help a fellow hydro bro

[bluegrass]

Im back and better than ever! After growing in soil for the last 12 years, not in a row mind you, Ive decided that soil isnt for me, Ive always done well with it, but I want more, more medicine, faster results, and more control ability. I hate watering plants, it gets old real fuckin quick.

Anyways Ive acquired a 3x3 e and f table, and a 4x4 e and f table, both with rezs. Ive the lights, a couple of thousand watters and a 600 for veg. But thats neither here nor there.

The only thing I have yet to decide on is nutes, medium, and ppm/ph meters. I want to flood as little as possible, so that has me leaning towards RW cubes surrounded by hydroton for anchoring.
Nutes: floranova bloom, grow, and floralicious plus, maybe a little kool bloom to top it all off.
I have a "MR CLEAN AUTODRY" that Im going to use to filter tap water for my rez's, I hear that its pretty swell.
Ive got a dehumidifier as well. Cooling and heating will be provided by passive ventilation btw.

If anyone has any time please give me some easy, cheap, ideas on anything you can think of. I need some help as I am a hydro virgin and I dont want to leave a bad taste in my mouth with my first experience...

Thanks for any opinions you may have on my setup or any advice or changes you may advise me on. PLUR...

 

[motta-tokka]

Hydro is awesome. Just make sure you do a test run with no plants for a bit to see if you have optimum conditions and make any adjustments then. Its better than having to deal with things as they come. I am referring to water/air temps, humidity, etc. Also if you are growing in a garage for instance, the plants will not have proper cooling or heating when time comes unless you take care of that. Been there done that and this is my best advice before wasting precious time. Enjoy and happy growing.

 

[bluegrass]

Hydro is awesome. Just make sure you do a test run with no plants for a bit to see if you have optimum conditions and make any adjustments then. Its better than having to deal with things as they come. I am referring to water/air temps, humidity, etc. Also if you are growing in a garage for instance, the plants will not have proper cooling or heating when time comes unless you take care of that. Been there done that and this is my best advice before wasting precious time. Enjoy and happy growing.

good tips! anything else you guys???

 

[bluegrass]

I guess no one's fucking with ebb and flow anymore eh? anyone else got anything else I should pay close attention to?

 

[Bobby Smith]

Sounds like you pretty much know what you want - I stopped E&F to build my new setup, but I ran a 4x4 tray for my last two grows - it's a great, no hassle way to get a very nice yield and minimize the chances of failure.

Did you have any particular questions?

One thing I wouldn't do is mix wet and dry mediums like rockwool and hydroton - I'd go all rockwool or all hydroton - I chose hydroton, because I didn't wanna have to put 64 6" rockwool cubes in the trash can every two months.

 

[motherlode]

dog chow sux ass, washing it before you use it sux ass and trying to clean the hydroton out of the roots sux ass too - god I hate that stuff.

rockwool is the way to go! e/f in six inch hugos for the win, you dont need to put anything else in the tray, but if you really want to I suggest coco mat.

 

[Bobby Smith]

No doubt, it's a fucking bitch to wash - I actually stopped washing it after runs and would just pull the dead roots out as best I could.

Didn't notice any difference in yield/quality from the runs where I washed it.

Of course, you've always gotta wash it the first time outta the bag, and that can fucking suck balls.

 

[RollinEndough]

Dog chow, lmfao. Luckily there were no unswallowed gulps of milk, else that could've redecorated the keyboard.

 

[motherlode]

I was always worried about root rot and never reused it - lasted 2 runs in my room and worked well, but so does rockwool and if you have to toss out your medium (even if its because your anal) every time, rockwool dries out nice and compacts into a few bags easily.

slabs in trays are the best but top feeding is the way to go with slabs. I prefer top feeding over e/f personally.

somebody here posted a grow with 3' cubes on top of coco slabs and man that shit was kicking!

 

[Bobby Smith]

Boomer242 does a top feed rockwool system on coco slabs, I believe.

And it's almost impossible to get root rot in hydroton because there's so much air available to the roots at all times - this can not be said of rockwool and other "wet" mediums.

Couldn't agree more, though - washing it sucks balls.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Boomer242 does a top feed rockwool system on coco slabs, I believe.

And it's almost impossible to get root rot in hydroton because there's so much air available to the roots at all times - this can not be said of rockwool and other "wet" mediums.

Couldn't agree more, though - washing it sucks balls.

