Need advice on hydro method

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Seachmall

Active Member
I'm planning my first grow soon and was originally looking at soil however I'm thinking that hydro might be the way to go but I'd like a couple of questions answered first. My space is 51x31x24 (HxWxD) and I'm going to be using fluorescents (3 2' tubes and some CFLs).

What are the benefits of using hydro over soil for stealth grows(yield, size of plant etc.)?
What technique would you recommend for a cheap and stealth grow?
What are the needed materials?
Does hydro require more maintenance than soil grows?

I've read a couple of tuts but they don't go into much detail hence this post.

Thanks :hump:
 
BSIv2.0

BSIv2.0

Well-Known Member
1. Faster veg times in water, stealth...not too stealthy most times. Not going into yield. That has more to do with growspace/lights environment than medium.
2. I'd suggest building a dwc from a rubbermaide tub w/airstone/pump/netpot/hydroton.
3. Do some searching. Not much more than what I stated above is needed for dwc.
4. Yes, hydro grows require more attention for the most part. Dialed in grows...not so much.
 
rezo

rezo

Well-Known Member
i built a dwc with a 3 gal rubbermaid . the plant grew 5x faster than my soil.the stalk is bigger and the pistils are fatter. its exactly what bsv just described.thats all you need
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
BSIv2.0 said:
[COLOR=blackstealth...not too stealthy most times.[/QUOTE]

What does this mean? They tend to be bigger, louder etc.?

Thanks for the response, I've been reading through the forums and it seems like I could get everything between a garden store and pet shop (pumps etc.).
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BSIv2.0

BSIv2.0

Well-Known Member
Pumps require electricity. Electricity requires an outlet to plug into. Plugs leading to a box/cab or closet can be suspicious. That alone can ruin a stealth grow. Then you have pump noise. Even the quietest pumps can be heard on some level. Yes....even the whisper pumps make a hum.

Thats why I say hydro is not as stealthy as a soil grow can be.

And Yeah you can actually get everything from Walmart.....minus the netpots and hydroton. Hydroshops carry those things.
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
BSIv2.0 said:
Pumps require electricity. Electricity requires an outlet to plug into. Plugs leading to a box/cab or closet can be suspicious. That alone can ruin a stealth grow. Then you have pump noise. Even the quietest pumps can be heard on some level. Yes....even the whisper pumps make a hum.

Thats why I say hydro is not as stealthy as a soil grow can be.

And Yeah you can actually get everything from Walmart.....minus the netpots and hydroton. Hydroshops carry those things.
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Wires shouldn't be a problem, Its in a 5' deep walk-in closet. I'm also going to rig it so if the door opens it will kill the power to the pump (the lights will be behind a light-tight curtain. Could that be bad though, if the pump cuts out while pumping? I'm not sure what hydroton is but hopefully I can get it outside of a hydro store 'cause there's none local.

Thanks for your help.
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
Also, just to clarify something, am I correct in saying that you don't need to transplant, because the roots are growing through the netpots and being delivered nutrients directly?
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
Sorry for the triple post but I can't find this anywhere.

Do you flower in the same bucket you veg in? I only ask because I know with soil grows you change nutrients between veg and flower but if your using the same tub throughout you can't change the nutrients. I might be going about this the wrong way but I'm fairly lost at the moment.
 
BSIv2.0

BSIv2.0

Well-Known Member
Seachmall said:
Could that be bad though, if the pump cuts out while pumping? I'm not sure what hydroton is but hopefully I can get it outside of a hydro store 'cause there's none local.

Thanks for your help.
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Turning off a pump in a dwc system is not a good thing. The plants need a constant supply of oxygen if they are going to survive in water. Keep your pump on. Hydroton (see my avatar? The rocks you see are hydroton/lava rock mix.) can only be found at hydro shops from my experience. But Ive seen people use other types.

Seachmall said:
Also, just to clarify something, am I correct in saying that you don't need to transplant, because the roots are growing through the netpots and being delivered nutrients directly?
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Not sure what you mean. But once a clone goes into the bucket/tub, it stays there until plant is harvested. Yes, roots grow through netpots into the nutrient solution.

