Help me choose a different growing method...
- Thread starter Motorbuds
- Start date
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Really? I haven't tried drain to waste but guys that are doing it say it works out to about the same as doing a Res change once a week. Again never done it. Have you and how many liters/gallons per plant per week were you using? Just really curious because yes if it's costing $10 a gram I would be better off going to the pot store lol.
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
Depends really.....I mean when I ran DWC it was a 4 gallon change every 3-4 days (33% add-back rule). Now running small plants in a RTW tray, even thin film. I simply can't picture 4 gallons lasting 4 days......What do you do with the waste?
Speaking of waste.....Water costs = ? How about area's that monitor water usage?
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Sure I guess you have to weigh all the variables. Again I have no clue but yes I could see using more than my 30 gallons per week for 6 plant but then again that's 5 gallons per plant for 6-7 days so could be about the same. Doesn't cost me more than $30-40 a run for nutes. It's a tough one for me. Not hard now but before the chiller it was almost a given that I needed to choose another method or cool the Res.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
The waste would make my lawn really green and lush lol.
Dr. Who
Well-Known Member
I see why he wants to get as simple as possible......I left hydro for that being half the reason......I learned in ground and have gone back to it .....I still water everyday, but that's a labor of "luv". With hydro you should still at least monitor everyday......
PerfectGrower
Well-Known Member
Coco or Promix is a great choice. Get a big pump, hand water fast. Pump 150 gallons in 15 minutes...done 
since1991
Well-Known Member
I found with "hydro" the maintenance is way less
since1991
Well-Known Member
Set it up with a drip system. Way more efficient. Peat based solilles like promix or coco coir is hydroponics. The very definition of the word. No matter what common consensus says....Coco or Promix is a great choice. Get a big pump, hand water fast. Pump 150 gallons in 15 minutes...done
Dogenzengi
Well-Known Member
Don't even have to read above since1991 to agree with him.
Using an inert medium and water is hydroponics.
Now I will go read the rest of the thread.
Bless,
DZ
Using an inert medium and water is hydroponics.
Now I will go read the rest of the thread.
Bless,
DZ
kmog33
Well-Known Member
Yeah I think if you feel like your dwc is work you may just need to tweak your system. I moved from 5 gallon buckets to 3 gallon and during veg I can leave for a few weeks and when I get back they're still fine. During flower they go about 4-5 days before I need to add new water. Not swap, literally refill. Late in flower the nutrient solution in the buckets never lasts an entire week to be swapped so it's just new nutrient solution every time. Zero waste. If I want to leave for longer during flower, I hook up my 40 gallon res and have it pump a gallon in every 3 days and I could probably leave for a month without issue. Granted the canopy would be a mess when I got home. Btw I've tested this, was traveling for 3.5 weeks in November and just locked up my space. No one saw or touched it. Came home to bigger plants than I left.
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Motorbuds
Well-Known Member
Yes! You're right
In a perfect world I could just go guy any different strains of like to try out and as much as I wanted, but I think we all know that's not very affordable for most people with the way the dispensaries gouge people.
Nothing wrong with working smarter and making thing easier on yourself when at all possible
Motorbuds
Well-Known Member
Really? Mine drink 2-3 gallons a day during flower. I don't see how yours go 4-5 days in a 3 gallon bucket. Maybe you're using a lot less light or growing light feeders.
Mine probably only veg a total of 3-4 weeks to be 5-6 footers, and that's with lots of topping and training. I couldn't imagine just leaving them for 3.5 weeks to go wild. I wouldn't be able to deal with stretched out towers like that
PerfectGrower
Well-Known Member
Coco or Promix is a great choice. Get a big pump, hand water fast. Pump 150 gallons in 15 minutes...done
I enjoy hand watering sexy ladies
15 minutes is worth my time!
kmog33
Well-Known Member
Currently running no veg for seeds to 3 days after signs of roots for clones lol. Bigger plants would definitely be an issue. As I said, maybe need to tweak your setup a bit rather than change completely. I still have yet to find a system that is less maintenance than dwc. My plants still end up 2.5-3'.Really? Mine drink 2-3 gallons a day during flower. I don't see how yours go 4-5 days in a 3 gallon bucket. Maybe you're using a lot less light or growing light feeders.
Mine probably only veg a total of 3-4 weeks to be 5-6 footers, and that's with lots of topping and training. I couldn't imagine just leaving them for 3.5 weeks to go wild. I wouldn't be able to deal with stretched out towers like that
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
My maintenance is empty what is left of 25 gallons and refill once a week with required nutes and 20 ml down, done! Then it's stand in there once a day to smoke a fatty and blow it through the filter lol.
since1991
Well-Known Member
Thats a given..depending on yer size. U gotta remember...handwatsring only goes so farI enjoy hand watering sexy ladies
15 minutes is worth my time!
since1991
Well-Known Member
There is a difference between running multiple strains under a thousand or a couple. In a tent and experiment. There surely is a difference. You can rip whatever u feel. Dont go big if you dont have to...and "big" is sooo subjective. Iam running 8 600 watters....to me...now....aint shit. Hand water a few under a thousand or two....grow. How much do u love growing cannabis....how much can u handle doing it?
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
It's not the work that even really comes in to the decision for me. It's just really cool to try new systems and its trying to find one that fucks up the least and can sustain plants for as long as possible in a power, pump failure. If ease of grow was the deciding factor it would be soil with auto water. Did that for years outdoors.