Trouble with DIY pon
Very new to semi Hydro but I've been trying to learn everything that I can. I recently sprouted a bunch of corms that were in perlite and Fluval Stratum and they have literally exploded. Some I even up potted to my DIY pon in 4-in pots and they are doing amazing as well. However, I started to put two of my larger alocasias in my DIY pon and one has stem rot and the other isn't doing so well.
From what I've read everything says not to allow the roots to touch the nutrient solution right away and to top water which I have been. The nutrient solution is definitely touching the roots of all of my baby plants though, their roots are literally growing out of their pots. So I don't think that is it.
I have also read that you want the sizes of the DIY pon to be relatively uniform. My zeolite, lava rock, and pumice are all different sizes the pumice being the largest. My guess is that because the size of the medium isn't consistent and that the pumice is so large that the large plants may not be wicking water the whole way up.
I live in an incredibly dry climate and if I use a super chunky soilless mix I literally have to what are my alocasias once a day and I have so many it's just not feasible. I tried to add more moisture retaining ingredients to their mixes and they were not happy about that. I thought the semi Hydro would be easier and provide more consistent moisture.
I'm kind of at a halfway point - all of my babies inside my semi hydro are doing great but they need to be up potted. All of my other alocasias just need to be up potted in general. Should I stick with the super chunky mix and just deal with it or should I try to get smaller pumice for my DIY pon?