Is hydro that much Better than soil? Wanting the big yield in small numbers

I've heard that as long as you don't mess up with the nutrients hydro out performs soil by quite a bit.
My goal is to grow 4-5 monsters indoors under 2 1000watters bigger the better but plant count kept low.
I've begun my reaserch on strains but would take any and all advice on getting the best strain to get the largest yield

Yes.. lol
...............

Try Big Bud , or Himalayan Gold there not the most potent strain , good but sure to yield nicely..

Good Luck....

Most people who argue for Organically grown soil over hydro claim that the smell and taste of soil grown plants is better than Hydro and that hydro tastes like nutrients. I would agree with them on the first part up to a certain extent. Nutrients are stored in the roots, it's plant biology, not in the buds therefore tasting like nutrients makes absolutely no sense. As for the Taste and Smell here's my opinion on the subject:

I grow Hydro and have a circle of fellow caregivers who grow organically. In my experience organically grown bud will cure faster, and taste and smell up to its potential sooner. But, if you dry and cure your hydro grown bud right and actually leave it in jars for over 2 months, you can achieve that smell and taste you are looking for. My first ever indoor grow was hydro and at the time I produced almost a pound and a half off of 2 monster Northern Lights plants(1 1000 watt HPS). The taste and smell wasn't there when I was impatient but a month and a half later, I had every grower in my circle wanting to trade some of their bud for mine. It was the best smelling and tasting stuff in my circle at the time. Most the people who bash Hydro most likely haven't even tried it.

That being said, if you know your shit about organics and mix your own soil, pardon my french, you can get the same quality of bud as with Hydro. But if you grow hydro, you'll have a headstart on any soil grower because of the research you'll have to do and honestly, it's relatively harder to grow bad plants unless you don't do the research compared to soil IMO.

Hydro grows Faster, Bigger, Better for the most part, and helps prevent pests because of no soil.

Rereading your comment, If you want to grow Monsters, GO HYDRO. Veg. them for a month and a half to two months and let them explode, Research a high yielding strain. If I wanted to grow monsters I'd try Sannies Kolossus or his Jack Herer F7's(which I have 4 a week into bloom at the moment). Top notch genetics, great customer service and stealth, half the price of most other breeders.

I just started my first hydro grow...

As of now, I don't think hydro is better..its way more expensive and it requires so much more care and attention to detail!

It cost 3 times as much as soil, and its like a part time job setting up the equipment, measuring the nutes, testing the ph & ppm...They say you get back what you put in, but I'm not sure if its worth all the headache.

Plus so many things can go wrong, and things can go from bad to worse overnight in hydro!

Maybe I just have bad luck in hydro, maybe you can do better.

I wish you the best, but don't bite off more than you can chew!

-Cash

Spittn4cash said:

I just started my first hydro grow...

As of now, I don't think hydro is better..its way more expensive and it requires so much more care and attention to detail!

It cost 3 times as much as soil, and its like a part time job setting up the equipment, measuring the nutes, testing the ph & ppm...They say you get back what you put in, but I'm not sure if its worth all the headache.

Plus so many things can go wrong, and things can go from bad to worse overnight in hydro!

Maybe I just have bad luck in hydro, maybe you can do better.

I wish you the best, but don't bite off more than you can chew!

-Cash

Click to expand...

Wow, my experience with Hydro has been the complete polar opposite. I will admit, it takes a lot of research and commitment but once you get your system down it's cake. I only have to tend to my RDWC res. once a week. If you have your water source straight(i use distilled with cal/mag, similar to RO with cal/mag), have ph straight along with ppm, have plenty of air stones, no heat or pest problems(keep a clean room), and keep your rez. in 65 degree F to 70 degree F range your all good. Probably didn't do enough research. The internet, google, and reading are your friends with hydro.

Edit: Oh and I forgot, RIU should probably be your best friend. Nothing like asking experienced growers from around the world for advice!