Seachmall said:
Do you flower in the same bucket you veg in?
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Yes.
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
BSIv2.0 said:
Turning off a pump in a dwc system is not a good thing. The plants need a constant supply of oxygen if they are going to survive in water. Keep your pump on.
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Even if its just for a few minutes? I might be able to sound proof around the grow area, hopefully.

Hydroton (see my avatar? The rocks you see are hydroton/lava rock mix.) can only be found at hydro shops from my experience. But Ive seen people use other types.
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I read that aquarium rocks will do the job however I'm confused as to why these are so important. In soil grows soil is needed to keep nutrients and water but in hydro the nutrients and water are fed directly to the roots, so why is a medium needed?
Not sure what you mean. But once a clone goes into the bucket/tub, it stays there until plant is harvested. Yes, roots grow through netpots into the nutrient solution.
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So do I change the nutrients at all during the grow? If not what nutrients mix should I be looking at?
 
BSIv2.0

BSIv2.0

Well-Known Member
Medium (hydroton or whatever else you come up with) is needed in dwc to support plants.

Yes...You need nutrients. I use General Hydroponics Nutrients. I mix a fresh batch of nutes once evey 10 days or so. I add back water only as the plants consume and water evaporates between changes.

And like I said....I would keep my pump on 24/7.
 
JohnnyBravo

JohnnyBravo

Well-Known Member
With regard to quiet air pumps....I went to Petsmart and took five different brands of air pumps into a closed office to determine which brand made the least amount of noise....The winner hands down was, RENA AIR PUMPS....second was Whisper....(even though Whisper was second, it was substantially louder than RENA) all the others were way too loud....Rena air pumps are the way to go for stealth...hope this helps:)
 
BSIv2.0

BSIv2.0

Well-Known Member
....The winner hands down was, RENA AIR PUMPS....second was Whisper....(even though Whisper was second, it was substantially louder than RENA) all the others were way too loud....Rena air pumps are the way to go for stealth...hope this helps:smile:

That definitely helps. Now I know what to look for when I need more or replacements.

How much do they cost?
 
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groprofosho

Well-Known Member
Check out canna nutrients its what i use and get amazing results. For my medium i use an equal part of hydroton (clay pellets) and rockwool mixed in the pot. You need a medium to keep the plant in one place. Use clay pellets (hydroton) instead of aquarium rocks. They are used because they hold air well. You can turn off the pumps a few minutes. As far as changing your nutes you will want to change them about every week. You will need a PPM meter, and PH meter to measure your solution. You want to keep the solution at PH of 5.5-6 in hydro and the ppm at about 250 during vegging and about 600 during flowering. There are different mixes canna makes for each stage. Keep the bottom of the pots just above the water until roots start to come out. Pinch the roots off for about a week or two and then let them grow into the solution (pinching will increase the number of root shoots from the plant). Drop the nutrient solution once roots begin to grow into the water. Drop it to about 6 inches below the pot surface because the plant needs air. Keep your pumps on during the night cycle. Ive done a grow under my neighbors nose in their garage! just wrap the air pump in a towel it should be almost silent. PPM i mentioned above is for canna. most nutrient solutions you can double that but if you use canna follow my advice. its strong stuff. PS you need those meters! check you PH and ppm daily!
 
S

Seachmall

Active Member
groprofosho said:
Check out canna nutrients its what i use and get amazing results. For my medium i use an equal part of hydroton (clay pellets) and rockwool mixed in the pot. You need a medium to keep the plant in one place. Use clay pellets (hydroton) instead of aquarium rocks.
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Unfortunetly aquarium rocks are all I can get my hands on at the moment so I'll have to go with them. If I can pick up hydroton I will.
As far as changing your nutes you will want to change them about every week.
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Do they evapourate naturally or do I need to clean out the tub?
Keep the bottom of the pots just above the water until roots start to come out. Pinch the roots off for about a week or two and then let them grow into the solution (pinching will increase the number of root shoots from the plant). Drop the nutrient solution once roots begin to grow into the water. Drop it to about 6 inches below the pot surface because the plant needs air.
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During these times though won't the plant dehydrate if it gets no water?

Thanks for all the help and advice, really appreciated.
 
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