I'm trying DWC AND IT'S WORKING GREAT FOR ME AND I JUST STARTED DIDNT REALY KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, A FEW VIDEOS IM ON TRACK THINGS GROWING LIKE CRAZY, A THANK YOU TO ALL THAT MAKE THESE HOW TO VIDEO'S , PEOPLE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO. SO GET GROWING!
I really like the diagram here. A correction I may make is that if the pump tube is flush with the bottom of the flood table then it will act as the drain when the pump is off. When the pump is off all of the water will drain back to the reservoir. Then the "drain" tube will be the overflow in case the flood table starts flooding over the top. When the flood table is drained the plants should retain the moisture in the root zone. When the plant root zone starts to dry out you should run the pump again.
I had an idea of how a hydro system worded and a general idea f the set up but this video was very simple and to the point and explained what I didn't know
The flood and drain trays aren't pre-drilled. They have a little dimple where the hole should go so it's easy to drill a hole, but that's up to you based on how big your fittings are.
During the off period of pump is it ok that the level of water at the upper tray still reaching the roots of the plants is it bad if roots is regularly submerged to water.
I built my bed out of a discarded shower base sitting on an old kitchen table with a hole for a drain and my reservoir was a half barrel laundry tub on a plywood Dolly that I could easily pull out for maintaining nutrient and pH levels in the base was 6 8" Clay Pebble filled pots with extra holes and used a beer pitcher to dip and flood each pot 1-2 times a day with a 600w hps over it boom there's your dinner!😅
Actually that was 10 years ago now thanks to Amazon it's easy to gather up but it's not real expensive. But I did have an assortment of tools and the know how to put it together I'd buy a new high times every month and read them cover to cover over and over. But I bought 6 gorilla cookie auto seeds on FB marketplace in September and $40 and just had tasty gorilla for thanksgiving . With cheap Amazon led lights and a little knowledge. The buds looked just like Google images 😅
Thanks for the passionate lecture. I have a question. Some people put LECA balls on the surface of the EBB bed. Is there any reason for doing that? Is it neccesary or recommended or not that worthy?
Hi Kevin, really informative videos - if it's no problem, I'd appreciate any advice you could give for an aspiring hydroponicist. After moderate success with a basic flowerpot and soil setup (mainly flowers for gifts, etc), I took the plunge and picked up a basic hydroponic system to try my thumb at something more adventurous. The local gardening supply store recommended an ebb and flow system as a good entry point and, being a clueless newbie, I pretty much jumped on the "complete" system that they offered, assuming that it would basically be a plug and play deal. After some teething troubles I managed to get the system setup, but on a test-run I found that the expanded clay medium I intended to use is draining far too quickly to saturate properly - I upgraded to a 1000l/h pump thinking this was the issue, but even after a half-hour of constant use the majority of the medium was still bone dry. Having done some basic research (a little late, I admit), I've discovered that the system I have -a small Wilma unit- seems to be designed for drip-feeding not ebb and flow (pretty much as shown here www.nutriculture.co.uk/wilma.html). I'd prefer to run the system as an ebb and flow (as I have slightly more knowledge of that method) so I'm not sure how to proceed, is there a simple modification I can make to the system to achieve this without it being a Frankenstein botch-job, or would I be better off commiting to the drip-feed setup? If so, would a change of medium, say coir or rockwool, be advantageous for better nutrient/moisture retention in light of the rapid drainage of the clay (which I'd rather stick with simply as an economic measure)? Either way, thanks again for all the great videos!
Hey Calvin, sorry this was caught in spam filter. I would recommend changing medium to coir, peat moss, or rock wool to keep moisture high. Hydroton will dry out too quickly, as I'm sure you noticed :)
how exactly should one change they're nutrient regimen from a drain to waste in to an ebb & flow, and what type of Maintenance must be done to the nutrient solution throughout the week?
Because you're recirculating, you have to calibrate your PPM/EC and pH carefully to make sure there are no large swings. I recommend changing out the reservoir once a week with completely fresh water and nutrients at the start, so there's no salt buildup or miscalibrations of certain micro and macronutrients!
Hi Kevin. I like the video. I have combined this together with my turtle tank (as my reservoir) pumping up water. Two questions, much of the time water is just sitting in the flood table and not draining back into the reservoir . Do u have a technic to keep it flowing through the system as my system is also multi-level before draining back into the tank and pumping up? Also, do u see any problem with continuous pumping through the system rather than using a timer?
What size do flood tables come in? I have a 6 1/2‘ x 6 1/2‘ tent with all the requisite ports for ventilation and intake. I’d like to do a simple Evan flow flood table in there. I am fairly sure and I could just use totes as my reservoir. I may even be able to keep that outside of the tank and run the tubing in. What I’m wondering is where do you get slide tables deep enough to hold a large cannabis plant? How deep should they be and how much they be flooded?
