Will this hydro method work?

Helvete

Helvete

I was thinking about this all day at work, a DWC/flood and drain combo.  I was surprised when I couldn't find much about it.  Sorry about the crude pic but it gives the general idea.  Should I put some of my grow media in the bottom that already has bacteria on it?
 
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I don't understand the setup dwc the roots are submerged in a oxegenated solution 24/7 and ebb/flood has media that only gets watered x amount of times a day not sure how you could combine the two.
You wouldn't want your roots hanging in mid air with no water or media around them. Maybe your talking more like a recirculating dwc.
 
Would it actually damage the roots if they are left hanging?  They would definitely be under a lot of stress from the ebb and flow, but they would be getting aerated just the same.  My main goal is to use flood and drain but minimizing the amount of media I need to use.  OR I could just do a "constant flood" by taking the bell off completely and go DWC all the way with bubblers in it.  This is probably going to replace my grow bed on my aquaponics.
 
Yes.
Roots don't like to be in air.
F&D in media, or DWC by numerous means.
Constant recirculation with a bubbler---long cycle circulation back to the fish---would benefit both.
Fungus and bacteria on the roots is something we try to minimise or avoid.
A few are beneficial, most are not.
 
Gotrox said:
Yes.
Roots don't like to be in air.
F&D in media, or DWC by numerous means.
Constant recirculation with a bubbler---long cycle circulation back to the fish---would benefit both.
Fungus and bacteria on the roots is something we try to minimise or avoid.
A few are beneficial, most are not.
Click to expand...
Ok so if I made something similar to that I could just take off the bell and have a constant flow in the stand pipe and add bubblers?  I guess that's basically like a raft system right?
 
Fishies prolly would enjoy a little bubbled water also.
But in all honesty, a bubble stone doesn't disolve much oxygen into the water, but keeps it stirred up.
 
I guess I'll have to have some other addition for my bio filter, which is why I mentioned bacteria.  The ammonia from the fish requires certain types of bacteria to break it down into nitrites and nitrates.  I have a swirl filter for solids like poop and uneaten food in my sump tank but it shouldn't be too difficult to make something else.
 
Thanks for your input guys!  When I get around to switching everything around I'll keep you updated.  Right now I'm mostly focused on getting my outdoor hydro indoors.
 
I'm getting ready to start building this thing.  I'm a metal fabricator so I'm going to build it out of 16ga stainless steel  punch the holes in the lid for the net pots, bend it and weld it water tight.  I dunno how long until I have it operational because I can only work on it off the clock at work.
 
Guessing you will tig weld it? Should work well I'm a welder by trade and have built a few light hoods and such but never a hydro system I'll sure be watching this.
 
TIG is best for water tight, I know some welding genies that could probably MIG it that well but I'm not that gifted.  I spend most of my time on lathes, bending on brakes and operating a sheet metal laser.
 
Tig welding does make a nice clean weld. As a matter of fact, the only cleaner weld I have seen is with a sub-arc, but that is just a tad overkill for sheet metal. :eek:
 
willard3 said:
Roots don't mind being in air as long as they are wetted occasionally.
 
 

 
 
 
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Willard3 is spot on as usual. 
I have 10 dutch buckets with 8 and 10 inch net pots. The roots just hang there for over a foot until they reach the inch of water at the bottom. They do get watered every 15 minutes or so. Can't let them dry out. 
 
Next year, perlite and peat moss instead of lava rock and hydroton. Should cut the watering way way down. 
 
Scorpion with a 10" net pot. 
20130813_173731.jpg
 
that's good to know for future reference, I think I'm liking the idea of constant recirculation though, siphons are just plain noisy and my office is in the basement with the grow area.  As I type this it's "flushing."  I kind of have taken a liking to noise in general, and I often play heavy metal for my peppers in the hopes they'll be angry and hot :)
 
When I have a grow bed set up in a greenhouse I'll be going back to the flood and drain definitely and I might have to try this.  I'm still going to be working on this thing this week hopefully and I'll post updates if you guys are interested.
 
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