Soil Or Dwc

[Aqua Man]

OK so here is the situation. I'm setting up for my first grow in Oct. when we in Canada will be allowed to grow 4 plants at home. I have everything I need for a DWC and can easily pick up anything I need for a soil grow.

My equipment:
I will be running a sealed grow space of 4'x4'x6' (L x W x H) its actually 4' x 6' x 8' but the last 2' are dedicated to equipment.
6- QB132's @60w each for a total of 360w
4- 13w repti-glo 10.0 UVA/UBA for late flowering
Mega Crop ferts
10lb Co2 tank with regulator and bubble counter.
dehumidifier/humidifier with controller
120w peltier cooling and 100w heating coil on temp controller.
Still need to pick up my circulating fan.

My question is on my first grow would you eliminate the added learning curve of DWC and go with DTW soil?

How significant are the gains from DWC to DTW soil?

 

[gwheels]

For starting out I would recommend soil or coco. I like coco because it is inert. Once you PH the coco you start adding nutes every feed so it is easy to remember. And there are no bugs in coco. :D

 

[oldskol4evr]

OK so here is the situation. I'm setting up for my first grow in Oct. when we in Canada will be allowed to grow 4 plants at home. I have everything I need for a DWC and can easily pick up anything I need for a soil grow.

My equipment:
I will be running a sealed grow space of 4'x4'x6' (L x W x H) its actually 4' x 6' x 8' but the last 2' are dedicated to equipment.
6- QB132's @60w each for a total of 360w
4- 13w repti-glo 10.0 UVA/UBA for late flowering
Mega Crop ferts
10lb Co2 tank with regulator and bubble counter.
dehumidifier/humidifier with controller
120w peltier cooling and 100w heating coil on temp controller.
Still need to pick up my circulating fan.

My question is on my first grow would you eliminate the added learning curve of DWC and go with DTW soil?

How significant are the gains from DWC to DTW soil?

im stupid but got to ask,why co2 in canada,south texas i say ya,hot as a friday night whore here,and what is dtw soil,thats a new one?

 

[centralcoast]

If taste is more important to you than yield - soil. And it’s not even close.

 

[gwheels]

In my 4 x 4 i got close to a pound as a fairly newb grower with 3 plants and a 5 to 6 week veg after i dialed some stuff in. I had old gen cob (samsung boards are better efficiency). I think 4 plants in 3 to 5 gallon coco buckets will fill the space pretty well.

The strains were heavy yielders (white widow and sour kush) but still....

I used coco/perlite (60/40 ish) in a 4 pot autopot system (gravity feed bottom feed with a res). Worked like a champ.

GH Trio too.

But with soil i had way more problems. Because you do not feed the same. Once a week after the soils nutes have been used (which is not as precise as I like).

My outdoors love happy frog though and it changes my mind a bit about things. But my last indoor i had gnats and shit and that was from the dirt.

I get good flavor from coco too. The terps love the CMH or something

 

[centralcoast]

For soil (FFOF or Happy Frog), feed every 3rd watering, flush for the final 2 weeks and you really can’t go wrong.

 

[gwheels]

For soil (FFOF or Happy Frog), feed every 3rd watering, flush for the final 2 weeks and you really can’t go wrong.

Outside i used 1/4 grow stones with the soil being 1/4 Ocean Forest and 3/4 Happy Frog.

Wow does that work. I just had to add some nutes this week and its close to 2 months since the bean popped. I just used silica and bio root to get things moving a long and allow me to squish the stalks and have it rebound faster. I might try 2 autopots with happy frog and 2 with coco and see what happens.

Starting Aug 1 !

 

[HoldenMcNiel]

For soil (FFOF or Happy Frog), feed every 3rd watering, flush for the final 2 weeks and you really can’t go wrong.

Yeah that's what I do in my 4x4

 

[gwheels]

the best ever i had looked like this

 

[Aqua Man]

im stupid but got to ask,why co2 in canada,south texas i say ya,hot as a friday night whore here,and what is dtw soil,thats a new one?

Co2 is not something that is a must but i have all the equipment from growing aquatic plants in the past. Given the right conditions it can greatly increase photosynthesis leading to faster growth and healthier plants overall. That is why i'm doing a sealed grow area with complete control over temps and humidity as well as Co2 levels. Also this allows me keep a very accurate record and replicate or change environmental factors for future grows to fine tune a strain to its exact like and dislikes.

DTW is drain to waste, which is prob a given and i should not use the term :/ sorry for the confusion.

If taste is more important to you than yield - soil. And it’s not even close.

Taste is most important to me but also gaining the max thc level out of a particular strain as possible. I'm not overly worried about bugs as I plan to throw in some chives/garlic as natural means of keeping bugs away and with it being sealed should help. None the less I will look into other means if necessary.

Would you recommend 100% happy frog or a mixture?

Thank for all the input everyone

 

[Aqua Man]

In my 4 x 4 i got close to a pound as a fairly newb grower with 3 plants and a 5 to 6 week veg after i dialed some stuff in. I had old gen cob (samsung boards are better efficiency). I think 4 plants in 3 to 5 gallon coco buckets will fill the space pretty well.

