Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wilma?

[flexy123]

I am growing organic in soil for some time, semi-outside in a greenhouse on the balcony under LEDs.

Ever since I am growing in soil I feel that I run into all sorts of issues, like water ph, soil ph, possibly overwatering and then nute deficiencies because of chocked roots etc... along with other problems such as algae/mold and most importantly BUGS. (fungus gnats etc.).

So I am looking at a SIMPLE and affordable hydro system and the Atami Wilma V2 caught my eye. I understand it's basically 8 pots, a tray, a reservoir and a pump. I also understand it can work like a drip-system (w/ soil, coco etc) but also like a hydro system when I use clay pebbles.

MIND YOU I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HYDRO, this is totally new to me, but I think I want to try this out.

Here some questions:

*) Anyone have experience with those Wilma systems?
*) I am confused how to get/put seedlings into the pots with clay pebbles? Are you germinating them right in those pots? (My thought here is that when I normally transplant into soil the soil sort-of holds the seedling/plants...but I cannot picture how the clay pebbles would 'hold' a tiny plant in the pot?) Or am I just over-thinking this?
*) I am looking at the Atami Wilma 8x with 8x 11L pots. This would fit nicely into my grow space which is 120x60cm (this is the area the light covers right now).
*) Someone said that plants in such a system would "grow huge", now I am not sure whether 8x 11L pots might actually be too much if every plant would really grow "huge". (I could expand my grow area tho to 120x120cm, 4x4')
*) Is it possible to transplant plants that were vegged in hydro (clay pebbles) outdoors for flowering? This would mean I would at some point need to transplant from clay pebbles to soil. Is this possible?
*) Or should I rather go with the Wilma system with 10x 6L pots and then grow smaller plants, like Autos but keep them in the greenhouse under hydro?
*) Is it as easy as getting Nutes for veg/flower, fill the tank with water and the nutes and then run the system for a week? Then I need to make a new nute solution?
*) I assume the nute solution must be ph corrected. My tap water is hard, 8.5ph.
*) I am looking at Hesi Hydro nutes, are they ok? I don't want anything complicated, nothing where I need 8 different nutes/additives.
*) Anything better than those Wilma systems in the same price range? (Saw the Wilma 8x for €110 which seems to be a very good price)
*) Anything else I need to know?

Thanks

 

[thebudking]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

Long story short, switch to coco! You have the whole soil set up already. Throw the soil out, use coco with hydro nutes, it is almost impossible to over water, ph stable for the most part and you will love the results. Use a good quality coco, canna is the best in my opinion, use canna coco nutes with a cal-mag full run with a basic bloom booster and BAM! Sweet, easy, potent buds. I grow in hydro now but I am switching to coco because it is so much easier.

 

[Hydrotryptan]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

Hydroponics is not necessary an easier system, most things to be done in soil, also need to be adjusted in Hydro.
I wouldn't recommend buying a built system, since you can easily build most Hydroponic Systems (especially DWC) by your own. There are plenty of DIY-Instructions on the Web.
Mostly Seedlings or Cuttings are grown in Rockwool, and when the roots want to get out, you just put the whole block in your cup with your Hydroton/clay/cocos whatsoever.
I think you could change location after you start Flowering, but i've never done it, and wouldn't recommend it because your Plants will probably get a shock.
I change my solution once a week and it works well, but i am using NFT. Ph should be around 5.5 - 6.2. Check before and after adding Nutrients. You can add Vinegar or Citric Acid to lower ph.
With Nutrients there are so many opinions and guides i don't even know what its all about, just be sure you take one that is especially for Hemp and not a common Garden Nutrient. I use one for Veg and one for Bloom, but i think one should do as well.

If im mistaken don't hesitate to correct me, since were all here to learn or share

Hope i could Help you

 

[flexy123]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

Yes I am totally torn between whether I should get this system or not.

I realized it's not that easy, the main problem for me is with changing the water.
The thought I need to drain 80L water every week makes me cringe, I have NO idea how to dispose the water.
(I don't have a drain or a hose connection on the balcony where the greenhouse is.)

The only way I can think of running such a system reasonably would be with just so much water that after 7-10 days most of the water is gone and that draining/replacing the water wouldn't be a major problem. But then I don't know whether this is possible. The system comes with a 80L tank, I don't know whether the 80L tank must be filled to the MAX or whether it's possible to run the system on, say 40L or so. And then I don't know about how much of that water will be left after a week.

(I do not want to drain 50, 60, 70 or 80L each week into buckets with a hose and then replace the water, it would be MUCH more hassles than I actually wanted, actually I would think this being more of a hassle than watering my plants like I do right now by hand)

The other problem is of course that people say the ph changes when the solution is re-circling, which makes of course sense, but adjusting the ph I still could live with.

** The "Wilma" system I have in mind because it looks simple and would perfectly fit into my grow space. I know about DIY and how people make DWC systems from buckets, but TBH I want something easy that I can immediately try and see. DIY for hydro I can still do at a later time.

 

[DukeO]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

I started out from growing in dirt and set out to grow Hydro 2yrs ago.

I just grow for myself and to help out some friends and wanted to grow different kinds of plants at the same time the simplest way possible.

I choose DWC in 5gal buckets. I had lots of problems at first.

But now I am dialed in and everything has become simple.

Here is what I do.

I use GH 3 part with GH bloom booster and z7 water treatment and GH flush at the end when I make my only water change of the grow.

