How to: Simple Hydroponics

TheCapn;1767711 said:

Now the fun part! Building our flowering system. Before putting your plant into flower, check out my article on "bend and top". Is your plant REALLY ready to flower? Many times I have flowered a plant too early, and then disappointed with the yield. It takes 2 months to flower a plant, why not veg for the same amount of time? A difference of two weeks could literally be a difference of 4-5 ounces of bud in the end.

We've been "top feed to waste" in vegetative growth for about two months. When using Rockwool during flowering, I have found it is TOO wasteful to "top feed drain to waste". The plants are so thirsty, we need to water them frequently, so I will show you how to set up a recirculating system "recirculating top feed" for under $50 (you might already have this stuff laying around). Let's put together our set up. I'll show you THREE different ways you can do it. In all three methods, you will have some type of reservoir with an air stone in it, a small water pump on a timer, and you'll need to build a little drip ring like this:

Method 1:
This is the simplest and least expensive method, but produces big results. You only need a 185gph water pump, some pvc pipe, some 1/2 hose (don't use clear hose), and a couple 10 gallon totes. The concept is easy, and the picture explains it all. The 10gal tote that the plant sits in, just collects the water and funnels it back to the 10gal tote sitting on the floor.

Method 2:
Here I use a 27gal tough box. It has a strong, recessed lid. I paint the lid black, then a layer of white, to light proof it. I drill a 6" hole in the top, and set the plant right on top of it. When we top feed, the water simply drains thru the hole. This system can hold up to 25 gallons, so if you will be gone for long periods of time, this is the way to go.

Method 3:
This is the big mama, and uses 10 gallons of rockwool. This is somewhat experimental. I combined the rockwool with about 1/3rd hydroton. Instead of the 5.8 gal airpot, I made a similar set up with this 10gal brute trash can. I had to special order the 10gal brute. I also put in on a rolling cart, so I could easily turn it to get to the other side of the plant. Or, you could roll it down the street to your buddy's house

So now you've seen three different bad-ass flowering systems, two of which cost under $50 including the $18 water pump. I hope I haven't overwhelmed you with too many options. My point is, you probably have pumps and totes laying around the house, and you can get creative, and use any combination you like, as long as you follow the same basic principle. The advantages of these systems:

1. Allow you to leave them for up to a week at a time.

2. Immune to power outages. Power can be out for several hours at a time and roots wont dry up.

3. DWC comparable results, with less chance for root rot.

4. When compared to dirt, there is less chance with rockwool attracting pests. Rockwool is CLEAN. Price is same as high quality dirt.

5. Simple to set up, almost impossible to over water, easy to flush... need I go on???


If you choose to set up a system like this, here are a few rules of thumb.

1. Light proof your reservoir. If the reservoir water gets light, it could grow algae or anaerobic bacteria, causing root rot.

2. Put an air stone in the reservoir. The water should be aerated (pronounced "air-ated", not "air-eee-ated"). If you are using beneficial bacteria, it will die if the water is not aerated. We don't need a TON of air, just a basic flow of air will do, to prevent the water from growing any anaerobic bacteria.

3. It is important all of the rockwool gets saturated during irrigation. Adjust your pipe properly to ensure good penetration. oh yeah! TheCapn likes good penetration!

4. Irrigation times. Get a cheap 15min on, 15 min off timer. If you are using straight grow-cubes, I would start with 3-4 x a day, 15 minutes each time. If you are using a mix of hydroton and grow cubes, I would start with 6 times a day. After irrigating, wait 30 minutes and then lift your pot slightly to see how heavy it is. Then, come back in a few hours later. If you notice a difference, up the frequency. The beauty about rockwool cubes, is that it is difficult to over water. But we do want to let the roots get plenty of oxygen.

5. As with any system, keep your timers and plugs up off the floor. We don't want you getting electrocuted.

Here is a pic of all 3 happy plants. The rear one has been in flower for 3 weeks, the other two, just a week. It is hard to get them all in the picture:

In the next post, we will talk a about water quality, nutrients, beneficial bacteria, ppm, and PH.

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