They come in 4x4, 4x6 which would work for you, and 4x8 that’s if you get a real botanicare flood tray, or active aqua makes them too. I had to customize my grow setup because I bought a 4x4 tray for my 4x4 tent but once I saw the tray I knew It wasn’t going to fit. They come in ID (inner diameter) measurements unless ordered otherwise.
Great tutorial. FYI the last two links in the description are not correct. They are pointing to the PH up and down bottles instead of the measuring devices.
Nice vid, you missed adding a grade to the table & cover the rockwool if your fully submerging, algae from light exposure. DIY : pond liner, particle board and 2x4's. call it a day.
I just watched your video on the Kratky method and then I saw this method on your channel and was wondering Why use this method instead of the Kratky method ?
Great video. Was wondering about how long you should run the pump for (how long should the full cycle last) and how often should you run the cycle? Thank you. My table is 2x4 with an 8gal reservoir.
I if the out flow is placed on the side at a medium hight for water to remain in the gutter so as to keep the plants from dehydration till the pump starts to work again??
What about the water temps since the indoor temp will be higher than 70 degrees? You can use an air pump but higher water temps holds less oxygen? Thanks!
does the timer have to be digital i have brinks digital timer now that i think of it i got it from home depot years ago it works just confusing as hell please let me know im debate should i make one from stainless steel
Would like more info on a ebb n flow system. I have tried DWCs' successfully n non-successfully in the past as well as soil. Was thinking of trying something different, so I stumbled across EPIC.. Keep up the good grow no matter what it is you choose to grow! Stay awesome and thanks for the info
Hey Kevin , I am beginner in Hydroponics arena . The two main issues ,I face is pumbing and LED lighting setup . Can you help me fix it .Looking forward for your response.
Good video thanks. I have everything but the pump what size pump would you recommend GPM and what size drain tube for the return? 4x4 flood table 7 to 9 tomato plants and I will cull or transplant weakest plants to make room for mature plants. Thanks for any help..
Thanks for the reply Epic. I have a 750 to 1050 GPH pump for a fish aquarium for one of my wife's fish tanks and I figured that was a bit to high volume. I found a 230 to 550 gph adjustable I think I will try. I am leaning towards emitters instead of ebb and flow however if I have problems with the emitter system I will just switch to ebb and flow. thanks again for the help. p.s. I meant GPH not GPM in my original post. Thanks
Would you reccomend using a chiller with a system like this to control bacterial growth? Would it even be effective considering the water is pumping through it infrequently? Could it damage the chiller to leave it on for extended periods of time with no water flowing through it?
If you want to make sure that temps are under 75 deg. then yes. I have a post about chillers here: www.epicgardening.com/the-best-water-chillers-for-hydroponics/ (also links to a DIY / other options article as well)
hi Kevin, thanks for the great vids. I am looking for instruction on building an ebb and flow for 30 plants. Can yo help me with this please. also I want to build the grow room in a shed made of metal any recommendations on such a conversion will be welcome. info on lighting, ventilation and grow mediums also would be useful. thanks and hope to hear from you soon, B
hi there , i m a beginer and i would like to dedicate rest of my time for this did some research on my limits . can u please tell whether we should use a air conditioner / speacial lighthing for the grow room if its in a place where temperature is 27degree celsius
Could you tell me a good schedule for feeding or watering (depending on the size and amount of Plants), and is it recommended to start a half hour after lights on, and how long should those pumping times be on the timer.
Hi Frank, it really depends on what you are growing. I have it on my to-do list to make a full hydroponic feeding schedule for common plants and post it up on my website soon :)
Hey, Did you end up getting around to making this tutorial? How long will the pump need to be on to flood and how many time per day? lets say a small growing tey. I think its a 2x2 and 6 inches deep and growing tomato's or chill's. how may times per day is a good. is there any good reference books for different types of plants? Thanks a bunch
D Lane the pump should be on until the grow table is filled with water/solution, then turned off, as for how many times it depends on how much your plants drink from 1 to 2 times a day when they are small and more as they grow bigge
I understand the risk part associated with the timer but you didnt explain the salt build up and unstable PH or how to mitigate them. I'd really appreciate a reply.
You are right, this was an overview video so I didn't touch on some of the finer points of how to mitigate them. I have a few articles on my site that cover it though, so feel free to check those out! Or stay tuned for future videos :)
If doing a setup outside, what are your suggestions for dealing with a heat wave. The area I am in had plenty of rain May - June, but then starting in late July it has been hot and humid and now basically all the ground plants are suffering. I was wondering if a hydroponic system might also be affected by this weather. I'm guessing "Add more water" is one solution, but I'm just curious if there are other suggestions for protecting the plants.
