I want to try hydro, you want to do hydro with me?

[Journey Man]

Hey guys!
So, i want to try hydro because it will be easier to handle water then soil or coco. Also there is a greater grow if its done correctly. I will start with two buckets so i can practice on more then just one. What size of buckets should i start with? 5-6 gal? Im very interested to learn. Is there someone who can guide me in this journey? Ill get everything thats needed.
Thank you for your help.

 

[Journey Man]

My options.... what should i chose?

The alien looks nice but dont think i need a 55L bucket for an auto on first try.

 

[woody]

You can always make your own but i think going with 5 gallon is more than big enough dude

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Rambo:

I have a lot of experience with hydro and can help you along the way. Read my past threads which will answer a lot of your questions and help you formulate new ones. I built a new grow area and hydro system in this thread.
Relearned a valuable lesson in this thread.
I am learning a new hydro method in my current grow; thread in signature.

First of all a 5 gallon container will give you grief because by the time you subtract the depth of the net pot it will be a 3.5 gallon container. Then by the time the root system is mature it will be a 2 gallon container and that will cause much grief in trying to keep nutes and PH in the zone. What you want is a minimum of 5 gallons of solution after you subtract for the net pot and roots. I highly recommend to use a top off tank. Put a float valve in the reservoir and gravity feed from the top off tank to maintain the water level 1/2" to 1/4" below the net pot. Aerate and PH the top off tank and use about 25% nutrient strength of what you have in the res. This will replace what the plant is using. I would top feed until the roots are well down into the reservoir then turn it off otherwise you can have problems with crown rot.

No matter which nutrient system you go with use their entire line and include Botanicare HydroGuard. I consider Botanicare HydroGuard as an absolute must in DWC.

I will sub in here to help you along the way.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Ok so I looked at the systems you have listed the Alien 55l is the best of the lot but way too expensive. How big is your space LxWxH? What kind of lights are you running?

 

[Journey Man]

Yes, lovely, answers @sanguine @Mañ'O'Green .

Ive got enough with space, 350x250cm (concrete tent) using 4x600 hps.. im gonna do coco(third try) as main group but i want to try the dwc. My first try at coco i mixed to much claypepples and watered to little so i gave up by day 30, they were not healthy. Now one year later i gave it a new chance, second attemt ever, autopot and airdome. Clean coco and i wasnt shy to give alot of water or nutes. Did 1 girl, shes big man. Shes 108cm height- 120cm width by 120cc width, shes is a 4x4feet in width. Height is acsually only 180 cm/6 foot from bulbs so i will use lst, supercrop or whatever is needed to maintain canopy atleast 70 cm from bulbs.
I will have a check with the company if they've get something on the 30-35 liters area that could fit. The cost isnt a real issue, i want it easy but a clean hydro-bucket.
I will read your threads @Mañ'O'Green .
I never want to throw soil in in a shady place again haha. Thats the worst part, getting rid of the soil.
I have used Gold Label soil and nutrients all the time with some addons from AN. Now when i gave coco a try i used their coco and their coco A and B with addons from AN, such as rhino skin and big bud. It has worked for me especially in soil. Because ive got a feeling of how strong their nutes are just by ml i will go with them. They recomend ultra PK from week 4 to flush but im not so sure about that, not in soil or coco, then i prefer to use big bud instead. So im guessing they respond the same in clean hydro.
Hydrogard i have seen many write about, so i will definitely put that as important as basenutes. Thank you. Ill have a read and a check with the company if they have a ~7 gallon.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Rambo:

In soil it is not as important to use only one line of nutrients but in hydro it is a huge mistake to mix brands. This could have been your problem in the first coco grow. Coco is a form of hydro. Soil will buffer to some extent out of balance nutrients but in hydro it is just magnified and nearly instantaneous. You can see problems develop overnight! You can fix them quickly as well. AN's full line will produce the desired results. Just start out at ~50% of the recommended strength and work up from there until a little burn then back off.

You have lots of light and ample space especially for Autos as they have a tendency to be shorter than photos. They can still be a large plant so plan accordingly.

I would go with the Alien 55L.

A quality TDS and PH meter is crucial to your success. I use Bluelab instruments and calibrate them regularly. Check your PH daily or more often but don't hold at a single point. It is better to let it range between 5.6 and 6.2.

Hope this helps.

 

[Journey Man]

Ive got a guestion, ive tried to find answer for it. Lets say you do a girl and she turns into a monster 700+grams plus... shes wide as fcuk, tall, and shes been lst'd. How do you change her nutrients? I get it if it is a smaller plant, just lift her up and in to another bucket under the time you change and clean, but a really big one, how do you solve it? Then there have to be like 2 people doing it to prevent anything to snatch. Or if shes under a net. I cant see how to change nutes.
Its probably a luxury problem, but i like to aim for the stars and not even get to the tree-tops...

The coco girls that i gave up on showed underwatering, it was to much claypebbles in the bottom. It was dry. I know that was the problem.
But okey, ill put that on memory. Not mixing nutes. Keep it to 1 brand... my Ph from tap is 8.9. EC is at 0.15-0.16. Im not sure their products will buffer it down to correct ph for nutrients uptake.
So ive got a soft water wich should be okey, but a higher ph then is good.

Alien 55, man ofh haha, that is some serious thing.

I know for sure autos could be big, ive only done autos, never a photoperiod.
I could send you some photos in PM how well i have done in soil before.

Is the AN line the same for coco as for hydro? Same bottle for those 2?

Ill get a new EC meter and PH meter with alot of calibration-fluids.

Thank you very much. What should i do, an indica or an sativa leaning strain?

Im aiming at 300gr+ each. Yes im dreaming on my first try, let me dream

Ive seen your setup. You got alot of numbers, technology. But im guessing its easier when you learn about those things as you then can give the girls exactly what they want.

Ill pm u some photos if u want

Thank you

 

[woody]

300g per plant is acheivable dude my first dwc grow was over that dry and that was in a 3 gallon bucket.

 

[Journey Man]

300g per plant is acheivable dude my first dwc grow was over that dry and that was in a 3 gallon bucket.

Nice. Then we have a goal set up! As this is a forum, what do you reckon about the 55L, will it be allright?
Its like 5 times that 3 gal. Its probably easier to maintain ph and EC... but when its time for rez-change how to solve it with a big plant?