Greybeard Farms Hydro Setup - A New Beginning

[grandaddyP]

Morning,
I have been an organic grower outdoors for close to 30 years. I want to setup a good hydro system.
I have a 18' X 12' grow space. I already have my lights from organic grows I've done in the past year but I'm tried of battling pests.
The garage is being bleached and sanitized and I'm putting a high gloss epoxy (white) on the floor to ensure cleanliness.
My questions are many so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I will be using ebb and flow tables, 4' x 8' with 75 gallon reservoirs.
My first question would be what growing medium would be best. I am not a fan of RW and since I'm new to hydro I need something that actually works with minimal maintenance. Through research I am leaning towards river rock.

Also, when growing hydroponically, what is the best medium to germinate my seeds? Like I said, not a fan of RW so any ideas and critiques are welcome.

That should do it for the first few questions.
Thanks in advance!

 

[REDiJEDi160]

I like expanded clay pellets for my medium and as for a good starter I've used rapid rooters and they've been great it's pretty much just made of peat moss it seems but they are nice and moist already when you get em just make sure to keep the bag sealed on the leftover ones you don't use right away. Good luck with the grow please post updates and pics of the setup excited to see this one! How many tables are you planning on running?

 

[grandaddyP]

I will have 4 4' x 8' tables:) I figure 6 plants per table, let em get about 4 ft then scrog them when flowering, what do you think? I have 14' ceilings?

 

[grandaddyP]

Which brings up another question I have, If I top them say 4 times, that will give me 8 colas per plant, do I need to let them get taller to do that or should I keep them say about 2 ft. Will the larger plant increase potency or yield?

 

[REDiJEDi160]

Your going to want to pull them through the screen while its growing. A lot of people top to create a manifold before screening it up. The size of the plant is not related to its potency and in my opionion yield either at least not in terms of the overall yield. Of course yield per plant will be larger with bigger plants but think of it as canopy space. When you fill out the canopy you can use you will max out yield now you can achieve that by either growing larger plants which will take longer but keep your plant limit low, or you can fill up that space with many smaller plants in a SOG style to create the canopy faster. It's all on preference really I like the smaller plants they are easier for me to deal with I think. I have plenty of friends growing big fuckers 1 per 1000w light and we typically yield right about the same

 

[Stumpy420]

A larger plant will almost always out yield a single cola plant. You can train a plant out to be 4 ft wide with multiple multiple Colas. Potency is genetic but also relies on a lot of other factors to get the most potential out of the genetics.

 

[guymandude]

how many lights will you have over those 8 foot long tables?

 

[grandaddyP]

Good information here, thank you all:) I was thinking 3 1000w hortilux blues per table. Since I want the quickest way to maturity, with the largest yield, the SOG makes sense. Can you explain this technique to me please: "Your going to want to pull them through the screen while its growing." When you say pull through the screen what exactly do you mean, just pull the cola sites through the screen? doesn't that just make them stretch and defeat the purpose?

 

[grandaddyP]

I will also be using Advanced Nutrients Connoisseur Base with master nute schedule

 

[REDiJEDi160]

Good information here, thank you all:) I was thinking 3 1000w hortilux blues per table. Since I want the quickest way to maturity, with the largest yield, the SOG makes sense. Can you explain this technique to me please: "Your going to want to pull them through the screen while its growing." When you say pull through the screen what exactly do you mean, just pull the cola sites through the screen? doesn't that just make them stretch and defeat the purpose?

When you talked using a screen my mind first went to a Scrog setup which is what stumpy420 was referring to. It's training the plant to grow horizontally to create a nice flat canopy of buds instead of your typical vertical growth Christmas tree shape. Your essentially making your single plant take up the same canopy space as a packing a bunch of small clones with little to no veg time. It creates what looks like a bunch of small plants with fat nugs from the top. After rereading your post it has occurred to me that you may have just been talking about setting up a net trellis to support the branches sorry f there was confusion