Good question. Ebb and flow can be susceptible to heat waves, for sure. I would up the amount times that the water pump fills the grow table throughout the day to prevent roots drying out and plants wilting. You could also try an oscillating fan for some air flow if it's quite humid as well. When I do my Ebb and Flow systems outdoors, I build them with wheels so I can transport them to a shady area if it gets too hot. Hope that helps!
Epic Gardening I'll keep the portable idea in mind. The current location doesn't have many shade options, but I can reduce the amount of sun by moving it to another spot on the deck. Having everything in a cart might be beneficial anyway. Thanks.
Hey Kevin great video I just have 1 question. Do I set timer just long enough to fill table to desired level then drain or do I let water stand in table for few minutes?
Hello Kevin! I want to start an indoor hidroponic business to grow and harvest comestible flowers such as pansies/viola. Would you recommend the EBB and Flow sistem for what I am trying to do or is there a better way? Thanks for all the precious information on your videos.
Im planning on my reservoir to be a small man made backyard pond. Is this possible? also is the ebba nd flow system the bast system to use for this and if so how would I set that up? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks!
hey Epic Gardening, i have a small 5 gallon tank and lettuce i want to grow. what type of pump should i get? i want it to be good but not pump alot of water all crazy into the tank. because im putting a betta in it. advice?
Hello Kevin, great video. Could you let me know how much slant (in degrees) is to be given to each channel? And unlike ebb and flow, the water circulation will be continuous. Right? Also, We'll also need to check the influx of water and out-flux to be equal. Right? Thank you.
Try using a 3 part nutrient with auto ph calibration . i just switched to that rather than mixing my own because ph is such a pain in the ass to keep adjusting. And one cant help but wonder what the ph up and down could be doing to the plants could be harsh so thats how i resolve that issue
Just wondering if this system is possible without any pump (i.e. the nutrient is filled, then drained manually) ? Coz I have a site without any electricity.
No power use. U can manually elevate above you're grow surface for flooding. For draining simply lower below your (elevated) grow surface. Check out my uqua- and hydro- Diagrams on google and pinterest snsjzjjkzmzmkz
I have a question. I am working on a science project. It's centered around algaculture. So, does hydroponics work for algae and if so what technique of hydroponics do you suggest?
Will a cannabis plant live its whole life cycle in a 6"x6" net pot filled with hydroton balls. Just asking because my plants roots are starting to tighten up in the basket. I thought of holding the basket with both hands and rolling it to loosen up but whats your thoughts if I may ask.
Hi there, thanks for the video. I'm new to this type of farming so i have a question about the design. What if i put the reservoir at the top of the system then water will goes down by gravity through the pipes then i fix another reservoir as a receiver connected to the pump which pump up to the upper reservoir in close loop? The point is that if the pump goes off for any reason the system will not be dry because all the pipes are filled with water.
That could also work, but it'd be more of a continual flow system rather than a true ebb and flow, unless you had a mechanism to stop the flow from the top reservoir. If you were going to go continual flow, I'd recommend Deep Water Culture instead (I have a video on the channel explaining it). Hope that helps!
You can cover the reservoir with a top and have the PVC drain and pump through sealed holes you drill. Or, you can put slanted material around the entrance holes, like aluminum foil or cones. Lots of ways to work around the problem!
I wanna grow in a 8” * 9” grow room. I wanna run 6-8 plants under scrog 1000 kind led. I have a regular 9-5 and I wanna know which system to use coco perlite, dwc bubble flow, or ebb and flow. I hear a lot of conflicting info on which systems to use. I feel as if each company is representing their products in a way to stop people from buying other companies products. I want a reliable system with reliable nutrients. I’m leaning towards coco peat pearlite with coco tek. Any words of wisdom?
Hi Kev, thanks for the vid. I have been messing with DWC and raft systems for a few years, think it's time to step up my game. Question for you. do you think tumeric would grow well in a E & F stystem.
Those are tough to find because they're so big. They're also quite expensive! Here's one from Active Aqua, which is a Hydrofarm brand (I'm a fan of Hydrofarm products): amzn.to/2gtu1I4
For an ebb and flow, the roots are limited to the depth of the table, so that wouldn't really apply. They will grow outwards after they hit the bottom of the table. You're probably referring to a DWC (Deep Water Culture) system where the roots are suspended in water. BUT even then, you don't need to lower the water to encourage the roots to grow down. They will just grow :)
I'm considering building an ebb and flow. I've had one before but started my clones in rockwool cubes. I'm currently using an aeroponic cloner which has worked with 100% success. I'm wondering what medium and pots to use. I was thinking of taking my clones and planting them in small pots with coco and then eventually putting them in bigger pots and into the hydroponic tray. Would a mesh pot work? I'm worried about the coco going through and into the tray.
