Soil vs RDWC general questions.

Kdot57 · Nov 30, 2022

So I’m getting my next grow ready for germination and planting here in the next two weeks and I’m having trouble figuring out if I wanna continue soil or go rdwc. So I have a 2x4 tent with T24 from ac infinity if I choose soil I plan to try and grow as many plants as I can in the tent which I don’t know yet hoping for 4-5. If I go hydro I’m limited to 3 buckets in my grow space. So my questions are what’s the best for my buck? What’s a great nutrient line up for both grow types an also a good feed schedule? Also if I choose soil I plan on water with a irrigation system what would be a good cycle to put the pump on to push water to my plants? Strains are ice cream cake, gassius clay, and Icarus Cheeze.

TinFoilHat · Nov 30, 2022

Kdot57 said:
So I’m getting my next grow ready for germination and planting here in the next two weeks and I’m having trouble figuring out if I wanna continue soil or go rdwc. So I have a 2x4 tent with T24 from ac infinity if I choose soil I plan to try and grow as many plants as I can in the tent which I don’t know yet hoping for 4-5. If I go hydro I’m limited to 3 buckets in my grow space. So my questions are what’s the best for my buck? What’s a great nutrient line up for both grow types an also a good feed schedule? Also if I choose soil I plan on water with a irrigation system what would be a good cycle to put the pump on to push water to my plants? Strains are ice cream cake, gassius clay, and Icarus Cheeze.

Hey brother...bit of a loaded question but I'll do my best to answer. For a small setup like that PERSONALLY I'd stay away from RDWC. Soil works fine obviously, however here's what I'd recommend. Look into hempy buckets, either using Coco or perlite. I get "hydro" results with very minimal maintenance. You could fit like 2-3 2 gal hempy buckets and fill the whole tent. As for feed, I recommend Foliage pro the ENTIRE grow. No need for expensive hoo haa lol.

Kdot57 · Nov 30, 2022

TinFoilHat said:
Hey brother...bit of a loaded question but I'll do my best to answer. For a small setup like that PERSONALLY I'd stay away from RDWC. Soil works fine obviously, however here's what I'd recommend. Look into hempy buckets, either using Coco or perlite. I get "hydro" results with very minimal maintenance. You could fit like 2-3 2 gal hempy buckets and fill the whole tent. As for feed, I recommend Foliage pro the ENTIRE grow. No need for expensive hoo haa lol.

Yeah sorry it was a bit loaded of a question I don’t have many sources to go to other than here. But I use 2 parts soil to 1 part perlite in my grows I use the happy farms soil with down to earth’s nutrients line up of 2-8-4 and 4-4-4 I just noticed I was over nutrient my plants last grow and didn’t know a good measurement.

TinFoilHat · Nov 30, 2022

Kdot57 said:
Yeah sorry it was a bit loaded of a question I don’t have many sources to go to other than here. But I use 2 parts soil to 1 part perlite in my grows I use the happy farms soil with down to earth’s nutrients line up of 2-8-4 and 4-4-4 I just noticed I was over nutrient my plants last grow and didn’t know a good measurement.

Ah yeah the famous "formula" for soil. I've seen this alot in the problem forums on RIU where they come asking for help after trying it lol. That's why I actually recommend starting with coco or perlite hempies. If you can read an EC pen and a ph meter or drops, you really can't screw up. I literally stay at 1.2-1.3 EC the entire grow with foliage pro and tap water. And just feed every watering. Its that simple homie.

Kdot57 · Nov 30, 2022

TinFoilHat said:
Ah yeah the famous "formula" for soil. I've seen this alot in the problem forums on RIU where they come asking for help after trying it lol. That's why I actually recommend starting with coco or perlite hempies. If you can read an EC pen and a ph meter or drops, you really can't screw up. I literally stay at 1.2-1.3 EC the entire grow with foliage pro and tap water. And just feed every watering. Its that simple homie.

Sorry for all the questions just trying to really get an understanding. So what’s a hemp bucket? You’re soul mix when you say perlite hemlines yu mean like fill up a inch or two full of perlite and the rest with soil? The foliage pro is it a liquid feed if so would I just be able to hook it up into my res for my irrigation system?

TinFoilHat · Nov 30, 2022

Kdot57 said:
Sorry for all the questions just trying to really get an understanding. So what’s a hemp bucket? You’re soul mix when you say perlite hemlines yu mean like fill up a inch or two full of perlite and the rest with soil? The foliage pro is it a liquid feed if so would I just be able to hook it up into my res for my irrigation system?

Do a quick search for a hempy bucket guide on Google there's TONS of them...you put a single hole 2 inches from the bottom of any bucket. Fill up a little past the hole with perlite or whatever rock of your choice(this acts as the reservoir) then the rest with coco or even just 100% perlite the whole bucket. You can use drippers if you want but the purpose of the bucket is you literally just hand water every few days until water comes out the hole with nutrient feed. That's IT. I love hempy buckets so much I literally gave away all my other grow equipment lol.

