# want to switch to hydro



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 11, 2013)

Looking to startup again it's bee a long time and wanting to go a hydroponics system. Trying to find out what I need to get looking to do at lest two per room. What would I need and where would be the cheapest place to get equipment don't knoi it I want to build one or just to buy a setup kit  I am look to work with five gallon pails and I need to the whole hydroponics setup and also wat would be the best light to work with thinking of using the cfls that i used yrs ago they are 4ft twin bulb lights bulb size is t5s i am looking to do dwc. so all tips and advice would be very great thank u all  :icon_smile: :icon_smile:

p.s. if any one can recommend a good cheep site or list and digram of a setup with twin pot setup in each room not sure on room size do to it being builded at time of equipment setup 

all suggesting are welcome so pleaze help out and :48:

if it help out the room size is going to be 2 x 3 or 2 x 4 grow room looking to do no more then 2 plant in each room


----------



## Auburn1985 (Sep 12, 2013)

I'm an organic grower hoping to try hydroponics one day.

I've read up a bit on hydroponics, and I'd say that DWC is the way to go.

When I do my first DWC, it will be one plant per container, in 5-gallon Igloo water coolers (to keep water temps down).

Other than that, I don't know.  I just dread checking and adjusting PH twice per day.  But the explosive growth and higher yields will be nice.

My "dream setup" is 3 plants in one row in a 2x4 closet in a Scrog...time will tell if I get good enough to pull that off.  Currently, I'm relieved when I get through a simple organic grow with easy-to-grow plants...


----------



## Hushpuppy (Sep 12, 2013)

Here are a couple good places to get stuff from. Their prices are very good and service is right on as well 
plantlightinghydroponics. com is my favorite place.
hpslighting. com is where I buy all of my lights
discount hydroponics. com has a huge and varied supply of pretty much anything you need to grow 

Rather than using a 5gal bucket, I use 18gal totes as it allows the PH to stay within range longer. I just cut a hole in the lids to match the net pot so that it hangs down into the tote. You can use coco coir. I do and absolutely love it, but you will have to use either burlap or smart pots to line the net pots to prevent the coco coir from falling through into the rez.


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 12, 2013)

hush... thank u i will check out the sites 
and i rather use 5 gallon buckets bc to me it is easyer to move something with one plant conpeared to somthing that has more then one plant in it


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 13, 2013)

here is what i will have the list that i made to build my dwc system and if anyone would like to add or suggest better stuff would be helpfull so here is the list:

4 5gallon buckets w/ lids all black to keep light out and away for roots also to help keep roots a little warmer 

6in net pots 

black or clear airline tubes 

4 5in round airstones 

4 air pumps 

check valves for air lines to aviod any water leak outs 

this is the list of wat im going to get so far not including lights yet i am still likeing around for lights thinking of a 400watt hid or hps light for veg and 600watt(or larger (but pretty sure this is more then enough)) hps or hid light for blooming 

so this is wat i am going to be getting so far all seguesting are appected and great 

thank you all please feel free to past this around :sharetoke:


----------



## Hushpuppy (Sep 13, 2013)

Make sure you get high quality air pumps and more air stones. I personally don't like the round air-stones because they tend to float too much. Here is what I believe from my experience to be the best stones and pumps for the money: hxxp://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/dual-diaphragm-air-pump-c-1248_421_469.html
hxxp://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/micropore-double-air-diffuser-p-1679.html     These stones are awesome because they don't clog up like the cheaper stones, and they create great bubbles. The pumps can be used to drive 2 buckets rather than one for each bucket. You want to make sure that you have very strong bubbling action so that it splashes the water onto the net-pots.


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 13, 2013)

Hushpuppy said:
			
		

> Make sure you get high quality air pumps and more air stones. I personally don't like the round air-stones because they tend to float too much. Here is what I believe from my experience to be the best stones and pumps for the money: hxxp://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/dual-diaphragm-air-pump-c-1248_421_469.html
> hxxp://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/micropore-double-air-diffuser-p-1679.html  These stones are awesome because they don't clog up like the cheaper stones, and they create great bubbles. The pumps can be used to drive 2 buckets rather than one for each bucket. You want to make sure that you have very strong bubbling action so that it splashes the water onto the net-pots.