Hello, did you find the answer to this ? I suppose some (or most ?) of the soil eventually washes off because I saw some videos of garden towers: when they insert the plant into the tower, it has soil around the roots. But when they harvest the finished plant, it's only the roots with no soil. I assume the soil simply washes off and should be collected from the bottom of the tower. BUt I am not sure.
What pH meter would you suggest? I've bought several online around $5-10 and they all either quit or give me conflicting info! And all I see online are these cheapies. Appreciate any input you can on this.
If you need a high-quality pen in the mid-range for price (these things can get expensive), I use and like the Bluelab pH pen: amzn.to/2sPqcB4. It's not my main one anymore because I upgraded to a combo meter, but it's still a great choice.
Great vid, definitely got me on the right track just starting my build. But would like some answers as far as, what kind of watering cycle to use? Maybe a 50/10 idk. And does my water cycle need to continue during my hours of lights out? Maybe you explain this in another video, I just subed to your Channel
Depends on crop...I liked doing 3 on every 15 minutes. I'd also keep the ebbing and flowing on during the night - got good results that way - appreciate the sub!
I just got an ebb and flow DIY rail system going. I'm trying to find out how often to flood. I'm growing a large variety of plants so that might be a problem? I'm doing Green beans, tomatoes, kale, basil, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, brussels sprouts, bok choi, and cilantro. I'm using a powder fertilizer (Masterblend 4-18-38 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F2BL9D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Do you have any good resources for info. troubleshooting if things start going wrong, things to watch for, basic info, etc.
I'm trying DWC AND IT'S WORKING GREAT FOR ME AND I JUST STARTED DIDNT REALY KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING, A FEW VIDEOS IM ON TRACK THINGS GROWING LIKE CRAZY, A THANK YOU TO ALL THAT MAKE THESE HOW TO VIDEO'S , PEOPLE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO. SO GET GROWING!
Great!!!
I really like the diagram here. A correction I may make is that if the pump tube is flush with the bottom of the flood table then it will act as the drain when the pump is off. When the pump is off all of the water will drain back to the reservoir. Then the "drain" tube will be the overflow in case the flood table starts flooding over the top. When the flood table is drained the plants should retain the moisture in the root zone. When the plant root zone starts to dry out you should run the pump again.
Good point, silly mistake on my part!
Hydropnics
The drain tube should be like a safety system to stop the water from overflowing. Ideally the drain pipe should be bigger than the inlet.
The best method accepted and known as most efficient
I had an idea of how a hydro system worded and a general idea f the set up but this video was very simple and to the point and explained what I didn't know
Glad to hear!
Good simple explanation. Thumbs up
Do you have a video on how you drill & set up the plastic fittings in the tray?
The flood and drain trays aren't pre-drilled. They have a little dimple where the hole should go so it's easy to drill a hole, but that's up to you based on how big your fittings are.
Do you have any videos on how to program a digital time for 15 minute flood and dump cycles.
During the off period of pump is it ok that the level of water at the upper tray still reaching the roots of the plants is it bad if roots is regularly submerged to water.
Super inspiring man. Thank you.
You forgot the air pump for the reservoir, after two days the water will start to stink if it's not oxygenated
What drain tube do you recommend using
I was looking for Off the Hook
Same 😂
I built my bed out of a discarded shower base sitting on an old kitchen table with a hole for a drain and my reservoir was a half barrel laundry tub on a plywood Dolly that I could easily pull out for maintaining nutrient and pH levels in the base was 6 8" Clay Pebble filled pots with extra holes and used a beer pitcher to dip and flood each pot 1-2 times a day with a 600w hps over it boom there's your dinner!😅
Must be nice to have all that stuff
Actually that was 10 years ago now thanks to Amazon it's easy to gather up but it's not real expensive. But I did have an assortment of tools and the know how to put it together I'd buy a new high times every month and read them cover to cover over and over. But I bought 6 gorilla cookie auto seeds on FB marketplace in September and $40 and just had tasty gorilla for thanksgiving . With cheap Amazon led lights and a little knowledge. The buds looked just like Google images 😅
Hi Kevin whats the ideal operating time for pumps. Thanks
Thanks for the passionate lecture.
I have a question. Some people put LECA balls on the surface of the EBB bed. Is there any reason for doing that? Is it neccesary or recommended or not that worthy?
