I'm using Rapid Rooters to start clones & seedlings and was putting them directly into 10" net pots in 5 gallon buckets. Seeds germ in about 2-4 days and then in 5-7 days they go into the hydro system. I still find that for at least the 1st 2-4 weeks the young plants don't even need the hydro to run, just top feed from a pump sprayer bottle 1-2x per day.
Then I realize why not just use a clone machine to start the seedlings instead of my hydro system which uses about 35 gallons (res + 6 buckets) for the 1st 4 weeks or so. I see the starter systems mostly using 2"-3.75” net pots or foam inserts/collars. Then I say to myself why not use 5” net pots – this will save me some more water by not having to transplant for another week or so and the roots will be more established for getting to the water in the hydro system. The 5" net pots would be transplanted into the 10" net pots as soon as I see roots emerging. One trick is to "float" the hydroton in the bigger pot when transplanting to not damage or stress the root system, but I wouldn't have much issue anyway at just the 1st signs of roots showing on some of them.
Upson searching for 20-30 gallon reservoirs I came across the Botanicare Turbogarden 25 gallon res (22"w x 35"l x 13"h) and it looked perfect for the job (also has 5" cutouts for the net pots):
I'm not doing aero for this but top feed. Funny, someone did a comparison of Rapid Rooters vs. an aero clone machine and the RRs won. Though he was having major problems with the water in his new house with everything. For decent top feed water distribution: 1/2” tubing in a 4" diameter water-ring with 1/4” perforations (6 for each plant site which more than makes up in surface area compared to just straight 1/2” tube). The hydroton also can somewhat wick water as well when wet.
These adapters will let me run 1/2” tubing to the 6 5” net pot sites from the 185 gph pump, a distributor manifold (found at flexpvc.com):
6 port distributor 1.5" slip in and 6 .5" ports out (to connect to 1/2" tubing to 6 top feed sites)
1.5” to .5” pvc adapter slip socket (to adapt 1.5" diameter to 1/2" tubing diameter from water pump)
A slip connection for pvc is female so I just need a section of 1.5” pvc pipe to join distributor & adapter and my 1/2” tubing should just glue right into the 6 outputs on the distributor.
This distributor manifold setup also makes sure the water pressure is more even between the 6 sites, over running a single line/branches traditionally used. Still, I'm going to use 6 ball valves (1 for each site) to make sure each site is getting equal amounts of water:
I did splurge for a Hole Pro X-305 Kit (makes holes 1-7/8" to 12"), so I already had that to make my 5" holes for the net pots. Got it for about $100, well well worth it. I saved $25 bucks by looking up the store's coupon code on Google search (just use store name and type "coupon").
Other items also: grommets (to run distributor assembly from below res lid and have 1/2" tubing go through to above), 1/2" tubing stakes for top feed ring, 12 1/2" barbed elbows & 6 1/2" barbed T (or Y) connectors (barbed elbows in grommets and under lid & T or Y connectors to make 4" diameter top feed rings), 5" net pots, hydroton & maybe wrap the thing in Reflectix. Not complicated at all, nice and neat and no noisy air pump!
After I see the 1st set of true leaves (starting week 2 from seed) I start a nute regimen of 125 ppm (I use 20 ppm RO water & adjust pH so that's what also added ppm wise). This also lets me able to know what the pH is, as it's not too accurate reading plain RO water. Still pure RO or distilled water is assumed to be 7 and I bet it'd be OK to use that for the 1st week or 2 in the Rapid Rooters.
In the hydro system, already ditched the airstones for top feed and also use another pump to circulate coming from the buckets & waterfalling into res. In short a top feed UC system. As long as you have water circulate about every 2-6 minutes for a complete exchange then you should still have plenty of DO in the water.
I see the Turbogarden units are real popular. They're also not cheap, but the cost for the res and lid here is about $120 online. This should save me water over using my whole hydro setup from the start, and for the most part of the 1st 2 weeks I'd still mostly just do a decent top spray by hand.
Then I realize why not just use a clone machine to start the seedlings instead of my hydro system which uses about 35 gallons (res + 6 buckets) for the 1st 4 weeks or so. I see the starter systems mostly using 2"-3.75” net pots or foam inserts/collars. Then I say to myself why not use 5” net pots – this will save me some more water by not having to transplant for another week or so and the roots will be more established for getting to the water in the hydro system. The 5" net pots would be transplanted into the 10" net pots as soon as I see roots emerging. One trick is to "float" the hydroton in the bigger pot when transplanting to not damage or stress the root system, but I wouldn't have much issue anyway at just the 1st signs of roots showing on some of them.
Upson searching for 20-30 gallon reservoirs I came across the Botanicare Turbogarden 25 gallon res (22"w x 35"l x 13"h) and it looked perfect for the job (also has 5" cutouts for the net pots):
I'm not doing aero for this but top feed. Funny, someone did a comparison of Rapid Rooters vs. an aero clone machine and the RRs won. Though he was having major problems with the water in his new house with everything. For decent top feed water distribution: 1/2” tubing in a 4" diameter water-ring with 1/4” perforations (6 for each plant site which more than makes up in surface area compared to just straight 1/2” tube). The hydroton also can somewhat wick water as well when wet.
These adapters will let me run 1/2” tubing to the 6 5” net pot sites from the 185 gph pump, a distributor manifold (found at flexpvc.com):
6 port distributor 1.5" slip in and 6 .5" ports out (to connect to 1/2" tubing to 6 top feed sites)
1.5” to .5” pvc adapter slip socket (to adapt 1.5" diameter to 1/2" tubing diameter from water pump)
A slip connection for pvc is female so I just need a section of 1.5” pvc pipe to join distributor & adapter and my 1/2” tubing should just glue right into the 6 outputs on the distributor.
This distributor manifold setup also makes sure the water pressure is more even between the 6 sites, over running a single line/branches traditionally used. Still, I'm going to use 6 ball valves (1 for each site) to make sure each site is getting equal amounts of water:
I did splurge for a Hole Pro X-305 Kit (makes holes 1-7/8" to 12"), so I already had that to make my 5" holes for the net pots. Got it for about $100, well well worth it. I saved $25 bucks by looking up the store's coupon code on Google search (just use store name and type "coupon").
Other items also: grommets (to run distributor assembly from below res lid and have 1/2" tubing go through to above), 1/2" tubing stakes for top feed ring, 12 1/2" barbed elbows & 6 1/2" barbed T (or Y) connectors (barbed elbows in grommets and under lid & T or Y connectors to make 4" diameter top feed rings), 5" net pots, hydroton & maybe wrap the thing in Reflectix. Not complicated at all, nice and neat and no noisy air pump!
After I see the 1st set of true leaves (starting week 2 from seed) I start a nute regimen of 125 ppm (I use 20 ppm RO water & adjust pH so that's what also added ppm wise). This also lets me able to know what the pH is, as it's not too accurate reading plain RO water. Still pure RO or distilled water is assumed to be 7 and I bet it'd be OK to use that for the 1st week or 2 in the Rapid Rooters.
In the hydro system, already ditched the airstones for top feed and also use another pump to circulate coming from the buckets & waterfalling into res. In short a top feed UC system. As long as you have water circulate about every 2-6 minutes for a complete exchange then you should still have plenty of DO in the water.
I see the Turbogarden units are real popular. They're also not cheap, but the cost for the res and lid here is about $120 online. This should save me water over using my whole hydro setup from the start, and for the most part of the 1st 2 weeks I'd still mostly just do a decent top spray by hand.
