Help spend 1000$ on hydroponics

Looking to start my second grow but instead of soil I'd like to try clay pebbles and rockwool cubes using either dwc or just a simple drip irrigation system, I don't know anything about hydroponics except it can grow faster and yeild more potentially.
I saw root spa and waterfarm systems on amazon, are these good?
I'd like to have huge tress to harvest lots of dence and potent nugs
I can spend no more then 1000 can anyways help teach me a few things and help pick out a setup?
Thanks so much in advance your help is needed
 

Buyfrommycity

Well-Known Member
Normally people have a height limitation while growing indoors preventing "trees". Dwc is the cheapest of cheap when it comes to hydro. Air pump and bucket and ur set.
Flood and drain is nice but again limits your height as you normally put a resivior under your grow tray
No water what route you take you will over pay by 400% buying a store bought hydro set up.20170706_230031.jpg
This cost me About $20
Water pump $9
Tray $3
Misc piping $8

Can hold up to a 10gal grow bag

DWC has been more effort than payoff just in my expierence.
DWC set ups are great for clones/veg tho getting the initial root mass going.
To each their own.

Edit
$10 timer which I already had
$5 5 gal bucket resivior which I already had
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002CRA45K/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499503410&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=flood+and+drain+hydroponic+system&dpPl=1&dpID=410Z1jF0OoL&ref=plSrch
Here's $500 one https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002CRA45K/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499503410&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=flood+and+drain+hydroponic+system&dpPl=1&dpID=410Z1jF0OoL&ref=plSrch
 
Last edited:

furious248

Well-Known Member
To be honest if you any to grow using hydro then you need to do a lot of research as it is not as easy as growing in soil. You need to control things to the dot. Hydro won't forgive you like soil does..

At this stage I would say you are not ready for hydro.... Why?... Because you wouldn't be asking what you need. You would run into all sorts of problems jumping in head first. Do some research and you will not waste a grand
 
To be honest if you any to grow using hydro then you need to do a lot of research as it is not as easy as growing in soil. You need to control things to the dot. Hydro won't forgive you like soil does..

At this stage I would say you are not ready for hydro.... Why?... Because you wouldn't be asking what you need. You would run into all sorts of problems jumping in head first. Do some research and you will not waste a grand
Or go with buyfrommycitys approach and stick a single dwc bucket in the mix learn from that whilst still growing in soil , you will then have a nice grow with a learning curb in there for future, can't learn by reading get in there and give it a go BUT as stated I also do not believe you are ready for a full system with no failsafes as a backup :peace:
 

toaster struedel

Well-Known Member
I'd go with a ebb & flow bucket system. It's way easier to work with then DWC. For about a grand you could get a system, along with a good meter and a chiller, and enough nutes to get you through a couple grows. I did DWC for years and going to ebb & flow was the best move I ever made... So so much easier than DWC.
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
Looking to start my second grow but instead of soil I'd like to try clay pebbles and rockwool cubes using either dwc or just a simple drip irrigation system, I don't know anything about hydroponics except it can grow faster and yeild more potentially.
I saw root spa and waterfarm systems on amazon, are these good?
I'd like to have huge tress to harvest lots of dence and potent nugs
I can spend no more then 1000 can anyways help teach me a few things and help pick out a setup?
Thanks so much in advance your help is needed

hydro will not speed up flowering. Long veg times make larger yields in soil or hydro.
to grow trees the last thing you need to focus on is how to deliver nutrients. The first things you need to do make sure
you can provide every needed resource your plant needs. You must control humidity, temperature, air flow, c02, nutrient quality,
ph, and quality lighting.

dehumidifier=200$
air conditioner-200$
lighting- 300$

you need a 600 watt metal halide, ballast, fans, and a bucket with an air stone for the easiest most productive grow ever, of course comes with its own set of issues, as all techniques will. there is no best system, only the ones that are suited for your personal gardening habits and capabilities.
 
hydro will not speed up flowering. Long veg times make larger yields in soil or hydro.
to grow trees the last thing you need to focus on is how to deliver nutrients. The first things you need to do make sure
you can provide every needed resource your plant needs. You must control humidity, temperature, air flow, c02, nutrient quality,
ph, and quality lighting.

dehumidifier=200$
air conditioner-200$
lighting- 300$

you need a 600 watt metal halide, ballast, fans, and a bucket with an air stone for the easiest most productive grow ever, of course comes with its own set of issues, as all techniques will. there is no best system, only the ones that are suited for your personal gardening habits and capabilities.
I already own the lights and inline duct fans as well as humidifier
Normally people have a height limitation while growing indoors preventing "trees". Dwc is the cheapest of cheap when it comes to hydro. Air pump and bucket and ur set.
Flood and drain is nice but again limits your height as you normally put a resivior under your grow tray
No water what route you take you will over pay by 400% buying a store bought hydro set up.View attachment 3974420
This cost me About $20
Water pump $9
Tray $3
Misc piping $8

Can hold up to a 10gal grow bag

DWC has been more effort than payoff just in my expierence.
DWC set ups are great for clones/veg tho getting the initial root mass going.
To each their own.

