nft/dft - starting plants and film depth

15 years ago

I have just made a pvc pipe DFT/NFT/Flood and Drain system (I piped it up so I can use it as either). The pipe is 4" diameter. I plan on growing lettuce and herbs in it.

I have a couple of questions I can't find the answer to:

I have got the seeds in rockwool cubes for germinating. Once germinated what do I do with them until the roots are long enough to hang into the solution? Do i leave them in the germination tray and water by hand? Or put them in the 2" net pots and put them in the system and water by hand? Or put them in the system in the net pots and run it as Flood and Drain until the roots are long enough, then change to NFT/DFT?

How deep should the nutrient be for a NFT or DFT system?

If I run it as a flood and drain system once the plants are fully established, will leaving the rockwool cubes in the 2" net pots be enough, or do they have to be in bigger pots with more medium?

Thanks.

Comments (2)

greystoke
15 years ago
I'm battling with those questions myself.
My experience is that roots have to be firmly established before you can transfer to the NFT. Last year I destroyed a whole batch of strawberries because their roots were underdevelopped.
You live and learn.
hooked_on_ponics
15 years ago
If you want to use it as a hybrid system you'd be more likely to want to go from Ebb and Flow to Nutrient Film than the other way around. Ebb and Flow would be a lot easier to develop the root systems of younger plants.

Personally I'd suggest installing a sprayer or dripper to help the plants get big enough for Nutrient Film Technique.

The fluid level for that is basically "as shallow as you can do without getting stagnant pools of water". Though if you want to grow lettuce the Deep Water Culture is typically going to give you slightly better results.
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