BCGROWFORU said:

I've heard that as long as you don't mess up with the nutrients hydro out performs soil by quite a bit.
My goal is to grow 4-5 monsters indoors under 2 1000watters bigger the better but plant count kept low.
I've begun my reaserch on strains but would take any and all advice on getting the best strain to get the largest yield

Click to expand...

Dude it isn't just about yeild. It's also about potency. There's a balance there. Hydro isn't just about messing up your nutrients, every aspect is equally important. Water, ppm, Ph, solution temperature, cleanliness. It's easy to mess up, and its also easier to fix a problem than in soil. If your gonna go hydro the first time, there's about a 2 month learning curve to it. Once you get over the hump, and know how your system runs it becomes very easy to hydro.

Pesonally I feel hydro is much better, sure it takes a little more effort to manage but should you run in to a problem such as nute burn or high/low ph or some deficiencies you get much faster results resolving the problem, however with soil it takes some time before you see any results which may be too late.

http://www.greenhouseseeds.nl/shop/big-bang-grow-video-2011-hd.html

awesome side by side of hydro vs soil. Spare yourself 13 mins, hydro is the way to go imo. Yes its more expensive but your harvest will make up for all the expenses and then some.

yes hydro will outpreform soil inside, but you get flavors and scents out of soil grown pot that you just wont get with most hydro set ups. however, are you talking organic hyro, or as close to it as you can be? or synthetic(normal) hydro? then what kind? theres soil-less mediums like rockwool, pro mix, coco, or tradition no media hyro like DWC and aeroponics. all have pros/cons. get some base nutes, cal/mag, and a bloom booster and you could make do with that. its only expensive if you want it to be. some nutes dont liked to be bubbled tho, and some are PH perfect, meaning they self adjust. oh and a enzyme product will likely help, keep those roots and lines/fittings nice and clean. sensizyme, hygrozyme, orchid champion there all similar, id go by price. a ph tester and a ppm meter will save you.

m420p said:

Wow, my experience with Hydro has been the complete polar opposite. I will admit, it takes a lot of research and commitment but once you get your system down it's cake. I only have to tend to my RDWC res. once a week. If you have your water source straight(i use distilled with cal/mag, similar to RO with cal/mag), have ph straight along with ppm, have plenty of air stones, no heat or pest problems(keep a clean room), and keep your rez. in 65 degree F to 70 degree F range your all good. Probably didn't do enough research. The internet, google, and reading are your friends with hydro.

Edit: Oh and I forgot, RIU should probably be your best friend. Nothing like asking experienced growers from around the world for advice!

Click to expand...

You can read until your eyeballs fall out...but that still wont prepare you for the surprises that come with a hydro grow. Experience is the best teacher IMO. I agree that it takes a LOT of research and commitment before things go smoothly; it also takes a LOT of trial and error.

When you're starting out in hydro, expect more things to go WRONG than RIGHT. Pump failures, leaks, feeding tubes clog, Plants get sick, and diseases spread like wildfire through the reservoir..and you wont even know it until it's too late!

All of this for what? Increased yields, faster growing plants and less pest and bugs? I'll believe it when I see it.

I find myself babysitting my plants in hydro. Growing in hydro has been a part-time job for me, but it hasn't been nearly as rewarding. I perform daily maintenance, use a checklist, keep a journal, clean daily, etc. All I'm saying is - if you have the patience, time and money to invest in a hydro grow, then go for it!

I just wish I had someone give me a reality check and fair warning before I decided to go on this adventure.

-Cash

cocakola said:

Try Big Bud , or Himalayan Gold there not the most potent strain , good but sure to yield nicely..

Good Luck....

Click to expand...

