100% Perlite

[SUB]What you're describing is a hempy bucket. I have been using hempy buckets for the past five years or so. I started with soil but after a couple of years I switched to the hempy bucket and never looked back. I use only perlite and nothing else but I use the large chunk perlite not the gravel size. The problem in getting the large chunk is that my hydro stores only sell it in these huge ass bags that go for around $70.  Basically this method is known as a passive hydro system. Passive because their is no motors or moving parts.The nutes will be different. I used GH nutes for years and switched recently to advanced nutrients. Basically you just follow the directions on the back but most will tell you never use full strength. I also use 2 gallon buckets but am currently having issues with my one plant that may be related to using a 2 gallon bucket. In fact I have a post on the same page as this one titled 'transplanting from a 2 gallon to a 5 gallon hempy bucket'. I am thinking of switching to a 3 gallon or maybe even a 5 gallon bucket for future grows. If using 100% perlite stability may be an issue. When the plant becomes too big or top heavy it may start to lean...a lot. So I generally have to tie the plant to keep it from falling over. My feeding schedule is basically feed-skip a day-feed-skip a day-flush-repeat. Oh and the biggest difference is the ph. For the hempy bucket the ph is 5.2-5.8. Soil is higher at around 6.5 I believe. Good luck.[/SUB]

 

Using bonsai lava rock at the bottom of the bucket may help in providing a stronger base for a root ball to form and anchor the stem. I used black lava rock for Bonsai trees once before, they are small and come pre crushed, no huge cinders and chunks

 

I have looked into this, and even though I haven't tried a hempy bucket, I've heard a 3 to 1 perlite to vermiculite is the best way to go with the bottom 2 inches straight vermiculite (Not sure why the bottom 2 inches is different than the rest of the mix). 
 
Make sure to have atleast 10 drainage holes all around the bucket.  When ever you feed, do it to about a 20% runoff.  FEED.  FEED.  FLUSH.  When you flush, use pure water and get about as much runoff as the whole container size.  A shop vac is  a good cheap method to use for cleaning up runoff after a flush.
 
Can anybody answer why a hempy bucket is better than COCO? 

 

I use 2 gallon hempies now and love it.  Easy as heck.  You treat it just like hydro  ph 5.8-6.2.
I have done soil, dwc, and hempy.  While DWC is better, I have had pumps(twice) break in the past killing my plants so I scrapped that and was a PAIN changing the res(5 gallons not on a recirculating since I only grow 2-4 plants)
 
I have used 100% perlite, 100% Hydroton, 3:1 perlite/vermi, and hydroton at the bottom past res and straight coco after hydroton.
I notice great growth in 100% hydroton(assuming since more space between rocks allowing for more oxygen to roots) and I love coco/hydroton as res.   I like 100% hydroton best probably since when I am done I just chop the plant, dump the bucket of hydroton into a larger bucket/barrel and spray the hell out of it with a hose, let it dry and reuse.  Easier than reusing coco/ perlite IMO.
 
Been debating on tweeking it(if it would work) assuming it would.
Growing in 1-2gallon smart pots in 100% coco or hydroton on a flood and drain then instead of transplanting causing shock/pain in the bootie and just dropping that 1 gallon smart pot into a 5 gallon hemp with straight hydroton as its(transplant) stil in the smart pot.  Assuming the roots would grow through the smart pot into its new bucket home.
Ideas and input welcome and appreciated on this idea/method.
 
 
 

 
 
I use 1 drain hole w/ the biggest bit I have (i think its like 1 1/4 inch)   
I also feed feed feed  I only flush when I switch 12/12 and last week of flower.  But I know you could get away with feed/feed/flush.
 
I like coco because at first it grows like soil(not the slow growth like most hempies waiting for roots to hit res)  and then once it hits res in coco it still booms like any other hempy style.  Just seems to have quicker growth at start.   But what I do in my 100% hydroton is put a bucket within a bucket.   When I begin using hempy buckets after transplant the other bucket covers the hole for the 2inch res making my res HIGHER allowing for new plants small roots to "already hit the so called res"    Just boosting the res up higher  without drowning the plants(this takes time learning or assuming where the water line/root line is.  Works WONDERS FYI and everyone should do this IMO.