What's easiest for a first grow? Hydro or Soil?

[DazedNconfussed]

Hey All, So after years of smoking weed and feeling like a bad guy I finnally got my papers and am legal...great feeling.

So i have been doing tons of research and want to set up my first grow. I cant afford these insane club prices.

I am allowed to grow 10 plants in flower, 10 in veg, and 1 momma. That aside I am trying to set a decent grow up as cheaply as possible.

At first I wanted to go hydro with 10 plants and a single 1,000 watt HPS for flowering and flouroesents for vegging. Problem is as far as i can tell most all hydro setup for 10 plants are going to cost me a fortune to bulild. Plus I am not sure what the nutrients will cost for that kind of grow.

So now im considering a simple soil grow in 5 gallon pots, thinking it may be cheaper.

I have looked through many posts about builds that appear to costs thousonds to build, i have about $500 to start this grow and will keep adding more every few weeks as money allows.

I just want to get some clones vegging as soon as i can. I dont really want to buy a smaller light then 1,000 watt, because i plan on having a great grow room eventually.

So whats the most affordable to start with, soil or hydro? Also which is most affordable to maintain?

I appricate any help.

Oh, and if it matters my grow spaceis 8'X10" but can be triple that size if need be.

 

[Texas Kid]

I would get (4) Waterfarms and a 1k setup for flower and a 6bulb/4foot T5 in veg for you mom and small cloning setup..

Waterfarms are $55-$60 bucks a piece complete, a 1k ballast at $150.00, and a vertizontal hood for $150.00...a couple fans and your off to the races..

Tex

 

[Rolln J]

you could go with coco in 5 gallon buckets and hand water/feed them - a ebb flow hydro table for a 1000 watt light isnt to bad if you buy the components and set it up yourself.

40" square tray is less then 100 bux, you can get a 27 gal tough tote (15 bux) for your res and a pump for about 30 bux. bam and for around 150 you have a hydro setup, then you just need medium - either 6" rockwool cubes or coco in smartpots.

 

[dannyk892009]

I honestly think soil is easier as long as you get the medium to have enough water retention, drainage, organic soil no time release get nutrients to add in after a week or so, and especially have enough room for happy roots

 

[Rolln J]

my first hydro was handwater: lava rock, vermiculite and perlite 1/3 of each per 5 gallon bucket - I rocked that shit... used GH 3 part too.

this was prolly 89 or 90, before coco was so widely available.

 

[Bunz]

Soil if it's you're first grow. It allows more mistakes & you will make mistakes. Hell, I still do.......................

 

[Mindbender]

Dude,

Cheap is not always best. God knows I have bought cheap shit. What ever you decide ie.. soil v.s hydro you can find used equitment (at least here in Cali) on craigs list under the "farm and garden"link. If, on the other hand - your looking for an investment, to midigate the "dispensary prices" move toward your goal and as you get more cash put in a little more. You can get a 600 watt ballast and hood, medium and clones for the $500, most likley will a little left over... You will need an exhaust fan, charcoal filter, nutrients, fan, most likley a PH pen and/or PPM pen. It adds up.......

Smoking weed isn't addicting, but growing is!

Good Luck whatever you decide.

 

[BayAreasFinest]

id do 25% FFOF 50% FFLW 25% Perlite. Start your clones in red cups or something small. then put them in 5 gal Smart Pots. Very Simple. Room for mistakes. Everyone makes them. Plus you will get some great results.

 

[JACKMAYOFFER]

SOIL I did pretty good my first grow in soil ...:smiley_joint:

 

[Stockton]

Hempy buckets.

Pea gravel up to the hole, filled with 50/50 perlite/peat moss.

 

[sgt. schultz]

Had decent success with pro-mix and GH nutes 2nd grow.

 

[DazedNconfussed]

Thanks guys, tons of great info in this thread, I think im going to downsize to a 600 watts HPS due to electricity cost $0.44 per kwh here....and maybe wait a few months till the weather warms up some. Last thing I wanted to do.

I was hoping to be able to grow enough bud for me and have enough left over to possibly sell back to clubs to pay for the grow and upgrade equipment. I am currently unemployed and thought growing my own weed would be the most affordable way to get my meds. I have a bad feeling clubs around the sacramento area pay horrible but dont know for sure yet. They sure charge enough.

I just dont know what strain is easy to grow, yeilds good, and will be good enough quality for the clubs and then what to expect a club to pay. And with a 600 watt hps being my first grow im thinking an average grow will be maybe 0.5 gr per watt which turns out to be 300 grams....and i know even wiith that number it depends on the strain.

another random question, has anyone used the auto flowering seeds? Is sog or scrog a more effiecient grow method, does it shorten you the grow much?

Sorry for all these questions, im just a bit overwhelmed, didnt think it would be so difficult to grow a few weeds. So in the mean time ill keep researching whats the most efficient way to grow.

 

[Rolln J]

300 grams is easily attainable - sog is quicker but requires higher numbers - scrog you veg longer with less plants and train them to fill a screen - not sure if your getting seeds or going with clones - so see whats available to you and that would make it easier to recommend a strain...

 

[DazedNconfussed]

thanks Rolln, I live in the sacramento area. I will hit a couple different clubs up this weekend and see what they have for clones....then post here and get your alls opinions. In the mean time ill do some reading up on sog and scrog gardening.

Also, i have seen seeds on some websites that call for a 6 week flowering cycle, i belive it was called lowrider. Does anyone have experiance with the shorter flowering cycle strains?

 

[Rolln J]

lowrider is an autoflowering strain - I have never grown them, but there are a bunch of indica strains that come in under 8 weeks.

 

[mountaindank]

Good call on switching to a 600W, I was going to recommend that. They're the most efficient size of light, and 1000W for a personal grow is almost overkill. As for hydro or soil, it looks like hydro is just a little bit more expensive but it's a matter of taste, and whether you think you're up to the challenge of hydro. I think you'll do OK no matter which one you pick. Good luck!

 

[NBfrost]

man i like what texas had to say man , that guy is a amazing pot contosoure , he knows his shit and has proven it time and time again on here , i dont mean to dis- credit anyone else btw ..

 

[JACKMAYOFFER]

My suggestion would be Roots Organic soil start off with some clones or seed in 2 gallon pots Veg for 2 weeks and flower soil is way more forgiving then Hydro Just rember less is more try not to mess with your plants to much and dont over water thats usally the #1 mistake first time growers make, JACK

 

[sedate]

Myself, I agree with Jack, I'd never recommend a new grower to start with any hydroponic system - regardless of simplicity.

Hydro systems are . . . unforgiving to say the least.

Hydroponic growing offers a marginal speed increase, in trade for a huge upfront investment and substantial ongoing upkeep.

A few good soil grows under your belt - get experienced with manicuring your plants, trimming, low stress training, and topping/fimming - even dealing with a pest outbreak - is invaluble experience before you invest yourself into a hydro system.

With respect to other, perhaps more experienced posters on this thread, make it easy on yourself - start with a high-quality soil blend - FoxFarm Ocean Forest is the staple soil here in Colorado - and mix it heavily with perlite, and be done with your medium.

Concentrate on taking care of the plants, not worrying about PPM's and TDS meters and hyperexpensive grow juice.