# transplanting with hydroton



## hydrochloride (Mar 19, 2009)

I am planning a second system for my veg stage. I have a Ebb and Grow system with 2 gallon buckets filled with hydroton for my "planned" flowering room. I am trying to go 3 step by having a different veg system in another room. My veg space can be up to 3' by 5' with 4" headroom. I am thinking of a flood tray setup. I am conserned about transplanting from one system to the other without damaging the root system. Does anyone have experience with this and is there a better option for a soil medium for my veg stage. My plans are to cycle through each plant as one is harvested. I am trying to keep it as productive as possible. Thanks


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 19, 2009)

no problems going from one table to another as long as your ph and ppm stay the same.IMO.


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## King Bud (Mar 19, 2009)

> I am conserned about transplanting from one system to the other without damaging the root system.



Use net pots in your flood tray. Then just stick the net pots into the 2gallon buckets.

Goodluck


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## hydrochloride (Mar 19, 2009)

So, I don't need to remove the net pots? Will the root systems get to big for the holes in the net pot? The other question that I am wondering about is does the flood table need to be covered around net pots? I am thinking there will be a lot of evaporation, and also shouldn't I limit the waters' exposure to light and open air? I am just thinking about having unwanted growths. I bought a flood table today that is black 2' by 4'. around 6 inches deep. How big should my reservor be? I know lots of questions.....thanks.....:holysheep:


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 19, 2009)

your roots will not be hindered by the net pots.. you doo need to keep light from getting to them..


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 20, 2009)

wait how are you feeding them now? drip? I have a 2'x4'x7" tray, and I use an 18gal tupperware container(black) with about 15gallons of solution, I only adjust or add water/nutes once a week during the thirsty weeks of flower. But you'd need a much deeper tray if you want to leave them in the buckets, why not just setup a drip system for veg and leave them in the buckets?


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## King Bud (Mar 20, 2009)

> The other question that I am wondering about is does the flood table need to be covered around net pots? I am thinking there will be a lot of evaporation, and also shouldn't I limit the waters' exposure to light and open air?



The table doesn't _need _ to be covered. I've seen grows where their medium was nothing more than a 4 inch rockwool block on a flood tray. For whatever reason, the roots did not grow beyond the rockwool block. I don't think this is optimal.


I would fill the flood tray with hydroton, then scoop a hole, and wedge your net pots in. Like you said, this will limit evaporation (though I don't think this is too important). You'll also be reducing how big of a reservoir size you need, since it will take less water to fill your tray.



> I am just thinking about having unwanted growths.


Heih? I don't follow  



> How big should my reservor be?


See here: http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22837&highlight=reservoir+estimat+improvi


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 20, 2009)

I think he meant algae and mold  by"unwanted growths" The hydroton filled tray would work fine(even though it's hell to clean up after) except he's wanting to use the alternate tray for veg in which case he will need to transfer the plants to the flowering area later makiing the hydroton filled tray a "no-go" that is..If Im understanding all this correctly


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## King Bud (Mar 20, 2009)

Bad advice, edited


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 20, 2009)

King Bud said:
			
		

> I thought there was only one tray, and the flowering area was a bucket system?
> 
> If this is the case, he should be able to transfer the plants from the hydroton filled tray, since they'll be in net pots.
> 
> :confused2:


 
not with roots hangin all out of them.. and if those are 5gal buckets and the plants are that big, there ARE roots outside of the net pots.. from my understanding he wants to move the plants from the buckets to a tray to continue vegging some while flowering others..


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## hydrochloride (Mar 20, 2009)

Its me again....actually the photo is the room before the table. I split it 30% so I can use the larger space for flowering. I will take my clones and use the table to veg them. This way I can always be cycling one into flowering. I have 15 large 2 gallon buckets for the flowering room. The tray I have has enough room for 15 in veg. So my grow area actually has three rooms. One for cloning one for veg and one for flowering. I am now setting up the flood tray. Shouldn't I just flood the table 3-4 times a day? I think this is the simplest system, not having very many parts. I like the idea of just moving a small mesh pot into the 2 gallon buckets and then just adding more hydroton.  I am not sure if flooding the whole table is the bst route to take. Thanks


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## KeepsTen (Mar 20, 2009)

Check out my journal and my set up.  Instead of hydroton and flood, I went with a drip and rockwool.  Transplant the 1x1 cubes into 6x6 cubes, and youll have a system that is super easy to modulate and move around without having to worry about roots.  People have been concerned with algae and all that, but I havent experienced any with my drip system.  Keep it just moist enough and youll do great.

Its so much easier than having to wash hydroton honestly, especially if youre going to be moving them 3+ times.


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