Thanks for the responses. I'm going to try and make a single post to address both of your replies. To start off I will say that I know this setup won't be ideal for "the long haul". I fully intend to migrate the plants out into different system(s) where I will allow them to grow to maturity. This initial setup was only intended to be a "cloner" type box of sorts and not what I had intended for them to live in to maturity. This is just my initial attempt to "test the hydroponic waters" so to speak and I didn't want to build multiple systems with grow room just yet.
I've added a few more pics here to try and show the inside of the setup and tried to capture the roots. The pictures aren't very good quality (taken with my iPhone) so apologies for that. Some details about the setup to go along with the picture: I'm using an Eco185
pump in this setup. As you can see there is a pvc pipe running down the center of the tub with 8 spray heads on it. I was told by the guy at the hydro store I bought the pump/sprayers from that the spray heads are actually the replacement heads for the EzClone system. Not quite as easy to spot, but there is an air stone at the bottom of the tub there. Running around the top of the tub I have some weather stripping to help with leaks. That, so far, has been my biggest issue. Though I don't have any spots that just flow water...if I don't manage to set the lid back on "just right"....I'll get a fairly steady drip leak in various places. I'll have to wiggle the lid a bit and try to adjust it just so to get them to stop. I'm trying to brain storm various ways to eliminate this issue for any potential future builds.
I don't know if these pics of the roots show you want you wanted to see. Again, I don't know what to gauge this against so I don't know if they "look good" or not. I know they are supposed to be more on the white side and that brown = bad. I can't say that the roots are a pristine pure white, but they aren't brown either. I can tell they've developed quite a bit since I initially put the seedlings in the system.
As for running the system, I am currently using a Technoflora "starter kit" for my
nutrients, following their "recipies" on the instruction kit for the mixture. I don't have an EC meter or anything like that, just a TDS meter and a liquid drop pH test kit. The
nutrient mix I use comes out to be about 1100 ppm. I am monitoring the pH on a daily basis and keep it as close to 6.0 as I can. The temp of the nutrient solution is becoming a concern to me. During the first week I ran the system I had the pump going on a 15 minute on/45 minute off cycle. The nutrient solution stayed in the low 70's range. After my first nutrient change this past weekend, I decided to try the pump on constantly during the entire light cycle (16 hours). I've noticed the temp in the solution creeping up (measuring almost 78 F just a bit ago). I'm guessing the pump running steadily has a lot to do with that. I don't necessarily want to invest in a chiller at this point, so I may have to think about going back on some sort of an on/off cycle with the pump. As far as
lights...fairly low tech on that at the moment. I just have a couple of 4' T8 shop lights (2
bulbs per light) with some 5k bulbs in them that I hang just a few inches above the top of the seedlings. Better lighting is also something I am brainstorming for future builds. The guy at the local hydroponics store is really pushing
hps lights, but the heat output and cooling issues are a concern to me at this point. I'm told, however, that the T8 shoplight idea is fine for the stage my plants are in at the moment....so I have a little bit to figure that part out as well. Need to look into the "grow smell" too...heh. Doing this in a spare room in our house and it's fairly potent when you first walk into the room. Had to isolate it in a room I could close off though....cats apparently like to nibble on seedlings
.
Hopefully I addressed both of your posts/questions, and thanks again for taking the time to reply.