I thought only outdoor growers use piss to ward off predators and supply nitrogen?!?!
JK. I read the thread
First off: I would have never starting growing weed without having have gotten an aerogarden as a gift. First off, the lettucs sucks in it. They stretch TOOOO much. Never grow lettuce, you will have it falling all over the place! Unless you do what I did, After the lettuce got started, before it could start drooping all over the place, i soiled it and put it outside. the entire structure of ti tightened up
I woudln't spend a lot on an aerogarden. They are sweet, but heavily overpriced. I wish I could release a new commercially affordable hydroponic system for table tops. When they are having sales and outlet deals, you can actually get a 3-pod for $30 or a 6-pod for like $60. The three pod is only good for starting cuttings, if you are one of the few people who believe in water-based-rooting. The 6-pod has a gallon reservoir for 1-2 plants. But I still feel Aerogardens are more fit for be your veg room/apparatus and plants should have their pod transfered to their own system for flowering.
I made a sweet hydro system for either autoflowers or 12/12'ing from seed. It only has a 2qt reservoir, but its tall and narrow, so bubbles travel straight up and perfectly aerate the roots.
Here is my Rubbermaid pitcher for growing one autoflower or one plant 12/12 from seed:
Rubbermaid Pitcher = $2
Fish Air Pump = $5
Airhose for pump = $1
Airstone (circular volcano fishtank one) $5
Grow Sponge (brand new sterile kitchen sponge cut to size) $1 or Cocofiber cut to size $5
Pod (rx bottle popped into the lid, slits cut to let the roots out) = Free or cut a bigger hole to fit aeropods
Most people have a pitcher around the house to use. And most people have little platic bottle to cut slits and holes in to make homemade growpods.
So essentially DIY hydro systems can be made for less than $20 bucks.
My Dieselryder started in and aerogarden and i moved it into its own taller 2qt pitcher. I'm still pressed for room, so i'm not trying to fill a 5gallon bucket. But by putting one of those circular volcano airstones at the bottom of the pitcher means that there is an entire foot tall stream of bubble flowing directly upwards through the roots. Non of that wide container with an airstone in the middle poorly aerating the roots on the sides. My biggest light was a 68W cfl and I pulled 2oz in two months. I had 3-4 23w bulbs on the side to light box up by plant, but i cannot stop recommending using tall narrow cylinders for reservoirs.
So in essence, if anyone can fork over $100 bucks for an aerogarden, do it. It's full proof for starting out. Has basically everything you need for starting. From all purpose lights to nutrients. Its just so basic. It's best suited to be you seed starting/cloning/vegging system. Once they out grow it, get a 2qt pitcher or 1 gallon pitcher and place and nice big airstone at the bottom. And make yourself a flowering room for half the price you spent to start.
Edit:
Always forget to ad the price of electrical tape. You have to keep light out of the reservoir to prevent algea and root rots. Ok so to keep your hydro system under 20 borrow some electrical tape and use all of it and be like "my bad bro, i'll get you more later."
Also everyone says this is too small for a reservoir, but for any "autoflower" or "12/12 from seed" its just fine. If you don't trust me or you want to actually veg hard for 2-3 weeks fork over the extra buck and get a 1gallon pitcher. With those you could use bar shaped airstones.
Also I really like the kick ass shape of the reservoir. One airpump at the bottom to travel straight up hitting every root on the way with a full blast of oxygen. I just very much dislike the wide rubbermaid totes. Sure you can add more and more airstone, but its such a wide reservoir and which way do the air bubbles travel?!?!/ They travel UP! UP!