Is hydro that much Better than soil? Wanting the big yield in small numbers

[m420p]

You can read until your eyeballs fall out...but that still wont prepare you for the surprises that come with a hydro grow. Experience is the best teacher IMO. I agree that it takes a LOT of research and commitment before things go smoothly; it also takes a LOT of trial and error.

When you're starting out in hydro, expect more things to go WRONG than RIGHT. Pump failures, leaks, feeding tubes clog, Plants get sick, and diseases spread like wildfire through the reservoir..and you wont even know it until it's too late!

All of this for what? Increased yields, faster growing plants and less pest and bugs? I'll believe it when I see it.

I find myself babysitting my plants in hydro. Growing in hydro has been a part-time job for me, but it hasn't been nearly as rewarding. I perform daily maintenance, use a checklist, keep a journal, clean daily, etc. All I'm saying is - if you have the patience, time and money to invest in a hydro grow, then go for it!

I just wish I had someone give me a reality check and fair warning before I decided to go on this adventure.

-Cash

Yes, Experience is important, but if you have not done your research you can have all the experience in the world at doing it the wrong way and be knocking on a brick wall.. And when you say something like "expect more things to go WRONG than RIGHT. Pump failures, leaks, feeding tubes clog, Plants get sick, and diseases spread like wildfire through the reservoir..and you wont even know it until it's too late!" I just have to smh and say your biggest failure is yourself and your under-preperation and lack of knowing what your doing by not talking to fellow hydro growers. I have had not one of those problems stated unless you consider nute burn sick plants... which is really not a problem when flushing is so effective in hydro. I'm just telling you now, I NEVER grew indoors period before I started 2 years ago with hydro, gave myself 2 months of research and preperation and dropped jaws of my circles organic growers.... sorry you have had so many problems but I'm telling you, in this case, if you don't have the knowledge first before you gain the experience, your setting yourself up for failure.

 

[doniawon]

You can read until your eyeballs fall out...but that still wont prepare you for the surprises that come with a hydro grow. Experience is the best teacher IMO. I agree that it takes a LOT of research and commitment before things go smoothly; it also takes a LOT of trial and error.

When you're starting out in hydro, expect more things to go WRONG than RIGHT. Pump failures, leaks, feeding tubes clog, Plants get sick, and diseases spread like wildfire through the reservoir..and you wont even know it until it's too late!

All of this for what? Increased yields, faster growing plants and less pest and bugs? I'll believe it when I see it.

I find myself babysitting my plants in hydro. Growing in hydro has been a part-time job for me, but it hasn't been nearly as rewarding. I perform daily maintenance, use a checklist, keep a journal, clean daily, etc. All I'm saying is - if you have the patience, time and money to invest in a hydro grow, then go for it!

I just wish I had someone give me a reality check and fair warning before I decided to go on this adventure.

-Cash

Hey if you need any help with your hydro many people can show you what your doin wrong

 

[doniawon]

a well grown organic will beat well grown hydro in the flavor department no doubt about it, thats why i do it i care for the full flavor.

but thats not saying hydro cant b good just wont have the profile of flavor organics have. thats the only plus to it for me but thats the only one that matters

All dirt baggers stick to this. U use soil cause it taste better.lol

 

[BCGROWFORU]

Thx a lot for all the positive feed back hydro is the way I'm going to go. Never done hydro but I'm not a newb to studying and willing to research as much time as needed before I begin my set up.
I have friends who run soil systems and get great results, I on the other hand believe I can do better and have the time and dedication to make it a successful, plus how could I not with all your guys help when issues arise.

 

[m420p]

Thx a lot for all the positive feed back hydro is the way I'm going to go. Never done hydro but I'm not a newb to studying and willing to research as much time as needed before I begin my set up.
I have friends who run soil systems and get great results, I on the other hand believe I can do better and have the time and dedication to make it a successful, plus how could I not with all your guys help when issues arise.

Hey, if you ever have any questions and aren't getting the answers your looking for, go ahead and add me as a friend and pm me. I would definitely take the time to use what knowledge I have gained to help you as much as I can, especially since I know your going to take the time to listen.

 

[m420p]

All dirt baggers stick to this. U use soil cause it taste better.lol

I'd bet money that guy has never even grown hydro. Haters going to hate.

