# 3" or 4" pipes for vertical NFT system?



## zem (Aug 22, 2011)

so i'm planning a simple vertical NFT system with pipes standing like columns and i'm unsure wether to get 3" or 4" pipes. i'm thinking that 3" maybe better to cover the roots with water droplets but i'm worried that it might be too small to fit the rootballs?


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## hollywood52 (Aug 22, 2011)

man i run aero but as far as pvc pipes i would say 2 inch netpot need  4" pvc netpot bigger then that need 6"


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 22, 2011)

I seriously considered building one of these one time.  I decided that anything smaller than 6" pipe would be too small.

I'm with Hollywood on the pot to pipe size.  And a 2" pot is awfully small.  They are not capable of holding a plant of much size.


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## 4u2sm0ke (Aug 22, 2011)

sorry Im no help..But wanted to say....


take  care and be safe
:48:


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## faderharley (Aug 22, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> I seriously considered building one of these one time. I decided that anything smaller than 6" pipe would be too small.
> 
> I'm with Hollywood on the pot to pipe size. And a 2" pot is awfully small. They are not capable of holding a plant of much size.


 
I agree 100%, my last aero-hydro grow I used a longer tote box that was only 7"  deep.... the net-pods were 3" in diameter and I did not have any root issues, but I believe the bigger the roots, the bigger the yield.... I even was successful on the re-grow using the same tote grow-box.... the re-grow was nearly effortless due to a well establish root system.... I also rinsed my roots every 7-10 days, I'd let them rinse in fresh distilled water for 48 hours before adding fertilizer, nutrients and any supplement like CalMag+.....


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 22, 2011)

I like to give my roots a nice rinse with fresh water, too when I can.  I generally just run some room temp water over them for a few minutes when I do a rez change


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## zem (Aug 22, 2011)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> I seriously considered building one of these one time. I decided that anything smaller than 6" pipe would be too small.
> 
> I'm with Hollywood on the pot to pipe size. And a 2" pot is awfully small. They are not capable of holding a plant of much size.


why didn't you build it eventually? i have seen big plants in 2" netpots they just break through the plastic holes and tear it up. anyway i plan on using floral foam cubes stuff them in holes. i think i'll go with 4", i'm also considering wire covers, there are some big ones i think they might work


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## hollywood52 (Aug 22, 2011)

zem its not just net pot i start flower from cutting in 4" tube 2in net pot at the end of cycle those 4" tube full i mean FULL of roots..not to say you cant root prun


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## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 22, 2011)

zem said:
			
		

> why didn't you build it eventually? i have seen big plants in 2" netpots they just break through the plastic holes and tear it up. anyway i plan on using floral foam cubes stuff them in holes. i think i'll go with 4", i'm also considering wire covers, there are some big ones i think they might work



A couple of resons.  First I like to run a perpetual harvest and I have plants of all different sizes and ages in my flowering room.  Second, six inch pipe and fittings are kind of expensive.  And I was just worried about there being enough room for roots and problems with clogging.  I can get HUGE root balls in my 5 gal buckets--they can take up almost 1/2 the bucket.

I did also consider a system where the pipes were vertical and tied together like a normal recirculating system.  As I remember it was some kind of drip with a DWC set up or a flood and drain set up.  I figured that this would give the roots much more room.  But ultimately that was really quite similar to a bucket recirc system, so I didn't bother with that either.

The problem with small pots is not that the roots don't have room to grow, it is that the small pots cannot support a plant of any size and they tend to fall over.  

I believe that floral foam cubes will hold far too much water for your purposes and I do not believe they will stay in the hole and hold the plant.  If you put wire over them, I see the floral foam possibly falling into the pipe from the weight of the plant and roots.  I do not know of anyone using floral foam in hydro and I have to believe that there is most likely a good reason.


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## zem (Aug 23, 2011)

floral foam is the same as oasis cubes used in hydro lettuce growing. the reason why i'm planning to use them is because they're very easy and effective to clone in, i just soak them and plug in the clone, it roots real fast and can be squeezed into a hole. it carries the weight of a whole fully grown lettuce head with the weight horizontally pushing on the hole and it doeasnt fall. it does hold too much water when soaked but the cubes i will use will be too small, i don't think they will drown my plants, since the roots will be suspended in the air.
all i will need to buy is the pipe or the plastic wire cover, i don't have to buy any fittings, the system i am planning is quite simple and cheap. if i can find the right size wire covers, it will be the cheapest. i will tie each plant with a round loop above the hole, it will serve to train the plant vertically and to keep the plant in place  i will try it, as i still see no reason why it would not work. will go with 4", i don't plan to grow huge plants in the system, more of a SOG system with 16 plants and a 400w... wish me luck  cheers


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## hollywood52 (Aug 23, 2011)

im with thg on the floral foam . imo rapid rooter work well but regardless good luck zem always nice to see somebody attacking a new project


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