ok so here is the break down i have had many successful gurilla grows and smoked far too much weed in my life time but never untill now have i been able to attempt to grow hydroponics. (to many issues wit privacy and space.) but now a lovely lil private space has become available. Its very small and i only want to grow for myself as a hobby the space i have available is 2foot (half a meter) by 3 foot (1 meter) and 6.5 foot high. (2 meter) i know its extremely tiny but its an experiment in a cubord. Here is my ideas i am open to any input as it is my first hydroponics grow im thinking of useing the nft system unless someone advises me otherwise with a 250w hps lamp and hydroton as a grow medium the nutrients are a store bought liquid pre mix and the seeds i have available to me are all feminised hence the fact i don mind only growing one i have nyc diesel or white rhino to grow. I thinking about using nyc diesel. The regular things that cause problems 4 most(cops with infared cameras, high electricity bills. And light leaks and smell) are not an issue where i stay what is an issue is the space i have so before i start this project i would like an opinion from someone who has superior know how in the field of hydroponics to give me some pointers. Thanx much love and respect

i would do DWC since you are limited on space get a low profit tub that fits the complete foot print of the grow room like this:



2 foot by 3 ft is a nice size area I think u can put 2 plants in there, so you cut holes in the top of the lid and put net cups in there, all u need is rockwool to mush into the net cups as long as they fill it, hydroton is just a waste of time and money. Also if you get a clear tub like the one above you must seal it from light by covering it with foil tape



get an aquarium air pump that is more than enough capacity for your size tub

I would also suggest using General Hydroponics Flora series nutes for best results.


but thats pretty much it







also get this PPM meter its great and cheap:

HANNA Primo TDS / ppm Tester, Meter

HANNA Primo TDS / ppm Tester
Item# Han-PRIMO
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HANNA Instruments Primo Pocket TDS Tester, Meter

One free 20ml 1382 ppm TDS calibration solution and two extra free batteries included.

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The Primo provides a fast and dependable way to measure the Total Dissolved Solids level in your water samples. It is ideally suited for the rigorous demands of water quality professionals, who will appreciate the practicality of the Primos easy-to-read Liquid Crystal Display when demonstrating the before and after results of conditioning and filtration systems. Temperature is compensated automatically to ensure the readings are consistent to the standard or reference temperature. Operating and routine maintenance has never been easier. The Primo TDS uses a single button at the top of the meter. Press it once and the meter is powered and ready for use. Press and hold the button for a few seconds and the Primo automatically enters calibration mode. Simply open a sachet of the calibration solution, dip the probe and within seconds, the meter recognizes the calibration solution and calibrates itself!
http://www.eseasongear.com/hainprpotdsm.html



and now this is the rule of thumb that will make you a pro:

you put in your nutes. If the next day the plants drink water and the ppm has risen, it means you had put too much nutes in there. if they drink water and the ppm has fallen it means you didnt put enough in there,
if the plants drink water but your ppm stays the same, it means you have found the perfect ratio of nutes to water that your plants need at that particular time in thier lives. they will need more or less depending on the stage of growth they are in,


that is how you can read your plants to know exactly how much nutes to give them

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i have to interject... i think rockwool sucks.. i use it only to start seeds or clones... first site of roots i rip it open and transplant into hydroton filled net pots.. from my own experience rockwool leads to mold and algae due to the fact that you cannot properly control its moisture.. its a goddamn sponge... rockwoll on the other hand retains the perfect amount of moisture to promote roots to dig down deeper for that dwc loving

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Deep Water Culture (DWC) would definitely be your best bet...its a very simple setup, easy to DIY. All you need is a rubbermaid tote or equivalent, an air pump and air stones, some netpots and a lighting system. The hardest part will be ventilation, if you plan to use HID lighting you will need to deal with the heat these lights put off...not a difficult thing to do but it adds to the overall cost of getting started. A way around dealing with the heat HID lights put off is to use compact flourescent lights or CFL's as they are commonly refered to. CFL's generate very little heat but do not have the intensity a HID system has. Many people use CFL's during the vegative stage of growth and some use CFL's during the flowering stage, but many people feel CFL's are inferior to HID for flowering. I would recommend you do some research on the lighting to do decide whats best for you. I would also recommend checking out the "Stealth Hydro" website for more info on DWC/Bubbleponics. Bubbleponics is bascially a DWC system with the addition of a water pump to bring oxygenated water directly to the root zone. I myself use a standard DWC system very similar to the picture previously posted, I feel there is no need to pump water to my net pots and solely rely on the misting action the air stones create when the bubbles break at the surface of the water. Anyways, the site will give you a look at what you need to build your own system. This was my approach when I first started looking into hydroponics

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"If it fucks, floats or flys. Its cheaper to rent it!!"

Whats with the timer on the air pump? Dont you run the pump 24/7?

yes air pump is 24/7 it stays on

ignore that part of the pic.


timer is only for the lights

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