About to grow the Hydroponic style. Many questions.

[xbrianx]

I'm not new to smoking, nor am I new to growing plants indoor/ outdoor using soil. But Hydroponic growing... I don't even know where to begin. I've tried to read up on it. But it's really hard to follow, for some reason. Could you possibly help me out and hook me up with the info I need to do the following?

I have no idea which method of growing I should use. (Hand-Watered Bucket, Water Culture System, EBB & Flow System, ETC.) I have no idea which method is the best...

I DO know that I want to grow anywhere from 4-6 plants.
Room is not a problem. My friend & I have a shed we plan on using. Although I don't know the dimensions off the top of my head, I know we have enough room.

I know I need an Air Pump, an Air Stone (I have no idea what that is), possibly a Submersible Pump, Several 5 Gallon Buckets, pH Test Kit.

I imagine I need a lot more items, tools, and chemicals...

I'd be very grateful if you could help me with my situation. Maybe send me some detailed plans, instructions, and photos of real setups.

Thanks,
Brian.

xbrianx Reviewed by xbrianx on 03-24-2006. About to grow the Hydroponic style. Many questions. I'm not new to smoking, nor am I new to growing plants indoor/ outdoor using soil. But Hydroponic growing... I don't even know where to begin. I've tried to read up on it. But it's really hard to follow, for some reason. Could you possibly help me out and hook me up with the info I need to do the following? I have no idea which method of growing I should use. (Hand-Watered Bucket, Water Culture System, EBB & Flow System, ETC.) I have no idea which method is the best... I DO know that I Rating: 5

[turtle420]

Hey Brian,

Welcome to the boards!

Good to see a new grower... a new hydro grower!

As to which hydro method is best, I think that question is unanswerable. All of them are good... some more difficult than others... some are simpler... some are easier to setup... etc.

How to choose? Well, you've just got to see what there is and pick-one you like.

Air stones = those are the little stones at the bottom of fish aquariums that release a "wall of air bubbles".... those are air stones. There are also "air ropes" I think they're called... same shit, only a long flexible tube with lots of holes.

As to the meters, if you want to go full out, you can buy a meter that has readings for the liquid nutrient mix::: temperature, pH, EC/ppm, TDS.

Hydro nutrients::: I see four options...
1- General Hydroponics 3-part series...
2- Advanced Nutrients
3- Karmaxul's organic grow nutes...
4- your own concoction

Well, I've got to go... but I'm sure many more people will give you a lot of valuable input by the end of the day. These boards are great dude!

Peace Brian,

-turtle420
.

[elcheapo]

From my limited hydroponics experience I recommend that you keep it as simple as you can. Choose a setup that is easy to run and requires the least amount of maintenance. Invest a little bit of time, money and effort at the start, then you can sit back and enjoy watching them grow. Doesn't have to be too fancy for your first grow and should still out perform your soil grows. I wish I could help more but at the end of the day you have to choose your own system. Welcome to hydroponics and the boards.

[Gen]

jump in and start having fun.

[latewood]

Hey Brian,

Welcome to the boards!

Good to see a new grower... a new hydro grower!

As to which hydro method is best, I think that question is unanswerable. All of them are good... some more difficult than others... some are simpler... some are easier to setup... etc.

How to choose? Well, you've just got to see what there is and pick-one you like.

Air stones = those are the little stones at the bottom of fish aquariums that release a "wall of air bubbles".... those are air stones. There are also "air ropes" I think they're called... same shit, only a long flexible tube with lots of holes.

As to the meters, if you want to go full out, you can buy a meter that has readings for the liquid nutrient mix::: temperature, pH, EC/ppm, TDS.

Hydro nutrients::: I see four options...
1- General Hydroponics 3-part series...
2- Advanced Nutrients
3- Karmaxul's organic grow nutes...
4- your own concoction

Well, I've got to go... but I'm sure many more people will give you a lot of valuable input by the end of the day. These boards are great dude!

Peace Brian,

-turtle420
.

good advice, I'd say.:smokin:

[latewood]

I would 1st have to ask you! Are you going to have clones or start from seed, because culling males is a pain and you have to have a set-up designed to allow there removal...

If you've grown before then you should get your mother ready...build an aero cloner...and some type of recirculating system with 2-4 pods for weekly or bi-weekly or monthly turnover...
Research these things I told you...You will be able to decide if you want a simple ebb and flow or perhaps you want to grow DWC trees...let me warn you.

After growing trees, I have redesigned my set-up to veg 2 week old rooted clones, until they are a foot tall and then put them in flower room...usually ready to harvest in 6-7 weeks under a 1000w hortilux...remember-clones inherit the age of the mum, so they are more mature to start with.

Anyway welcome to Cdot...hope we can help you.

do some digging around the hyro forums, there are lots of great hydro info and experiments, as well as some 1st rate grows. All the info you require is already in this forum; If you just look hard enough. goodluck.lw

[latewood]

one more thing...you can set-up veg cloning area in as small as 2x3, but optimum space for wanting to grow 4-6 plants would be a 3x5 space since you say you have plenty of room...I recommend this size. you can put mother in corner, clones on shelf and veg young'uns on a card table or something built with 2x4's.

you flower space has to be twice as big...You will not believe how big them sucker's get compared to most soil grows. peace.lw

[xbrianx]

thanks for the info everyone.
once i start.
i'll keep you posted.

[EmericanStoner420]

i found some kits on ebay that have most of the stuff you need to grow hydro, 2 4 and 6 plant kits here the url

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...&fsop=3&fsoo=1


i have no idea to post links on here


ede