 

[str8sativa]

ive grown both side by side and know people that prefer hydro because they dont wanna get there house dirty.. it comes down to prefrence and what works for you. my organics blow alot of peoples out of the water hydro or organic you must also have a green thumb and be ready to put in hour after hour day after day tell your plants you love them every night and they will love you back trust me on this one

 

[m420p]

ive grown both side by side and know people that prefer hydro because they dont wanna get there house dirty.. it comes down to prefrence and what works for you. my organics blow alot of peoples out of the water hydro or organic you must also have a green thumb and be ready to put in hour after hour day after day tell your plants you love them every night and they will love you back trust me on this one

I guess we'll agree to disagree but I must say, every comparison side by side grow I have seen, Hydro has blown soil out of the water. Again, I'm not saying if you know your stuff about soil and mix your own, you can't get the quality of Hydro, but you will never come close to hydro's speed, harvest weight per plant, or growing speed.

 

[str8sativa]

All dirt baggers stick to this. U use soil cause it taste better.lol

because thats what i have found with my experience and thats what i care most about is flavor. and i would never been able to tell the difference between hydro and organic grown till i had few organic grows under my belt. then i started to realize (this my professional opinion) hydro had flavor on the inhale but the exhale was lacking and was just a smokey flavor. and my organics have you smackng your lips and having that og taste stuck in your mouth and back of throat.

and you wont be able to tell much difference smoking out of a dirty as bong or pipe using a lighter. get a nice clean or at least clean water for god sake. invest in a glass wand and a propane torch and you will really be able to tell the difference.

when i use a lighter even my organics dont taste good to me. and i am a weed SNOBBB to the max that might be the difference

 

[str8sativa]

I guess we'll agree to disagree but I must say, every comparison side by side grow I have seen, Hydro has blown soil out of the water. Again, I'm not saying if you know your stuff about soil and mix your own, you can't get the quality of Hydro, but you will never come close to hydro's speed, harvest weight per plant, or growing speed.

aplant that flowers 8 weeks flowers 8 weeks. if your saying they grow bigger faster yes but so do people who use steroids.

how much do you pull per plant average? just wandering i know we cant compare just weight we would have to look at veg time pot size and lighting just want rough number

 

[doniawon]

If your a professional weed snob, get a nail and some dabs. Im sure if you walked into a dispensary and started sampling jars you wouldnt b able to tell how it was produced

Bottom line faster growth rates more production from hydro/aero. Just takes some learning.
Also coco taste amazing and inoculates like soil, good for organics, but still a hydro media

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

Most people who argue for Organically grown soil over hydro claim that the smell and taste of soil grown plants is better than Hydro and that hydro tastes like nutrients. I would agree with them on the first part up to a certain extent. Nutrients are stored in the roots, it's plant biology, not in the buds therefore tasting like nutrients makes absolutely no sense. As for the Taste and Smell here's my opinion on the subject:

I grow Hydro and have a circle of fellow caregivers who grow organically. In my experience organically grown bud will cure faster, and taste and smell up to its potential sooner. But, if you dry and cure your hydro grown bud right and actually leave it in jars for over 2 months, you can achieve that smell and taste you are looking for. My first ever indoor grow was hydro and at the time I produced almost a pound and a half off of 2 monster Northern Lights plants(1 1000 watt HPS). The taste and smell wasn't there when I was impatient but a month and a half later, I had every grower in my circle wanting to trade some of their bud for mine. It was the best smelling and tasting stuff in my circle at the time. Most the people who bash Hydro most likely haven't even tried it.

That being said, if you know your shit about organics and mix your own soil, pardon my french, you can get the same quality of bud as with Hydro. But if you grow hydro, you'll have a headstart on any soil grower because of the research you'll have to do and honestly, it's relatively harder to grow bad plants unless you don't do the research compared to soil IMO.

Hydro grows Faster, Bigger, Better for the most part, and helps prevent pests because of no soil.

Rereading your comment, If you want to grow Monsters, GO HYDRO. Veg. them for a month and a half to two months and let them explode, Research a high yielding strain. If I wanted to grow monsters I'd try Sannies Kolossus or his Jack Herer F7's(which I have 4 a week into bloom at the moment). Top notch genetics, great customer service and stealth, half the price of most other breeders.

har har...pun intended?

