I have maybe 5 years of experience growing in soil. I didn't grow anything for the next 5 years and now I'd like to get back into it. 90% of all my previous growing experience was: 1 or 2 600w hps Ocean forest soil Fox farm nutes I've grown plants in pots ranging from one gallon to 7 gallon pots from sog to scrog Vegged plants under a 4ft florescent light. I'm assuming times have changed a tiny bit in over 5 years. I'm contemplating going the hydro route but I have zero experience and I'm not sure how to do it with any success or if it's worth it. What are the major differences between soil and hydro? I'm on limited space with lighted light (one 600w hpd for sure. Not sure I'll be using the other one trying to keep my electric bill in line) Are LEDs still ridiculously priced and inferior? I'm growing semi discreet. Not lugging dirt seems like it'll help my cause (bringing it in, then getting rid of it after harvest) Please chime in. Your opinion is valued.
I personally use fox farms happy frog no experience with hydro so Idk about the pros and cons I just bring my soil in at night or early morning wrapped in a trash bag. Then I tend to reuse soil as well when I can so I don't always toss it... but when I do I just put it in flower beds or throw it in a bag and throw it in a dump somewhere. as for LED I'd say you can get a decent LED for around a dollar a watt maybe more maybe less depending on the brand... so if you don't want to spend 500-600 dollars on LED just buy the HPS... plenty of people still love hps and use it. However with QB's and cobs people are getting very nice grams per watt so the yield can potentially be the same at 400W vs 600 ect.. Also if you want to add a little umph to the 600hps you can add a couple of LED sidelights in the grow... I personally grow with older budget LED's lol mars hydro 300's 135W and 65 bucks... flowers a single plant decently but you'll by no means get pounds with a low watt LED just ounces. But I wouldn't say LED is inferior as a lot of the newer items coming out are doing very well. Grow journal
If you are going to go LED, get those good COBs with the large heatsink and fans...the other LEDs are dissapointing. They are expensive, but if you are looking for HPS type results, that is the way to go. The 4ft fluoro's for veg are fine. That is what I have used for almost 2 decades...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I thought cob LEDs weren't available in the spectrum needed for plants? Edit: nevermind. I'm an idiot.