Why Hydro?

[kiksroks]

Why?

I've been thinking of doing a few DWC buckets with my next soil grow to "get my feet wet" in Hydro. If I find it beneficial I will likely change over to an ebb and flow system at some point. I have most of the setup for both and a general understanding of the operating principles. My question is why? What are the benefits of hydro over soil?

Thanks in advance

 

[WeedHopper]

To me its much cleaner then growing with soil,,and reacts much faster to treatment or feedings. You will know real fast(24hrs and faster) if ya screwed something up and vise-versa.:hubba:
The only problem I had was with water temps in the DWC,cause I was growing in the south.Water temps effects your root system and is very important to keep cool for nice white healthy roots.

 

[pcduck]

You can veg for a shorter period of time then in soil.ime

 

[kiksroks]

I should add that I run clones and rarely veg for more than a week. . .

 

[Hushpuppy]

For me hydro is easier and straight forward because I am not depending on the microbes to do the job of ballancing the nutrients. It seems like whenever anyone has issues in soil that it takes some time to get it straight. For me in hydro, I control the nutrients and am able to know what is going on chemically in the system. I don't have to worry about watering my plants as my system is automated enough to take care of that. I don't have to worry about root rot as I keep plenty of aeration in my rez. If there is a problem, I am able to discover it quickly and correct it.

I have to say though that I have never run any in soil so I cant say which is better, and there are issues for dealing with hydro, such as controlling ph, maintaining rez temps, and monitoring automation equipment.

 

[Growdude]

IMO its grows faster, wont finish faster.
I can see the growth when I get up and when I come home from work.

IMO faster growth = bigger growth.

 

[kiksroks]

Some good points here. I think I will like not dealing with dirt.

Would you guys say that hydro improves yield or quality, in general?

My room currently runs about 66-68 at night (light off) and 74-76 during the day (light on). Will these temps keep the reservoir in the proper range?

What is a good complete nutrient line to use? Are there any as simple as the FF trio?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I simply think that DWC is easier and cleaner. I do not really believe that necessarily improves yield or quality, however, I do believe that they may grow a bit faster during veg with hydro.

I like General Hydroponics Flora series.

 

[SimonSays]

Keep the mud outside where it belongs , Hydro is all i know, its all i have ever done, so i may be bias, but been around a few soil gardens and have some buddies still dirt doggin it indoors, and like said above by a few others its way cleaner, faster Veg times, and depending on your set up, it can be alot less hands on compared to soil. Whata pain in the arse it must be for some to have to get rid of all that soil evry three months or so... Hton can be reused many many times, that alone has got to be a huge savings in the long run. Not to mention in hydro you are in total control of what, when, and how yr plant eats, in soil your relying on the soil to be consistent, which is not always the case. Bugs!!! seems like every soil grower ive know always has problems with bugs, and i have never had a bug problem to my knowledge in any of my hydro gardens. Now mold and mildew thats a different story, seems to be a bigger problem for me than my buddies JMO

 

[Weeddog]

I have done both. Hydro is by far cleaner. I get faster growth and larger plants. Also have a larger yield. You never know just whats in that dirt. Growth is so fast in vegg that it can get away from you if you let it. Hydro wins by a long shot for me.

 

[WillyGreen28]

I have done both soil and now hydro. I really like the fact that I don't need to buy soil, deal with transplanting, & then dispose of the soil. Bugs are always a problem with soil too. Yes all around hydro is easier. Less maintainance. I think it grows faster. I get better yields, but I have better lighting now too so I can't say my yields are a result of switching to hydro. Overall I think it's easier, cheaper, and faster. Don't even hesitate. You will be happy you did it.

 

[vocalfurball]

I'm dealing with a space that has no water source and no drain. Hydro got old real fast.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I'm dealing with a space that has no water source and no drain. Hydro got old real fast.

LOL--Everybody's situation is different. For me, driving a couple of hours to town, buying soil and amendments, driving home, lugging it in, finding a place to mix it (in the winter), disposing of old soil (in the winter) would get old really fast for me. Besides, I cannot imagine one of my neighbors driving by seeing me lugging bags of something into my house not stopping and offering to help (and wondering why I needed dirt [in the winter]).

This is only one of the reasons that people need to plan their own spaces and growing styles. No one has identical conditions and circumstances.

