Newbie Hydro questions, please help.

[BlueCrabGuy]

Hi Growers,

I am on my first grow, and I am using soil. The grow is going well but I am concerned about overwatering/underwatering and overfeeding/underfeeding. Looking from the outside, it seems like Hydro growing is easier in those areas. Here are some questions. Thanks in advance for reading this post and any answers you provide!

I am looking at the Hydro Bucket since I can maintain a plant without lifting it out of the pot. Does anyone have experience with the Hydro Bucket? Should I use the Hydro Lid and Hydro Fit or just get a standard top with a cup and medium?

How often do you need to care for your plants? I suspect the answer is at least one daily top off. That is a real commitment to not be away from your home more than a day or two for a full growing period.

How often do you swap out all the water/fertilizer from your bucket? I watched some videos where they just moved the plant from one bucket to another. With the Hydro Bucket, I can drain the bucket and refill it with new water/fertilizer without switching buckets?

Do you use the size of the root mass to determine when to switch your plant to flower?

Do you think hydro growing is easier or harder than dirt growing?

Thanks Growers!
BC

 

[BillyBanchan]

Got a link or picture of it? The bucket thingy...

Hydro gives you all the control you desire. It can be quick to derail, too. As long as you know what it takes and all that goes along with it; it has been fun for me so far. It's not something you want to half-ass.

 

[BlueCrabGuy]

Got a link or picture of it? The bucket thingy...

Hydro gives you all the control you desire. It can be quick to derail, too. As long as you know what it takes and all that goes along with it; it has been fun for me so far. It's not something you want to half-ass.

Thanks Billy. Here is a link to the Hydro Bucket. https://www.thehydrobucket.com/products/hydrobucket-and-hydrolid-combo

 

[BillyBanchan]

Thanks Billy. Here is a link to the Hydro Bucket. https://www.thehydrobucket.com/products/hydrobucket-and-hydrolid-combo

Ah, ok DWC. Plenty of people here to help with that!

I can assure you that learning to water and feed in soil is way easier than learning a whole new way of growing.

 

[BlueCrabGuy]

Ah, ok DWC. Plenty of people here to help with that!

I can assure you that learning to water and feed in soil is way easier than learning a whole new way of growing.

Thanks again Billy. I am new to growing, so I don't have much time invested in growing in soil. If Hydro is harder, I might want to get some wins under my belt with dirt before I switch over. But, if they are equal or Hydro is easier, than I might want to start hydro on my next attempt. Just looking for some guidance on which way a newbie should go.

 

[BillyBanchan]

Thanks again Billy. I am new to growing, so I don't have much time invested in growing in soil. If Hydro is harder, I might want to get some wins under my belt with dirt before I switch over. But, if they are equal or Hydro is easier, than I might want to start hydro on my next attempt. Just looking for some guidance on which way a newbie should go.

You're quite welcome!

I would always advise to go for a couple easy wins and build up on it, unless you're a quick study. Either way, plenty of folks here to help and support.

Start a grow journal here. Include your plans, thoughts, wishes... We'll follow along with you.

 

[LzBoy]

Look into hempy buckets. That's my next grow. Don't have to worry about over/under.
A 2" hole up from the bottom acts as a rez. Perlite/vermic 3:1 ratio
KISS DTW/hydro I guess you'd call it
with mega crop 1 Part and a bloom. BOOM!

 

[BlueCrabGuy]

Look into hempy buckets. That's my next grow. Don't have to worry about over/under.
A 2" hole up from the bottom acts as a rez. Perlite/vermic 3:1 ratio
KISS DTW/hydro I guess you'd call it
with mega crop 1 Part and a bloom. BOOM!

Yea that Hempy Bucket method looks easy. It does not seem like many of the big Youtube personalities use the Hempy Bucket though. Do you know if this is a new method? I'm going to be doing some research tonight to see what I can learn about the Hempy Bucket. Thanks Lz for the heads up!

 

[LzBoy]

Yea that Hempy Bucket method looks easy. It does not seem like many of the big Youtube personalities use the Hempy Bucket though. Do you know if this is a new method? I'm going to be doing some research tonight to see what I can learn about the Hempy Bucket. Thanks Lz for the heads up!

There's a good thread over at RIU as well as overgrow.
Not sure if I'm allowed to post the links here or not. Easy search at each place.
Hempy been around since early 80s and probably earlier.
A drain hole 2" from the bottom... Fill to hole with lava rocks/stones/straight perlite, that's your rez.
Fill the rest with 3:1 perlite vermiculite
There's a sip variation/improvement that u can easy flush the rez. Just put a 2" pvc down inside a 3 gal or 5 gal bucket.
I'm done with organic. Messed up and have way to much N in flower.
I want the control to eff it up

 

[HippiHemuli]

Hello, hydro isnt that hard what you might except just give it try. I recommend just to buy PH and EC meters so you can see whats happening there.
For your questions. I havent tried dwc yet but been growing almost 10 years with nutriculture gro tank nft tables, very easy system and no need lift plants. Usually i check plants daily if i just have time. I only keep refill reservoir whole grow and then wash tanks and water pump after harvest. Nutes what i use is Canna Aqua line with Cannazym and remember keep water temperature under 23-24c and no light leaks into water.

 

[OldSmokeyDawson]

Yea that Hempy Bucket method looks easy. It does not seem like many of the big Youtube personalities use the Hempy Bucket though. Do you know if this is a new method? I'm going to be doing some research tonight to see what I can learn about the Hempy Bucket. Thanks Lz for the heads up!

Man hempy buckets are awesome,pretty much the same as real buckets from GDC YouTube channel,that's where the real buckets idea came from.Such a simple and amazing way to grow,they absolutely pump when the roots hit the rez.I've never seen such explosive growth. Just dump nutes in every 3 days and the plant does the rest.
Here are a few hempy pics

 

[Mikedin]

Thanks Billy. Here is a link to the Hydro Bucket. https://www.thehydrobucket.com/products/hydrobucket-and-hydrolid-combo

Not a bad price for the setup! I was gunna go a bit simpler on my first attempt with a hydro grow and just do a 5 gal with a lid and a net cup with some air stones in the bucket and give it a whirl. My issue is I don’t PH so I’d need to pick up new PH / EC pens etc if I decided to I’ve it a go.