Grow Mediums Post Apocalyptic Growing Advice

[Jimmy Joe James]

Hey everyone! Been reading the forum for a while so let me cut to the chase. I lost everything in hurricane Maria. I had my place with a safe outdoor spot and had done a couple of soil grows with great success in the past. Long story short im squatting in an abandoned house 80 days with no power. But ive managed to salvage old boat batteries and abandoned working solar panels and a 1500watt inverter, so, so far so good i got a little power. Soil in this new area is pretty bad and contaminated (also dont feel safe since they did depleted uranium shelling and practice around here for decades.).

With that said im gonna try hydro for the first time. I need to rebuild but im looking at a starting budget for now of $400 for hopefully 2 plants then expand little by little as i can. Any advice particularly on lighting? I have space plus the indoor area has some nice sunlight coming through these 2x2 glass squares in the ceiling that let in a decent amount of sunlight for only 5-6 hours a day. I was thinking general hydroponic nutrients, make my own dwc buckets and maybe these lights?
https://m.ebay.com/itm/1000W-Hydro-...wer-Oganic-Growing-Full-Spectrum/302540012996

Any advice for a cheap 2 plant setup under $400 would be a great help! Im gonna keep cost down by trying to salvage as much scrap as i can then order some Dinafem seeds once i have all my equipment ready! This is probably gonna be a long term deal so thanks to everyone in advanced!

 

[woody]

If you have a rough idea how making your own dwc buckets is real simple. Order a couple net pots and cut the holes in the lid.
The air pump and airstones will be the only pricey bit in that area.
You will need a ph and ec pen though if going the hydro route. Also would really advise you to get hydroguard or sm90 to prevent any res/root problems
I use ghe nutes and they work pretty good.

I wouldnt bother with those lights. Keep a look round ebay for a good deal on a mars hydro or viparspectra theyre still not great lights but will grow good bud for a while for the price.
That or go the hps route- maybe thats to sore on electric though.

 

[Jimmy Joe James]

If you have a rough idea how making your own dwc buckets is real simple. Order a couple net pots and cut the holes in the lid.
The air pump and airstones will be the only pricey bit in that area.
You will need a ph and ec pen though if going the hydro route. Also would really advise you to get hydroguard or sm90 to prevent any res/root problems
I use ghe nutes and they work pretty good.

I wouldnt bother with those lights. Keep a look round ebay for a good deal on a mars hydro or viparspectra theyre still not great lights but will grow good bud for a while for the price.
That or go the hps route- maybe thats to sore on electric though.

I actually have no problem with the buckets its just a trip to home depot and a couple of minutes of setup. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING OF THE HYDROGUARD. I knew i forgot something lol. Also im thinking of getting extra emergency battery operated pumps. I have like 4 100ah batteries connected to 100w and 250w solar panels with a 1500watt inverter im afraid hps might push it too hard thats why i wanted to go led. I can buy more little by little but i'll guess i'll look around. Its just that leds confuse me to no end. But for now is $100 a doable budget for a good grow light (600w led or something of the sort) for 2 plants? Though a quick search makes me think cfl is a better route for my budget. I apparently dont get cheap shipping here and mars or vipar might come out at $250 for a 450w idk if thats enough for my 2 plant goal.

 

[islandgrower]

I actually have no problem with the buckets its just a trip to home depot and a couple of minutes of setup. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING OF THE HYDROGUARD. I knew i forgot something lol. Also im thinking of getting extra emergency battery operated pumps. I have like 4 100ah batteries connected to 100w and 250w solar panels with a 1500watt inverter im afraid hps might push it too hard thats why i wanted to go led. I can buy more little by little but i'll guess i'll look around. Its just that leds confuse me to no end. But for now is $100 a doable budget for a good grow light (600w led or something of the sort) for 2 plants? Though a quick search makes me think cfl is a better route for my budget. I apparently dont get cheap shipping here and mars or vipar might come out at $250 for a 450w idk if thats enough for my 2 plant goal.

Look into quantum boards from hlg they might have some options for you. Sorry about the hurricane . I went through Irma myself . I have a feeling I know where you're located approximately. I am about 100 miles East of you if I am right lol. Happy growing sir.

