I have lights coming (mh+hps 600 watt)…thermometer, pH, ppm, & TDS meters ready. I am building a 4’x4’x7’ room in my cellar out of left over pieces of paneling (knotty pine, but for this, naughty pine) lined with mylar. Fans are easy. I have humidifiers and dehumidifiers and an rh meter…now, talk me into hydro. I was ready to buy pots and soil, I have $100 budgeted, enough for three plants. It was going to be ProMix with bacteria and additives (guano, castings, azomite, acid, etc) or Fox Farm. I have your auto ww for my first grow.
I am now learning what equipment is required for hydro. Do I have to go “store bought” for the parts or can I assemble it with household items and other separate pieces (aquarium hardware and plastic storage bins that will be on sale after xmas). I’m comfortable at Home Depot and drilling, sawing, glueing.
If I’m going to do this, I’d rather buy once than prep for soil for a few grows and then switch.
Are there any links for building a home grown hydro system?
Thanks in advance to any direction in my muddled times.
Well depending on how you wish to go hydro there are many choices aquarium pieces is far cheaper and since it’s pet safe fish are damn sensitive it is safe to use.
Sounds to me like DWC is your plan it is fairly easy to set up you can dabble safely and learn 1 bucket at a time while still safely meeting your needs with some plants in soil. A bucket an air pump and stone throw a net pot on top and you are built lol super simple $3-4 for bucket about $10 for a airstone and hose the net pot is varriable price as is the pump if the goal is to transition don’t shave too much money off your pump. I am running 3 5gal pots and a cloner on same pump they are all quite happy. I like soil so these buckets are all independent and running different nutrients for experiment purposes before I decide if it’s worth converting the air runs 24/7 so if you go cheap on your pump could kill your crop.
Yesssss…deep water culture!!! The name rings a bell.
after reading your reply, I looked at a few internet images. This set up looks perfect for me, and after reading ILoveGrowingMarijuana forums for months now, I think this type setup is used a lot by forum readers and contributors.
Generic buckets, bins and tubing, a good pump, airstone, net pot and woohoo, come April, smiles everywhere (auto ww).
I see April is Lawn and Garden Month, week two is Garden Week, so maybe I can celebrate. I can only hope.
Thanks for the response and a name to go with it…DWC
I’ve been to Amazon…as far as net pots, 6 inch okay? I feel like Goldilocks, 2-3" sounds too small, 10" sounds like more than enough…does that matter? better 10" and roomy or better snug at 6"?
I’m a homeowner with plenty of used 5 gallon buckets, but my wife wants all new so they look nice. If that keeps her happy!
[quote=“kabongster, post:4, topic:3870, full:true”]
I’ve been to Amazon…as far as net pots, 6 inch okay? I feel like Goldilocks, 2-3" sounds too small, 10" sounds like more than enough…does that matter? better 10" and roomy or better snug at 6"? I’m a homeowner with plenty of used 5 gallon buckets, but my wife wants all new so they look nice. If that keeps her happy!
[/quote]mmmm…it seems 3’ to 5’ net pots are fine from what I’ve read, 3 1/2" being an average
So I have ordered 6" net pots, a 10 liter bag of hydroton grow rocks for 3 plants…Any advice on air stones? I see lots of bubbles, enough to pop at the surface to moisten the root mass, is most important. Which stone or diffuser does that, there are so many styles to choose from.
Oddly all air stones do that even the dirt cheap ones though you do want a fine stone a 4" disc fits my 5 gallon buckets nicely. In my cloner I used 2 10" bars the water seems to boil I am using a General Hydro dual diaphragm http://generalhydroponics.com/site/index.php/parts/air_water_pumps/dual_diaphragm/
only running cloner and 3 pots at the moment but is expandable so fit my needs and goals. Can run up to 16 pots
