Hydroponic Setup <$100 using GH Waterfarm and Fluorex

this is an old post, but some relevant info you need to consider:

I have a Waterfarm and I consistently pull 5 ounces per plant under an air-cooled hood with a 400W HPS. The plant grows to 3-3.5 feet. Ebay has someone selling 400W HPS systems for $99, but don't have the aircooled hood, just the batwing reflector. You could probably make due with that type of light, though.

So, $60 for the WF and $100 for the light. You would also need an airstone and extra air pump for about $7. And finally, the nutes that come with the WF are great, but are not enough to carry you through one entire grow cycle: you need to buy more nutes. Whether you buy more General Hydroponics nutes or someone else's is up to you. Believe me, though after the first harvest, you can sell an ounce or 2 of the weed and easily reouperate your investment twice over.

Good luck!

Zandor says, "Get a few soil grows under your belt and learn to grow, before you attempt hydro"...

latewood says, "grow soil plants as a back-up to hydro failure."

I would like to add, that there is no way to achieve the yield you are looking for, unless you invest 2-300 bucks in at least a 600w/1000w light...MH or HPS

If you want to grow and use cfl's...you can, and have alot of fun doing it, but you are going to yield what the plants give you. I believe that you can never shoot the hard nutes to them, unless you have a big enough light to create the photosynthesis necessary to make them thirsty enough to uptake the nutrient levels you will need for that type of yield from 4 plants.

build 3-4... 5 gallon bucket bubblers...
from wally's...
4 buckets w/lids 25-30 bucks
2 dual airpumps. 25-30 bucks
4 paks airstones 5 bucks

from hydro store:
gh 3-part nutes 35 bucks
hydroton 15 bucks
4 3-3/4"netpots 2.50 bucks
rapid rooters 5-10 bucks.
ph down

you need a ph meter(got to have) and a tds or ec meter (you can do without this at 1st)
the ph meter is essential...PH is the beginning of alot of problem's you encounter during a grow. on ebay for 20-50 bucks everyday.

ppm's however can be controlled by using a % of the advertised values on the bottle...
for instance, If you use full blown gh 3-part at 8ml per gallon each part 24ml per gallon total...you get aroud 3.0 EC/1500 ppm's (this is about as high a nute concentration you want)
By cutting that in 1/2 you get approximately EC1.5/ppm levels of 750...
so diluting even further to 1/3 or 33% nute value you get approxiamately EC 1.0/450-500ppm's

so nute values can be approximated, and if you change out fresh nutes each week, topping off in the middle of the week with ph'd water...you won't have a problem

Here is an approximate break-down as I see it.
Seedlings... no nutes
early veg 33% nute values 4-500 ppms
vegging fully rooted...50% nutes approx. 750-800 ppms, and up to 1200ppms
bloom 100% nute values 1250-1500 ppms...follow me?
now this is just an approximate guideline.

you should invest in a tds or EC meter ASAP.
But with these guidelines, you can grow without one.

hope this opens up some ideas for you. lw

the waterfarm kit is a really good deal becuase you get the nutrients grow rocks and everything.

they work great, and I recently had a huge harvest using the new 200 watt florex light.

Not to rain on your parade, but did no-one else see that this is a DORM ROOM!!
I would say that security is your primary concern, whatever your setup. You have a 3-4 month window where no-one can find this or you're locked up. I hate to put a damper on your plans, but you should seriously consider waiting 'till you have your own apartment and a VERY absent landlord.