Just trying to see what everyone thinks of hydro growing . The good the bad ? Please feel free to share thought and opinions ! Thanks in advance.
Did you have a specific hydro method you were looking at? Iām also a soil grower, but I can maybe direct a couple members your way that would be helpful.
The easiest way possible and also cheapest would be good too ! Thanks a ton .
1 Like
Haha, they can all be pretty cheap systems to build if you get creative. Level of difficulty seems to be pretty subjective. I believe each type of system has benefits and drawbacks.
I only asked because most people believe the system they use is the best for them, but wonāt necessarily be best for you. Dwc, rdwc, and ebb & flow seem to be most popular. But an autpot system may be a good option too. You should maybe check out YouTube or something to see if thereās some videos explaining pros and cons of each.
2 Likes
Already on it .thanks for the advice and info though. Much appreciated my man !
1 Like
First I want to Welcome you to ILGM and to our community which has the most awesome fokes that you could ever want to be around.
Well your question or your post was in perfet timing. I am about to challange some Hydro grower to a grow. You see Iāem a soil guy and I believe soil is the way to go.
I can use my soil over and over again
Hydro you canāt use your water over and over again you have to change it every week or two. Thatā in itās self is a pain in the you know whatā¦ lmao ā¦ I donāt, I water only and every now an than give them a shot of super tea.
My nutrients are in the soil all ready that I make myself.
Hydro you got to feed nutrients without making a mistake.
I think iāll stop here ā¦
But then there are fokes here that only grow in hydro and yes we all get along great, we cut-up a lot around here ā¦ lol
7 Likes
Here is a recent thread that discussed the same topic:
3 Likes
Iām up for this challenge. I am just doing a single bucket setup ā¦since itās my first run . Anyone have any advice of a strain that does well hydroponically?
I like both, but hydro is much more difficult when it comes to nutrients, so much so that I mix my own formula 4/13/26, 9/13/26 after CaNO3, far too many producers use cheap compounds that donāt work well. Iāve seen liquids with solid precipitation bindings on the bottom, and even had some mixes nearly kill my plants. Itās important to use human and pharmaceutical grade ingredients āregent gradeā and not ātechnicalā grade as cheapskates use, I found thereās no free lunch or cutting corners when it comes to plant food.
Itās the human equivalent of feeding on fresh wholesome foods or Mc Donalds.
2 Likes
Any strain will do really well in DWC (single bucket). I depends on your other limitations though. Some have height limitations. In this case I would NOT suggest a sativa dominant strain. I have been working to the most simplified DWC formula possible. So fat the most simplifies is Using GH Flora Micro and Bloom in a Lucas formula (and skipping the use of GH Flora Grow completely). In this case you use the ratio of 1part Micro to 2parts bloom. Full strength would be 8mlM/16mlB/gal. Starting at 1/4 that at seedling and bringing the strength to full after the seedling has established itself. All you need in this case is:
- 1x Walmart bucket with lid
- 1x 3 inch net pot ( and a 3 inch hole saw to cut the hole in the lid)
- 1x Air pump and 1x air stone
- 1 bottle GH Flora Micro
- 1 bottle GH Flora Bloom
- 1 bottle ArmorSl (Optional) this makes the branches stiffer in bloom to hold up the heaven colas.
- PH up/down
Itās so simple itās boring.
3 Likes
iād suggest sticking with āsoilā for at least a few grows.!!
itāll give u more time to casually study hydro methods and gather equipment.!
easy is āsoilā.!!
the few that quit doing DWC are relieved, they donāt realize they r āāmarried to the bucketsāā until they change directions.!
there is no cheap hydro method other then the wick system and it is not high performance.!
by all means, DIY saves some $, but the pumps, hoses, buckets, media, fertāsā¦ all cost money.!!
a young man put it best earlierā¦
Garrigan outlined the hassle and the cost with that statement.!
1 Like
@SlowOldGuy Sorry to COMPLETELY disagree.
