When using AeroFlos :
the AeroFlos secure sufficient water supply to your plants, with a relatively small tank to reduce weight. This
is why it is important to fill it and empty it taking a few precautions :
1 - Fill your reservoir first then start the pump to fill the chambers.
2 - When the chambers are full continue filling 2/3 of the reservoir, not more : if there was a power failure or if you use a timer,
the reservoirs will need to collect the water surplus without overflowing.
3 – To empty : first empty the reservoir. Then, after pulling out the level tubes, empty the chambers one by one in the reservoir.
Keep draining until all is gone.
2 - Solution maintenance, levels and cycles :
Use mild to normal strength nutrient solution and avoid strong or aggressive formulas. Monitor your nutritive solution by regularly
checking your water, EC, and pH levels. Adjust following needs. Plants can absorb :
1 - as much water as nutrients : top with a balanced nutritive formula
2 - more water than nutrients : top with pure water with adjusted pH, or with a mild nutritive solution
3 - more nutrients then water : top with a concentrated nutritive solution.
Important :
1- As long as your crop is developing well, you don’t need to replace your solution completely. Every few weeks, depending on
the quality of your water and/or the health of your plants, let the level of solution decrease as much as possible in the reservoir
(don’t let the pump draw in air!), then fill it up again with fresh water and nutrients.
2 - There are a few cases where it is good to replace the solution regularly and completely : when the quality of your water is bad
or unreliable, like it may happen in some cities, and/or when your plants are not growing well. Don’t just throw it. Use it added
to water with adjusted pH to irrigate your house plants, they will look great.
3 - No matter which growing system you use, always make sure that your roots are properly watered at all times. Never let them
dry. If you work with an AeroFlo, wait for the roots to hang in the solution, then push the level tubes down to lower the level of
the solution, leaving the upper part of the roots to hang in air.
4 - If you use another substrate than Grorox, adapt your watering cycles : some media, like coconut coir or rockwool will retain
humidity, and may become a disease factor for your plants. They need less water. In these cases watering must be intermittent.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for more info.
5 - Keep your reservoir full as much as possible, your nutritive solution will stay more stable. Never let the pump run without water,
it would seriously damage it.
6 - Cover all empty plant sites with pots and Grorox, or CocoTek covers, to protect the solution from light and debris.
3 - The Controller, or central water storage :
(see p. 2)
For systems like AquaFarms, WaterFarms and AeroFarms, you can use the Controllers. They act as water storage for 4 to 8 pots, linked
in line or in circle. They include a valve which refills the levels as they go down. Fill your controller with your usual formula, like with any
other system.
CLEANING THE SySTEMS
To avoid disease and to get the best out of your system, keep your growing area clean at all times. Between crops, clean well and
you will avoid clogs and infestations.
Choose a day when your nutritive solution is very low in the system. Stop the pump. Empty your system, take it apart and wash each
part thoroughly. Shake the rocks away from the roots and place them in a container to wash and use them again. Undo the pump,
rinse it well and clean the filter when there is one.
If needed (in case of disease or pest infestation), fill your system with an acidic solution (pH<4.0) and let it run for an hour to disinfect.
Then rinse all parts thoroughly. If you use Chlorine, rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of bleach and let it rest overnight to let the
Chlorine evaporate completely before you start a new crop
When using AeroFlos :
if needed, it is easy to unplug the caps at the end of your chambers . They are fixed with plumbing silicone and
are easy to remove. To fix them again use the same product (found in all drugstores).
TO START CUTTINGS
cuttingBoarDs, rainForests anD rainForests
2
GHE offers 2 systems for cuttings : the CuttingBoard and the RainForest. The CuttingBoard is a small and simple unit mostly for beginners,
and the RainForest is a high-end module, allowing total success most of the time.
Always use fresh and healthy cuttings that are free from disease and/or soil contamination. Soft green stems work best; woody stems
are slower. Don’t forget to adjust your environment to the different plants you are growing (climate, temperature, humidity, spacing,
etc.) as their needs differ from plant to plant.
If you start several cuttings in one cup, plan to separate them soon after roots have formed and before they become tangled.
To start your cuttings :
1. Fill your reservoir with fresh nutrient solution and plug the pump to start a dynamic, oxygen-rich, nutrient solution for your new
plantlets.
2. Cut each cutting beveled just under a node, and delicately scrape one side of the stem to facilitate root growth. Leave 3-4 leaves
for photosynthesis above the cover and remove all the rest.
3. Put the cutting in a cup and cover with Grorox or a CocoTek disk. Place in the system.
4. The optimum temperature for most cuttings is 24-25° C and 80 to 95% humidity.
5. Keep the plants in bright, indirect sunlight. You can use color-corrected or sunlight-simulating lamps. Fluorescent lamps are best; if
you are using Metal-Halide or High Pressure Sodium, place them well above the cuttings so that they don’t get burned.
6. Once the roots have grown – and before they tangle – transfer them to another growing system, or in any substrate you choose.
Plants brought up in our systems are extremely healthy and will thrive in their new environment.
7. Cover any unused hole to prevent water loss as well as algae growth.
Important :
1. In the CuttingBoard : as your plants grow, and as long as they don’t bathe in the solution, maintain a high level of nutrient solution
in the reservoir. Keep it high until multiple roots have developed.
2. Your RainForest motor is equipped with a thermocouple, which will shut off if it gets too hot. It will work again as soon as temperature
gets back to normal. If this keeps happening, you may have a problem with your motor. Don’t open it. Just call us. We will either fix it
or replace it. Our motors are guaranteed one year from date of purchase. (see stamp p. 2)
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