What is the minimum height of the stand pipe for the system if i have an 8 inch deep growbed? Thanks
Hi Kevin, really informative videos - if it's no problem, I'd appreciate any advice you could give for an aspiring hydroponicist.
After moderate success with a basic flowerpot and soil setup (mainly flowers for gifts, etc), I took the plunge and picked up a basic hydroponic system to try my thumb at something more adventurous. The local gardening supply store recommended an ebb and flow system as a good entry point and, being a clueless newbie, I pretty much jumped on the "complete" system that they offered, assuming that it would basically be a plug and play deal.
After some teething troubles I managed to get the system setup, but on a test-run I found that the expanded clay medium I intended to use is draining far too quickly to saturate properly - I upgraded to a 1000l/h pump thinking this was the issue, but even after a half-hour of constant use the majority of the medium was still bone dry.
Having done some basic research (a little late, I admit), I've discovered that the system I have -a small Wilma unit- seems to be designed for drip-feeding not ebb and flow (pretty much as shown here www.nutriculture.co.uk/wilma.html).
I'd prefer to run the system as an ebb and flow (as I have slightly more knowledge of that method) so I'm not sure how to proceed, is there a simple modification I can make to the system to achieve this without it being a Frankenstein botch-job, or would I be better off commiting to the drip-feed setup? If so, would a change of medium, say coir or rockwool, be advantageous for better nutrient/moisture retention in light of the rapid drainage of the clay (which I'd rather stick with simply as an economic measure)?
Either way, thanks again for all the great videos!
Hey Calvin, sorry this was caught in spam filter. I would recommend changing medium to coir, peat moss, or rock wool to keep moisture high. Hydroton will dry out too quickly, as I'm sure you noticed :)
Would you use a chiller in this system or not needed ???
how exactly should one change they're nutrient regimen from a drain to waste in to an ebb & flow, and what type of Maintenance must be done to the nutrient solution throughout the week?
Because you're recirculating, you have to calibrate your PPM/EC and pH carefully to make sure there are no large swings. I recommend changing out the reservoir once a week with completely fresh water and nutrients at the start, so there's no salt buildup or miscalibrations of certain micro and macronutrients!
Hi Kevin. I like the video. I have combined this together with my turtle tank (as my reservoir) pumping up water. Two questions, much of the time water is just sitting in the flood table and not draining back into the reservoir . Do u have a technic to keep it flowing through the system as my system is also multi-level before draining back into the tank and pumping up? Also, do u see any problem with continuous pumping through the system rather than using a timer?
could a bell syphon be used rather than a timer
Definitely
What size do flood tables come in? I have a 6 1/2‘ x 6 1/2‘ tent with all the requisite ports for ventilation and intake. I’d like to do a simple Evan flow flood table in there. I am fairly sure and I could just use totes as my reservoir. I may even be able to keep that outside of the tank and run the tubing in. What I’m wondering is where do you get slide tables deep enough to hold a large cannabis plant? How deep should they be and how much they be flooded?
They come in 4x4, 4x6 which would work for you, and 4x8 that’s if you get a real botanicare flood tray, or active aqua makes them too. I had to customize my grow setup because I bought a 4x4 tray for my 4x4 tent but once I saw the tray I knew It wasn’t going to fit. They come in ID (inner diameter) measurements unless ordered otherwise.
How often should I cycle thru the water in the system 15 minutes for every hour of less or more
this isnt splatoon but ill watch it anyways
Same
Me too
Great tutorial. FYI the last two links in the description are not correct. They are pointing to the PH up and down bottles instead of the measuring devices.
You're right - I'm going back and fixing all of those soon. Here's the real link: amzn.to/2dRCl4k
Nice vid, you missed adding a grade to the table & cover the rockwool if your fully submerging, algae from light exposure. DIY : pond liner, particle board and 2x4's. call it a day.
Do you need to aerate the water prior to pumping to the grow bed?
I just watched your video on the Kratky method and then I saw this method on your channel and was wondering Why use this method instead of the Kratky method ?
Great video. Was wondering about how long you should run the pump for (how long should the full cycle last) and how often should you run the cycle? Thank you. My table is 2x4 with an 8gal reservoir.
I if the out flow is placed on the side at a medium hight for water to remain in the gutter so as to keep the plants from dehydration till the pump starts to work again??
What about the water temps since the indoor temp will be higher than 70 degrees? You can use an air pump but higher water temps holds less oxygen? Thanks!