 

tried to look at pages but would not open up


----------



## pcduck (Sep 13, 2013)

change *xx* to *tt*


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Sep 13, 2013)

I have 3 of these air pumps and really like them.  hXXp://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-AAPA45L-20-Watt-Commercial-Outlets/dp/B002JPRNOU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1379083909&sr=8-5&keywords=active+air+pump

I have 1 of these, but it is quite a bit noisier than the smaller pumps, but boy does it put out the air.  hXXp://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-AAPA110L-112-Watt-110-LPM-Commercial/dp/B002JPPFJ0/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1379083909&sr=8-7&keywords=active+air+pump

I would love to use the airstones that Hush mentioned, unfortunately, I cannot afford $30 air stones.  I just get large regular air stones.  I picked up a bunch at a grow store when I was in Wa.  They are 2" in diameter and either 2" or 6" long.  They along with the larger air pumps put out a lot of air.  I can run 6-8 large air stones with the smaller pump.  The larger pump will run 12-16 air stones.


----------



## YYZ Skinhead (Sep 13, 2013)

Discount-hydro.com is another good site, particularly for a beginner.  They have a humongous range of gear, ferts, substrates _et cetera_ and the prices are hard to beat.  I have bought from them for around 12 years.


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 13, 2013)

thg i will look in to diffent airstones before or after buying everything 

yyz i will check the site out and c wat i can use there that is cheap


----------



## Hushpuppy (Sep 14, 2013)

Hey Goddess :ciao: I bought one of the Eco plus versions of the pumps that you have and mine is stupid loud. I had to suspend it in the air to keep it from being so loud. That is why I like the dual diaphragm pumps that I listed. They certainly don't produce the level of air that those piston pumps do but they are nearly silent.

Hey YYZ :ciao: I have bought plenty of stuff from discount hydro. They are good on prices but their shipping is steep. I still get my Jungle Juice and other chems from them.

Speedballer: You may do better with the cheaper air stones than the small pore stones anyway. I think I remember Smoke saying that he found the stones that produce bigger bubbles created bigger splashing than the micro bubbles


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 14, 2013)

Hush : so ur saying that the less bubbles the better for the plant bc I read up on it and everyone is saying the the more bubble the better it is for the plant and it keeps it healthy and stronger not meaning on more buds and size but becomes harder at dieing off or getting deizzes then but ur the fist one I heard say that


----------



## pcduck (Sep 14, 2013)

More bubbles the better


----------



## YYZ Skinhead (Sep 14, 2013)

Hushpuppy said:
			
		

> Hey YYZ :ciao: I have bought plenty of stuff from discount hydro. They are good on prices but their shipping is steep. I still get my Jungle Juice and other chems from them.


The one 400w -- I have two 430s -- that I use, I bought from DH in-store in 2001.  It cost less (at the time) to drive to Riverside and back than to mail-order it.  Nowadays there are always cheap used ballasts and new/used bulbs on Crapslist and eBarf.  I bought a rarely used 1000w Hortilux and a new generic 430w off eBarf.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Sep 14, 2013)

Speedballer: no not less bubbles. Some air stones will make bigger bubbles while some stones like the micropore will make smaller bubbles. The smaller bubbles are great for aeration but the bigger bubbles seem to make bigger splashes of water when they pop. This splashing is what puts water onto the netpots and roots. You want to make sure that the water looks as though it is at a very hard boil where it is bubbling like crazy and splashing water up. This will both water the plants well and aerate the water as well.


----------



## Speebballer1813 (Sep 18, 2013)

oh ok hush so im goint to need a air stone that will give me smaller bubbles then larger ons


----------



## Hushpuppy (Sep 18, 2013)

Honestly not sure which would be better. I have heard that the big bubbles are better for making bigger splashes but I have not done a DWC comparison to see. I would get either 2 large stones or 3-4 medium stones so that the bottom of the buckets will be covered well with air bubbling


----------



## jsmits420 (Oct 2, 2013)

Agreed..I'm putting 4 12" air stones in the bottom of a 18gallon tub for two plants in 6" netpots
.Goin' to run this setup until I get the hang of it. Just coming from a struggle with poor dirt in my area. Popped seeds 3 different places, only one constant was the dirt, so I'm going hydro probably sooner than later if I can't rehab my ladies. But I would guess the more the merrier! 2cents

And Hush- don't worry I still got everything written down for when I expand and got the hang   just need meds asap so I'm keeping it suuuuper simple <stupid> lol


----------



## Hushpuppy (Oct 5, 2013)

No worries bro  just holler if you need anything


----------



## pcduck (Oct 6, 2013)

Smaller Bubbles gives ya more surface area, for the transfer of air.

Once your roots fill the bucket there is no splashing.


----------