Edit
$10 timer which I already had
$5 5 gal bucket resivior which I already
Thanks for the reply I like that ebb flow link you sent me looms awesome but looks confusing, does the water constantly flow through the plant or just gather below
 
I'd go with a ebb & flow bucket system. It's way easier to work with then DWC. For about a grand you could get a system, along with a good meter and a chiller, and enough nutes to get you through a couple grows. I did DWC for years and going to ebb & flow was the best move I ever made... So so much easier than DWC.
What's the ebb and flow all about?
 
Or go with buyfrommycitys approach and stick a single dwc bucket in the mix learn from that whilst still growing in soil , you will then have a nice grow with a learning curb in there for future, can't learn by reading get in there and give it a go BUT as stated I also do not believe you are ready for a full system with no failsafes as a backup :peace:
I think your right I'm not ready yet and have lots to learn I'm just impatient and want to rush into huge crops but I guess it's best to keep going in soil for now
 
hydro will not speed up flowering. Long veg times make larger yields in soil or hydro.
to grow trees the last thing you need to focus on is how to deliver nutrients. The first things you need to do make sure
you can provide every needed resource your plant needs. You must control humidity, temperature, air flow, c02, nutrient quality,
ph, and quality lighting.

dehumidifier=200$
air conditioner-200$
lighting- 300$

you need a 600 watt metal halide, ballast, fans, and a bucket with an air stone for the easiest most productive grow ever, of course comes with its own set of issues, as all techniques will. there is no best system, only the ones that are suited for your personal gardening habits and capabilities.
I'm using 1000 watt hps in a cool tube reflecter I have inline duct fans air conditioning and humidifier was just looking into what pot/bucket system is best
 
To be honest if you any to grow using hydro then you need to do a lot of research as it is not as easy as growing in soil. You need to control things to the dot. Hydro won't forgive you like soil does..

At this stage I would say you are not ready for hydro.... Why?... Because you wouldn't be asking what you need. You would run into all sorts of problems jumping in head first. Do some research and you will not waste a grand
Your right I am probably rushing into something I can't handle I just have the financial needs right now and wanted to get everything I'd ever need. But it's probably a waste
 
I think your right I'm not ready yet and have lots to learn I'm just impatient and want to rush into huge crops but I guess it's best to keep going in soil for now
My circle of delightful enlightened ones are consistently hitting 1.4 gpw in soil my man nothing small bout those figures , get it right in soil and they'll love ya back !
 

toaster struedel

Well-Known Member
What's the ebb and flow all about?
Ebb & flow is pretty much hassle free, the biggest pain in the ass for me is cleaning the hydroton between use. Other then that it's just topping off your Rez once a day and cleaning and changing once a week. It almost takes the fun outta growing. I bought the 5gal bucket set up. The 2 gal woulda been plenty. I use 200L of hydroton to fill all 12 buckets. But I usually just run 6 - 8 at once. I'm in my third year of using ebb&flow and tell everyone it's the easyiest way I found yet. No more lifting buckets for me. My next move is going to LED lighting and I'll be set for life. LOL
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
Ebb & flow is pretty much hassle free, the biggest pain in the ass for me is cleaning the hydroton between use. Other then that it's just topping off your Rez once a day and cleaning and changing once a week. It almost takes the fun outta growing. I bought the 5gal bucket set up. The 2 gal woulda been plenty. I use 200L of hydroton to fill all 12 buckets. But I usually just run 6 - 8 at once. I'm in my third year of using ebb&flow and tell everyone it's the easyiest way I found yet. No more lifting buckets for me. My next move is going to LED lighting and I'll be set for life. LOL

we shared some ideals. I would have still been loving on my flood/drains and led's if I could have figured a way to grow using organic materials in 9 reservoirs, and if led lights produced results similar to hid'so_O
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
What's the ebb and flow all about?
basically a container reservoir holding a premixed amount of nutrients/water with another tray/container above the reservoir. On a cheap timer the solution form the bottom rises up through a hose and floods the top tray through one screened fitting to your desired height to another screened fitting, usually just a couple inches, controlled by a simple tower with a scree at the top, dialed to height


my favorite, they fit in a 2x4 tent perfectly Big Foot

but anything is possible, you can build one easily, I just like to spend money.
 
Really eh, do you have any tips you could share or have a grow journal I can read?
Hmm no journal I'm sorry but few things we use real simples;)

Big air pots, 150mm hyperfan, 2 x 600s 2.4 m jungleroom , canna classic , rizotonic , boost and fulvic acid , always at 3/4 strength..... Veg em for 8 weeks top em once at the 6/7 node let em grow wild..
.
Flower netting 1.2 m high start training them through/bending tucking and when 1/2 to 3/4 full netting flippyty flips;)

Strain that yielded most NL #5 at 63 zipz and SSHxC+ at 61 ....

Doing blue cheese ATM w nl5, C+ and a Dr Grinspoon in the mum hut

Sorry for no pics or a journal we are not per say in a country that accepts this lifestyle and we don't like paper trails or evidence .

BUT main point we keep it simples and we love to love our girls
 
Top