Kdot57 · Nov 30, 2022

TinFoilHat said:
Do a quick search for a hempy bucket guide on Google there's TONS of them...you put a single hole 2 inches from the bottom of any bucket. Fill up a little past the hole with perlite or whatever rock of your choice(this acts as the reservoir) then the rest with coco or even just 100% perlite the whole bucket. You can use drippers if you want but the purpose of the bucket is you literally just hand water every few days until water comes out the hole with nutrient feed. That's IT. I love hempy buckets so much I literally gave away all my other grow equipment lol.

I’ll definitely do my research on it but if I choose to not do that method could I still use foliage pro for feed? The foliage pro is the 9-3-6 feed to right?

Cashmeh · Nov 30, 2022

Hydro can be super easy if you have the right setup, testing equipment and nutrients.
For RDWC, you need to have a high res capacity. I go no less than 15 gallons per plant for flowering, I have a solo plant going now in a 4x4 sitting in a 30 gallon tote. Its stupid easy, but its a learning curve. Honestly, ive never done soil and never will, perhaps passive hydro, some drip or something with coco/perlite, but as for nutrients that come preloaded in soil. . nahhh im good on that.
If you do dwc, and run 3- 5 gallon buckets in a 2x4 you will never do hydro again after that. Thats too much work. My plants drink well over 2 gallons per day in flower. It just makes it hard to keep your water stable in dwc. You want a water pump, and way to add bubbles to the surface of the water, aka airstones, waterfall, or venturi. Both are what you need, one without the other is alot of maintenance.
There are guys on here who can help you run amazing sterile hydro systems, and guys who can help you run amazing live hydro systems. Its all easy as long as you are willing to use ur brain. If you struggle with hydro, you will struggle in soil. Theres no way to just start growing great weed without experience. Had you been the guy who can, you wouldnt be on here asking ;) But yea. . do what you want but its what you will make of it. Just try to understand it all before you invest heavy. Id also run 2 tents. A flower room and a veg room. In
case you crash and burn on a grow, your not 4 months away. Im usually harvesting every 2 months.

Kdot57 · Nov 30, 2022

Cashmeh said:
Hydro can be super easy if you have the right setup, testing equipment and nutrients.
For RDWC, you need to have a high res capacity. I go no less than 15 gallons per plant for flowering, I have a solo plant going now in a 4x4 sitting in a 30 gallon tote. Its stupid easy, but its a learning curve. Honestly, ive never done soil and never will, perhaps passive hydro, some drip or something with coco/perlite, but as for nutrients that come preloaded in soil. . nahhh im good on that.
If you do dwc, and run 3- 5 gallon buckets in a 2x4 you will never do hydro again after that. Thats too much work. My plants drink well over 2 gallons per day in flower. It just makes it hard to keep your water stable in dwc. You want a water pump, and way to add bubbles to the surface of the water, aka airstones, waterfall, or venturi. Both are what you need, one without the other is alot of maintenance.
There are guys on here who can help you run amazing sterile hydro systems, and guys who can help you run amazing live hydro systems. Its all easy as long as you are willing to use ur brain. If you struggle with hydro, you will struggle in soil. Theres no way to just start growing great weed without experience. Had you been the guy who can, you wouldnt be on here asking ;) But yea. . do what you want but its what you will make of it. Just try to understand it all before you invest heavy. Id also run 2 tents. A flower room and a veg room. In
case you crash and burn on a grow, your not 4 months away. Im usually harvesting every 2 months.

Understood then I’m gonna stick with soil and just grab a 20 gallon tote and use that for a res for a drip feed to my plants I just need to find a good liquid feed and feed schedule. But I have a second tent for veg my only downfall is it’s a 2x2 so can’t fit as much plants in it as my 2x4. But if I can’t find a good liquid feed what’s a good dry feed for the plants.

TinFoilHat · Nov 30, 2022

Kdot57 said:
I’ll definitely do my research on it but if I choose to not do that method could I still use foliage pro for feed? The foliage pro is the 9-3-6 feed to right?

Yeap 9-3-6 brotha...I've tried every nute you can think of, and honestly it just plain works the best (for me). Everyone will have their opinions of course, but I've found if I keep my EC 1.2 or so with FP, no deficiencies entire grow. I don't even use silica, calmag, no additives. The founder of Dyna Gro says it's specifically formulated for cannabis and has all the micronutrients needed, and even though I've seen millions of people trash it, it works for me lol.

Zill · Nov 30, 2022

Tinfoil,

You have posted a thread that precisely describes what is needed to grow successfully in tents or greenhouse. Very few on this forum attempt to keep it simple.

Zill.

Soil vs RDWC general questions.

Soil vs RDWC general questions.

Kdot57

TinFoilHat

Kdot57

TinFoilHat

Kdot57

TinFoilHat

Kdot57

Cashmeh

Kdot57

TinFoilHat

Zill

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