Every himalayan gold ive evver gotten will not germinate. 3 diff. suppliers, same thing, no germination. Have had no problems with any other strain. White Widow, yields a lot of bud.

a well grown organic will beat well grown hydro in the flavor department no doubt about it, thats why i do it i care for the full flavor.

but thats not saying hydro cant b good just wont have the profile of flavor organics have. thats the only plus to it for me but thats the only one that matters

Yes hydro beats soil. Growing since 1964. First hydro ever last year. As my soil grows are completing they are being replaced by DWC units. I made them all. It ain't rocket science. Start with tap water adjusted to 5.9 - 6.0 after bringing total PPM to 100-150 with your grow nutes and sit back. Check daily on your pH and PPM/EC. Buy good meters before ordering a single seed and learn to use them and calibrate them. Good PPm meter is less than $30 - a good pH tester is considerably more. But the little test drop kits work with great accuracy and cost less than $10.00.

And most taste differences are so minor that even true connoisseurs would have a hard time telling. Now all of them will comment. I have had soil grown weed that tasted like shit, hydro that tasted like heaven. Most people are blowing it out their asses when advising against hydro and 99% of those have never used it.

hotrodharley said:

Yes hydro beats soil. Growing since 1964. First hydro ever last year. As my soil grows are completing they are being replaced by DWC units. I made them all. It ain't rocket science. Start with tap water adjusted to 5.9 - 6.0 after bringing total PPM to 100-150 with your grow nutes and sit back. Check daily on your pH and PPM/EC. Buy good meters before ordering a single seed and learn to use them and calibrate them. Good PPm meter is less than $30 - a good pH tester is considerably more. But the little test drop kits work with great accuracy and cost less than $10.00.

Click to expand...

I have too agree with Hot rod.....

I run 6 DWC buckets.........I don't see ever really going back to soil.........and the cost for me in nutes is less than 250.00 for a grow....I get world class taste and flavor but my strain has a lot to do with that.....and it is real common for me to yield 8 OZs per plant sometimes more from a low yeilding strain.........good luck.....nitro..

I'll run soil outdoors. But indoors from now on it's hydro in one form or another. It produces too much bud for the dollar spent (more nutes but more weight per watt of expensive light) to be romantic about it. Outdoors I remain organic. If bacterial overgrowth were not a concern I would do it in hydro too but . . ..

Spittn4cash said:

I just started my first hydro grow...

As of now, I don't think hydro is better..its way more expensive and it requires so much more care and attention to detail!

It cost 3 times as much as soil, and its like a part time job setting up the equipment, measuring the nutes, testing the ph & ppm...They say you get back what you put in, but I'm not sure if its worth all the headache.

Plus so many things can go wrong, and things can go from bad to worse overnight in hydro!

Maybe I just have bad luck in hydro, maybe you can do better.

I wish you the best, but don't bite off more than you can chew!

-Cash

Click to expand...

Hey, if you need any advice or anything I'm sure there are plenty of hydro growers on here who would help you out including me. Don't be afraid to ask, even the best soil grower in the world I'm sure would have trouble with Hydro if they didn't do the research. I did get a head-start of sorts. I was waiting on paperwork for my medical card for 2 months so I had all that time to research, use google, ask questions on RIU, buy my system and gear and prepare. I still learn a few new things here and there that are useful.

Wally stopped selling lids for their frigging 3 and 5 gallon buckets - go figure. But Lowes or Home Depot will have them. A bucket, a lid, some clear air tubing and an aquarium pump from the pet supply. A bag of fish tank rocks or pumice or hydroton or what the hell ever because that doesn't matter. I make my "net pots" with McD cups. We make holes with a heated clothes hanger - a soldering iron works better. No air stone is needed no matter what people claim. Just weight the end of your air lines to keep them low. In fact I have had 4 damned long blue air stones literally eaten by huge root systems and refuse to use them anymore and my plants kick ass. They swallow the damned things then smother them making them useless. Buy a nutrient system and for ease of mixing due to 2ML (or 4 ML) per liter of whatever for newer growers I recommend Advanced Nutrients Sensi Series. To hell with the pH Perfect set as who cares and it doesn't work probably. Buy pH Down and get busy.

IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE!

$30 and you have a killer 5 gallon DWC unit that grows wonderful pot and a lot of it and quickly. Pics later of my White Label White Skunk. And of my grown daughter's fiance's Dinafem Blue Widow and her White Cheese - all in hydro.