Still cannot decide - hydro system for trees

[Anima]

While working on wiring my room, my buddy and I were discussing hydro methods. I am still leaning towards large tub (20-50 gallons) dwc, though I am highly interested in e&f buckets. Anima's setup looks good. I have all the height I need as my ceiling is 10'6".

My DWC idea is to build a 20-50 gallon res out of 2x matieral, plywood, insulation, and pondliner (I have built turtle ponds this way). I would plumb a drain with a hose sipgot into the res to make water changes easy. I would use 1.5" solid foam insualtion for the lid, with the netpot in that. I live at altitude in a cool climate, so cooling, when needing, will be done with axial fans creating evaporative cooling. I will use airstones, heater, and a small water pump in res.

I could easily make my DWC system like Anima's setup, using 5 gallon buckets over my home made res. I like it and it seems simple and effective.

I assume the difference between the two in yield and speed are minimal. What are the differences in the systems?

I run an ebb and flow.. in buckets. I have never ran DWC.

So I can't answer your question competently. Although my method will use more hydroton.
I'd say my yeild is on par or higher than normal DWC. Easy to get 4 Z's per plant. I run a 400 watt on a flip/flop so I can grow 4 largish bushes. (2 plants per 400 watt bulb, each one gets power for 12 hours.)
Low plant count was a factor in my decision to grow this way as well.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Whatever you end up deciding on.... do yourself a favor and take it a step at a time.


Get the 400w and run 2-3 grows under it. Use only nutes and skip all the additives.


Once you're satisfied that you're growing decent quality meds, well flushed and all... Get yourself a 600 or 1K HPS, and use the 400w for a veg area. To stay at 6 plants or under I would work on finding a reputable outlet for clones of something you like. Otherwise keep a mum or two and only flower 4 plants at a time.


The reason I suggest these changes is to prevent what thousands of people have done before and that's spend bucks on equipment you're not going to use. You really don't have a full understanding of what you need (you wouldn't be asking here if you did) so without a pro standing next to you, you're going to overspend.

Keep it simple, take it a step at a time and you'll end up in an awesome place in about 6 months to a year.


Stay Safe!


Edit: In a couple years, after you have quite a few grows under your belt, you should be able to tell the affect and additive has on your grow. Right now you might as well chuck your cash into the wind if you're buying additives when first starting to grow.

 

[Anima]

Hydro offers some good advise....

 

[*mistress*]

SYK's Killer Bucket System (KBS) Suggestion/Discussion Thread
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=121419

veg @ least 4-8 weeks under the same 1k(s) you flower under. mh or hps. both
whatever method you select, w/ min 4-5 gal bucket & min 4 week veg.

enjoy your garden!

 

[Haps]

The 1.5 inch foam is not strong enough for dependable crop after crop use. I made tubbler lids with it, and had minor breakage during normal use, you can see mine deep in my old gallery if you want.

 

[Albireo]

Whatever you end up deciding on.... do yourself a favor and take it a step at a time.


Get the 400w and run 2-3 grows under it. Use only nutes and skip all the additives.

thanks and I agree this is good advice. I am not a rookie as I have well over 2 dozen grows of my own and have help about a half dozen setup grows. I have only used dwc myself. I have helped others set up dwc, soil, and drain to waist. One of my buddies who I helped get started (only one I am still in contact with) now uses e&f buckets with a controller. It has almost been 10 years since I have grown myself. There are a ton more nutes available now than then.

 

[Albireo]

The 1.5 inch foam is not strong enough for dependable crop after crop use. I made tubbler lids with it, and had minor breakage during normal use, you can see mine deep in my old gallery if you want.

very good to know!

 

[ThePieEyedPiper]

Our highest yeilding plant indoors came from my CAPebb n' gro 36 site system.
Under 3-1000's most yield between 2.5 to 7.5 zips each! Depending on strain and where placed under lights.

 

[Albireo]

From what you're describing, I would go with large ebb and flo buckets (home made 15 to 30 gallon buckets). The key is for trees is a lot of root space. E&F will require larger buckets due to the medium that will take up root space.

Great looking plant!

So I have an ebb flow question mostly pertaining to your quote above. Is it bad to have roots hanging out of the media as you would in dwc? If using a 15 gallon container, would it have to be full of media?

 

[relief]

Yes, the container would have to be full of media such as hydroton, silica stone, etc. The reason we have a medium in ebb and flow is that the roots do not stay submerged. It's flooded, then quickly drained (hence "ebb and flo"). This way the medium can hold just enough water for the plant and prohibit any anti-aerobic bacteria from growing at the root zone.

When the medium is flooded, it pushes the old air out, then as it drains it pulls fresh oxygen in. This is why you dont need air pumps with ebb and flow systems. I would highly recommend you study both methods extensively before you get started. Search for some ebb and grow tutorials here on ICmag to get a better understanding of both systems.

I would again recommend ebb and grow because the questions you asked tell us your experience in both techniques is very limited. Ebb and flow is much easier than dwc.

 

[Albireo]

I would again recommend ebb and grow because the questions you asked tell us your experience in both techniques is very limited. Ebb and flow is much easier than dwc.

I have no problem understanding dwc. My experience is small time under a 430 watt, but I had good results and my current set-up is not scaled much larger.

I have never grown using ebb and flow and trying to figure out why it is easier. I have only seen e&f in action a few times (buckets with a controller). DWC is as simple as it gets. Place plant in net pot over reservoir, add air and top off water as needed. Change nutes every 10-20 days and walla.

I think since I have 2 4x4 tables, i will try a little of both. I will run the plants I have in my temp ghetto veg box in dwc, since that is what theyh are doing now. I will run the other 4x4 as ebb and flow buckets similar to what Anima is doing. I will run a few runs with both and see what I like.

Here are some pics from my last few grows in 2001;

 

[VagPuncher]

Krusty Buckets

Thread/

 

[relief]

Yes, ebb and flow is much less maintenance. You dont have to worry about water temps no where near as much. No air pumps to worry about failing. Anti aerobic bacteria growth is a lot less of a concern. Much easier to do res changes, especially if the res is your bucket you're growing in.

What ever you decide, you must have a lot of root space for trees and you will have to trim the bottoms. Scrog or not.