Nice basic explanation.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed!
does the timer have to be digital i have brinks digital timer now that i think of it i got it from home depot years ago it works just confusing as hell please let me know im debate should i make one from stainless steel
Would like more info on a ebb n flow system. I have tried DWCs' successfully n non-successfully in the past as well as soil. Was thinking of trying something different, so I stumbled across EPIC.. Keep up the good grow no matter what it is you choose to grow! Stay awesome and thanks for the info
I'll get more content up on some ebb and flow / flood and drain as soon as possible!
Do you think this would be possible with an aquarium?
Hey Kevin , I am beginner in Hydroponics arena . The two main issues ,I face is pumbing and LED lighting setup . Can you help me fix it .Looking forward for your response.
how much water to pump? how often?
How is the drain pipe operated? Is it always open ?
Good video thanks. I have everything but the pump what size pump would you recommend GPM and what size drain tube for the return? 4x4 flood table 7 to 9 tomato plants and I will cull or transplant weakest plants to make room for mature plants. Thanks for any help..
I did just fine with a 250GPH pump with an almost identical setup to yours!
Thanks for the reply Epic. I have a 750 to 1050 GPH pump for a fish aquarium for one of my wife's fish tanks and I figured that was a bit to high volume. I found a 230 to 550 gph adjustable I think I will try. I am leaning towards emitters instead of ebb and flow however if I have problems with the emitter system I will just switch to ebb and flow. thanks again for the help. p.s. I meant GPH not GPM in my original post. Thanks
There’s timers that aren’t affected by power outages ???
Thanks for the great video.
You're welcome!
Would you reccomend using a chiller with a system like this to control bacterial growth? Would it even be effective considering the water is pumping through it infrequently? Could it damage the chiller to leave it on for extended periods of time with no water flowing through it?
If you want to make sure that temps are under 75 deg. then yes. I have a post about chillers here: www.epicgardening.com/the-best-water-chillers-for-hydroponics/ (also links to a DIY / other options article as well)
Awesome Videos bro.. keep going...
Don't we need to check tds and pH daily in kratky ?
I sagest using a 12 volt back up battery system that has a switch that kicks over to the 12volt pump when there is a power issue with the main pump
hi Kevin,
thanks for the great vids. I am looking for instruction on building an ebb and flow for 30 plants. Can yo help me with this please. also I want to build the grow room in a shed made of metal any recommendations on such a conversion will be welcome. info on lighting, ventilation and grow mediums also would be useful.
thanks and hope to hear from you soon,
B
Bad idea convwt shed into grow room first look up the 5 limiting factors and grow room nessiteys first good lunch u can do this
hi there , i m a beginer and i would like to dedicate rest of my time for this did some research on my limits . can u please tell whether we should use a air conditioner / speacial lighthing for the grow room if its in a place where temperature is 27degree celsius
I'd recommend checking out my article on grow room ventilation for this question: www.epicgardening.com/grow-room-ventilation-101/
Should lime be used in hydroponic
I did one Yesterday
Could you tell me a good schedule for feeding or watering (depending on the size and amount of Plants), and is it recommended to start a half hour after lights on, and how long should those pumping times be on the timer.
Hi Frank, it really depends on what you are growing. I have it on my to-do list to make a full hydroponic feeding schedule for common plants and post it up on my website soon :)
Oh good that would be very helpful...
Hey, Did you end up getting around to making this tutorial? How long will the pump need to be on to flood and how many time per day? lets say a small growing tey. I think its a 2x2 and 6 inches deep and growing tomato's or chill's. how may times per day is a good. is there any good reference books for different types of plants? Thanks a bunch
D Lane the pump should be on until the grow table is filled with water/solution, then turned off, as for how many times it depends on how much your plants drink from 1 to 2 times a day when they are small and more as they grow bigge
I understand the risk part associated with the timer but you didnt explain the salt build up and unstable PH or how to mitigate them. I'd really appreciate a reply.
You are right, this was an overview video so I didn't touch on some of the finer points of how to mitigate them. I have a few articles on my site that cover it though, so feel free to check those out! Or stay tuned for future videos :)
If doing a setup outside, what are your suggestions for dealing with a heat wave.
The area I am in had plenty of rain May - June, but then starting in late July it has been hot and humid and now basically all the ground plants are suffering. I was wondering if a hydroponic system might also be affected by this weather.
I'm guessing "Add more water" is one solution, but I'm just curious if there are other suggestions for protecting the plants.
Good question. Ebb and flow can be susceptible to heat waves, for sure. I would up the amount times that the water pump fills the grow table throughout the day to prevent roots drying out and plants wilting.
You could also try an oscillating fan for some air flow if it's quite humid as well. When I do my Ebb and Flow systems outdoors, I build them with wheels so I can transport them to a shady area if it gets too hot.
Hope that helps!
