Newbie: Soil vs DWC, Uggh

[SmokingBud]

For years I've been growing hydroponic lettuce and a few other small plants. I created an account here 2 months ago and have been reading some journals to get a clue of what growing cannabis means. I have been impressed with the intelligence and helpfulness of the members here!

6 weeks ago I started a bunch of tomato and pepper plants in DWC/RDWC to get my tent working and to learn if I would love hydroponics with cannabis plants. Although my plants looks pretty good - hydroponics (excluding Kratky) is a pain the $SS.

I started my cannabis seeds about a month ago in hydroponics - White Dream 3, White Dream 16 and Very White Kush. I'm about to put them in 60% cococoir and 40% perlite. Unless you change my mind Then I will start my grow first grow journal. I have the FoxFarm nutes, Cal-Mag and MOAB ready to go. I hope you can join me

 

[Enr0n]

Greetings I am sure there are plenty who can help and will be more than willing to do so.

Looking good

 

[odinsmaster]

I run 30% coco 70 hydroton. And love it

 

[SmokingBud]

Odinsmaster, that's very nice! I can't imagine having that kinda grow at this point. I will strongly consider your "soil" formula. I have the hydroton balls. Thanks for welcoming me!

 

[SmokingBud]

@odinsmaster I am also using floraflex for dripping the nutes to my rdwc tomatoes/peppers. I looked into your journals and I'm wondering what black buckets you use. Also wondering how you can water only 45 seconds as my dumn timers go 15min at the least. Are you using a smart timer plug by Google or Alexa with smart automation?

You are making me reconsider RDWC for my plants, but all that automated watering is like inviting the devil to stay for a night

 

[odinsmaster]

I’m just using 3 gallon flower pots from Amazon. I’m using a auto pilot timer it’s just a two outlet digital timer that goes to the second. That’s the only automated part.

@odinsmaster I am also using floraflex for dripping the nutes to my rdwc tomatoes/peppers. I looked into your journals and I'm wondering what black buckets you use. Also wondering how you can water only 45 seconds as my dumn timers go 15min at the least. Are you using a smart timer plug by Google or Alexa with smart automation?

You are making me reconsider RDWC for my plants, but all that automated watering is like inviting the devil to stay for a night

 

[Grand Daddy Black]

Welcome Smokingbud.

 

[MochaBud]

@SmokingBud

For years I've been growing hydroponic lettuce and a few other small plants. I created an account here 2 months ago and have been reading some journals to get a clue of what growing cannabis means. I have been impressed with the intelligence and helpfulness of the members here!

6 weeks ago I started a bunch of tomato and pepper plants in DWC/RDWC to get my tent working and to learn if I would love hydroponics with cannabis plants. Although my plants looks pretty good - hydroponics (excluding Kratky) is a pain the $SS.

I started my cannabis seeds about a month ago in hydroponics - White Dream 3, White Dream 16 and Very White Kush. I'm about to put them in 60% cococoir and 40% perlite. Unless you change my mind Then I will start my grow first grow journal. I have the FoxFarm nutes, Cal-Mag and MOAB ready to go. I hope you can join me

When I started, I tried every way to grow...settled on Fox Farms soils and their nutrients...I hated taking an hour or more mixing my nutes and lowering PH and checking PPM, EC, etc...now I just water or feed and it couldn't be easier...

Veg tent, a little crowded

• MochaBud
• Dec 29, 2020

Big girls are loose, and looking for room in the flower tents...lol

• MochaBud
• Jan 13, 2021

 

[Tokin Roll]

Welcome aboard @SmokingBud

GL with your grow.

Nice setup @MochaBud impressive.

Tok..

 

[Oldhippie59]

Welcome my friend!

 

[MochaBud]

Welcome aboard @SmokingBud

GL with your grow.

Nice setup @MochaBud impressive.

Tok..

Thanks Tok ...only took 15 years, but it's finally the way I want it ... well, maybe a little bigger room would be nice

 

[Bill284]

For years I've been growing hydroponic lettuce and a few other small plants. I created an account here 2 months ago and have been reading some journals to get a clue of what growing cannabis means. I have been impressed with the intelligence and helpfulness of the members here!

6 weeks ago I started a bunch of tomato and pepper plants in DWC/RDWC to get my tent working and to learn if I would love hydroponics with cannabis plants. Although my plants looks pretty good - hydroponics (excluding Kratky) is a pain the $SS.

