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Hydro Vs Soil

johnbs8

By johnbs8
in Hydroponic Growing

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GregS Advanced Member

GregS

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i have been growing in soil for about a year now with good results and am thinkn about doing hydro with ebb n flo or bubble buckets. is it just me or is hydro much more complicated and more work then using soil? what benefits are there for using hydo vs soil?

 

Hydro will give you faster growth with bigger yields. The trade off it that it is not necessarily more work, but there are more things that can go wrong in a hurry. There is more technology involved that requires expensive testing and monitoring equipment and procedures. If you are okay with that and can babysit your grow more closely you will be fine. Plants in soil give you enough lead time to correct any problems. A hydro grow can go wrong in a few hours if a significant problem is left unattended, although the methods you mention are pretty foolproof.

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Frank R Advanced Member

Frank R

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i have been growing in soil for about a year now with good results and am thinkn about doing hydro with ebb n flo or bubble buckets. is it just me or is hydro much more complicated and more work then using soil? what benefits are there for using hydo vs soil?

I like using soil because its has less opportunity for failure, and is more forgiving for grower error.

Don't get me wrong hydro is plenty reliable, and works for lots of folks.

I'm just looking to ensure my grow doesn't go askew due to equipment failure, plumbing failures, or pH imbalance in the nutes.

Like Grandpa always said about the bells and whistles on new cars, "Just more junk to break, boy!"

Try a bubble bucket on a plant, that's what I was looking too do when I got the hydro itch.

Budget bubble buckets

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johnbs8 Advanced Member

johnbs8

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yah bubble bucket def sounds like an easy start but you would still need all the testing equipment n such right? pretty much bubble bucket is just another style of hydro growing correct? i think im gonna do some bubble buckets and soil grow as that way i can learn hydro and still have garantee good smoke. i was gonna throw some money at a 3x3 ebb n flow but i think ima hold up for a min and ease into it.

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MedScientist Advanced Member

MedScientist

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If you want to get into Hydro without all the monitoring, an inexpensive and easy way to start would be to go with Hempy Buckets. Alot of people are experimenting with layering media in the buckets, but I would recommend going with 100% perlite. Many growers are having success with mixing in Osmocote Plus, a controlled released nute, and only watering thru harvest! Google "put a hole in the darn bucket" for a link to a very eduacational thread at 420Mag.

 

Good Luck!

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S_C Advanced Member

S_C

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yah bubble bucket def sounds like an easy start but you would still need all the testing equipment n such right? pretty much bubble bucket is just another style of hydro growing correct? i think im gonna do some bubble buckets and soil grow as that way i can learn hydro and still have garantee good smoke. i was gonna throw some money at a 3x3 ebb n flow but i think ima hold up for a min and ease into it.

 

As long as you have a PPM and Ph meter, you are good to go. A Ph meter is very important for soil growing also and a ppm meter is not a bad thing to have around.

Both of those can be found on ebay for under $20

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mibrains Advanced Member

mibrains

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much respect to you of course my friend. :rock:

but after countless hours of research i have found only one system of true organic hydroponics, whereas the plant is grown in a modified setup allowing both systems to work congruently.

lots of people try "organic" ferts in there hydo....

theres a sound argument as to why thats difficult at best. this link helps explain.

i could be wrong of course....

i first became aware of the problem recently while reading ed Rosenthal's newest book. and then i researched it and discovered a sound argument.

http://www.generalhydroponics.com/genhydro_US/quicktips/OrganicHydroponicArticle.pdf

just my position on this issue, but by no means do i consider myself an expert, i am barley learned.

:sword:

 

 

???? huh?? you are misinformed sir/madam.

 

this is just the first page my google search brought up: http://www.planetnat...-nutrients.html

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mibrains Advanced Member

mibrains

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i of course offer only my opinion.

it's simple for me i have evolved to where i am and will continue to learn and change.

i read so many post in here by so many smart people, and decided without much difficulty to try bubble buckets. i purchased everything, air stones, buckets, pump, hoses, ect.

i set up the run along side my soil which at the time was fox farms happy frog.

its the middle of November.

i had to go to my sisters in Brighton for thanksgiving. what happens if i need to go out of town for a couple of days? hydro must be watched. mistakes rear their ugly head within hours, and crops can be lost within a days time....

soil, like a cat can wait a couple days (thats what i have been used to) OH wait, an unforeseen downside to hydro. SNAP i was horrified

i thought, ok....no problem...... but what happens if the power goes out?

thinking back to past winters then i realized every year here in Northern MI an ice storm, or winter blowout inevitably causes a 2-3 even 4 day power outage. i would need a generator. let the shopping begin. WOW :startle:

at that point i could not afford the cost. :thumbsd:

i need more lights, and more ventilation first. higher on the priority list as i am building and evolving and constantly upgrading my current system.

so i asked myself this question?

if soil is the most cost efficient way for me right now, why not organic? a good friend from our local CC gave me a mixture that is R/O water only during the cycle (with a tea if needed). so with that i bought a book, read a few thousand web pages. mixed a trial run and am now 1/2 way through my first run.

i am in no way advocating a system either way.:rolleyes:

do it how ever you want

there are literally hundreds of numbers of trials to make organics work with hydro if not thousands. most will clog pumps, foul reservoirs and air stones, and generally cause headaches.

the ones that don't supposedly aren't truly organic? sure OK it says organic. so does 1/2 the crap at the store. that doesn't make it so.

but i have no stake in this.

i only offer that there are pros and cons to each type of system, and there are so many considerations with each system, that the best way to figure it out, is to ask lots of questions, talk to as many as you can and figure out what works for you as individuals trying to help people.

i am in this for the knowledge, compassion, and comredery. the hugs and friends.

opinions should always be taken as merely information in a world of data. don't take anything anyone says literally ever. nothing in this world is fact. everything changes. the world is round. space and time are intertwined. whatever. soil vrs hydro? depends on so many factors.....the list is endless.

bottom line.

grow your own meds....it's truly a rush and thats the common thread.

:thumbsu:

peace

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