Hey guys, So i am about to embark in my first indoor hydro grow! Very exciting but turning to be a daunting task haha. I am torn between which system to use. From what i have gathered from my research i have the following options : Aeroponics, Drip sys., Ebb & Flow, D.W.C, I realize there are a couple others although i don't really like them so i will exclude them from the list of options. I would prefer to use Aeroponics and/or a drip system due to limited grow space and it seems these are the most compact systems. My concerns are: Is one or the other better for veg/flower states? And the actually deliverance of nutrients has got a me a bit confused. I realize how the systems work but when it comes to nutrients do you use the same mixtures in each system. For example, With a drip system from what i have read you have a pump activate a few times a day whereas with a system such as a DWC roots are always in nutrients. So it seems with a DWC you will overwater or burn the plants because they are exposed 24/7 to nutrients. Any information would be so great. Thanks so much guys!
in a dwc the air stone provides air to the water so the roots get their oxygen that way, you can't overwater them, and they only get nute burn if you put too much nutes in the water, if you have the right amount then they're fine also if you have a power outage some systems are more likely to let your plants die(like aero) cause your roots will dry out, in a dwc your air pump wont be running but plants seem to be able to last relatively long compared to some of the other options
Thanks for the advice fellas. Does anyone know if it is better to use one system over another at different stages of the plant's life cycle. IE i was thinking it would be better to do an aeroponic design in my "Power cloner" since there is no root system at first i figured the spray aspect of the Aero would be best for this and a top feed system in veg. since the roots wont be developed enough to do a DWC at first. I will probably end up doing DWC design during flowering. What do you think of a floating peice of styrofoam in a rubbermaid thus it will float right ontop of the nutrient solution and i'll have an air stone at the bottom of the resevoir. Also can anyone estimate yields from 8 good genetic plants under a 400 watt HPS? Also as far as nutes go should i just follow the labels or is it good to add certain additives at different stages. IE more nit at budding time etc? Andddd last question any good advice on getting a consistent harvest cycle going? Thanks so much for the advice guys. I am a new member here and i wish i was a member sooner haha.
if you start them with aero their roots will be developed enough to do a dwc from veg, i mean you can do dwc's from seedling stage and they still work so the roots shouldn't be a problem, they grow very fast in hydro
Hey widowkid! Your rubber maid idea may work, but individual buckets from the hydro shop will be more reliable. $5 buckets and lids, can't go wrong! DWC is great, and doing the aero thing until they get goin would work well. As far as nutes, look up the Lucas formula, follow that for whichever nutes your runnin. Then once your comfy with that method and how your girls are responding to it you can start using additives. It's always hard to estimate a yield since everyone has different factors that effect your grows, lights/veg time/ temps/ nutes/ type of hydro all make this hard to answer... Can we assume your growing white widow though? If your getting a perpetual goin just have a separate veg area, start say 4-5 of your buckets flowering, then once they are a few weeks in, throw in a plant or two from veg, keep following that cycle!