The strains were heavy yielders (white widow and sour kush) but still....

I used coco/perlite (60/40 ish) in a 4 pot autopot system (gravity feed bottom feed with a res). Worked like a champ.

GH Trio too.

But with soil i had way more problems. Because you do not feed the same. Once a week after the soils nutes have been used (which is not as precise as I like).

My outdoors love happy frog though and it changes my mind a bit about things. But my last indoor i had gnats and shit and that was from the dirt.

I get good flavor from coco too. The terps love the CMH or something

So coco provides as good of flavor as soil?

The CMH provides a decent bit of UV which is prob why you notice the difference in terps.

 

[gwheels]

So coco provides as good of flavor as soil?

The CMH provides a decent bit of UV which is prob why you notice the difference in terps.

I think it is similar. Many will argue.

But I would say coco is easier to grow in. It is like a water system in that it gets no nutrients from the soil so you control everything.

Keep the PH between 5.8 and 6.2 and adjust that variance a lot so it gets all nutrients.

Don't over think it.

That is coco.

Soil is more guesswork (but awesome) in that the soil effects the PH and nutrient load. Coco is driven by the feeder :D

This is my opinion but it is based in fact.

 

[Aqua Man]

I think it is similar. Many will argue.

But I would say coco is easier to grow in. It is like a water system in that it gets no nutrients from the soil so you control everything.

Keep the PH between 5.8 and 6.2 and adjust that variance a lot so it gets all nutrients.

Don't over think it.

That is coco.

Soil is more guesswork (but awesome) in that the soil effects the PH and nutrient load. Coco is driven by the feeder :D

This is my opinion but it is based in fact.

Sounds like my cup of tea. I am used to dealing with nutrients and used to mix my own for aquatics but I figured I would go with premix my first grow. I guess I will do some reading on coco and see if its right for me. Thanks for the info and input.

 

[gwheels]

Sounds like my cup of tea. I am used to dealing with nutrients and used to mix my own for aquatics but I figured I would go with premix my first grow. I guess I will do some reading on coco and see if its right for me. Thanks for the info and input.

BLUE LAB PEN... accept no substitutes....and a waterproof TDS or EC meter.

It costs a bit upfront but you can dial shit in solid and they work.

 

[Aqua Man]

BLUE LAB PEN... accept no substitutes....and a waterproof TDS or EC meter.

It costs a bit upfront but you can dial shit in solid and they work.

I have both PH and TDS/EC pens from my past aquatic growing. Invaluable equipment. I also have a master test kit for all forms of N,P,Ca,Mg,GH,KH and PH

 

[centralcoast]

I prefer soil. 1/8 tsp ph down in every gallon. No need for pens and other doohickies.

As for mixture, a 50/50 ratio of FFOF and HF is great for veg. Transplant into 100% FFOF for flower.

 

[Clamwrangler]

I prefer soil. 1/8 tsp ph down in every gallon. No need for pens and other doohickies.

As for mixture, a 50/50 ratio of FFOF and HF is great for veg. Transplant into 100% FFOF for flower.

That is some rough, novice advice . There are so many different inputs that could drastically change the over all PH level of the solution if you just went with what he says and added the same amount every time. A ph solution will change incrementally based on temp alone. Get a decent PH pen, keep it calibrated and allow for a gentle swing through out the optimum range of what ever medium you choose. And pick through your info carefully. If the old boys dont comment then check to see what comments they themselves have liked on your thread. Too many kids on here with that copy paste pseudo grow science!

Each medium will have its benefits for your style. Coco is easier for the beginner. If you feed to much and your coco ends up too hot you can simply feed with a solution at a lower ppm/ec that you want it at and it will automatically adjust itself after a few litres/gallons run through. So you have more room to move with coco. Plus with coco you will find more explosive growth during the vege stage, owing to ease of movement the roots have in coco and the over all o2 porosity of the coco.

Soil is good too, only a few feeds a week, you can allow it to get a bit dryer. If you get too hot in soil from over feeding it can be more difficult to rectify the situation as a beginner you will notice the signs and may not be able to fix it with a "simple" flush.

DWC you have to be there 24/7 almost like a watery baby! If your power or equipment gives out you may only have a max of 4 or so hours till the plant closes down to preserve what turgidity it has and you start to head towards total crop failure. But if you nail it you will be rewarded with a bumper crop from DWC I believe. Even in coco I test PH and temp of res twice daily. I guess with the other two you could leave for the weekend and come back and itll be grand. With DWC you or someone who understands aqua culture will have to be there to monitor the operation. Big up grow fam! lets keep propagating good experienced based learning on here!

 

[Aqua Man]

That is some rough, novice advice . There are so many different inputs that could drastically change the over all PH level of the solution if you just went with what he says and added the same amount every time. A ph solution will change incrementally based on temp alone. Get a decent PH pen, keep it calibrated and allow for a gentle swing through out the optimum range of what ever medium you choose. And pick through your info carefully. If the old boys dont comment then check to see what comments they themselves have liked on your thread. Too many kids on here with that copy paste pseudo grow science!

