10 Do's and don't of NFT

[HazyHashMan]

I've had a few people ask me about NFT systems lately so thought i'd put this guide together to help others with starting in NFT with 10 do's and don't plus some bonus information

 

Thing to DO when setting up and maintaining an NFT system.

 

1.) Do get plant established in rockwool cubes before transplanting into NFT, i highly recommend root pruning to further improve results

 

2.) Do place rockwool cubes with the groves running parellel with water flow

 

3.) Do check the NFT is placed on level ground so water will flow correctly across the spreader mat

 

4.) When cutting spreader mat, make sure to cut it longer than the length of the top tray so the excess can overhang down into the reservoir just enough to reach the water (This will stop trickling noses)

 

5.) When using a corex cover check for gaps and make sure no light is reaching the root, this doesn't have to be black out perfect but good enough to keep direct light from hitting the roots

 

6.) Once NFT system is running first thing you'll need to do is check water flow. Too much flow can create pooling and reduces oxygen, you want the spreader mat to be saturated but not puddling (Balance is key here i normally have mine set to 50%)

 

7.) Pumps need to be checked almost daily (really daily) for flow. The pump filter can regularly get block as well as the delivery tube. If 2 weeks pass and flow is still fine which is common wash them regardless to prevent future blockages

 

8.) Optimal water temperture is between 18-21c, Below 18c and you need a res heater, cheap and easy fish tank heaters work fine. If temperature is above 21c a chiller is recommended but expensive. If temps are under 25c then silver bullet should suffice

 

9.) When plants are young/newly placed in NFT trays fill the res up 1/4-1/2 full. This is because a full res can take young plants a long time to use up, making micro nutrients less avaliable. Instead feed them little but more often for better uptake of nutrients

 

10.) Fully establish plants in late veg or early to mid bloom drink a considerable amount of water when dialled in. During this time weekly res changes are essential and ec/ph should be checked daily and adjusted when needed. PH not so much but EC will fluctuate

 

Things you DON'T want to do when setting up and maintaining an NFT system

 

1.) Don't put seedlings directly into NFT systems, while it may not kill them the high flow of water and nutrients is too much for a young seedling and will give it a poor start making roots less established effecting yeilds down the line.

 

2.) Don't put NFT trays on soft or uneven ground, this can make the NFT unlevel and cause multiple problems with water flow

 

3.) Don't run pumps on a timer, Despite what some people online say NFT pumps are only designed to be ran 24/7 and never on a timer (Refer to #6 of the DO's list for proper use)

 

4.) Don't double up on spreader matting. One layer is plenty, using more can slow the flow of water across the roots and wastes medium that could be used on another run

 

5.) Don't use nutrients that aren't designed for recirculating systems, this is usually stated on the bottle if it can be used. Examples of nutrients iv had sucess with. (Canna aqua A+b) (Advanced nutes Sensi A+B)

 

6.) Don't over crowd your system. These systems have a recommended number of plants. This info can change from site to site some worse than others. GT201 can't support more than 3 for example and ideally supports 2

 

7.) Don't under crowd your system. Some NFT systems are quite big and support many plants. It's important to utilize all the space you have correctly. A GT901 is said to support 6-12 plants but i find 6 was too little while 12 is perfect (visualise your ideal outcome)

 

8.) Don't neglect unhappy plants, if you have a tray full of happy girls with an odd unhealthy plant, check the roots ! Pooling can happen in small isolated areas and lead to single plants getting less oxygen which can lead to pythium which needs urgent attention

 

9.) Don't neglect salt build ups. Even if you commit to changing the res regularly, salts build up on the walls on the res which can cause imbalances over time (commonly during late bloom) Rinse res well during res changing to keep things clean and healthy

 

10.) Don't work with res while pumps are on. As always safety first, it is always recommended to turn off any submersibles before carrying out res changes. It can seem like a waste of time and tedious but better than risking a nasty electric shock.

 

Bonus tips and tricks :

1.) Silver bullet and liquid oxygen are your best friends. Not only do they keep the tank clean give roots extra oxygen but also prevent pests and disease and should be included no matter your budget. Really are a nft growers best friends

2.) Sometimes the delivery pipe with the pumps can come a few mils too long which causes the hard contact with the tray making more vibrations, cutting the delivery tube just enough so that the pump is almost hovering reduces a lot of vibration

3.) Replacing the deliver pipe with rubber tube can also reduce vibration and noise but even an NFT stock isn't that noisey to be honest but isn't quite either

4.) Read up on silicon use in NFT before adding to your schedule. Being a recirculating system silicon is much more avaliable to the plant than in other systems meaning less is needed here is a comprehensive guide on using Silicon in hydroponic https://manicbotanix.com/silicon-in-hydroponics/ Make note of the PH of your water before adding silicon or you won't get the benefits of it. (I only use silicon exclusively during the stretch phase for the first 2 weeks of bloom and non before or after) This i find gets full benefits with the least hassle

5.) When you want to change plant configuration or just want to run different plant numbers you'll need a new corex cover. These can be bought pre cut to size from hydro shops. Or to save money you can buy any old corex from a builder merchant and cut yourself and saves yourself a few quid each time. All adds up, plus you can get white corex instead which will conduct less heat.

