Hydroponics

[Big Poppa Puff]

Post up your hydroponic questions in this forum please.

[potsmokaupnorth]

I guess what I want to know is what the difference is betwen hydro the strain and hydroponics. and is hydro not grown hydroponically.

[Bud Head]

Originally posted by potsmokaupnorth
I guess what I want to know is what the difference is betwen hydro the strain and hydroponics. and is hydro not grown hydroponically.

Hydro is not a strain but the way it is grown!

It is grown with hydroponics.

[potsmokaupnorth]

k thanks i just got confused by some people on the city.

[pooponastick]

some people assume (falsely) that all hydro bud is supperior to soil. So they call good pot 'dro this is just a phrase. I would put my soil up againsat any hydro potency, look,taste,and smell wise, yeild....no way ever!!!

[Namynam]

Originally posted by pooponastick
some people assume (falsely) that all hydro bud is supperior to soil. So they call good pot 'dro this is just a phrase. I would put my soil up againsat any hydro potency, look,taste,and smell wise, yeild....no way ever!!!

If you grew the same way, one plant soil one plant hydro, you think the hydro would come out better?

[Big Poppa Puff]

Originally posted by Namynam
If you grew the same way, one plant soil one plant hydro, you think the hydro would come out better?

Yes, but alos the hydro would finish out quicker

[blueman288]

is it possible to grow hydro just by putting a seed in a bowl of water. would it grow normally or would i need some special stuff.

[critter]

Originally posted by blueman288
is it possible to grow hydro just by putting a seed in a bowl of water. would it grow normally or would i need some special stuff.

Why don,t ya do a search and let us know the answers .

[blueman288]

i no but what should i search exactly...

[potsmokaupnorth]

no it wouldn't work because a plant needs oxygen and with out an air pump there isn't ebough oxygen in the water for the roots to absorb.

[NtothePtotheK]

It is my opinion and experience that growing semi-hydroponically, using potting soil as the medium, is cheapest and easiest.

<b>Q:</b> What? But growing hydroponically means growing without soil, right?
<b>A:</b> Wrong!
Hydro-: A prefix meaning water or liquid
Geoponic: Of or relating to agriculture or farming

Generally people accept "Hydroponic" to mean "growing without soil" but it actually means "growing WITH water [or liquid]."

You still need something for the roots to anchor onto, and for the nutrient solution to drain from, so your plant can stand upright and your roots can breathe oxygen. Inert materials like vermiculite, perlite, rockwool, legos, etc. are usually used. Soil still works for this purpose. I say let nature have her say... soil it is!

<b>SOIL PROs:</b>

- Inexpensive!
- Easy as pie
- Easy as goddamn pie

<b>SOIL CONs:</b>
- Messy (duh, it's dirt)
- Slow growth
- Growth SEVERELY limited by container size
- Nutrient "hot" and "cold" spots (poorly mixed soil = poorly mixed nutrients)
- Need to transplant frequently OR start with unweildy, large pots
- Overwatering more possible
- Nutrient quality is poor in cheap soil, and more expensive soils are.. well.. expensive.

<b>HYDROPONIC PROs:</b>

- Rapid growth
- Container size still a limiting factor, but much less so (bigger plants in smaller containers for longer periods of time)
- Full control over nutrient intake

<b>HYDROPONIC CONs:</b>

- expensive to set up
- expensive to maintain (even self-maintaining hydroponic systems like continuous drip still need to be tested and adjusted frequently, unless you have years of experience, and they tend to be more prone to plant problems because of neglect).
- Until you have a good system and proven formula down, you have to constantly adjust nutrient solution levels to your plants' needs. LOTS OF EFFORT HERE! I'm not kidding! Not for beginners.
- pumps, pipes, power, timers, tubes, etc.
- Fungus seems to be a more common problem than for soil-growers. Especially if you recirculate nutrient solution to save money.


There is a compromise. For about $2.50 USD per 10 dry quarts, you can buy cheap potting soil with time release nutrients already in it. It's not enough nutrients for the amount of watering your plants will need, especially during flowering, unless you want to CONSTANTLY transplant into bigger pots and add more soil. Instead, you can supplement the natural (and factory-added) nutrients that are in the soil by feeding with weak hydroponic solution every, say, third watering. For example, I use a complete soil with an N-P-K of .08-.12-.08 and every third watering, I supplement the water with Miracle Gro (when mixed as directed, has an N-P-K of .08-.07-.06). This results in, among other impressive specimens, a 2 foot tall plant in a 3" tall sawed-off 2 liter soda bottle (with decent internodal length), and only a tiny bit of purple spotting on some of the stems (the beginnings of Nitrogen deficiency). This is a plant that needs to be repotted now, but in plain soil it never would have gotten this far in a soda bottle.



Read everything you can, LOOK FOR AND READ MULTIPLE GROW GUIDES, MULTIPLE TIMES. There are plenty of good links in these forums. Everything I've learned about growing I've learned because of these forums (or links therein), albeit many months ago. It's not hard to become an adept grower with a little study-time and a little experience! Until then, here are some very basic tips:

Don't overwater, don't overfertilize (don't feed nutrient solution too often, it builds up in the soil and is flushed out by clean waterings), and <u>most of all don't panic and overfertilize your plants if leaves start dying</u>. They may be dying because you ALREADY overfertilized.

Anyway, I find this combination of soil and hydroponic techniques to require less effort and money than a hydroponic setup, but with similar results.

P.S. - I'm kidding about the legos. Good luck!

[Big Poppa Puff]

I agree with you on most point N2P2K, except for one. We have seen at this board time after time that pre-mixed nutes in potting soil leads to overfetilizatioon for most growers. Those pre-mixed nute soils are formulated for outdoor growth of heavy flowering, hybridized annuals and not for indoor growth of MJ. The heat, humidity, and increased light time break the time release cycle leaching the fertilizers out at an increased rate and lowering the soil pH quicker. Now not eevryone has this problem, but a majority of the growers do. Based on that, we don't recommend the Miracle gro potting soils.

[unoit]

HIGH All, nice right up NtothePtotheK.

For my room which I do Bubble Buckets All I paid for was the pumps and the air lines. Buckets with lids were free.

Now it doesn't matter which way you grow your still going to need the timers, power of coarse.

As for adjusting nutes...nope not with me. I use Nutrilife and it's good till the next change.

When I clean my buckets it's too easy...rinse, rinse...when you do yours bring out the bleach and go to "work".

Of coarse each to their own..but you can't tell me it's easier and cheaper....ever hand water 50 plants it takes time.

[NtothePtotheK]

Originally posted by Big Poppa Puff
Those pre-mixed nute soils are formulated for outdoor growth of heavy flowering, hybridized annuals and not for indoor growth of MJ. The heat, humidity, and increased light time break the time release cycle leaching the fertilizers out at an increased rate and lowering the soil pH quicker. Now not eevryone has this problem, but a majority of the growers do. Based on that, we don't recommend the Miracle gro potting soils.

Wow, that's awesome to know, thanks. For the record I HAVE been having problems with the plants taking up N even though I am providing plenty of it, lately. I will switch to a plain potting soil or unadulterated compost next time I need medium.

edit: after careful consideration and excercise of my memory I have decided that nutrient filled potting soil is still GREAT for starting plants.. I have not had any problems until they're about 8 or 10 inches tall, i have dusted my pots with a little lime now and then, it seems to help.