New to Hydro, what type do you recommend?

Hi all,

I've recently acquired my MMJ recommendation and it's time to set up my grow! I've grown in soil as a kid, now I'm setting up a hydro tent. I only plan to supply myself with trees, I have no intent on distributing. I've read up on DWC, bubbleponics, aeroponics, drip method, ebb and flow, ebb and grow, flood table, bubble buckets, hybrid of multiple types, and so on. Being new to this method, I'm not sure which to pick. Can you guys please weigh in with the pros and cons of your experience with these types? Which would you recommend to a beginner?

My current hardware consists of:
Secret Jardins DR90 Twin tent which includes of two sections. The main compartment is about 3'x'3'x5.5'ish for flowering. I have two Blackstar 240w (80x3w) LEDs, and 6" HTG inline fan/carbon filter combo. The veg area has a 2'x8 bulb Hydrofarm t5 light and a 4" inline fan/carbon filter.

In the veg chamber I'll build a little aeroponic, or bubbleponic cloning tray. But the meat and potatoes will need to go in the flowering area.

Right now, I like the idea of a flood table about the size of the tent floor (3x3) because it will give me some diversity in placing my plants, and seems simple to operate and maintain. If it malfunctioned, the mess is contained. I don't like the overall height of that system, and I wonder if it would be deep enough to allow the root structure to grow. This leads me to consider an ebb and grow system which works with a similar principle, with each plant in it's own bucket, but the buckets can go right on the floor, and my nutrients/controller box can sit outside the tent. I'm leaning toward the latter. I'm very handy and DIY inclined (because I get satisfaction out of building something myself) I'd build my own controller box, and design the system.

Or should I go with one or two big homemade "Rubbermaid" type solutions?

Any input you can give would be appreciated. I'd like the system to be reliable, stable, help my plants grow fast/produce well, and simple to maintain.

Thank you in advance, I look forward to hearing the opinions from those of you who have already been through this phase, perhaps I can learn from your insight, and mistakes.

I'm really interested in your reasoning behind any recommendations, more than just a simple "DWC" type answer. If you'd be so kind as to include your rationale, I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers,
Past

Edited by Original Past, 30 April 2011 - 06:03 PM.

Hi..

While it was not one of your choices, I have excellents results from my GH Waterfarms. You can purchase the setup from a hydro store or you can build them yourself. Check out the tutorial link in my signature for more information about the Waterfarms. With the modifications in my tutorial, it becomes a cross of a drip and DWC system. Best of two worlds, I think!


Good Luck!

Hi..

While it was not one of your choices, I have excellents results from my GH Waterfarms. You can purchase the setup from a hydro store or you can build them yourself. Check out the tutorial link in my signature for more information about the Waterfarms. With the modifications in my tutorial, it becomes a cross of a drip and DWC system. Best of two worlds, I think!


Good Luck!

thats a ebb and grow setup... my friend has one... very nice... easy to use..

thats a ebb and grow setup... my friend has one... very nice... easy to use..

Actually it's a drip system. I put airstones in the bottom bucket so it also works as a bubble bucket (DWC) when the roots get lower.

i would do one thing and one thing only, treat yourself and don't cheat yourself - go with DWC - 5 gallon bubble buckets each plant - search this forum

i would do one thing and one thing only, treat yourself and don't cheat yourself - go with DWC - 5 gallon bubble buckets each plant - search this forum

If you do decide on a DWC system... check out RUmpleforeskins tutorial located here - http://forum.grassci...step-step*.html

Good Luck!

yea build your own, dont buy one... you can make one for 1/3rd of the cost...

I don't like buckets and I hate tents.

Check out the link below to my rig.

It isn't the "be all to end all" but it works.

DWC on steroids.

I run DWC in winter and ebb/flow in the summer. The ebb and flow does much better when the temps rise closer to 80, the DWC usually scums up. Much bigger plants in DWC from my experience.

I think ebb and grow in a tent, that way you have at least 3 to 3.5 ft that you can grow your plants to be, your lights will be hot, and you don't want to try to grow in 5gal buckets unless you plan to grow really big xmas trees. Your tent is going to be the biggest factor on how tall anything can grow, so, I would not use large buckets, go ebb and flow, or grow, and maybe sog style, lots of plants grown short to make up for yield.

Ebb and grow might be useful to you due to the luxury of being able to put the reservoir outside of the tent, that way you can control the temp easier...

