A Cheap Alternative to RockWool and Net Cups
This Video is from the Youtube channel: “Hoocho”.
A cheap net cup and rockwool alternative in your hydroponic or aquaponic system. Nutrient film technique hydroponic farming at home.
Having taken my first step into hydroponic farming at home using a system known as nutrient film technique I tried to streamline the process of taking plants from seed to system.
Eliminating the need for net cups and rock wool, my puck system is the solution to minimising your cost and maximising you’re output with as little effort possible.
Hoocho – Eliminating the RW altogether. The easiest way to do this is use a tray filled with about 1″ of fine/powder Coco Coir. I would use a double tray, and bottom water. Then carefully place your seeds on to the layer of coco coir. Purposefully Placing them/spacing them a distance apart. Once they’ve popped up/sprouted, and I wait till they’ve at least got their second set of leaves, you can now easily remove them individually from the coco coir, and put them into your foam puck or pool noodle. This method allows you to skip the extra handling, and you don’t have to thin out the seedlings, like might with rockwool. You sort of get more bang for your money…making each seed and your handling time count.
This is great. Thankyou for sharing!
No Problem. I too am always looking for ways to save money, eliminate unnecessary steps. I’ve used rw for a long time, but..it does get spendy. so far the coco coir method works pretty well. Careful placement of the seeds on the coco coir surface does require a little more patients however. sometimes I get exotic seeds or special seeds from a customer..and they are generally in small qty..so this way I can insure I get the most from them.. If say all 10 germinate and produce a seedling, I can easily take it out of the coco coir..instead of thinning it out from a piece of rw which will result in a plant lost in all probability… 🙂
@Forage Forage Hey there, thanks for sharing the advice and technique. What size seedling trays are you using, and many seeds are you sowing per tray?
@Forage Forage I now use this method in my system and have made a video ‘seed to system’. It’s my go to now so thanks!
@Hoocho Can you provide a link to that video please? Thank you.
Seems like an ingenious idea. Will give it a go when I get the rail set up.
In addition to the pool noodle holding the plant up, it could also be used to support a length of bamboo to further help keep the top of the plant up. Great work, keep us all updated on the progress
Amazing idea! I did NFT 3 years ago and I wanna do it again soon. I’m definitely gonna do it the way you do it!
I’m so proud of you! What a great and simple solution! Sometimes the answers are right in front of us and we just don’t see them! I was hesitating at starting hydroponics because of that extra, cup and wool coat!! Thanks!!😁
I knew about the foam but your notching four corners is smart, and the pipe insulator foam is a good idea too. Excellent. I had thought to use good quality paper towels which are economically cheapest way to go, and roots grow right through them. I’m doing aeroponics this year. ciao. Good show.
trumpsahead I’m trying Viva towels. So far so good. One day & they’re still wet. When the roots go down I’ll let the water level drop.
I hope you’ve patented your puck system, what a great idea and I really enjoyed your presentation. I’m considering building a aeropontic/hydropontic system in the near future and reading/watching as many video’s as possible to determine what best fits my needs. Thanks, Dana
DD Guth if I were to patent the system it would only be to keep the idea free for all to use. 😊
@Hoocho dont really need to patent it, as this video demonstration is clear in that anyone can make it. As I understand it (not a lawyer), this video would be an example of prior art, which could be used in litigation for patent destruction. Also Im not sure if it could even be patented since one of the four legal tests is “Prove uniquenesss and non-obviousness to individuals with ordinary skills in the field of the patent.” would likley not… hold water.
@chris vighagen No patent here. Just a different material. Still a neat idea, but I think I am going to spare my ice fishing feet pads (they are supposedly for workout matts based on advertising) and go with a pool noodle instead..they are made of PET (Food Safe Polyethelyne) and cost 1$ to make a ton of “rockwool alternatives” vs. the $25+ you pay for a 6 pack of these matts on Amazon and you waste a lot of the material by using a hole saw drill bit, and waste basically nothing with the $1 pool noodle.
😍. Thank u for being so creative, innovative and for recognizing the financial constraints that others may face.
Please continue to make more videos like this. I really appreciate the level of practicality that ur video brings.
As a single parent, and only income earner, I just love ur video.
The greatest reward I can get is the knowledge that any video I’ve made has helped anyone. So thank you for this comment.
This 60 year old just made some pucks! Although I could only make mine 85mm, it fits the 60mm hole beautifully. I punched a hole in the middle for the stems. I feel so proud of myself. Thank you so much for the wonderful idea.
Hi, how do you punched in the puck ? And of what size ?
What happens when stem width increases as the plant grows ?
Thank you for filming this and sharing your knowledge. The tips are well explained. I am starting a Kratky system and am curious, can I use half sliced Corks (unused for wines) to hold up my seedlings? How much room should I give for the branch to eventually thicken up in say lettuce versus basil?
this is such great advice! I’m new to hydroponics but have been experimenting with bamboo grow gardens instead of pvc… am keen to try some seedlings using your method and love the foam pucks ! we have lots of washed up thongs/flip flops so hopefully can get enough circumference with them.
Thanks for sharing your great idea! I’ve been looking to get into hydroponics but the cost of the systems have held me back so far.
Will build a system based on your design.
great idea and work. I’ve been mixing and matching between rockwool, clay pebbles, perlite and various cups/net-cups as my plants grew but using your pucks and noodle seem like an easier way. Will give this a try in my next transplant from seedlings to propagator.
Excellent ideas. I sure could use some more info about how to set up a propagation tray, though. I’ve done well on the germination part, and when they get larger, on the actual hydroponic setup. However I have high losses getting them from seedlings to plants that you can put out.
Great tips! I’ve been using foam pipe insulation for support (lots of wind here) but the noodles are giving me new ideas. I don’t have an NFT system, just small gardening for 2 people + neighbors = Aerogardens and tubs work for me = the principles are the same. Tx, great vid.
I like the idea of avoiding the extra-cost associated with the pot and the rockwool. However, I am concerned about the accumulation of pathogens and algae in the foam. Have you encountered any problem on that regard?
This guy is the best. The reluctant tone of his videos along with him saying it to some extent in every video “i am not doing this for attention, but to help share gardening techniques” is perfect.
Thanks Hooch! I’ve been using net pots and vermiculite for my systems. Vermiculite gets washed out sometimes into the system and with your puck system it would make for a clean system! 👍
Thank you for this idea! I’m from the Philippines and Cocopeat in a styro cup is a common substrate we use. I’ve adapted your idea and it seems to be working very well! This is awesome. I’ll be sharing this with my fellow hydroponics enthusiasts. Cheers!
Thanks for the informative video. I’m just getting rolling (purchasing various components) and, though I was considering the floating raft system, I may consider swaying towards an NFT. I will be using a grow tent so I was attempting to avoid the potential of “leaks” due to a water pump/delivery tubing/PVC/reservoir failure. But again, I do like your system. Specifics, such as the size of the hole saws used, are appreciated.
I know this is an old video, but I think your idea is brilliant. I have seen the pool noodle, the foam padding, the sponge, the rock wool, the expandel clay, the coco coir/peat. Yours combined the foam padding with the pool noodle, both easily obtained, relatively inexpensive and are reusable. The transition from seedlings in the DWC to the NFT appears seamless, Good job.