Honestly if I’m only growing in a 2x4x5 tent , which method is better hydroponic system or just some really good dirt,nutes and water ? Thanks again y’all
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Soil is difficult go coco and make life simple
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Both work just fine, though hydro can lead to better results.
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Hydro way easier, you take the guess work out for ppm input. You control what’s going in.
Soils are all made different and you should know what it’s made from, how long it will last and when and what to look for to show when you should add more. Then on top of that….try not to drown the thing
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So I got here because I was looking into hydroponics. I was introduced to coco coir as a medium. Watched a few Mr. Cunucks videos on YT. Started mixing my own soil and using dry amendments and I do okay.
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Seems everybody says what they use is best. I started with small ebb and flow and have a soil grow outside that is doing well also outside in coco which is considered hydro and is growing same as the soil, the results will tell the tale as they are clones from same plant and same nutes just ph’d differently soil vs coco. some really like rdwc. Personally I think coco is easiest for beginners so can learn how plants grow without most issues but is a little more work as in watering everyday.
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That’s why I started adding composted manure and/or worm castings to the mix. Now I water every other day or so with a good soak once a week or so.
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Looks like you do really good. It seems I can grow to a nice finish if I can get them to sprout and to seedling stage which seems impossible lately
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I was thinking specifically of @HappyHydroGrower your grow always looks great
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So what is this black magic coco you speak of and how do I go about growing in it? Is it a start to finish deal or ya change out along the way? Thanks again!
I use 4 parts coco to 1 part manure/worm castings a few handfuls of perlite per gallon.
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I run autopot xl system with coco/perlite
Synthetic nutes thru a reservoir makes it crazy simple!
Coco + perlite (70/30) run nutes from the start - finish
You control what’s going in
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I’ve grown 3 plants so far, all in soil.
The only difficulty is dealing with pests and eggs in the soil but heat curing/drying usually gets the Job done.
Would recommend 10/10 I don’t even watch pH and use liquid nutes super easy.
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I do soil and hydro (a DWC set up right now) and soil is easy - water the plant, let it dry out, water it again, literally rinse and repeat. Add nutes as the plant tells you it needs something. But soil also comes with pest problems. Thrips, spider mites, gnats, algae, mildew, moss, etc. Hydro is more intensive, takes regular PH and nutrient checking, water temperature monitoring, additives to prevent rot (hydroguard is gold), plus reservoir changes and bucket/tote cleaning when it’s water change time. Not as much to worry about for pest control, but it’s not immune from the same problems as soil.
I haven’t grown in coco (yet) but I’m strongly considering getting my soil grows converted into coco grows, as soon as I can figure out DIY autopots. If I have to water my plants every day, they’re just gonna die. I hardly remember to water my soil plants once every 5-7 days.
Anyway, there are pros and cons to every method. If you’re wanting cheap and easy, do soil. If you’re wanting the best results for more money, I think hydro or coco is a better answer. Hydro if you need to automate your system, coco if you can afford to water a few minutes every day or every other day while they grow (and then set them in autopots and proceed to treat them like hydro - set and forget).
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Thanks a million my friend. 
I am humbled by all the compliments.
I started out in coco. I had a 32”x32”x63” tent. Grew some awesome plants in it. Coco is a great way to grow but you have to consider how much weed you want, how you want to grow it.
Different styles for different folks. Some with dirt will grow as much as some in hydro. It’s not just the medium that grows big plants. So many other factors involved. If all you have is a 2x4x5, then that’s all your gonna get out of it.
Whichever method you choose, with time and experience, you will learn to grow lots of bud.
Every grow is an improvement over the previous.
I have a 3’ x 5’ x 8’ flower area with two totes and a reservoir and fill it pretty easy with two plants. It’s not the prettiest buds or the biggest buds, but it’s ours. We are loving growing in hydro (rdwc) it literally doesn’t get any easier.
Good luck with whatever way you choose to grow. If you need help, feel free to tag away. Folks are here ready and willing to help you out. 
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Running rdwc with pump will allow you to never have to make a water change. @repins12 has proved this with not changing his in 2 years
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Y’all have been more than helpful thanks so much!!! I’ll keep you posted on the progress, but looks like it’s gonna be coco worm and perlite
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I heard that when ya start adding worm castings and the like to coco it essentially is soil and treated as such for nute schedule and ph. @Hellraiser
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Sure if you added a large enough amount of worm castings. On my Blue Dream clones grow, I added just a handful of worm castings (and a handful of bio-char) to each 2 gal pot, not enough to treat as soil, still treating it as coco. My purpose for doing so is to make a comfortable place for microbes to hang out.
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