Good Luck.

Hi guys! Thank you for the feedback. I'm thinking that because of the lack of height on my tent that I'll build a screen and SCROG. Not wanting to crowd too much, I thought of setting up 4 5gal (ish) buckets in there. I like the idea of the bubble buckets, but not the idea of having to maintain the environment in each of 4 different containers. So I'm thinking of building an interconnected system, much like an under current DWC system, with 4 buckets, and the "controller" box outside the tent. Scratching my head, I could put 9 smaller plant locations in the tent, but I think 4 larger ones would be better. Especially if I SCROG.

With an interconnected bubble bucket setup, I can connect the entire system to my RO unit (which can be switched on/off using a float switch) to constantly maintain my water level. I can easily oxygenate the water, test it, cool it, control the water level, add nutes, etc. all from outside the tent. This will also allow me to leave for a few days (I travel a bit for work) and the system can top itself off (I've built a pretty high rolling auto top-off for a reef tank which works with the same principles).

So I'm thinking 4x 5 gal bubble buckets that all share the same water supply, and have large enough interconnected pipes that truly recirculates the water amongst all the buckets. I can't think of any disadvantages to a system like this, over the basic single bubble bucket. I can even run a siphon, or pump to a drain to easily change over the solution. And was thinking of directing the air being drawn out of the tent to pass over the top of the water in the controller unit, to help move a bit of oxygen over the surface of the solution.

Here's a link to a commercial under current DWC system. Naturally I'm not going to spend $800 on some buckets, PVC, and a couple pumps. This should be a pretty simply DIY.

Under Current™ System 4 [CCUC4] - $849.95 : Current Culture Hydroponics, superior hydroponic systems.

Do you guys see any issues with a system like this?

Jolleyrancher1, What are those (nylon?) containers you use in your system? Where did you get them?

These may be easier to plumb than actual 5g buckets... And would have room to allow multiple plant sites in each bucket, for smaller grows (maybe a run of autoflowers?)

Storage Containers | Food Storage | Plastic Food Containers | EZ Stor

One more question:

Water level in the bubble bucket, is it always maintained at one ideal level throughout the grow (not accounting for evaporation/plant drinking water) Or is it common to start at one water level, and later reduce it, so more roots are exposed to the air?

I ask this because I'd like to know if I need to design a feature to adjust the water level in each of the buckets (either individually, or all the same via controller bucket) or is it okay if they all stay at one level for the entire grow?

Thanks again,
Past

Great choice of tent, i hav the Darkroom twin 120. Well im nearing the end of my first grow and i went with a 27 gal tote w/ 8 plants. The results im getting so far are amazing! BUT in my opinion my plants are too crowded amongst each other therefore leaving no room for supercropping, or LST. My garden looks like a forest and its also hard to perform maintenance and res changes. Especially in a tent and yours is smaller than mines! Plus u have to build it to perfection (like mine). I reccomend using either single 3 1/2 gal buckets, or 5 gal bucket bubblers. Im goin w/ 3 1/2 gal. Dont get me wrong there are different strokes for different folks. A tote would be perfect for lowryder grows.

This message has been approved by DonBlaze28

I'll post a pic for u when i turn the light on.

Thanks for the compliment.

Nirvana for just about plastic anything.

Here it is:

Plastic Trays Category | Plastic Trays, Serving Trays and Stainless Steel Trays. | U.S. Plastic Corp.

The tanks I use are the polypropylene ones.

Edited by jollyrancher1, 05 May 2011 - 03:50 PM.

Heres my darkroom twin120 temporary set up. Notice instead of putting tent on top its on the side

Very nice! You know, I thought about tipping my top part on it's side. I'm a tall guy, and it's hard for me to reach into the upper chamber when it's on top of the bottom.... Second, I just like the configuration of it on it's side. It's quite adequate. I bought a Hydrofarm 2' x 8 bulb T-5 ( about 2' x 2' ) and it fits quite nicely hanging from the roof of my dr90Twin. But that wouldn't fit if I tipped the top chamber over on it's side. I could put it on a wall, and get another one with 4 bulbs to go along one short edge... Hard to imagine you could fit 4 of those 8 bulb versions in yours!!

It fits bcuz the small tent is 4'x4'x2'. My t-5 is 2' long and only bout 1', 6" wide and i was able to use the hang up bar that comes with the tent. Where theres a will, theres a way!