Should First Grow Be Hydro Or Soil?

[stinkyattic]

You don't need an EC meter if you grow in soil.
It's much more forgiving.

[4osiris]

You don't need an EC meter if you grow in soil.
It's much more forgiving.

Thanks stinky. I was thinking the same thing. That's the whole purpose of going soil so that I don't set myself up for failure with all the gadgetries.

Thanks to all! It's on and popping!

[BigWeed]

Soil baby soil you cant go wrong the first time with soil. Dont get that Miracle grow crap it sucks.

[romdog11]

you NEED an ec meter in soil so you know how much your feeding your plants. i didnt have one and i was burning my plants then taking away the nutes and they had defeciences. trust me you WANT to know what your giving your plants.

[fatal1]

I originally planned on never posting when registered on this forum. But I would like to tell you guy's thanks. I plan on starting my first grow next year but until then I'm soaking up a great deal of information here. Again thanks.

[babystarbud]

you NEED an ec meter in soil so you know how much your feeding your plants. i didnt have one and i was burning my plants then taking away the nutes and they had defeciences. trust me you WANT to know what your giving your plants.

well, thats not really true, as long as you use a mild soil, keep your PH in check thru carefull feeding and occasional flushing you wont go far wrong.

[stinkyattic]

I've been growing without an EC meter... even in hydro... I took my source water to the hydro shop for a test to make sure it's not all hard and nasty, it's fine; now I go by the way the plants look.
Scorch? Flush the soil ones, back off on the nutes on the hydro ones.
Hungry? Feed em!
I'll be getting an EC meter for my hydro experiments when I have the cash, but for now everyone is doing aight. It's a necessity in hydro when you are dialing in the nutes for max yield.

[xcrispi]

I had my head in the dirt for the 1st. 15 yrs. I grew .

Try dirt first - if you have probs. or give up = your not out a ton of money . Look at all the used gear on ebay , either alot of ppl. give up real easy - or maybe alot of ppl. are good at this and they're hobby grows just as fast as their plants ?

I Been doing hydro for 3-4 yrs now and I still have never chkd. E.C ?
Peace
Crispi :jointsmile:

[romdog11]

isnt your ec just another way of saying ppms? my meter has both ppms ec and something else i dont use. but it really helps me when im doing my ppms. i recently added big bud and i just added enough ppms to kind of kick in and i noticed it burnt it ever so slightly. barely even noticable but know i know that ppms with a much more potent thing like big bud is un necessary. but in your case stinky your just pro so people have an instict with plants. me no way. my first couple of grows the plants were feretelizer burned and showing defeceincys it was a mess. but this ec /ppm meter i have has personally helped me out a lot. i pin point my feedings.

[LaidZeppelin]

i tried hydro before soil...BIG MISTAKE...the plant grew fine and i did everything right but its so much work......Soil is so much easier.....just water, light, timer, nutes DONE.. Hydro - change water/nutes, constantly measure PH, keep water temp down, pumps, tubes, airstones...too much nonsense.....it doesnt cut down your grow time to much. Soil is so easy and you get a great product the only draw back is their is alot of dirt around.