 

[onmikesline]

Hey guys, i just got my hydro system and i wanted to know if i should add anything to the water to help it grow and i know i need a PH meter but what about a PPM?

and do i mist the plants with just water? or do i add something in it?

 

[Hushpuppy]

Hey guys, i just got my hydro system and i wanted to know if i should add anything to the water to help it grow and i know i need a PH meter but what about a PPM?

and do i mist the plants with just water? or do i add something in it?

Brother that is a couple questions that have the potential to bring a looong answer. How much do you know about growing MJ and are you already started with a grow? There is a load of stuff that is important to know for having successful grows. It is so much more than just planting a few beans in soil, watering them, and watching them grow a nice bag of smoke. We are glad to help you get it right tho.

 

[vocalfurball]

If I had water and a drain, the dwc's would get filled right back up. The best thing about my neighbors is none of them are home Sunday morning.

 

[DiamondJim420]

Why?

I've been thinking of doing a few DWC buckets with my next soil grow to "get my feet wet" in Hydro. If I find it beneficial I will likely change over to an ebb and flow system at some point. I have most of the setup for both and a general understanding of the operating principles. My question is why? What are the benefits of hydro over soil?

Thanks in advance

The following is just my opinion after reading a lot about hydro and organic. Other people may report different experiences.

If you're growing to sell, or to supply your entire extended family, or just love to tinker, then hydro is for you.

Pros:
1. Faster growth.
2. Bigger yields.
3. Less risk of bugs (from organic mixes).

Cons:
1. Higher startup costs.
2. More daily/weekly maintenance.
3. More risk of losing your entire crop due to human error or power outage.
4. Less taste (think of those hydroponic tomatoes you eat in the winter vs. summertime soil-grown tomatoes).

If you grow for yourself and maybe one other person, or want a good earthy taste, then organic is for you.

Pros:
1. Lower startup costs.
2. Lower daily/weekly maintenance.
3. More forgiving of human error.
4. Better earthy taste.

Cons:
1. Slower growth.
2. Smaller yields.
3. More risk of bugs (from organic mixes).

The potency is the same for both hydro and organic, if both are done properly.

My next grow will be done in Subcool's Super Soil. The claim is that if done properly, the entire grow can be accomplished in great fashion using just tap water - no nutrients, and no PH or TDS monitoring. Just plain tap water 2-3 times per week. Although some people report that some nutrient supplements and/or teas are beneficial toward the end of flowering. And it's best if you let your water sit out overnight so that chlorine can evaporate.

My next grow after that will be a DWC, because I love to tinker and try new things.

 

[Hushpuppy]

The one thing that stands out repeatedly for me as being a pro for hydro is the fact that I know exactly what chemicals are in the soil under my plants. I know what they are eating(as long as I am buying quality nutes). I have seen people struggle to know what is going on with a soil grow that is running off track, and I see them fight with some issue for sometimes weeks(which is serious lost time). If I have an issue with my grow (I'm not bragging here but I have taken my latest grow from start to finish without a single issue for the plants) then I can quickly look back at my notes and see what may have gone wrong, and can fix the problem within a few days tops.

I am sure that accomplished soil growers can do the same thing. It just seems to like hydro is more forgiving because if you make a mistake, you see the problem quickly and can recover from it quickly.

 

[DiamondJim420]

The one thing that stands out repeatedly for me as being a pro for hydro is the fact that I know exactly what chemicals are in the soil under my plants. I know what they are eating(as long as I am buying quality nutes). I have seen people struggle to know what is going on with a soil grow that is running off track, and I see them fight with some issue for sometimes weeks(which is serious lost time). If I have an issue with my grow (I'm not bragging here but I have taken my latest grow from start to finish without a single issue for the plants) then I can quickly look back at my notes and see what may have gone wrong, and can fix the problem within a few days tops.

I am sure that accomplished soil growers can do the same thing. It just seems to like hydro is more forgiving because if you make a mistake, you see the problem quickly and can recover from it quickly.

I really like my experiences with organic growing, but I can't wait to try a hydro grow. I've already bought my DWC buckets (5-gallon water coolers), hydroton, net pots, air pumps, air tubing, and air stones. And I have some Advanced Nutrients nutes. And I'm interested in eventually trying Flood & Drain. I love to try new things.

 

[OGKushman]

Its my opinion and experience that things go faster, get bigger, and output more bud with a higher THC content.