ran it I used Hydroton. I have also used Lava Rock, in another hydro system.
They work best with hydroton. I wouldnt use soil due to it completely flooding to the top which means the soil will be completely saturated. I guess you could use coco. The system is designed to be used with pure hydroton so you can flood it multiple times a day and get huge oxygen levels at the root zone. Ive used a different versions of the same thing and we used to do 4 equaly spaced out feedings in 18hours on. When we got into bloom we’d space those 4 feedings out over the 12 hours. The system we used would fill rapid 50 pots hold for a bit than rapid drain sucking in huge amounts of fresh oxygen. The whole flood and drain cycle used to take about half hour on all 50 sites. I dont think you could get the same advantage of the multiple daily feedings and huge oxygen levels in those systems with any other media to the extent you will with hydroton. There is one tip il give you roots will grow every were and will shoot out of the bottom of the uper holding pots into the bottom pot and try to follow down the pipelines. We found putting afew large size heavy rocks just by the inside were the water comes through so the rocks acted as a natural filter helps this and will help with blockages in or out. Some do come with copper disks wich can help too.
Hello @NIGHTMARE . Thank you for participating in this thread. It is appreciated! Yes, I know these Ebb&Gro systems work well with hydroton. ProMix is not “soil”. A lot of development has happened in my absence. A lot of invention and innovation has occurred.
I was hoping to read that some other medium had succeeded hydroton.
What I don’t want to happen is that I buy hydroton and commenters then ask “Hey, why are you using hydroton…don’t you know XYZ is being used Ebb&Gro systems now!!!”.
I do remember from the last time I did use hydroton it was a bit laborious to reuse.
And, thanks for reminding me about roots potentially clogging the system!
Hey @ReikoX ! That does look like something I should investigate before V-Day!
As mentioned above, I don’t want to get into Veg and someone saying “Hey, why aren’t you using ABC?!?!” - “Didn’t you know everyone is using XYZ now?!?!”
Now, I was aware of advances made in Coco-Coir, I was not aware of these Coco Chips. That’s very interesting!
Thank you, @ReikoX I really appreciate the response!
I’m assuming, since you didn’t mention it, there was no problem with the little bits of the Coco Chips clogging the hydro system?
That is my one concern with using any ‘soil-less’ medium in this Ebb&Gro system which ‘may’ be a completely unfounded concern as I am completely unfamiliar with it. It is just how my brain is understanding it. Which again, ‘may’ be unfounded.
btw, I have referred your grow thread to a new groweryou’re doing great work!
I switched to clay pebbles and my next run will be with the rockwool croutons to see how they do…
pebbles are good as long as they are prepped. I’m hoping the rockwool will be cleaner.
The coco chips never plugged up my system… roots almost always did though. They grow into the lines when you’ve got it rocking.
I have run Hydroton before. I am familiar with their inherent characteristics ie dirty (need thorough rinses with first use and boiled on subsequent reuses).
Give me a heads-up when you start up again. I’d be keen to see how Rockwool would work. You’re talking 100% Rockwool in a Ebb&Gro system?
I am familiar with roots potentially becoming a problem with this system. Did you ever resort to trimming the roots back a bit?
I do recall the recommendation above about preventing the roots access to the fill/drain barb. I think I used lava rocks the last time I ran the system. Or, I’m recalling someone else saying that’s what they did.
Yes, the pre-use cleansing/rinsing of the Hydroton AND the sterilization of them in between grows was a huge operation. I boiled my Hydroton on recommendation to kill any organic material left behind and further rinse the subsequent loose particles that resulted from handling it so much.
Thank you for the conversation AND appreciation of what I’ve got going on here in this wonderful piece of history!
However, I just opened a can of worms up in the loft that had to be opened and now dealt with. Pieced together crap!
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