is it worth the switch from soil to hydro

purplelicious said:

If you spend that kind of money just get one of these for a couple hundred more ... https://www.bluelab.com/products/ph-controller and they make one that has a data log sent to your computer here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QV8532K/ref=s9_simh_gw_p86_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-3&pf_rd_r=1P1ETB4FFBHWFDKX2SF3&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=1970566842&pf_rd_i=desktop and the bigger units that costs like $1500 are probably worth every penny https://www.bluelab.com/products/type/controllers/dosetronic-controller

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These are a real eye opener, thanks for the tips, brother!

ttystikk said:

These are a real eye opener, thanks for the tips, brother!

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You're welcome, no worries! I just made the switch,with this new set up I should have more free time. Not that I don't enjoy being with my plants, but life has been getting very busy. Saving time and being reassured that it is not hurting my garden is the goal.

purplelicious said:

I hand watered or used drip feed on rockwool for a very long time, like over 15 years. I just explained why Water Farm from General Hydroponics is the best, and you confirm what I have been saying. The system I use has only air pumps. No water ever comes in contact with a mechanical pump. There s no heat involved. My water temp will be the same as my room temp. I have closed room and A/C so I can run my room at 68F all day and the plants love it.

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Funny thing is a lot of people don't know about water temps when it comes to DWC or UCDWC. I used to grow for a dispensary and I ran a Current Culture system for a 1-1/2 yrs as well as a drip system on timers for different rooms.
Pics say a thousand words. I also started making my own led cob lights.



Bloom light


Veg light

REALSTYLES said:

Funny thing is a lot of people don't know about water temps when it comes to DWC or UCDWC. I used to grow for a dispensary and I ran a Current Culture system for a 1-1/2 yrs as well as a drip system on timers for different rooms.
Pics say a thousand words. I also started making my own led cob lights.

View attachment 3346466

Bloom light
View attachment 3346467

Veg light
View attachment 3346468

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I had reservations about DWC, based on the setups with pumps and water chillers. Heat will kill the roots and plant beyond repair.

purplelicious said:

I had reservations about DWC, based on the setups with pumps and water chillers. Heat will kill the roots and plant beyond repair.

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I'd run a Current Culture but I live upstairs in an apartment lol. The system I'd would be like a 150gal fish tank and image that fish tank breaking.

I've grown practically every single way possible over the years, except hempy?
All systems have their plus's and minus's. There is NO "best" system.
Personally, nowadays, about 75% of my grows are in a coco blend. Whether it's a automated sog setup, or growing trees. It's what works best for ME

Someone mentioned grostones. Yeah, I had to bust out a room or two with them, when they first came out Don't float my fucking asshole! They claimed it doesn't float like hydroton. Bull fucking shit. Save your money and stick with hydroton if flood n drain, or even top fed. Grostones are bullshit IMO!
Growstones are made from recycled glass products. Okay? Hydroton is fired clay. Is there a shortage of clay or something? Yeah, lets have the recycled glass end up in our landfills. Hey! It was recycled once! Lame
Sorry for the rant. It's just that I hate grostones.

purplelicious said:

I hand watered or used drip feed on rockwool for a very long time, like over 15 years. I just explained why Water Farm from General Hydroponics is the best, and you confirm what I have been saying. The system I use has only air pumps. No water ever comes in contact with a mechanical pump. There s no heat involved. My water temp will be the same as my room temp. I have closed room and A/C so I can run my room at 68F all day and the plants love it.

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And it won't circulate fast enough and midway through your bloom cycle you're going to get a killer case of root rot. Seen it many times, there's just no substitute for active temperature management.

REALSTYLES said:

Funny thing is a lot of people don't know about water temps when it comes to DWC or UCDWC. I used to grow for a dispensary and I ran a Current Culture system for a 1-1/2 yrs as well as a drip system on timers for different rooms.
Pics say a thousand words. I also started making my own led cob lights.

View attachment 3346466

Bloom light
View attachment 3346467

Veg light
View attachment 3346468

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Hey buddy, we got a lot in common! Tell me more about those lights you've COBbled together?

I hate growstones too man!! Fuck em!! Ranting is good sometimes!

I hate them because they're irregularly shaped and they created glass dust that gets everywhere and is hard to clean. Trying to fill a 3" netcup with a peat cube in it is so much easier with the clay balls. You've gotta sort out all the shapes and sizes and fit it all perfectly together inside the netcup.

But i guess I already have them...

The clay balls are high in iron, which is a nice benefit! I think i will go back to hydroton.

Aeroknow said:

Sorry for the rant. It's just that I hate grostones.

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cushmasternewbie said:

I know nothing bout hydro grow please help why is it worth the switch how much more will it hurt my eletric running hydro n not soil so mean question I newbie at hydro help

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if you do decide to try hydro, I would recommend growing a hempy as your first attempt at hydro....less to go wrong and you will learn the fundamentals

Just be sure to understand, electricity and humidity do not mix.

cushmasternewbie said:

I know nothing bout hydro grow please help why is it worth the switch how much more will it hurt my eletric running hydro n not soil so mean question I newbie at hydro help

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I started with hydro then went to soil now back to hydro. Much better yields in my case. a lot easier than some make it out to be. I will never go back to soil. Dont do the switch until you purchase an RODI unit. you can get one that does around 100 gallons a day for about 125-150 bux if I can remember correctly.

Farfenugen said:

Just be sure to understand, electricity and humidity do not mix.

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Funny you say dat had really didn't think to much about it untill it popped the gfi on my air and fans

I've got shocked a few times, even on past cabinets made of wood, just be sure you know a little about where your wires go, best to have the sockets outside the unit

BigEasy1 said:

You leave then 10 days without anything being checked? Not the PH or the water temps/levels?

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Ive gone 2 weeks without checking any of the 8 flood tables i had going , oversized rez coupled with automatic refill rez , stable ph achieved with near perfect nute balance ,.room temps on auto pilot & rez temps non issues , i normally dont even look at the grow more than 3 times a week .

Its an hour drive one way to say yup , everythings a ok & head back home .

You couldnt pay me to switch back to soil & lug that heavy filthy shit around , takes me about half hour to clean the table & change rez water every so often , i get 6 grows per 12 months out of rhe same room i formerly got 3 harvests a year from .

Pull down roughly 6 lbs every 8 weeks out of a 4ft x 8ft area 6 times a yr , doubtfull that weight could be done in soil & hydro tastes no different than soil if the grower knows wtf he's doin , soil grown dope can taste like shit too it all depends on grower skill not merhods .