I have seen rot in hydroton too many times. JK

 

[Bobby Smith]

I wasn't talking about an RDWC where hydroton is simply media to hold it in the netpot and the roots are dropped down into a reservoir (or a comparable system, like aero, etc.).

Strictly talking about root rot in a hydroton E&F setup - if that's what you were referencing than I apologize, but for the life of me I can't figure out how someone could fuck that up.

 

[bluegrass]

Fucking love it! Thanks guys! Very good info here! I have been thinking about rockwool lately, but Ive also ran into some polyfill slabs of sure to grow. Here is what Ive been thinking about you guys...I have found out that the table is only a 3x3 btw!
I am thinking of using 6 36"x6x3 slabs in a 3ft ebb and flow table, I assume I will have to cut one of the slabs in half and trim some off for the drain and fill outlets, but I am wondering if I will have to anchor the slabs down when there are just cutting sitting in x cuts in the slabs? Could you please tell me the best route to using these 36 inch slabs in a hydroponic ebb and flow table. I like the idea of no light hitting any of the medium as to avoid algae. This is my vision, I am going to put about a half inch layer of hydroton on the bottom of the table, then I am going to take 6 36x6x3inch slabs of sure to grow slabs that are wrapped and Im going cut the bottom plastic off of it, and make x marks with an xacto knife on top where the plastic still remains, the plants will be started in rapid rooters, then transferred to the slabs once the roots show, the plants will be grown directly from the 36 inch blocks, the roots will grow through the bottom of the slabs into the hydroton for support, I am going to do a total of 3 plants per slab, the bottom of the slabs plastic will be cut off completely to allow the roots to grow through to the hydroton where they will be anchored for support. I am wondering if the slabs will float when the table is flooded? Or will they remain submerged like I hope they will?

 

[bluegrass]

btw I acquired a ro filter, a hanna ppm ph combo, I still need to figure out the best way to maximize yields on this 3x3, I am going to buy another 4x4 table, or go with some organic potted plants for pure comparison purposes. Im thinking of making my own blend of organic soil, and trying that one out with some guano teas right next to the 3x3 table. :)

 

[bluegrass]

Never mind you guys, Im going to go with rockwool and hydroton, or just 4x4 rockwool slabs, the plants will not get very tall btw, Im going for 1/2 to 2 ounces per plant, and I have 16 4x4 cubes that will be under 1000 watts. Ya think I could pull that off with co2 enrichment under a 1000 watts? I am going to be on top of things all of the time being this is my first grow. In a 3x3 I know it will be harder but its all I can afford right now! I am going to put 4 plants under a 400 watt hps as well, but only in soil...:) Thanks a lot you guys, and wish me luck!

 

[Bobby Smith]

I'd be shocked if you got 2 ounces per plant using 4" cubes, but more power to you if you do.

If I was using 4" cubes in a 3x3 tray, I'd run a helluva lot more than 16 - I'd max them out and run 81 (9/sf).

Or, if you don't want those plant numbers, use 6" cubes and do 36.

Or, if you're gonna do 16, use 8x8 rockwool cubes (they're kinda new, forget the name).

 

[bluegrass]

I guess you're right bobby, I need maximum plant numbers to get what I want. I am going to go for the gusto and max out the table. I need to get some genetics in here and go from there. I was trying to be cheap but I guess that never got anyone anywhere. I will take your advice and go for max plant numbers. Thanks man!

 

[HerbinGrower]

Keep them airstones in the res at least to keep it nice and fresh.

 

[Bobby Smith]

I guess you're right bobby, I need maximum plant numbers to get what I want. I am going to go for the gusto and max out the table. I need to get some genetics in here and go from there. I was trying to be cheap but I guess that never got anyone anywhere. I will take your advice and go for max plant numbers. Thanks man!

You don't "need" max plant numbers - you just need to make sure your plant numbers and the size of your medium correspond.

My first run in my 4x4 tray, I did 25 plants in one gallon pots in hydroton.

The next run I did 142 plants packed in 4" pots in hydroton.

It's really up to you.

 

[bluegrass]

airstones check! I got a dual diaphragm air pump wit four outlets, Im going to run at least 2 airstones in the rez.

Thanks bobby smith, I am going to take the blocks back to the hydrostore and get the 6x6. I was thinking about hydroton bobby. Would the 4x4 blocks be enough if I filled in the voids between the blocks with hydroton? Plus it would add an anchoring effect as well, or at least Im thinking that anyways. Any thoughts?