Tired of soil, need some advice on new hydro system

I got tired of all the guess work with soil, and having to purchase expensive mixes while still being outgrown by hydro. Oh...I'm only growing UHEM...tomatoes. So anyway...the system I have sprays a stream of water to the middle, which then splashes into all directions, causing the rocks on the baskets to get wet. What would be the technical term for that system? And should I have it running all the time, or give the plants a dry period using a timer?

TIA

???????

I'm still trying to figure out what the hell this thing is called. It's for my veggies,,,,,

and my Bonsai


ftp

BoomerBloomer,

Your's looks like it has sprayers, it looks like a Aeroponics system. I figured out that mine is a continuous aeration system. What I don't know, is if I need to run for a lenth of time, then shut it off for a while. Also I was wondering if I should remove the starter plugs from the plant before I place them in the baskets, or if I should just leave the starter plug intact and put the clay rocks around it? Anyone?

Indi said:

BoomerBloomer,

Your's looks like it has sprayers, it looks like a Aeroponics system. I figured out that mine is a continuous aeration system. What I don't know, is if I need to run for a lenth of time, then shut it off for a while. Also I was wondering if I should remove the starter plugs from the plant before I place them in the baskets, or if I should just leave the starter plug intact and put the clay rocks around it? Anyone?

Click to expand...

I was kidding, That's my set up for veggies and they go nuts. I run the pump in there 24/7. Some systems require or say to run for x amount of time and then off x amount of time. Me? Run that pig 24/7 and keep em wet.

I used starter plugs a couple times but not anymore. Fill a bowl with water and carefully dunk and rinse all the dirt.

Dirt has no place in hydro.

I start all, seeds and cuts in vermiculite and then transfer into hydrotron net pots and into the tubs
You should see the shed where I have all the stuff that failed.
I'm serious. Thousands of dollars wasted on shit that didn't work.

I'm too embareassed to post the pics of the L.E.D. cab I set up,,,,,,,
talk about epic failure. 6K down the drain,,,,,,,,

Living and learning, breaking budgets, sleepless nights, all those
things that make a great grow.

Yeah,
I dig it.

be careful once roots get tangled up things can go down hill
watch your TDS levels and PH levels
as soon as plants get large they fall down into it, most people use them as a cloner to make roots and they work great, if you used a screen over it like SCOG to hold the wight of the plant off of the small 3 inch net pot it will work
change the water out with every full moon or so
organic nutes tend to clog hydro systems up, and some organics rely on other microbial actions to become affective, so some may not work as intended out side of soil
they are used in a brewing/fermentation process to activate the good guys and then time to let them grow, to make organic teas.
water change at least every harvest

try out the ebb and gro 12pot system

i got tired of messing with soil and this system has worked great so far with low maintenance.

Right now I'm trying out the Sunleave Ease Garden 4 pot system. I didn't like the way the system was setup, so I modified it by adding sprayers. The biggest issue I have now is not knowing how high the solution should be. I filled it up to the point that the directions said, but now the bottom half inch of the pots are submerged in the solution, and the spray from the sprayers is hitting the pots. For some reason I thought that the spray should only hit the roots under the pots, and not the pots themselves. I also thought there was suppose to be two or three inches between the solution level and the bottom of the pots???.... Can anyone clue me in on how that should be?

i personaly would build a ceep DWC bucket so u can dabbel in hydro to know if its for u b4 u spend a lot of money on sumthing that just isnt for u... def need a ph meter. ppm meter not so much... u can tell by looking at ur plant if it needs more or less and with hydo its ez to give it more or less rather then dirt... DWC is less maintence then other systems and its ezer to keep ur temps down as a sub pump will heat ur res if ur goin areo