Easy Homemade Hydroponic System

[Deejay2163]

DWC is getting more and more popular simply because it is simplicity itself. Low start-up costs, minimal maintanence,and good results.I have tried it once and it seems to work ok ,but it can be a pain in the ass if you don't affix a drain system to the tub,especially on the larger systems.Hydroponic growing is a bit different than soil because you have to be on top of it daily as the situation with the growing solution changes so much.I personally prefer dirt ,in regards to how forgiving it is when I screw up,but ,other than that ,hydro is very popular with a lot of folks.

[mainegrown]

my only question before i start to make one of these set ups is can i check the ph with the liquid test kits or do i need a $100 PH pen and what about the PPM?
is there any way to get around these problems as cheap as the lava rocks??
i really dont have a ton of money to throw around (not away.. never throwing money away when into more and better pot) right now...
i am planning on making a more streamlined DWC recirculating system after my harvest.. i think that a DWC set up would be a good use of an oz :wink:
thanks for putting up with a hydro n00b
-MG

[Deejay2163]

Look.It's simple, if you want to go hydro it's a bit more detail oriented that growing in soil.Unless you believe and trust in blind luck, then if you have decided that DWC is the way you're going ,then be prepared to shell out a couple hundred for meters and nutes,and ph up and down,it's that simple.Hydro may be the best way to go , but you can't prove it by me.I'm working with a couple different hydro systems ,but until I see results for myself, then I consider all that I've heard and compare it to my results and either decide to try and adjust from there ,or go back to what I know works.Time will tell.

[ctryboy60]

k,,newbie here,and have been reading tons of info,,last few weeks,,while getting about 15 seedlings going in just some vermiculite,,and baccto soil,,and straight water. these little rubber maid boxes seem to be really common, to you guys. should i ,or can i remove the soil from my roots,and re-plant in one of these systems,,as my two week olds are kinda just sittin there lately,,,could be just me,,but not seeing much happen,,the tallest is about 5" tall,and the same diameter. any info,or suggestions,,welcome,,thanks much, ctryboy.

[LetsSeeYa]

k,,newbie here,and have been reading tons of info,,last few weeks,,while getting about 15 seedlings going in just some vermiculite,,and baccto soil,,and straight water. these little rubber maid boxes seem to be really common, to you guys. should i ,or can i remove the soil from my roots,and re-plant in one of these systems,,as my two week olds are kinda just sittin there lately,,,could be just me,,but not seeing much happen,,the tallest is about 5" tall,and the same diameter. any info,or suggestions,,welcome,,thanks much, ctryboy.

If there only two weeks there only trying to get a rooy system in place. Once your plants have a good rooting in place, then you will notice leaf development. But if you have them in big pots, then it will take a bit longer to see the leaves growing. Just give them some time, they will take off soon:rasta:

[crf70rider]

in my oopinion you could grow 6 plants in that system i have a 5 gallon res. tote and i was going for 3 plants but i started the 3 a week late so i removed the weak link but i have a top feed setup and the pot set on top a drain back into the res throught holes in the lid and the clones i put in the setup have grown to 8" tall in two weeks and i just dump in some sensi 2 part and a little bloom so they dont have any deffs. oh and my personal fav. superthrive that shit amazing

[superfly420]

heres another D.I.Y project , might be of use to some one,ythe postman


Things you need (Pictures are in order)

1. Rubbermaid Tub â?? (I use a 20 Gallon)
2. 2-3 Fish Air stones
3. Air Pump
4. Black Air Hoses â?? (the one in the pic is clear but try and get black)
5. Net Pots
6. Growing Medium
7. This is what your final product should look like.

1. What you need to do is cut holes in the lid of the Rubbermaid container to fit your net pots in.
2. Then run the air hose from the air pump into the bottom of the Rubbermaid container and plug them into the air stones.
3. To check to see if your air stones are producing enough Oxygen fill the container up with water. Then put the lid on and start the pump. Come back in a few minutes and see if water has splashed through the holes and collected water on the top of the lid.more in next post, the postman.

Hey Postman. I'm new to the forum and growing as well. I am current card holder and venturing off to grow my own. I chose to go hydro with a setup similar to yours. I am using a 20 gallon tote as a self watering setup. I got the idea off of youtube. The tote will be divided in half by a styrofoam slab cut to fit making the bottom of the tote the nutrient resevoir. Also in the nutrient resevoir is a wicking basket of sorts filled with hydroton and drilled with 1/4" holes. On top of the styrofoam is a thick layer of hyroton for my roots to grow in. I'm putting 6 3" net pots in the lid also filled with hydroton. Along the side of the tote will be a 1-1 1/2" pvc pipe for the air line to run to the air stone in the tote. This is also the watering tube. There is a drain hole consistent with the styrofoam to avoid over watering. I'm running a walmart pump suitable for 20-60 gallons with a 5" air bar. I'm not a very good artist but I sketched a pic of what I'm goin for..
Can I eliminate all the hydroton and wicking system and add more nutrient/h20 solution and let the roots hang in the solution? My tote is black, do I need to spray paint it anyway? Is Co2 a necessity?

[GROWxMOREx420]

I have grown cannabis outdoor using this method with great success. :thumbsup:

[jjenks]

PMD this is my first time and I had a few questions regarding how much water you put in the container and whether or not additional nutrients should be mixed into the water?