Sometimes the simple things trip me up, I am converting from running a succesful but high maintenence 3 gallon drip system to a 7 gallon ebb and flow. I watched the the "how to grow green" you tube video and give it 2 thumbs up but still have a question. I noticed he simply lays the tray drain hose into the top of the reservoir on the veg side but drilled the drain into the bottom of the reservoir on the flower side? The reason this got my attention is it is a major pain in the ass to haul out the reservoir for the bi weekly water and nute change I do with the BC technaflora, when I mentioned this to my local hydro shop the guy looked at me like he was really stoned or I am the only one in the U.S. who has to clean out and change the reservoir water every 2 weeks. If it is as easy as just dropping the drain hose into the top of the reservoir it will make getting the resevoir out easier then trying to disconnect the barbed fitting on the drilled in drain, I guess I cant figure out why the video showed 2different ways to do it and does it really make a frikken difference as long as the reservior is below the tray so it can drain properly? I know this is probably alot to do about nothing but I got to ask you guys anyways.
first, I use the Lucas Formula with GH Nutes...I never change my res...I just add rod water and/or nutes to bring ppm to 900...ph is very very stable, I havent used up or down in 3 harvests( I regenerate/reveg )...I test the res daily anyway to monitor ppm.. second, I used to change out the nutes on schedule, I used a pump, the one they sell at walmart for kerosine...this made the changeout much easier...(with a 2 way valve, you could even pump it out from the res with the same pump used to move it from res to roots...) third, I used to drain into an open topped res...now I use a covered res and direct the drainflow into pipe fitting into lid of res...no big difference, just less algae and evaporation... I hope this covered your concerns...apparently, it's not rocket science