Looking at the instructions and diagrams of this system (I included a link at the bottom of this for you to look at yourself) it appears kinda like a DWC. The hydroton pebbles are very porous and will absorb the water, much like a wick. So the water level doesn't need to be all that high, just tall enough to reach the clay pebbles.

Quick question... did you pre-plant the seeds in rockwool? If you did, are the seedlings roots showing through the cube?? The seedlings roots must be showing through, because the rockwool is not porous like the clay pebbles and will not soak up water as well, leaving your plants hanging dry ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Emily's Garden

I wouldn't use hydroton for the lettuce and chard. I'd use coco coir and vermiculite or perlite. Or add some rockwool cubes in with the hydroton. Not sure why ethno said it doesn't soak water up. It definitely does. The fact is, some people have problems with it due to the fact that it does so too well. It can lead to damping off if you don't have decent ventilation or low enough humidity. There is a fine line to be tread with rockwool concerning ventilation. Rockwool soaks up water too well, but it doesn't hold it that well for long (which may be what ethno was getting at). The water evaporates quickly. Just like wool socks (though a different material, same concept), for example, which makes them perfect for hiking. One problem a lot of people have is that the rockwool dries out fast if they have fans on it. The manufacturing process of the stuff generally determines how well it soaks up the water. I don't know the details, anymore. You'll have to look that one up on your own if you are interested.

The wicks might help a bit, but if there isn't a medium pulling the solution from the wick or the wick isn't in direct contact with roots, they are essentially useless. They do help, though. You just don't want to rely on them as a sole source of water transportation. I use them in potted plants to transport water higher up into the pot while plants are still small. I also use coco coir and vermiculite to keep the water held for the roots.

I know it sounds like defeating the purpose of buying the thing, but you might try hand watering on a daily basis until the plants have big enough roots to spread through the clay.

Joe, if you read my statement more precisely (which you failed to do) I stated this:

"because the rockwool is not porous like the clay pebbles and will not soak up water as well"

Pay attention to the very last part.

I expect no less than an apology for that one sir. No need to down on me for making a perfectly acceptable statement.

Geez. I read your statement fine. I'm not falling into another thread ruining pit with you or anyone else just because you have a problem with disagreement. Anyone can research the properties of rockwool vs hydroton, and the fact that it's close fibrous structure and the additives manufacturers apply make it absorb water too well for some applications as it will water log while hydroton will not. It's fibrous structure soaks the water up so well and distributes it so evenly that rockwool slabs are the medium of choice in many tomato greenhouses. Hydroton doesn't take water up fast enough or distribute water well enough to feed fast feeding/growing plants. It's that simple. To be fair, the other reason hydroton isn't used in food production much is the expense of both purchasing it and cleaning it. Roots get into it and are impossible to remove, too. It's much easier/less expensive/less risk to just get new medium every change. I didn't "down" on you (if I even understand what you are getting at exactly with that statement).

I think my response was quite well enough for WinterB to fix the problem. What I meant was the rockwool doesn't "wick" as well because it will lose the water from gravity. Am I right? Hang up some rockwool and see if water drips from it. I simply was telling her that (you even supported my statement by saying rockwool dries fast) her plants could possibly be doing bad because water from the reservoir was wicking up into the hydroton, but not the rockwool, so the rockwool wasn't providing the seedlings with enough water, which could have been a result of the roots not being shown through the rockwool and allowing to touch the hydroton, which holds in water for a much longer time period than rockwool (because it is porous).

I am glad you know how commercial farmers do things, but the fact is that hydroton can be used indefinitely so it is a cheaper alternative to filling those big containers with new rockwool, peat, etc for the small scale farmer like WinterB and I. If she was using a couple 100 gallon tanks (which even people growing on that scale still use hydroton) then your above statement about the cost effectiveness of the rockwool vs. hydroton may hold true. However, you are out of context from the person who posted this freakin thread! WinterB owns a small hydrofarm garden, so I addressed things in her context. I would have been much more precise if it was someone wanting to know the in depth answers, but she clearly just wanted to make a little sense out of why her system wasn't working.

