Looking for a suggestion on a Hydro System

[The Fonz]

I typically grow in soil but due to recent changes in my living situation I have decided to switch to a hydro system for my limited space. I plan on using it in a grow closet that I plan to construct and look to grow around 6-15 plants depending on whether or not I use a SOG or SCROG method.

I have read up on most of the hydro systems and to me it seems that there are two basic types. Ebb & Flo and Aeroponic. Is this correct? Can anyone explain the advantages and disadvantages as they might relate to my space. Does one work better than the other in a SOG or SCROG?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[rollone]

Thier are other growing methods that fall under hydroponic growing then the 2 mentioned.
R U making the switch becuase of increased space, or lack of?

[BlueBear]

There are also DWC/Deep water culture/bubble buckets, NFT/nutrient Film Technique, Top feed dripp/drippers and SWC/Shallow Water Culture. The Eb and Flow will take a reservoir under the tray that the plants sit in and can take up vertical height. The top feed drippers are nice because the water recirculates from the bucket or tub that your plants are in, dripping down to the roots of each plant then the water falls to the bottom of the bucket and is pushed back up the dripp tube to repeat the process. Bubble buckets are easy as well and just take a bucket or a tube with your net pots and plants with a air stone at the bottom of the bucket creating O2 for the roots threw the bubbling of the water and a splashing onto the roots.
This is just a quick run down of the different systems and now you can research them.
Adieu

[the image reaper]

try the Hydroponics category in the Forum ... :rolleyes:

[The Fonz]

RollOne- I'm growing because my space has become limited. After looking at some of the posts out there, I see people have grown successfully in small spaces with soil. SInce I've spent most of the past few days learning about hydro, I've become more and more interested. From what I've read, the systems that fog the roots seem to be popular. I guess what I looking to learn is which systems work best for SOG and which ones for SCOG

[rollone]

This realy deppends on frame of mind I think. As well as your own style of gardening.
Since you've never done hydroponics before, all that I could really do is share my exper.w/ them.

Aeroponic gardening is what your refering to..."fog the roots" so to speak.
Nice growth...but just as equall to well thought-out DWC (Deep Walter culture) in the vegatative stage. Most aeroponic systems are on the noisy(sp?) side of gardening.
However keep in mind any type of gardening that require's a pump will have a certaint amount of this.
Nice but I wasn't interested after afew harvests with it. The noise issue was really starting to become a problem. I had an aeroflo 36. Hold 36 plants, however 18 is the sweet spot.
When you have friends, family, or the unexpected in or around the house, the last thing you want to worry about is the garden making to much noise, or smell, ect.
But this is not the reason why a parted with this machine! I just learned through T&E, that this is not my style of growing! the end result was nice, but not nice enough for me to keep around long.
I tried to convince myself that this is the way to go....or grow:) Building my own stuff along the way, but the results always came out the same....just not my style!
NFT is nice, but again not for me. At least not in the sence that most use it.
EbbnFlow however gets my thumbs up with hydro, as well as drip systems, from a single open ended, to a ring!
FYI drip systems and NFT are almost the same. How they are applied is what really sepperates(sp?) them. Same pretty much goes for DWC and aeroponics...again to a degree. Other things involved.
I also had a nice 2'x4' ebbnflow tray. This was the perfect match for me. Almost no noise....very little anyway(could manage). Easy to break down in a hurry. Keep things like that in your mind...btw. Clean up was a breeze. Tough as nails growing. Very trust worthy gardening.....reliable. For what ever reason, a pump decides to go you still might be able to save some plants.
Nothing like this has ever happend to me mind you. I've always tried my best to keep on top of everthing.
But do to limited space, like you...
I've scaled down...WAY Down.
from bedroom size to cabinet...2'x2'x6' bloom cab. and donor/cloner cab. that is about 2.5'x2'x2.5.
Very stealthy...in fact we sold our house, with a garden in full swing! People coming in looking at a clean house with nice furniture...yadda yadda yadda.
Family, friends you get the picture.
What I'm trying to get at I guess is...total control over your space!

