I Need Some Major Schoolin for Setting Up My First Hydro System

I wanna start a hydro system, but don't know what to do, i just wanna grow a few plants just for me to toke up, but i definatly wanna do it THE RIGHT WAY, and not the EASIEST CHEAPEST, O SNAP I WASTED MONEY AND TIME AND ENERGY TO GROW THIS CRAPPY GANJA. do you just buy hydro systems or make em, i seen something called hempy buckets and it seemed to be good for beginners, where can i get it. i mean really im pretty much the new dude on his first day of work, not knowin what ta do. It seems this site is full of knowledgeable cats and hope someone can be kind enough ta give me, at least some steps to follow to start. thanks and good smokin!!!

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Originally Posted by Snooga

I wanna start a hydro system, but don't know what to do, i just wanna grow a few plants just for me to toke up, but i definatly wanna do it THE RIGHT WAY, and not the EASIEST CHEAPEST, O SNAP I WASTED MONEY AND TIME AND ENERGY TO GROW THIS CRAPPY GANJA. do you just buy hydro systems or make em, i seen something called hempy buckets and it seemed to be good for beginners, where can i get it. i mean really im pretty much the new dude on his first day of work, not knowin what ta do. It seems this site is full of knowledgeable cats and hope someone can be kind enough ta give me, at least some steps to follow to start. thanks and good smokin!!!

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Time to do a lot of reading! If you start growing and you don't know what you're doing you will surely waste money, time and energy. Unfortunately it is not just a case of people being able to tell you everything you need to know, you need to read, and read, and read. That's how the knowledgable cats on here got to where they are. This site has ample info to get you started, look up about the different areas of growing, like lighting, nutrients, ventilation etc. and you should get on fine.....:thumbsup:

the least complex hydro system would prob be DWC. 1 bucket, 1 netpot lid, airpump, couple airstones, lil hydrotron, water and nutes. could prob do a search here for DWC setup or just Google it.

Welcome to the Wet side. Yes you have alot of schoolin to do. As said reading is what you will be doing most.

To start you need to tell us what size room you have to work with ? And what your goals are ?

If money is no object then the sky is the limit.

thank you to all the hydro jedi masters, ok so i wanted to grow in a closet, its about 2x4, i dont know if thats too small, but its already bright white, light can't escape when its closed, and theres a sliding window for circulation, and for my hydro set up, i was looking at this 600W HPS Plantastar Bubbleponicsâ?¢ Kit (SH Hydroponics, Inc. > Special Combo Deals) it comes with everything i need, does this sound proper?

outside of the light you can make that hydro kit for about $60 and 99% of it would come from Walmart :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Snooga

thank you to all the hydro jedi masters, ok so i wanted to grow in a closet, its about 2x4, i dont know if thats too small, but its already bright white, light can't escape when its closed, and theres a sliding window for circulation, and for my hydro set up, i was looking at this 600W HPS Plantastar Bubbleponicsâ?¢ Kit (SH Hydroponics, Inc. > Special Combo Deals) it comes with everything i need, does this sound proper?

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A 400w should do fine for an area of 2x4, but I'm sure a bit of extra light wont hurt (as long as you can cool the extra heat a 600w would put out). Do you have a picture of the closet, would be interesting to see. :)

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Originally Posted by Snooga

thank you to all the hydro jedi masters, ok so i wanted to grow in a closet, its about 2x4, i dont know if thats too small, but its already bright white, light can't escape when its closed, and theres a sliding window for circulation, and for my hydro set up, i was looking at this 600W HPS Plantastar Bubbleponicsâ?¢ Kit (SH Hydroponics, Inc. > Special Combo Deals) it comes with everything i need, does this sound proper?

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I think SH is a good place. I have ordered parts and the fog cloner. Still working with it. The thing about the bubbleponics is this. In a test run on one we started off good. Everything growing right for a few weeks. Then all growth stopped. A few more weeks and we were dismayed nothing but tiny bonsai. After 5 weeks we took it apart only to find out that the tap roots that were forming had grown into the 1/4 inch drip pipes inside and was blocking almost all the water but staying alive. That is why the rockwool has the wrapper around it. If the roots break through it's all over. When we get a chance to try again the drips should be brought into the top of the netpots and it should run fine. A simple dwc unit is just as good.

If you are just starting and can not build for yourself it's not a bad price but I could build 2 tubs for your closet and meters (cheap) PH up and down and nutrients to start with and the light with maybe an electronic ballast for under that.

If I was in your position and wanted way better than soil results for a first time hydro grow I'd go with something like this.
Hydropak Kit | Products | Autopot
I recommend straight perlite as the medium as it's dirt cheap, disposable and has great wicking properties. Apparently hydroton will work in this type of system but not as well.