Please weight in @Myfriendis410 @MattyBear @TDubWilly @Bogleg
I bet I spend less time and effort with my 5 gallon DWC than you spend playing in your dirt. There is practically no need to check pH during an entire week or more cycle after a change and with the right nute package you wonāt even have to adjust the initial pH. I only have to top up with water every 3-4 days. Plants grow bigger and have less problems than soil and donāt have to be watered every day like coco.
4 Likes
All depends on oneās needs I guess.
I donāt know what easiest overall. Each method has its pros and cons and those pros and cons can change depending on the grower.
Ive got allot of the ābolt on partsā so I can understand what your saying here but it is possible to go cheap.
In all honesty, this is the way that I got started.
It really doesnāt matter the arguements I make. There are some soil growers that will never change and vice versaā¦
I can say if I was able to be with my plant everyday, I would be a home hydro grower till the end of time.
5 Likes
Everyone forgot. My tent is like a lab, never seen a bug. I donāt even bring dirt into my house
3 Likes
Iāve been āsoillessā indoors basically from the beginning,
peat mix for years and now coco/perlite,
i m lazy so i like the forgiveness of ādirtā.!!
i m no till/organics outdoors, 7ā tall mater plantsā¦
2 Likes
Pros using hydro
Grows faster and maybe bigger quicker yields. Iām not a hydro guy so may be more and Iām sure there are.
Cons using hydro
You are continuing to support the crazy use of petroleum products and chemical factories helping to ruin our planet!
You will be consuming the chemical nutrients via what was given the plants. Call me crazy but this is my guess as we truly donāt have the first clue if this is the case or not (Teflon, roundup, fluoride the list keeps getting longer everyday) but Iām not going to risk my health not anyone elseās! Too many things we use and consume everyday is poison to us and the planets ecosystem and you all know thatās true or at least you should.
Pros of growing in true living soil.
Nature has been perfecting this system for millions of years. Itās easier and cheaper in the long run not having to continually buy chemical nutrients in plastic containers and then flushing the old stuff down the drain and eventually polluting the environment. If soil is quality and built right there is virtually no need to continually check Ph water to run off and then ph again. Check PPM etc etc.
Reuse the soil by adding amendments for another and another and another grow.
No flushing
No harsh tastes of quality controls are not in place Yada Yada
Cons of using living soil
Itās not as convenient?
It may not produce as much yields?
Yada Yadaā¦
Ok all you hydro growers let me have it!
4 Likes
Soil vs hydro?
I did both and even blended the two together, all in the efforts to develop my own mix (high purity, highly soluble 100% chemical compounds)
I found soil acts as a ābufferā to chemicals, the soil causes a ādelayed reactionā which is both good and bad, good because it blurs the fine line of needed nutrients in their precise amounts and gives you time to cover up your mistakes, and on the other hand (the bad) it slows the maximum uptake speed and amount thereby slowing the maximum growth and bulk of the plant, however, not withstanding when other necessities like substrata Oxygen and above strata CO2 are not being met. Itās a real juggle to keep all the plantās needs met all the time and in the right doses, too much or too little of anything causes less than maximum beneficial results.
1 Like
Hmmm. I use high quality ingredients that someone was employed and paid to make. My drain waste is broken down salts metabolised through the plants and is carefully distributed to our yard. Oxygen is then produced and those chemicals are sequestered by my plants. Waste water from R/O production goes on the lawn. Less petroleum was used to deliver it to me than soil would etc.
Itās too complex to really say you harm or help the planet.
I personally like to futz with the plants and canāt really satisfy that desire using hydro. But itās saweet when I go out of town.
Planet has been around for 5+billion years and will be here for a lot longer than us. We are the most adaptable species on the planet. Evolve!
So many cultures around the world lived in harmony with nature until the greedy I donāt care about anything but profit came to their neck of the woods and ruined it for them too.
Evolution is one thing but not applicable to what we as a species are doing to our planet and ourselves for the profit of the few who donāt give a crap. I for one try to do whatās best for all not best for the few.
2 Likes