I started my cannabis seeds about a month ago in hydroponics - White Dream 3, White Dream 16 and Very White Kush. I'm about to put them in 60% cococoir and 40% perlite. Unless you change my mind Then I will start my grow first grow journal. I have the FoxFarm nutes, Cal-Mag and MOAB ready to go. I hope you can join me

Welcome smokingbud I'm in coco so not much help to you but I'll follow along for fun. You already have some brilliant people advising, ill watch and learn.

 

[Tokin Roll]

maybe a little bigger room would be nice

Isn't that funny how that works.

I have a tent and have vision of a room.

With no idea of size, but I can dream.

Tok..

 

[SmokingBud]

@SmokingBud

When I started, I tried every way to grow...settled on Fox Farms soils and their nutrients...I hated taking an hour or more mixing my nutes and lowering PH and checking PPM, EC, etc...now I just water or feed and it couldn't be easier...

Veg tent, a little crowded

• MochaBud
• Dec 29, 2020

Big girls are loose, and looking for room in the flower tents...lol

• MochaBud
• Jan 13, 2021

Thanks @MochaBud You are looking very dialed in to the soil. I'm still on the fence. I have to decide tomorrow as they need a real home now

 

[MochaBud]

Thanks MochaBud! You are looking very dialed in to the soil. I'm still on the fence. I have to decide tomorrow as they need a real home now

Thanks Smoke ...Well I started in Miracle Grow under CFLs ...but, I've tried...coco coir, hydro, hempy (just perlite), aeroponics, organics, and finally FFOF and their nutrients, well, cuz, it's easy, and I'm not getting any younger I still use organics outside for my fruits and veggies, but other than that I'm sold on FFOF, it does the heavy lifting for me

 

[SmokingBud]

Thanks Tok ...only took 15 years, but it's finally the way I want it ... well, maybe a little bigger room would be nice

@Tokin Roll Yea I wish mine was bigger too and that also

 

[SmokingBud]

Thanks Smoke ...Well I started in Miracle Grow under CFLs ...but, I've tried...coco coir, hydro, hempy (just perlite), aeroponics, organics, and finally FFOF and their nutrients, well, cuz, it's easy, and I'm not getting any younger I still use organics outside for my fruits and veggies, but other than that I'm sold on FFOF, it does the heavy lifting for me

@MochaBud Which FF soil do you buy? About how much does the soil cost per grow? Can you re-use it?

 

[MochaBud]

@MochaBud Which FF soil do you buy? About how much does the soil cost per grow? Can you re-use it?

I use the Ocean Forest for my mature plants and I use Happy Frog to start my seedlings, and it depends on how big a bag you get my store has this in the FFOF & the FFHF, the small 12 quart bag, the 1.5 cu. ft. bag, a new 3 cu ft bag, and the big 500 cu ft bag...I know big bag right ...I just got back from there, I picked up 3 of the 3 cu ft bags for $32.99 a pc. that will last me for 6 months...but I have anywhere from 8 to 11 strains going at once in a perpetual garden

EDIT: I forgot to say, I reuse my soil, but I put it in my compost bin, which is all organic

 

[SmokingBud]

@MochaBud Wow, you really have experimented with all the grow types! I should probably follow your lead and not screw around with anything but soil. But I bet if someone told you early on that soil was the way to go, you would have done it all anyway - right So I bought 2 bags of Ocean cuz your plants and grow room are so awesome! Amazon will deliver it Friday.

For my first grow of 3 plants, I decided 1 will be in FF soil, 1 in hydroton/coco (like @odinsmaster ) and the 3rd in pure perlite (it's my current gig for growing peppers and tomatoes in a tent).

I know I will have to hand water the FF soil different than the other 2 mediums - as they have no nutes, but I have lots of time at the moment. The best thing I have going for me is I made a ton of mistakes the last 2 months with timers, humidity, temperature, not tracking PPM, and full blown stupidity that should help get me get to

with buds like you

 

[MochaBud]

Yep, I 'was' told, and I still had to do it I did pretty good with the hydro, till my res leaked 35 gallons of water all over the place, so I went to coco, did okay with that after I found a brick with my plant in it and realized I needed to keep it damp at all times ...yea the soil is more forgiving, and like I said, all I do is water/feed and watch 'em grow, no PHing, no checking my PPMs, no adding PH down, no more expensive PH, PPM pens to buy, yep life is good