What I was mad about, Joe, was the fact that my answer was probably excellent for her because it was addressing the issue at hand. You took my statement and found something wrong with it that really didn't matter as far as her problem.

I use 5 gallon buckets with the large net pot full of Hydroton. I don't use rockwool due to the added expense. I either sow the seed direct or start the seeds in perlite filled small net cups. I use a homemade bubbler to percolate water to the top of the net pot thus aerating the water. Takes 3 1/2 gallons to fill the bucket to within an inch of the net pot bottom and I generally let it fall back to 3 or 4 inches bellow the net pot. I about gave up on this bucket system until I figured out the bubbler thing and it all turned around for me.

Good luck on your garden

I did a bit of looking this item over on amazon today, seems they are selling them at half price just to get rid of them. A lot of comments tend to indicate leaky parts and other bad workmanship. I'm curious how your set is holding up.

Some ideas of what to do with your Emily's Garden include using a small desktop aquarium pump and 6 outlet manifold with 1/4" tubing to turn it into a drip system or sprouting your seeds in peat pellets and setting them in the EG in contact with the felt strips after the roots start poking out. I had great success with the drip idea. On its own, the EG isn't worth the price.

I am using an Emily Garden right now. The garden comes with a wick for each of the 6 containers. You start seedlings with the provided blocks. When the seedlings develop roots then put a wick in the bottom of each container so part is in the hydro growing liquid and the other half in the container with the little round balls. Put the seedling which is still in the growing block and place the roots on the wick. Then fill the container up with more of the round balls. Mix up the hydro growing liquid and pour some onto each of the plants. Fill the container with 2 gallons of hydro growing liquid. Make sure you start the pump to circulate the growing liquid in the container. I grow lettuce, parsley and basil all winter long. This product is worth the price. Following the directions with Emily's Garden is a good thing.

Why is it the norm that so many posts on this site turn into peeing contests?

I looked at that site and that is a aeroponic system. But all you can grow in it is lettace and leafy vegetables. Very basic system. But it might get you interested in making your own system for which there are many designs listed here. Just put in home made aeroponic systems.

I figured I might as well post, because I own one of these. My first major failure was due to miscalculating the appropriate plant. I tried summer squah. Wow, it took off. Did fantastic. But the root system overwhelmed the water and clogged the airstones. By the time I figured it out my plants suffocated.
I believe (i.e. I don't know but based on first hand observations) the wick is for the initial phase of the root formation. I would be very surprized if the roots wouldn't make it through the hydroton, especially with the wick.
I just started another batch of Lettuce, because it's fast, using new rockwool and new seeds. When the roots pop out I plan to try three with wicks and three without wicks to see if it makes any difference at all.
In the mean time, remember part of the trick to Emily's to keep it simple, you change the water before the PH has a chance to get too far off, and when you refill it, you refill it through the hydroton. There's nothing keeping you from (if need be) draining the water out the tube into a 3 gallon jug, then pouring it back through the hydroton to prime the roots until they're established, I'd think once in the morning for the first week or so (depending upon what you're growing) should help. This will give the rockwool a little boost. You might also make sure that they don't get too much sun until established.
If there's any interest, after my next trial I will be happy to post a follow up on the wick vs non wick in emily's (i've also modified it just in case to add 6 airstones. I went to the pet store and got 6 fine stones and some tees, and more tubing, and sort of built a tree so hopefully it wont be as easy to clog them.
I'm totally paranoid about that now, if I find a better solution (short of converting it to an ebb and flow or drip system) I'll post that as a follow up.
As for durability. My lid is bowed more than it used to be but it doesn't appear to affect function. The grommit is showing signs of wear. If it starts to leak, I would assume most plumming supply or hydroponic stores would sell another grommit. In a worse case I'd have to drill a slightly larger hole and use one of the tubes from another system (I've seen some advertised online) but so far this hasn't been a problem for me (this is only it's second growing season).

How often do I need to change the water reservoir of my Emily's garden?

How often do I need to change the water reservoir of my Emily's garden?