Epic Gardening I'll keep the portable idea in mind. The current location doesn't have many shade options, but I can reduce the amount of sun by moving it to another spot on the deck.
Having everything in a cart might be beneficial anyway. Thanks.
No problem. Keep me posted on the progress and let me know what else you'd like to see me cover on the channel / blog!
can you use flood tray out doors with say 5 gallon pots filled with dirt, for toms or peppers, just flood the table to water?
I want to grow root vegetables. Not sure how this would work with hydroponics. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Try onions, they can work so long as you don't get the bulb wet
Hi Keven.. can you give me an idea roughly how much time between your on/off cycles are? Thanks..
Hey Kevin great video I just have 1 question. Do I set timer just long enough to fill table to desired level then drain or do I let water stand in table for few minutes?
Typically you would run it for 15 minutes per flood session around 4 times per day
Hello Kevin! I want to start an indoor hidroponic business to grow and harvest comestible flowers such as pansies/viola.
Would you recommend the EBB and Flow sistem for what I am trying to do or is there a better way?
Thanks for all the precious information on your videos.
Im planning on my reservoir to be a small man made backyard pond. Is this possible? also is the ebba nd flow system the bast system to use for this and if so how would I set that up? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks!
Yes, but make sure you've got filters going or else you'll have clogged pumps!
hey Epic Gardening, i have a small 5 gallon tank and lettuce i want to grow. what type of pump should i get? i want it to be good but not pump alot of water all crazy into the tank. because im putting a betta in it. advice?
You don't need much for a 5 gallon tank. This one from Hydrofarm will suit you, and it's quite cheap: amzn.to/2wBr66q
Hello Kevin, great video.
Could you let me know how much slant (in degrees) is to be given to each channel? And unlike ebb and flow, the water circulation will be continuous. Right?
Also, We'll also need to check the influx of water and out-flux to be equal. Right?
Thank you.
Any tips on keeping a balanced ph , ? About to start my first ebb n flow
Try using a 3 part nutrient with auto ph calibration . i just switched to that rather than mixing my own because ph is such a pain in the ass to keep adjusting. And one cant help but wonder what the ph up and down could be doing to the plants could be harsh so thats how i resolve that issue
Just wondering if this system is possible without any pump (i.e. the nutrient is filled, then drained manually) ? Coz I have a site without any electricity.
You should probably try the Kratky method if you have no power: www.epicgardening.com/the-kratky-method/
No power use. U can manually elevate above you're grow surface for flooding. For draining simply lower below your (elevated) grow surface.
Check out my uqua- and hydro- Diagrams on google and pinterest snsjzjjkzmzmkz
i hydroponic Should the pipes be empty of water?
How do you put the nutrients into the system?
I have a question. I am working on a science project. It's centered around algaculture. So, does hydroponics work for algae and if so what technique of hydroponics do you suggest?
I wish I could help, but I have yet to produce algae. Though I suspect it would work fine, they need nutrition, water, and light
Epic Gardening thanks for the help regardless. Good video.
Will a cannabis plant live its whole life cycle in a 6"x6" net pot filled with hydroton balls. Just asking because my plants roots are starting to tighten up in the basket. I thought of holding the basket with both hands and rolling it to loosen up but whats your thoughts if I may ask.
6x6 is preeettttty small
Hi there, thanks for the video.
I'm new to this type of farming so i have a question about the design.
What if i put the reservoir at the top of the system then water will goes down by gravity through the pipes then i fix another reservoir as a receiver connected to the pump which pump up to the upper reservoir in close loop? The point is that if the pump goes off for any reason the system will not be dry because all the pipes are filled with water.
That could also work, but it'd be more of a continual flow system rather than a true ebb and flow, unless you had a mechanism to stop the flow from the top reservoir. If you were going to go continual flow, I'd recommend Deep Water Culture instead (I have a video on the channel explaining it). Hope that helps!
Since the Ebb and Flow bed is exposed to the rain, wouldn't the reservoir overflow? Is there any way to make sure that doesn't happen?
You can cover the reservoir with a top and have the PVC drain and pump through sealed holes you drill. Or, you can put slanted material around the entrance holes, like aluminum foil or cones. Lots of ways to work around the problem!
I wanna grow in a 8” * 9” grow room. I wanna run 6-8 plants under scrog 1000 kind led. I have a regular 9-5 and I wanna know which system to use coco perlite, dwc bubble flow, or ebb and flow. I hear a lot of conflicting info on which systems to use. I feel as if each company is representing their products in a way to stop people from buying other companies products. I want a reliable system with reliable nutrients. I’m leaning towards coco peat pearlite with coco tek. Any words of wisdom?
Brand-new grower to hydroponics how often would you flood the table? Thx
I did every 3 hours for 30 minutes when running my system!
