I have a pipe flood and drain similar to the one you run... It's 4 5ft tubes interconnected. They are painted brown (a prerec per the wife to be outside I understand a lighter more reflective vessel would be preferable) I use the Flora GH series with 5 cc/gallon of flora gro and and flora micro and 2cc/ gal of flora bloom The local hydroponic guy stated I didn't need the flora bloom at all for herbs and I have tried w and w/o it. I shoot for around an EC of 1.0
nutrients are diluted in solution individually to avoid precipitation. I have a 27 gallon reservoir with 20 gallons of nutrients with one aerator. I keep pH at 6 and it holds there rather well. It is hot and humid here highs are typically 95-100 and lows are in 70's my
nutrient solution runs in the mid to upper 80's and has hit 90s (the reservoir is 2/3 buried). The plants get full sun for probably 8-10 hrs a day. During the day I flood for 15 min and drain for 30 at night I flood 15 min and drain 75min. I have never seen a leaf wilt. Nutrient solution is changed out q 2wks with one fresh h20 flush for 15 min. The plants vary from 10 wks to 3wks most all were started from
seeds in 1.5 rockwool cubes then placed in a 3" net cup surrounded with expanded clay or Hail or however you spell it. One plant was started in dirt and roots washed and transplanted. The oldest plants probably range from 18"-24" all sweet basil. The young ones are around 6-8". I harvest from the top on a regular basis and have seen no blooms. I also have other herbs which seem to be doing well as is some arugula. I know I am running on the hot side and I can move the system into the basement with
lights (the reason its 4 x 5' tubes) or try a shade cloth. That may be my next project. I'm also willing to try the free h20 flush x 2 wks understanding that I will have to harvest all plants at the end. My hope is to have a system that I can go out and pick herbs as needed not harvest all at one time. The included pic is where it was built not where it lives now
GPS thank you for your interest...Brad