Balancing ease vs yield vs self sustaining...HELP please

[NotMeYou]

Hi everyone!

I have read through many posts on here but haven't really found an answer to my question and figured I'd throw it out there to everyone to give me some insight.

Starting from scratch with a big budget, what is everyone's recommendation FACTORING that I like to go camping and take weekend trips.

I understand that soil is more "forgiving" or at least that is what I have read on here.

I was planning on going with the Aquamist setup if I get my med marijuana card in the next couple of weeks, but I'm concerned about going on a weekend trip and leaving it alone after reading up on everything.

Which setup can I get sweet yields from AND leave a for a few days if I need to?

I was planning on going with a Growlab or Secret Jardin and running maybe the 430 multi-sprectrim HPS light or that plus adding one of those LED lights (what's your opinion on them by the way as I really like the idea of no heat signature and plants being able to grow up into it and touch it without no fire/burning risk).

Do people really leave their lights and everything when they are out of town for a few days? Jeez, i can just picture the light falling and burning my house down. shudder.....

I'm willing to throw $1k-$2k at this, but want to get the right set up and also a smart setup in light of me wanting to be able to bail for a weekend when I want and not have to risk asking someone to help while I'm away if possible.

Also would like to start with something that has a high yield (like hyrdo or aero) if possible.

The more I think about those LED lights with no heat (less risk of fires while I'm gone), the more I'm curious about them.

Okay, please shower me with advice!!! hehehe!

Thanks everyone!
p.s. A side question relates to air-layering while growing hydro or aero method and how would it work. 15 plant limit for med marijuana in my state, so having a "clone" still attached to main plant counts as 1 which is huge to stay within limits here. Can I just scratch the stem and poke it into an open Hydro hole in the setup and let it root while the main plant flowers? Would I have to keep it blocked from the light and then cut it off when I harvest the main plant? It would already be in its own hole and then once it grew, I would take it's lowest branch and tuck it back into the first main plants now vacated hole...at least that is my thought process with no true life experience.

Feel free to PM if you'd rather respond that way with any information about any of this. Or if you want to throw your best test setup and what to buy, then that would be cool too. I'm looking for low maintenance and high yield...the holy grail! hahaha! After watching SeeMoreBuds, it sure seems like that Aquamist is easy and it pumped out soooo much yield. YUM!!!

 

[Rural_GrowOp]

What up Not Me You. First off there is a lot of debate over LED's but the general consensus is that they are high priced and don't work that well. I've never used them so I can't tell you anything from experience. Try to find ChaoticMetals diaries he uses them as supplemental lighting I think.

Secondly. If you want to use a DWC system (bucket hydro) and frequently go out of town for weekends i would suggest getting a back up air stone for your bucket. If your plant lost oxygen it wouldn't make it very long and you'd come home to a dead plant. There are a lot of systems that will allow you to be away for a couple days but soil is the most forgiving.

Last. I leave from time to time on business where I will be gone for several days and yes I leave my lights running. As long as you don't overload circuits and you take the time to make sure that your set up is done well you shouldn't have any problems. Things can happen but they can happen thats why its best to do it right the first time.

I would say pick the style of growing you want to do and rock it. Good luck bro and keep us updated.

 

[Texas Kid]

DWC is about the only hydro setup you can leave for any amount of time at all without something potientially goin wrong. Aquamist, foggers, and drippers all take daily attention becuase they tend to screw up all the time.

You have to leave your lights and evrything goin when you leave or it doesn't work at all and your just wasting time killin plants.

For the 2k I would get a 4x8 Darkroom, (2)1k digi ballast, (2) Air-cooled hoods, (1)6" inline fan, (1)4" inline fan, a small scrubber, a good soil mix and some 5 gallon pots, you could run DWC buckets as well instead of soil pots also.

LED's are still in the joke stage at least for what we do, maybe someday...

Tex

 

[NotMeYou]

man, this rocks....

Seriously, this has to be the best website ever (even taking out the subject matter) as I have never gotten responses so fast on other forums for any subject!

hahaha!

Okay, I guess I will lean towards the DWC then. I am adverse to soil for some reason I guess.

Plus, my laundry room is right there, so I have waste water disposal (down the washing machine water exit tube that I see washing machine hose going into) and also water close from the sink I have in the laundry room.

AFter SeeMoreBuds, I REALLY was leaning towards that AquaMist setup b/c he made it look easy, but I do remember him having to tweak the PH a lot and other things, so I guess it is DWC for me.

Thank you so much for the setup advice too! I really am on the fence about a lot of things, but for sure I'm going with a tent (thinking GrowLab or Secret Jardin) and then it was a matter of what lights. I was thnking 600, but I guess maybe 1000 is the way to go.

I like those lights that have BOTH red and blue so I don't have to fiddle with them and can just use the same light from start to finish, but maybe that is unrealistic if they would stunt the yield....hmmmm.

decisions decisions.....

 

[brookstown]

aquamist by far the easiest. with extension you can put 20 gallons. never have res temp probs. and as long as you don't run to much organic matter thru hardly every backs up.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

What TK says but maybe with coir instead of dirt. TK is a dirt farmer in the past which I have found more difficult then coir. dwc I think is harder then it looks.suerte JK

 

[Lost]

DWC can be hard, especially if you are in a hot area.

If you are going to do DWC, use at least 30 gallon tubs. I think i posted them up here somewhere. itsreal easy you cut a 5 gallon bucket in 1/2 then cut a hole in a 30 gallon super tuff plastic tub. if you are going on vacation, you need to invest in an airator. Airstones get clogged and really need to be cleaned once a week..


Soil on a timer drip would be the best bet. You could get a timer for your fawcet (edit: hose spigot) that has a timer on it. Then you just hook your drip lines up to that and have it water every day for say 3-5 min. That would be the easiest. DWC is so fast, that when things go wrong (visably), you have already screwed the pooch.

Good Luck!!

 

[Mox]

I wouldnt worry about LED's now.. it isnt a mature tech yet for growing stuff, although from what ive read there has been some progress recently. I do however use a Ceramic Metal Halide for grow and the plants seem to love it. I have experience with soil and with ebb and flow and both seem to work fine. With both of them on timers you can easily leave for the weekend. Also, I use water crystals as backup.. keeps them from getting too dry. Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!

P.S. Going to go with coco tables for my next indoor grow.. clogging of the emitters will be my main concern.. as I cant miss the weekend long desert parties :)

 

[true grit]

Invest in a PH tester and run the coco if you are worried about a hydro system running while gone. Like stated, if you don't over load your circuitry, just get good timers and make sure your tent runs well then you shouldnt have issues with lights and fans running while gone (lights on schedule, and fans are rated continuous). If you can keep it cool, like TK said, go with 1k's. A tent, fan, light/s, timers, ph control etc, should put you well under $2k.

 

[strictlyOG]

research CAP they have what you are looking for

 

[CocoPete]

I run coco in smart pots with blumats. In my experience its faster growth than soil without the difficulty or mess of mixing dirt, gives bigger yields than soil in smaller containers, has better ph maintenance than DWC without all the waste (using blumats), and its reusable.
Im just finishing my second grow with this setup and I really like it. Ive had no problem being away from the house for multiple days.