UCMENOW, you know how tingly I got when I clicked on your links to see my thread? lol ;) thanks buddy.
Personally, I think yield is all relevant to canopy management.. The reason people may be having more difficult of a time achieving greater yields with the UC, is the fact that training 4 plants under a 1000w bulb is probably a little more difficult then training something like 9, 12, 16, etc.
This was my first run in RDWC, or anything besides hand watering for that matter, and I feel as if Round 2 I can achieve much better results then round 1. I do not have enough plant support, and I did not top my plants early enough. I would say, like anything else, the UC is a learning curve.
What appeals to me, other then the insane simplicity of the system, is the fact that I can lower my plant count in half (at least...look at BenD, from 144 plants to 18, same amount of veg time, same or very similar yield results).
17 days veg with 4 plants under 1000w is pretty ideal, in my opinion, and I can't see me ever going back to anything else I've tried in the past (even though I loved them all...)
I'm unsure what my yield results are going to end up like, but I will try to keep everyone updated... Round 1 has been with NO additional co2, lots of trial and error, but I think I should ok considering.
And for the record, even though I know UCMENOW was just being generous :party0042: .., I would in no way consider myself a badass, expert, or anything along those lines.. I'm actually fairly unexperienced and COMPLETELY new to the hydroponics world, but I think knowing the basics as far as being able to read a plant is about all you need to know to dial in one of these systems...Whoever said it first said it best, K.I.S.S and you should achieve great things...
Coming from the guy who hasn't chopped down anything but some samples in a UC system, I think it's safe to say you can achieve just as good if not greater yields in a UC system then you can with anything else, with much faster vegetative growth and smaller plant counts.. I believe it has a lot to do with such a large root mass and the excellent aeration.
Just an unbiased opinion from a first time hydro grower, appreciating the things I've never seen before..