Teach me RockWool

Im interested in your comments about Rockwool. My medium of choice has been soil. Im good with soil. Maybe I could be better with a Rockwool medium. But Know nothing about it. Though I had a slab years ago I did grow in it .. Pain in the ass.. Drip drain drip drain.. Ok I didnt have a automated system.. Just the tilt tray. I had the Ph stuff memorized but water stuff still turned green and algee looking... Bllaaaa... Then I also had a cement floor area, which I really have dont now so I cant be spillng water all over the place.
What Id turn out doing was breaking the Rockwoll up into chunks and blocks as starters for cloning and reuse em till they couldnt be used any more..
Is that all its good for today.. If Ive mastered the indoor SOIL system should I even change my methods.. Money wise and Time experience wise. What do you think?

 

Hey my man,

Rockwool is just another medium. Its application depends on what the objective is. Clones to soil, clones to DWC, Clones to E&F, etc.. Its verstile. You can even place your germinated seeds into it. Its always good to have a slab onhand.

The algae which grows on it doesn't really harm anything its just annoying. A cover blocking the light usually makes it go away pretty quick.

What is really on your mind? I can hear the hampster wheel spinning

 

:lolh no.... the wheel is turning. really I thought that Id ask the simple question while not trying to hijack anothers thread.. Get your wheels turning too...I think that algee thing was not a problem either, I was just curious, Cause Im gona take a trip to the grow store in over the weekend was thinking of getting some different medium for a faster take on the clones. Ill proly show them as they take and all since I have a rooting tupperware system thats alost fool proof. But if I pull ten, Ill usually get 8 that stick and 2 that will lag behind.
But once again I see that dip and grow shit Subcool is doing and I can see saving like at least two week with that method. IDK. I get a little excited while Im setting up again. And you know Im not doing the veg,flow,harv,stop. this time Im going to set up and have to just grow mad vegies and clones and flower off in a 20sqft area. Using 2/360 hps and 1/400 mh. for a even blend of light..and just rotate. Thinking of holding down the power with many 100cfl for vegie growth. but were a long way from that point Danm it! But enough to hold us over.
But If anything Bud, Ill get some slabs and some starter stuff for clones. Thinking of having a green summer...

 

Sounds like a plan! Ya gotta have a plan!!

I love the grow store - the plumbing fittings are all nice and grouped. I don't have to run around home depot asking where shit is from people who don't know. Arrrggghhh!!!

 

I spent 40 minutes in Home Depot looking for a swimpool timer, knowing right damn well where they are. Still took me that long to get there and back out of the store..
I stay with the small electrical stores for my bulb and other electric needs.
the "Hydro"growstore is really far from my home. Well close to my work but Im not down there for that. I could go today, but Idk. Im not puttting it off.. I never put off stuff like this. Fish pump died one night and I was at the walmart buying a cheapo kids fish tank for emergency asap.
Speaking of hardware. Ive got this little store near me and the old guy that run it got all kinds of tubing for watering, but out here in the country the rockwools are not in the farm nurserys? dont make sence, Or Id use it more..

are you saying I need a drip system, cause Im affraid of over watering. thats what happened the last time I used RW. in the slab. I had a 3 ft piece and 4 blocks as a starter, figured it out, But is the slab soppose to stay full of water or empty, I let them fill and dry out half way to almost completly... Idk I grew in them like they were dirt? and left only inchs of water in the bottom. was that right.. The shit grew but I didnt see nothing better than soil I guess. Do you water it like soil?, since I must of did that part right, the plant lets you know if its good for it..

 

I hear you I try to stay with independents for most things, hardware, restaurants, etc. But when I need lumber or various pvc off to Home Depot. I do have a grow shop 1 mile from the house used to another one too but it went under. It took me 1/2 hour to find eletrical grommets at HD. MFs said they are over there, then over there, then they do not carry them.... found them on my own.

Letting the rockwool dry out causes the pH to rise. Normally, start the clones in the starter cubes, when roots start to show in it goes to the 4" and from there on to a slab (if needed). Always pH adjusted water ~ 6 (units).

A flood & drain table is more suited IMO for what you have planned. But a drip system would work great. Rockwool by nature holds 20% air so it is hard to overwater. The roots just don't like to be in stagnant water so an airstone and air pump fix that.

You can always take a page out of NatHi's book and go the coco-fiber route. Looks promising and his results do look good.

I prefer soil myself but rockwool for cloning and seedlings. Remember rockwool will not make anything grow faster. But with the proper tools (pH meter, tds meter) and a hydrosystem you can maximize nutrients and conditions for some pretty impressive growth rates.

 

This shop I go to used to be close to my house but I moved it didnt, Lol. Shit I cant even order a pizza.. Makes it nice a quiet like though. Can get a little stir crazy but the outdoors cures that real quick.. Kinda really nice when you put out a ripe one on the porch when its 20 below to freeze dry.. Ohh crystals....
Ever/ Nvm. your in texas..lol. dont snow much there huh?

Im guessing that I was doing something right, its not rocket science someone said but it still gets you to the moon..

 

Hee hee I'm in Michigan my man! I know what joy the winter brings

Pizza hmmmm sounds like dinner!

 

great man you know then,, he he..
nothing like the winter air to bring out the best of a true Holland Strain.. mm mm. imo... anyways trade purp secret.. Honestly Im for a orange citrus or belladonna.. top secret. hah ha ha..

 

O yeah those crisp winter nights bring a purple to the Haze and many other body parts. We don't smoke in the house so the crisp winter air is well quite crisp at wakeup time ~ 5:30 AM. Brrrrrrr. Shame spring and fall seem to last only a couple of weeks.

I admit I have a hankerin (not for a spankerin) but to track down some William's Wonder. Hmmmmmm...

 

Near Lake "Superior" weed is he not?