 

[m420p]

because thats what i have found with my experience and thats what i care most about is flavor. and i would never been able to tell the difference between hydro and organic grown till i had few organic grows under my belt. then i started to realize (this my professional opinion) hydro had flavor on the inhale but the exhale was lacking and was just a smokey flavor. and my organics have you smackng your lips and having that og taste stuck in your mouth and back of throat.

and you wont be able to tell much difference smoking out of a dirty as bong or pipe using a lighter. get a nice clean or at least clean water for god sake. invest in a glass wand and a propane torch and you will really be able to tell the difference.

when i use a lighter even my organics dont taste good to me. and i am a weed SNOBBB to the max that might be the difference

I mentioned this in a previous post of mine but I believe the biggest problem with hydro growers is they don't let their bud cure long enough, it takes longer than soil IMO, I've smoked my buddies organic soil grown(mixes his own soil using something similar to subcools recipe) picked off the plant and dried in the sun for a day and it was impressive for a 1 day dry, better than my hydro would do as far as taste for a 1 day dry. I cure mine at least 2 months and by then my hydro was far and away better tasting than his, he wanted to trade some for his but I didn't want his and ended up trading for some of a different strain, still wasn't a even trade for him, and he has 10 years on me at least in the growing department. Thats my experience.

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

i couldnt tell you from experience but from what i have read hydro grows at almost double the rate (in veg) than soil

im trying my first DWC out right now actually. just got my PPM stick and put my germinated seedling into the rockwool and expanded clay pellets. im hoping in 2 weeks time it is the size of my others but who knows..

for the best opinion on this subject (your own) theres only one thing to do. get 2 rooted clones from the same mother and do a side by side. this will allow you to see if the pro's outweigh the cons....

 

[doniawon]

aplant that flowers 8 weeks flowers 8 weeks. if your saying they grow bigger faster yes but so do people who use steroids.

how much do you pull per plant average? just wandering i know we cant compare just weight we would have to look at veg time pot size and lighting just want rough number

Hydro does have faster growth rates

 

[m420p]

har har...pun intended?

Ha, apparently not, I didn't even notice... could have been subconsciously.

 

[RetiredMatthebrute]

I mentioned this in a previous post of mine but I believe the biggest problem with hydro growers is they don't let their bud cure long enough, it takes longer than soil IMO, I've smoked my buddies organic soil grown(mixes his own soil using something similar to subcools recipe) picked off the plant and dried in the sun for a day and it was impressive for a 1 day dry, better than my hydro would do as far as taste for a 1 day dry. I cure mine at least 2 months and by then my hydro was far and away better tasting than his, he wanted to trade some for his but I didn't want his and ended up trading for some of a different strain, still wasn't a even trade for him, and he has 10 years on me at least in the growing department. Thats my experience.

2 months of curing is a bit absurd though in my opinion.. most growers for personal use want to smoke thier stash the day it comes down. I know myself 2 month after a harvest there isnt anything left.

i guess you could always do a couple of each that way you get the best of both worlds but the soil plants will need more time in veg from what i have heard to achieve the same size as the hydro.

 

[TXskunkKush]

Good Lord! It all comes down to preference. . . but hell we're all doing it for the love of mary right? So why the need to get into a dick slinging competition? You enjoy the hydro go Hydro! You enjoy soil/organics go soil/organics, but stop with these redundant threads on which is better. . . Happy Growing

 

[m420p]

aplant that flowers 8 weeks flowers 8 weeks. if your saying they grow bigger faster yes but so do people who use steroids.

how much do you pull per plant average? just wandering i know we cant compare just weight we would have to look at veg time pot size and lighting just want rough number

Well it depends on which harvest, look in my journal, that was the harvest of my first ever indoor hydro grow. Almost a pound and a half off of 2 monster NL plants and I had nute burn and harvested early. Had 16 mason Jars that weighed on avg. 30-32 grams, and 5 or 6 jars that were half the size, but never weighed them. Guarantee you can't touch that with two plants in organics with under a month veg., 1000 watt HPS, nute burn, and harvesting early with a bloom of about 7-8 weeks. Wish I would have let them go longer and fill out more but I had too many dead fan leaves from nute burn. Wasn't the best stuff I've grown but definitely the most...

 

[doniawon]

Good Lord! It all comes down to preference. . . but hell we're all doing it for the love of mary right? So why the need to get into a dick slinging competition? You enjoy the hydro go Hydro! You enjoy soil/organics go soil/organics, but stop with these redundant threads on which is better. . . Happy Growing

Yes but I love bitching about which is best.I need help.. im out. Happy harvesting everybody