Hydro vs soil, what's your opinion ?

[Creeperpark]

Soil is a natural body that consists of layers (soil horizons), composed primarily of minerals, which differ from their parent materials in their texture, structure, consistency, color, chemical, biological, and other physical characteristics. Google

Soil is the thin layer of material covering the earth's surface and is formed from the weathering of rocks. It is made up mainly of mineral particles, organic materials, air, water, and living organisms—all of which interact slowly yet constantly. Google

Peat and coco coir are both considered hydroponic media and not soil. The way you supplement the plants is a choice by the grower but it's all soil-less.

 

[Creeperpark]

The difference of preference is governed by the speed at which one wants to grow and the amount of yield one desires. .Also, the degree of skill one has using these methods makes all the difference in the world. Happy New Year Everyone.

 

[Sunshineinabag]

My opinion coco has way too much nutrient waste and work! .

It's easy to get salt buildups

 

[Sunshineinabag]

Soil is a natural body that consists of layers (soil horizons), composed primarily of minerals, which differ from their parent materials in their texture, structure, consistency, color, chemical, biological, and other physical characteristics. Google

Soil is the thin layer of material covering the earth's surface and is formed from the weathering of rocks. It is made up mainly of mineral particles, organic materials, air, water, and living organisms—all of which interact slowly yet constantly. Google

Peat and coco coir are both considered hydroponic media and not soil. The way you supplement the plants is a choice by the grower but it's all soil-less.

I am not saying what he's saying is wrong it's his view of things my view of things is as follows soil starts out Loose The Roots fill it if it's grown and it's fed properly IE dialed in it becomes a substrate quite reminiscent of a sponge a ph-neutral sponge Hydro is not that just my Outlook

 

[tobedetermined]

Maybe it is just the grow journals that I have read, but soil seems to be more susceptible to bugs. I could be really wrong but . . .

 

[flylowgethigh]

IMO, new soil is susceptible to bugs. The only ones I get lately are SMs. Maybe it's the neem I have been adding to the soil. My killer red mites are long gone, so they aren't the reason.

 

[RockinRobot]

In Soil plants have to produce enzymes that break down the organics in the soil into the basic minerals the plant needs. In Hydro those elements are bio-available to the plant at all times, meaning the plant is never low on needed nutrition. Hydro is also much easier and cleaner. Soil is heavy and gets everywhere no matter how neat you try to be. With Hydro all you need is a pump and some hose to move the water around. I'll take Hydro over soil any day.

 

[goingrey]

Something no one seems to have mentioned yet as an obvious disadvantage of non-passive hydro is the need for extra equipment, and how that also creates more possible points of failure.

At least for me that has played a big part in not going down that road. Along with how wasteful flushing all that fertilizer down the toilet every rez change seems. Then again, nightsoil growers would surely argue that any use of the toilet is a waste of good fertilizer, which does kind of put that into perspective.

How do you guys feel about aero though? It's always been a dream of mine to try it out. It just seems so... let's say, futuristic, for lack of a better word. But people do say aero is better suited for leafy greens and something like DWC would be more effective for growing flower.

 

[RockinRobot]

Something no one seems to have mentioned yet as an obvious disadvantage of non-passive hydro is the need for extra equipment, and how that also creates more possible points of failure.

At least for me that has played a big part in not going down that road. Along with how wasteful flushing all that fertilizer down the toilet every rez change seems. Then again, nightsoil growers would surely argue that any use of the toilet is a waste of good fertilizer, which does kind of put that into perspective.

How do you guys feel about aero though? It's always been a dream of mine to try it out. It just seems so... let's say, futuristic, for lack of a better word. But people do say aero is better suited for leafy greens and something like DWC would be more effective for growing flower.

Aero is great but has more points of failure. Misters plug up constantly. Also big difference between low pressure areo and high pressure. High pressure areo is best as it produces a true mist but requires more expensive pumps and emitters clog more easily.

For myself Flood and drain has always been the simplest with fewest points of failure. You just need a spare timer and spare water pump. not much else can go bad. I also had great luck using Hempy buckets on outdoor vegetables though never tried indoor weed grow in hempys but they are fantastic form of Hydro. I ran 3/1 perlite/vermiculite in my outdoor hempy buckets.

I also don't change res out weekly. I used to but it's unnecessary I simply top of and ad nutrients to bring back up to proper EC. I drain res and redo about 1/2 way through flower.

 

[St. Phatty]

Has anybody ever taken a marijuana plant on an airplane ?

Like they do for their dogs - buy it a ticket so it gets a seat and everything ?

 

[mexweed]

hempy buckets are 100% easier than organic, the thing that sucks most about coco is breaking it up from the compressed brick, it can be messy but then it's like no big deal it's just coco fiber

as for quality I go back and forth, I would say it has more to do with genetics/strain, I don't think that water only organic soil is the best tasting bud, the best gg4 I have ever smoked was done with salts, it had that sour kind of elmer's glue tennis ball funk thing going on, gg4 in soil tends to bring out more of the musty chocolate which ruins it

 

[goingrey]

hempy buckets are 100% easier than organic, the thing that sucks most about coco is breaking it up from the compressed brick, it can be messy but then it's like no big deal it's just coco fiber

Maybe some bricks are better than others but my experience has been that you just pour the water on top and wait a couple of hours. That's it.

You can also buy uncompressed coco in bags from brands like CANNA.

 

[mexweed]

I will pick up a storage tote and try that, which I will need for rinsing my used coco and hydroton anyway, I have been ripping pieces off of it dry which is a pain even going along the grain, I have the 5kg mother earth bale

 

[Brother Nature]

If you understand how a plant takes in nutrients relative to it's growth medium, you'll have excellent results in either. I do soil because I work full time, when I didn't I did hydro. Results were the same in quality, but hydro was always a few weeks quicker. Two weeks quicker in a yearly harvest makes a difference to your bottom line. But with soil you can tell people it's organic, charge them more, and they still jizz themselves cause organic "is" better...

 

[Lester Beans]

I also don't change res out weekly. I used to but it's unnecessary I simply top of and ad nutrients to bring back up to proper EC. I drain res and redo about 1/2 way through flower.

I completely disagree. The boost the plants display after a res change weekly is phenomenal. If you are just topping off you will build up some nutrients and lack others. Say the plant uses a bunch of k, you top off and have an high level of everything but k. Just an example.

Change the res weekly and during the week top off with pure pH'd 5.8 water only. The results are astounding.

I use my res water on the veggies and other plants. No waste.

 

[St. Phatty]

A good way to learn - do them both, side by side, in the same room.

 

[Sunshineinabag]

Maybe it is just the grow journals that I have read, but soil seems to be more susceptible to bugs. I could be really wrong but . . .

I'm a firm believer that allowing your cultivars to get exposed to certain pest is a good thing that it a brings out chemical attacks and maybe susque terpenes and terpenes that it wouldn't normally throw out because it's not being stressed I want cannabis plants that are somewhat stressed to see what different crates they'll throw out

Obviously the top 5 borg pests don't apply

 

[Lester Beans]

A good way to learn - do them both, side by side, in the same room.

Did that 25 years ago. Changing res weekly is far better, this is common knowledge amongst growers with experience.