Each medium will have its benefits for your style. Coco is easier for the beginner. If you feed to much and your coco ends up too hot you can simply feed with a solution at a lower ppm/ec that you want it at and it will automatically adjust itself after a few litres/gallons run through. So you have more room to move with coco. Plus with coco you will find more explosive growth during the vege stage, owing to ease of movement the roots have in coco and the over all o2 porosity of the coco.

Soil is good too, only a few feeds a week, you can allow it to get a bit dryer. If you get too hot in soil from over feeding it can be more difficult to rectify the situation as a beginner you will notice the signs and may not be able to fix it with a "simple" flush.

DWC you have to be there 24/7 almost like a watery baby! If your power or equipment gives out you may only have a max of 4 or so hours till the plant closes down to preserve what turgidity it has and you start to head towards total crop failure. But if you nail it you will be rewarded with a bumper crop from DWC I believe. Even in coco I test PH and temp of res twice daily. I guess with the other two you could leave for the weekend and come back and itll be grand. With DWC you or someone who understands aqua culture will have to be there to monitor the operation. Big up grow fam! lets keep propagating good experienced based learning on here!

Great advice. I have no problem micro managing. I have done it for years with multiple tests and maintenance daily. In your opinion does coco give a better quality than dwc in terms of flavor? I'm an growing as more of a connoisseur and not profit or supply. I don't mean to be a pain in the ass but I would rather work out as much of the details before I start and the real learning begins

 

[Clamwrangler]

At the end of the day environment is the biggest factor for anything, quality and quantity alike. Get your growing environment consistent ( Air stratification and movement, Humidity, Temperature (canopy, leaf surface and rhizosphere esp!!!) and any method will reward you with what your after. Never forget that! No matter what you read or regardless of how much money you spend, ENVIRONMENT is key to any successful horticultural endeavour.

When you look at commercial horticulture, especially indoors, nothing is grown in dirt/soil. its heavy, its gluggy and is not generally that reuse-able. Inert mediums are essentially just a structure or anchoring point for your plants rhizosphere (root ball). Coco (or any inert or hydro based media , inc DWC) has nothing to give back ( maybe a wee bit of p and k and other salts as coconuts are full of electrolytes and generally grown near the sea) so you can feed feed feed with a nutrient solution in the correct range of ppm, at the right temp (20-22c) and turbo charge production. If you feel you have a good grip on hydro/aqua culture then go DWC as most will dabble with coco to learn the basics of a full hydroponic program with out actually being in NFT gullies or recirculating DWC or top feed .
After the grow, providing you feed smartly (no over feeding) and keep your inert medium moist you shouldnt get any dry and salty hot spots and can reuse your medium a few more times which is better on the planet over all.
Dumping nutrient/salt laden soil after every grow is so detrimental to our natural top soil!

 

[Aqua Man]

At the end of the day environment is the biggest factor for anything, quality and quantity alike. Get your growing environment consistent ( Air stratification and movement, Humidity, Temperature (canopy, leaf surface and rhizosphere esp!!!) and any method will reward you with what your after. Never forget that! No matter what you read or regardless of how much money you spend, ENVIRONMENT is key to any successful horticultural endeavour.

When you look at commercial horticulture, especially indoors, nothing is grown in dirt/soil. its heavy, its gluggy and is not generally that reuse-able. Inert mediums are essentially just a structure or anchoring point for your plants rhizosphere (root ball). Coco (or any inert or hydro based media , inc DWC) has nothing to give back ( maybe a wee bit of p and k and other salts as coconuts are full of electrolytes and generally grown near the sea) so you can feed feed feed with a nutrient solution in the correct range of ppm, at the right temp (20-22c) and turbo charge production. If you feel you have a good grip on hydro/aqua culture then go DWC as most will dabble with coco to learn the basics of a full hydroponic program with out actually being in NFT gullies or recirculating DWC or top feed .
After the grow, providing you feed smartly (no over feeding) and keep your inert medium moist you shouldnt get any dry and salty hot spots and can reuse your medium a few more times which is better on the planet over all.
Dumping nutrient/salt laden soil after every grow is so detrimental to our natural top soil!

I Have hydrocorn, easily rewashed and reused. I am very comfortable with nutrients and water and could easily do a RDWC and not have a whole lots of worries. The only reason for my concern and trying to look at alternatives is the oxygen delivery. If i put the pumps inside the grow space I'm not sure how much of an effect the increased Co2 levels would have on my PH and if I put them outside I create a positive pressure that would need to be vented making my Co2, humidity and temp control less efficient. I'm wondering if maybe a drip system might work. coco/soil would eliminate all this but poses challenges that would be newer to me.

I know I am probably over thinking this but I am a bit of a perfectionist and the details matter to me. I have been researching for about 2 months now and I cannot even grow until October. This has me a little stuck and I appreciate your help in breaking the options down.