Please recommend a good timer and pump
I currently use timers and pumps from Hydrofarm:
- Pump: amzn.to/2zeojQQ
- Timer: amzn.to/2zcXrR2
Hi Kev, thanks for the vid. I have been messing with DWC and raft systems for a few years, think it's time to step up my game. Question for you. do you think tumeric would grow well in a E & F stystem.
Where may I find a flood table 4 x 8? Don't see any on ebay TY
Those are tough to find because they're so big. They're also quite expensive! Here's one from Active Aqua, which is a Hydrofarm brand (I'm a fan of Hydrofarm products): amzn.to/2gtu1I4
hey man what size/brand pump and reservoir would you suggest for a 4x4 table?
So is your username!
Hey bro i am new to this I read that as the plants grow you have to lower the water level so that the roots keep growing down is that wrong?
For an ebb and flow, the roots are limited to the depth of the table, so that wouldn't really apply. They will grow outwards after they hit the bottom of the table. You're probably referring to a DWC (Deep Water Culture) system where the roots are suspended in water. BUT even then, you don't need to lower the water to encourage the roots to grow down. They will just grow :)
I'm considering building an ebb and flow. I've had one before but started my clones in rockwool cubes. I'm currently using an aeroponic cloner which has worked with 100% success. I'm wondering what medium and pots to use. I was thinking of taking my clones and planting them in small pots with coco and then eventually putting them in bigger pots and into the hydroponic tray. Would a mesh pot work? I'm worried about the coco going through and into the tray.
Hello, did you find the answer to this ? I suppose some (or most ?) of the soil eventually washes off because I saw some videos of garden towers: when they insert the plant into the tower, it has soil around the roots. But when they harvest the finished plant, it's only the roots with no soil. I assume the soil simply washes off and should be collected from the bottom of the tower. BUt I am not sure.
How long should be the cycle? On and off
I do 15-30m 4x a day
@@epicgardening let me make sure i got it right, 15-30 minutes on (depends on the pump), every 6 hrs.
I want to grow plant in my balcony without electricity would there be a problem if water is stagnent
look into the krafky method
Not a problem at all - check out my video on the Kratky method: ua-cam.com/video/KWUirDxgavc/v-deo.html
Do you need water flow
if I need to add a sensor to the hydroponic system, where would that go?
Let us agree that your food bank is always on and at performance
How many plants can I grow in a 2×2 hydro grow box
Depends on the type of plant! What are you thinking of growing?
We can improve
Hey Kevin! I was wondering why the pH is unstable and how to mitigate that?
Lot of reasons...usually an evaporation or nutrient use issue!
What pH meter would you suggest? I've bought several online around $5-10 and they all either quit or give me conflicting info! And all I see online are these cheapies. Appreciate any input you can on this.
If you need a high-quality pen in the mid-range for price (these things can get expensive), I use and like the Bluelab pH pen: amzn.to/2sPqcB4. It's not my main one anymore because I upgraded to a combo meter, but it's still a great choice.
Instead of draining every drop, maybe you should always keep 2 inches of water up there.
the higher the water volume the less ph and temperature swing you will have
Great vid, definitely got me on the right track just starting my build. But would like some answers as far as, what kind of watering cycle to use? Maybe a 50/10 idk. And does my water cycle need to continue during my hours of lights out? Maybe you explain this in another video, I just subed to your Channel
Depends on crop...I liked doing 3 on every 15 minutes. I'd also keep the ebbing and flowing on during the night - got good results that way - appreciate the sub!
Do you start your clones in this system?
No, I typically start my clones in a system like the one featured in this playlist: ua-cam.com/video/x8V6rBhEIr8/v-deo.html
Oh yea humidity, with a dome?
Basically the city can kill off your crop if you leave for a few days
I just got an ebb and flow DIY rail system going. I'm trying to find out how often to flood. I'm growing a large variety of plants so that might be a problem? I'm doing Green beans, tomatoes, kale, basil, zucchini, yellow squash, peas, brussels sprouts, bok choi, and cilantro. I'm using a powder fertilizer (Masterblend 4-18-38 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F2BL9D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Do you have any good resources for info. troubleshooting if things start going wrong, things to watch for, basic info, etc.
hi, would like to know if coconut husk b used instead of rock wool? tq.
You can use for sure
You keep mentioning a grow stone, what is that?
It's a type of growing medium you can use in the net pots
EPIC
I came here for Splatoon 😂😭
can you show me how to make it
I'll do a full guide on the channel sometime :)
Sweet cool Canadain yha buddy
This is not the off the hook song
1:09 makes me crazy
who was searching for the splatoon song