I have found no need to change the water at any other time. In fact my odds of having an issue are lower if I do not change the water.

To me the best thing you can do that will help the most in Hydro is get a real good PH and PPM meter and use it a lot.

The other key part of my system is the z7 water treatment. It keeps everything clean and free from salt build up. I use no bleach or h202 and my buckets are spotless.

So any good 3 part,z7 a good meter some buckets and LED lights is all that is really needed.

Going DWC with buckets allows you a lot of freedom in how and what you grow.

If you get a tent or two you can move plants around and go perpetual as I have.

DWC works great for me and once you are setup right. It is real cheap and easy..

 

[hydro1000]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

Have you thought about Hempy buckets? all the benifits of hydro with the ease of soil. This is what they tell me haha. I have one ww in a 2.5 gallon hempy bucket 100% perlite. she is doing great and so far very easy to care for and a lot more forgiving if something goes wrong like your plants won't be dead in an hour, I'm trying hempy buckets for the first time, so far a lot less stress on me not worrying about the system not working. This hempy bucket seems to be the cats meow but the watering daily later on will be the downfall i think, we will soon see.

 

[CMJJMC2000]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I read up on these when I was getting started and trying to dip my toes in the hydro/aero arena. From what I've read, if you're looking to switch over just go the DWC route. I went the Aerogarden route (journal starting soon when germination completes) since I'm running a single auto.

 

[CMJJMC2000]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

With regard to easier vs harder, I think a better way to look at it is less work vs. more work. Hydro *can* be less work, but there are more inputs in my experience. All of my experience is in soil, just switched over to hydro/aero for a fresh attempt and can see the allure of both sides.

 

[flexy123]

Re: Wanting to start with hydro - So I need some pointers/beginner advice - Atami Wil

Have you thought about Hempy buckets? all the benifits of hydro with the ease of soil. This is what they tell me haha. I have one ww in a 2.5 gallon hempy bucket 100% perlite. she is doing great and so far very easy to care for and a lot more forgiving if something goes wrong like your plants won't be dead in an hour, I'm trying hempy buckets for the first time, so far a lot less stress on me not worrying about the system not working. This hempy bucket seems to be the cats meow but the watering daily later on will be the downfall i think, we will soon see.

Ok I am reading up on those, it DOES look interesting. It would get rid of over-watering/bugs etc. problems and I totally LOVE the idea to be flexible in how many pots I want and what size. (The Wilma systems sort-of limit me to a certain nr/size). And of course no need to run hoses to fill a tank and no need to drain a tank. The longer I look at this, the better it sounds.

Besides it seems to be stupidly simple...AND allows me to see how those GHE nutes trio would do compared to the nutes I am using right now. I also see it's possible to transplant them to soil/outdoors later. (In Summer I usually flower outdoors in soil).

It looks so simple I might actually give this is a shot!

 

[Gavinsgardens]

I am growing organic in soil for some time, semi-outside in a greenhouse on the balcony under LEDs.

Ever since I am growing in soil I feel that I run into all sorts of issues, like water ph, soil ph, possibly overwatering and then nute deficiencies because of chocked roots etc... along with other problems such as algae/mold and most importantly BUGS. (fungus gnats etc.).

So I am looking at a SIMPLE and affordable hydro system and the Atami Wilma V2 caught my eye. I understand it's basically 8 pots, a tray, a reservoir and a pump. I also understand it can work like a drip-system (w/ soil, coco etc) but also like a hydro system when I use clay pebbles.

MIND YOU I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HYDRO, this is totally new to me, but I think I want to try this out.

Here some questions:

*) Anyone have experience with those Wilma systems?
*) I am confused how to get/put seedlings into the pots with clay pebbles? Are you germinating them right in those pots? (My thought here is that when I normally transplant into soil the soil sort-of holds the seedling/plants...but I cannot picture how the clay pebbles would 'hold' a tiny plant in the pot?) Or am I just over-thinking this?
*) I am looking at the Atami Wilma 8x with 8x 11L pots. This would fit nicely into my grow space which is 120x60cm (this is the area the light covers right now).
*) Someone said that plants in such a system would "grow huge", now I am not sure whether 8x 11L pots might actually be too much if every plant would really grow "huge". (I could expand my grow area tho to 120x120cm, 4x4')
*) Is it possible to transplant plants that were vegged in hydro (clay pebbles) outdoors for flowering? This would mean I would at some point need to transplant from clay pebbles to soil. Is this possible?
*) Or should I rather go with the Wilma system with 10x 6L pots and then grow smaller plants, like Autos but keep them in the greenhouse under hydro?
*) Is it as easy as getting Nutes for veg/flower, fill the tank with water and the nutes and then run the system for a week? Then I need to make a new nute solution?
*) I assume the nute solution must be ph corrected. My tap water is hard, 8.5ph.
*) I am looking at Hesi Hydro nutes, are they ok? I don't want anything complicated, nothing where I need 8 different nutes/additives.
*) Anything better than those Wilma systems in the same price range? (Saw the Wilma 8x for €110 which seems to be a very good price)
*) Anything else I need to know?

Thanks

If your in the greenhouse you will need a water cooler , if the temps are low you need an aquarium heater , water temps should be 18 -22 .
once the nutes are for hard water you should be fine , add the nutes then adjust the ph , that should go up slowly every few data adjust them when they get over 6.2 back to 5.8 and let them range back , don’t keep adjusting .