I'd also use the following 1 part nutrients for simplicity and pH stability.
GreenDream | Hydroponic Nutrients | Liquid Plant Fertilizer
Although any decent nutrients would work ok I can vouch for what I suggested from personal experience.

Pretty sure a good 400W light would suffice. The idea is to keep the overall cost and effort to a bare minimum without sacrificing on results.

Keep the plants small and flower early for the first round until you understand how your particular strain will perform within the given environment.
Flush very well regularly and only use greater than 3/4 strength nutrients with extreme caution.
A small bottle of pH down and pythoff might also be a good investment to ensure things run smoothly.
Although I think DWC can be great it is subject to more maintenance, fluctuations and monitoring than a home growing stoner can really be bothered with. They also require some 'dialling in' before you become proficient using them with your nutrients and environment. If you spend a few bucks at first it will reward you with piece of mind and ease for many harvests.

Here is a thread using the suggested system.
skunk in Autopots:my 3rd indoor grow - Page 9 - Marijuana Growing

Hope this helps with your decision. Good luck and have fun.

I would get some big rubbermaids, u can fit 3 big plants in each, use 5" net pots, DWC is a good way to go, but it requires a lot of water and can be a pain to change. If u want to go that route u can get some air pumps+stones. and grow medium, nutes, ph down/up, PH kit 400watt switchable light and ur good to go, cost is well under 500

Or u can do a drip system, it will require more handy work but will pay off..
U would need a low table or something to set the root chamber on(rubbermaid containers), and under will be the reservoir. In place of air pump will be a water pump, get a good one, buy something like the aqua shuttle comes with all the tubing and drippers, u just need the correct size tubing from the pump to the shuttle. The res can be smaller then the root chambers, and when u need to change water u just pull the pump out and dump, easy easy. u also need to have drainage from the root chamber back to the res. DWC is easier to set up, but drip is easier to maintain, u dont have to worry about damaging the plants when checking water, actually u dont ever have to touch the root chamber except once and a while to check for white roots.

I'm hooked on the drip method, next up for me is aeroponics and foggers.

Here's a better picture or well u get the point.

get the " best of 2009" issue of high times(on newstands now) and check out the Stinkbud Aero/Hydro system. I use this and it works great. Also check out the website, stinkbuddies.com.

if thats either a nft or aero unit neither of those should really be used by beginners,especially aero. u have seval options.i think dwc would suit u well.there is also hempy buckets if u want to get a little more of a challenge. u could also do strait up soil.u can also build a home made flood table verry cheap.i use 2 make them out of morter mix trays from home depot and real flood and drain fittings.drill your holes,put in the fittings get a rubber maid container as a rez 3 ft of half inch tubing 3 ft of 3/4 tubin and a cheapo 10 doller water pump and your gold.your also going 2 need to cut the bottoms off milk crates to place into the bottom of the trey to help with drainage because unlike real flood trays they dont have the molded formed grooves.

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Originally Posted by Snooga

thank you to all the hydro jedi masters, ok so i wanted to grow in a closet, its about 2x4, i dont know if thats too small, but its already bright white, light can't escape when its closed, and theres a sliding window for circulation, and for my hydro set up, i was looking at this 600W HPS Plantastar Bubbleponicsâ?¢ Kit (SH Hydroponics, Inc. > Special Combo Deals) it comes with everything i need, does this sound proper?

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I think the bubbleponics system's 'direct injection' system over waters the root system causing root rot very quickly.

I would agree a simple DWC system will suit you fine. However using Rubbermaids with multiple net pots can be risky. Lets say you grow 3 plants from seed and one turns out to be a male. Well in a DWC system the roots will grow extremely long and all three plants roots will grow together into a ball. If you had to remove one of the plants for whatever reason, you will have the leftover roots in the Rubbermaid still which will evetually rot and cause problems!

To avoid this, I would suggest a DWC 5gal bucket system. 'Bubble bucket' Which can also be made at home for fairly cheap. Each plant is in its own bucket which makes maintainability much easier. And is also more mobile.

The 600w HPS is more than enough for your square footage. Just heat might become an issue.

Rise Above :bigsmoke:

Snooga do you have a budget or space in mind? Are you worried about a Heat signature? Electricity? I'm doing an LED Aeroponic grow for my first grow and I don't have any regrets. I'm spending a large chunk of change but to have equipment I know I can use forever it's not a waste. I'm not sure where your at but cops do bust people using HPS lights very easily using infrared. They don't need a warrant and chances are the probably won't ever do it, but are you willing to risk it? I'm not. That's my logic in using LED. If I had a basement of a 3 story house that might be a different story but I don't.