6.) Common missconception, airstones are not needed in NFT but im sure they can't hurt ? If you've used an air stone to suppliment an NFT and have had better results because of it share your experience as iv always been curious but never bothered to be honest

 

 

This information is all to do with NFT tables and not NFT gully which is same concept but a different design. When growing cannabis, tables are much better than gullys, gullys are more suited to small leafy greens or 12/12 from cuttings while NFT tables can support plants big or small in more flexible configurations. If you're growing with gullys not all this information will apply but most if not all of it should be applicable

 

I may or may not update with with photos when i setup my NFT trays soon but photos aren't essential as it's very straight forward system.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by HazyHashMan

[4kali]

Nice mate, thanks for sharing,looks like some real useful tips and tricks in there

atb 4k

[badbillybob]

i will adda couple from my very brief flirtation with nft

1. use a scrog screen, as the plant, well  dont have support in this type of system

2, 6 bulldog clips, to hold down the corex to the tray make life easier

3. place floor tile spacer, or golf tee,  under rockwool block, to raise it marginally off  the spreader mat, which saves the cube getting water logged.

 

im a bit mangled, cant think of any others.....

Edited September 5, 2021 by badbillybob

[HazyHashMan]

@badbillybob Thanks for the adds, just back from the indian myself after 3 pints and a mighty full so not much better myself interesting in this floor tile tech, sounds worth it if it prevent water logging.

Edited September 5, 2021 by HazyHashMan

[badbillybob]

yeah, or a few golf tees, stuck into the underside of the cube, leaving just enough to raise the cube off the matt, but the floor tile spacers are good too, they are about3-4mm thick, and plastic so the water doesnt affect them. i used to do this when they were seedlings, after getting root issues

[HazyHashMan]

@badbillybob Nice, i might go with the golf tees sound less intrusive on the system. I never place seedlings into nft myself i basically get them root bound in rockwool before transplanting, seems to help them deal with the high flow of water and they usually develop loads of oxygen roots (basically just roots above the cube/on the edge of like you see with trees trunks, they usually turn green with the trunk but iv read somewhere they can be great at providing oxygen to the roots)

 

Would you recommend using the golf tees even if the plant is heavily established or was it just to stop early issues with seedlings ? I might try it regardless for sake of testing sounds interesting

Edited September 5, 2021 by HazyHashMan

[badbillybob]

i think itwould be too tricky to get the tees into the underside of the cube once the plant is established to be honest.

the roots will be entwined in the spreader matt by then.

i only ever did it when i transplanted them from the root it cubes into the 4 inch rockwool. 

the air between botom of cube and matt will undoubtedly help too, till the root mass takes over the space.

give it a try with your next ones, see what you think yourself.

[zen-ken]

16 hours ago, HazyHashMan said:

 

6.) Common missconception, airstones are not needed in NFT but im sure they can't hurt ? If you've used an air stone to suppliment an NFT and have had better results because of it share your experience as iv always been curious but never bothered to be honest

 

 

 

 

 

Get an iccle airstone/leakypipe in there or use a little pump (watch out for increased water temperatures!!) and spray it at the bottom of the tray creating a waterfall (roots can be sucked up so big sponge required).....your then pretty much doing top fed DWC towards the middle of flower.....the tank full of white roots surrounding the stone/pipe will tell you why you did it  

Keeps the water moving and helps stop creating sediment. 

[the ferret]

i got two nft 205 grow tanks with the small 20L reservoirs. if i was going to grow one plant in each would it be best to place the plants directly in the middle of the tray level to where the pump is. many thanks for any reply's 

[Thestiff1]

Good guide mate thinking of making the change from soil n pots but it's all the unknown for me.....I know it's a lot better in terms of yeild etc just seems a lot can go wrong?!

[HazyHashMan]

@the ferret If you're only running one plant i'd place it in the centre of the tray, or wherever is most convenient for you to be honest.

 

@Thestiff1 Not much can go wrong other than a pump failure, i've still got my original nft pumps from a gt205 which are easily 5+ years old going strong. They just need cleaning out every couple weeks. If they break/stop pumping water it's a 9/10 chance a good clean will fix it. Other than that only problems iv had with NFT is the top tray sagging which has only happened with the large gt901s. Fixed the problem by adding more screws and bolts to keep the top tray in place throughout flower

Edited September 26, 2021 by HazyHashMan

[BeardedBeardiae]

I know it's not the done thing but if you had to could you root cuttings in a spongy Root it cube and then place it in a larger rockwool ntf system ?

Only asking cos i struggle to get cuttings to root in the rockwool cubes, and know very little about hydro

[4kali]

of course you can

4k

[4kali]

i honestly cant see how you struggle rooting in rockwool compared to any other substrates

[mysticriver]

On 05/09/2021 at 5:28 PM, HazyHashMan said:

I may or may not update

Please do bro - ive always been interested in NFT

 

 

mystic