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[Jimmy Joe James]

Look into quantum boards from hlg they might have some options for you. Sorry about the hurricane . I went through Irma myself . I have a feeling I know where you're located approximately. I am about 100 miles East of you if I am right lol. Happy growing sir.

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Thank you! Lol pretty sure you are correct XD. I saw a couple of options that interested me and were in my budget with quantum boards, but they're out of stock. But I can be patient and wait, the good part I'm starting to see what I need, I feel ready in terms of everything else except lights.

 

[islandgrower]

Thank you! Lol pretty sure you are correct XD. I saw a couple of options that interested me and were in my budget with quantum boards, but they're out of stock. But I can be patient and wait, the good part I'm starting to see what I need, I feel ready in terms of everything else except lights.

I have one board a qb288 running on a hlg 120 54a so at about 135 watts on a slate 2 and it is not too hot at all. If a fan blows over it it actually even cooler .

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[Jimmy Joe James]

LOL! YES! Thats the one that most caught my eye:

Amazon product ASIN B076QJ71ND
and im always a sucker for saving a little through DIY. But these are going to be my main for the moment. But I want to understand LED better and theres only so much reading is going to help me especially when you read and you have people talking about lumens, leds watts vs real watts, umols etc. So im feeling its time to bite the bullet for science! So im making a practice lab as well with these:

Test#1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J..._SY340_QL65&keywords=led+grow+lights+600+watt

Test# 2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071...+light+led&dpPl=1&dpID=41n3HZ0tjkL&ref=plSrch

Test [HASHTAG]#3[/HASHTAG]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00X...+light+led&dpPl=1&dpID=518FqSWnEtL&ref=plSrch

My control is gonna be 2 qb288 panels so four little stations with 1 plant each. I just wanna get a feel for LED beyond just reading and get a feel for difference for myself. Of course im gonna be using some known good bagseed for test. Im not gonna waste good strain seeds LMAO

Thank you guys! I feel im in the right direction! Lighting was never an issue outdoors since i had the biggest free lightbulb at 12/12 all year round .... its an adjustment

 

[islandgrower]

LOL! YES! Thats the one that most caught my eye:

Amazon product ASIN B076QJ71ND
and im always a sucker for saving a little through DIY. But these are going to be my main for the moment. But I want to understand LED better and theres only so much reading is going to help me especially when you read and you have people talking about lumens, leds watts vs real watts, umols etc. So im feeling its time to bite the bullet for science! So im making a practice lab as well with these:

Test#1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01J..._SY340_QL65&keywords=led+grow+lights+600+watt

Test# 2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071...+light+led&dpPl=1&dpID=41n3HZ0tjkL&ref=plSrch

Test [HASHTAG]#3[/HASHTAG]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00X...+light+led&dpPl=1&dpID=518FqSWnEtL&ref=plSrch

My control is gonna be 2 qb288 panels so four little stations with 1 plant each. I just wanna get a feel for LED beyond just reading and get a feel for difference for myself. Of course im gonna be using some known good bagseed for test. Im not gonna waste good strain seeds LMAO

Thank you guys! I feel im in the right direction! Lighting was never an issue outdoors since i had the biggest free lightbulb at 12/12 all year round .... its an adjustment

I veg indoors and flower out . So the great outdoors is my flower tent lol.

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[Jimmy Joe James]

I veg indoors and flower out . So the great outdoors is my flower tent lol.

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LOL you reminded me of something. I did fully outdoor but to keep in veg I decided to use home depot let floodlights on a timer for 5 hours after it got dark to keep em in veg. In the absolute first outdoor grow I did it I almost died cuz I thought my plants had died cuz they were bending over backwards towards the floodlight looking for light, to my relief they straightened out during the day. Ahhh the old days when I was starting in the great outdoor and didn't know jack about what I was doing lmao!

 

[islandgrower]

LOL you reminded me of something. I did fully outdoor but to keep in veg I decided to use home depot let floodlights on a timer for 5 hours after it got dark to keep em in veg. In the absolute first outdoor grow I did it I almost died cuz I thought my plants had died cuz they were bending over backwards towards the floodlight looking for light, to my relief they straightened out during the day. Ahhh the old days when I was starting in the great outdoor and didn't know jack about what I was doing lmao!

Haha I know that feeling . The great outdoors.

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