# Soil or hydroponics, which one is more favorable? Help me decide



## SmokeyEye (Jun 24, 2021)

Hello there! This is my thing; i will be now watching a house with a nice attic, where i was thinking to start growing for real - i've only grown a couple of plants by accident -.  In this attic, I have a nearby water supply so, some people have told me to try hydroponics with MJ. 

But i don't know if it would be better to go for soil and slowly build a grow room, if the heat would be too much.. What do you think? What is your recommendation in this situation, and why? I'm so eager to begin


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## greenphene (Jun 24, 2021)

I choose soil. If you get the right soil all you have to do is water your plants no nutrients needed. As far as heat I would go with led lights they are cheaper to run and they don’t give off no heat like hps are the other older lights.


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## Hippie420 (Jun 24, 2021)

If it wasn't in an attic, I'd say hydro. In a basement, it works great, but as any hydro grower will tell you, accidents can and will happen. You'll be replacing some ceilings if you go hydro.
Where you live, I'd be looking at somewhere else besides an attic no matter what you grow in. They get really hot, even where I'm from.

Good luck!


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## leafminer (Jun 24, 2021)

Half way house: Coco fibre. Not quite as productive as soil but light when dry, easy to move plants if needed, no overwatering problem, just water with appropriate nutrient mix.


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## Airbone (Jun 24, 2021)

Like hippie 420 said hydro is great for quick growth but I’ve lost 20 gallons of nutrients overnight on accident. That wouldn’t do well above your head!


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## Hippie420 (Jun 24, 2021)

Always have a wet vac on hand!


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## WeedHopper (Jun 25, 2021)

Soil with 30% perlite mix. PH and water.


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## Bubba (Jun 26, 2021)

SmokeyEye said:


> Hello there! This is my thing; i will be now watching a house with a nice attic, where i was thinking to start growing for real - i've only grown a couple of plants by accident -.  In this attic, I have a nearby water supply so, some people have told me to try hydroponics with MJ.
> 
> But i don't know if it would be better to go for soil and slowly build a grow room, if the heat would be too much.. What do you think? What is your recommendation in this situation, and why? I'm so eager to begin


Be ready to deal with heat in an attic, it will be significant, (even before lights) otherwise, I would do dirt.  Heat goes for nutrient reservoir as well, it can't get too hot either.

 Water leaks down if something leaks/fails.  Next would be experience.  Normally, first indoor I would normally not go hydro, its trickier.  That said, my very first indoor was a small shallow water culture hydro. (came out fine, oddly)

So if heat good, pans or whatever to avoid leaks in event of failure, try whatever, but unless you already know, I would find a successful grow in the journals and follow what worked.  Consider coco.  Some good complete hydro raising read in coco over on cocoforcannabis site using General Hydro nutes.

Bubba


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## Bubba (Jun 26, 2021)

greenphene said:


> I choose soil. If you get the right soil all you have to do is water your plants no nutrients needed. As far as heat I would go with led lights they are cheaper to run and they don’t give off no heat like hps are the other older lights.


Oh, they give off heat too make no mistake.  Its not as bad as high pressure sodium, but in a tent with led you will have to take measures to deal with the heat.  In an attic in the summer, it can get too hot pitch black with no light. Add led, even hotter.  Winter time might be good for that...
Oh, one other thing, just go up in the attic and check mid day to 5:00 PM temps, mount your light and run the grow (no plants, just lights) and check temps...Then you will know if it will work.  People do it...so it can work.

Bubba


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## greenphene (Jun 26, 2021)

I stay in the high desert where it gets 120 degress. I use a 1000 watt well suppose to be 1000 watts since I’m using this light to veg I just keep the door open To my tent and my led runs fine without any type of cooling system my tent is probably 4 by 6 feet maybe about 7 feet tall I adjust the height of my led lights as my plants grow a hps would scorch plants in a tent of my size I would need temperature control inside my tent just so my plants won’t burn literally leds dont throw off heat where it becomes a danger to your plants I’m not saying hps is better are not I’m just saying I choose led for growing indoors


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## Bubba (Jun 26, 2021)

So do I, but live in mid west. 4x4 would easily soar past 90 F without ventilation.  I do think my HPS have better penetration, but lately LED has/can equal (plus have better distribution) if I employ "help" like topping plants to spread out in scrog fashion and keep the main flower shoots the same or similar height. I have just updated 2x4 and 4x4 lighting with still newer LED lighting and am curious to use and have high hopes for based on PAR testing I've seen on these lights.

I have used 600 watt HPS in my 4x4 quite successfully at only 6 ft tall with 8 inch fan and filter up top. I do use Indica strains, which are shorter,
no big sativas, which helps with restricted height of tent.  Must get a Gorilla tent which have "height extender" kits for their tents.  I barely have patience for Indica! Don't know if I could wait out those big sativas.

Bubba


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## sharonp (Jul 1, 2021)

Bubba said:


> So do I, but live in mid west. 4x4 would easily soar past 90 F without ventilation.  I do think my HPS have better penetration, but lately LED has/can equal (plus have better distribution) if I employ "help" like topping plants to spread out in scrog fashion and keep the main flower shoots the same or similar height. I have just updated 2x4 and 4x4 lighting with still newer LED lighting and am curious to use and have high hopes for based on PAR testing I've seen on these lights.
> 
> I have used 600 watt HPS in my 4x4 quite successfully at only 6 ft tall with 8 inch fan and filter up top. I do use Indica strains, which are shorter,
> no big sativas, which helps with restricted height of tent.  Must get a Gorilla tent which have "height extender" kits for their tents.  I barely have patience for Indica! Don't know if I could wait out those big sativas.
> ...


I am growing an sativa hybrid and I wrapped it in a circle around some stakes to control the height.  They need topping and training and that takes up space. The Indica stalks are fatter and don't bend that good.


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## sharonp (Jul 1, 2021)

greenphene said:


> I stay in the high desert where it gets 120 degress. I use a 1000 watt well suppose to be 1000 watts since I’m using this light to veg I just keep the door open To my tent and my led runs fine without any type of cooling system my tent is probably 4 by 6 feet maybe about 7 feet tall I adjust the height of my led lights as my plants grow a hps would scorch plants in a tent of my size I would need temperature control inside my tent just so my plants won’t burn literally leds dont throw off heat where it becomes a danger to your plants I’m not saying hps is better are not I’m just saying I choose led for growing indoors


I have LED lights and they do get hot because they don't have a fan. I have been turning them down during the heat of the day.


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