Tell me the size of your space, and I...we...could recommed what we would do! Include lights blower, ect. Just tell us what were working with?

[BlueBear]

He made some good points, so what's your lay out?
Adieu

[The Fonz]

My space will support a grow cab that's 7ft tall x 4ft wide x 3 ft deep. I may go smaller by a foot all around though. I have a 2 400w hps lights but was thinking about selling those and using the money to buy a 600w hps. since I have not grown in a cab before I will need to set up a ventilation system. After reading several posts it sounds like many are using computer fans.

[rollone]

Thats a nice area. You can do great things with a space like that!
A 400 would be cozy in their! i'm sure a 600 would be just the same though.
I'm the type of grower though that would use the 400 over the 600. Of course much would rely on amb/temp. too.
Sell the other 400, build a divider to turn the area into 2....veg/bloom. Then grab yourself a 150w or less, and a blower.
You might also want to consider using a soilless mix, and feeding with Hydro.nutes.
This works like a champ too. In fact this is what I made the switch too.
I might have to try hands at some organic grown. Higher product indeed!

[The Fonz]

thanks for the advice. I'll pick up the stuff this weekend. I put up a pic when all is done. I think 3-4 plants would be nice in that area. What do think? Could I go with 5-6 and still get good light coverage?

[BlueBear]

I use a 1000w in an area like that, I would think about 2 400's if you are willing to take the time to work out your ventalation, and I would think about a Eb and Flow table with that hight. I would look at a 2x4 table if you could fit it in there. I think you could get about 8 to 12 in there if you veged for less than 3 weeks and get about 1.5 to 2 oz per plant once you dialed everything in and if you used the 2 400's or a 600.
Also, with lights that are 250w and higher you really need an inline fan and not a computer fan. In mine I have a 172 CFM Vortex, 2x90CFM Daytons and a 280 CFM Squirral cage, but I wouldn't need that much if I used a 600w or 2x400's..
Adieu

[The Fonz]

So you think with my space it would be better to grow more plants and force budding early like a sog. What is your opinion on a scrog method wth 4 or so plants? Not sure how scrog works with hydro. I know people who have had success with soil.

[JackdaWack]

1000wtts is overkill in that size room. ofcourse if u got ur shit set up correctly u dont have anything to worry about. Ive got the same set up, 1 400wtt hps in 4x2x7 area. Which gives me killer ladies. so a 400 is def enough maybe a 600 but u need to consider temps, mine are a bitch some days i need to keep my outside room 69F to keep my g.r. at 85 with lights on. I have a carbon filter on a 465 daytona blower and my temps are still reachn 90 some days, i really need a vented hood.

Hey if you have the room to grow tall girls i wouldnt bother with scrog, it works very very well with hydro but its more for limited head room. and u wont get as much if u just grew them normal, i would say do 6 plants and just let em grow

[The Fonz]

A vented hood sounds like a good Idea for me to add. I'm going to take a shot with the 600w and see how it works out. It's winter and I can keep the room my cab is in cool. I can always switch back to the 400w in the summer. WHat's a good seed to start with that works well with hydro?

[JackdaWack]

a hybrid, indica/sative 50/50, most sativas are harder to grow becuase they get very tall and take longer to flower, i would stay away from haze and jack herer.

[jamstigator]

Try Nirvana AK-48. Cheap, tough, potent, looks nice, good-sized buds, doesn't get too big. It's damn near the perfect indoor first-timer strain, in my opinion. Dunno how well it works with hydro, but don't see any reason it wouldn't work, as hydro is just a different method of getting nutrients to the plants.

[The Fonz]

I was suprised to see the cost for te AK-48 to be so inexpensive. $15 versus a NL at $100 for example.

[The Fonz]

I'm going to take a shot at letting 6 plants grow using three strains. I was thinking about the AK-48 you mentioned along with Blueberry and White Widow. Any suggestions?

[The Fonz]

Also, considering my space, how would a Sativa fair. I was thinking about Durban Poison which is a tall plant.