@GrumpAzz .....Saw your posts in your thread and Steams thread so I wanted to drop in and clarify.
First off is if what you're doing is working great then I'm a big believer in not fixing what isn't broke and I never want to change how people do things.
However with the VG it really helps to use it as intended and that's why you had issues with it and over handle your sprouts so if you want to try using it again, this is how....
The VG is intended to equal the best germinating performance out there while also eliminating needs for any other seed starting mediums and containers. R&D has taken it to what we have today in a taller and much more user friendly version compared to it's early days and that was done for hydro needs
So in soil it eliminates the need for solo cups or starter pots going from the VG into a 1 or 2 gallon container to veg.
It also eliminates the need for seed starter mix soil as the sprout can go directly into any good fast draining enriched soil without burning up due to how it was germinated and allowing the tap to get 3-4 inches long. And it eliminates the need to use peat pucks
In hydro it eliminates the need for Root Riot plugs and small rockwool cubes allowing you to plant directly into hydroton for DWC or coco for drain to waste hydro as well as eliminating the need for starter trays and domes for all types of growing.
Basically no matter how you grow, the VG eliminates the needs and costs of every other type of propagation product and medium out there
This experiment with DWC was multi faceted to see if the VG could make a sprout suitable for DWC but it was also to test out potentials in 3D printed DWC systems and make the cross over into Hydro-organics.
When taking the sprout from the VG and into the net cup you basically cover the bottom of the pot with hydroton then hold the sprout into position while filling in more hydroton around it. There's no need for a root riot plug or rockwool cube here.
You want to make sure most of the root will be in water but also keep the upper half dry to prevent dampening off.
You'll want most of the netpot submerged but if it sits high it's not an issue since bubbling water will make it's way into the upper parts of the hydroton that is not submerged.
Here's the progression from sprout to veg to final destination going straight from VG into hydroton.
Any questions, fire away and I'll try to answer when I get free time
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