Best Setup for First Time Grower

[TheChemist77]

any recomendations on ph meters? i just had another one break after only a year, i kept it clean and always in storage solution,,, why cant they make a meter that will last 5 years???

 

[jkwrestling13]

any recomendations on ph meters? i just had another one break after only a year, i kept it clean and always in storage solution,,, why cant they make a meter that will last 5 years???

I haven't found a meter that will last. Blue lab is the best on the market and those go bad after1 year. Its a shame.

 

[Rolando Mendoza]

I started two weeks ago with hydroponics. I have never grown prior. Its the easiest hobby ever. Its really paying off. Well as far as I can tell.

 

[Rolando Mendoza]

Go simple, with water systems, General Hydroponics pH kit works fine. Comes with pH up/down, all for 18 bucks.

 

[TheChemist77]

Go simple, with water systems, General Hydroponics pH kit works fine. Comes with pH up/down, all for 18 bucks.

the ph kit is fine, going by color to get ph, but after years of growing you will want a meter, to know exact ph, the color strips can give u a close to 6.0 ph but a meter is a need wen growing with 5-6 resevoirs at a time 20-30 gallons each...

i agree hydro is far simpler for beginners, rock wool for a medium, gh nutrients cant go wrong.. ive been growing almost 20 years and i use gh maxi series and rock wool, i did many tests and wasted lots of money just to end up back were i started flood and drain,maxi nutes,rock wool pluss good genetics equals successs

 

[since1991]

any recomendations on ph meters? i just had another one break after only a year, i kept it clean and always in storage solution,,, why cant they make a meter that will last 5 years???

Get the bluelab combo meter. The best out there. Ive been through a shitload of pens in mh day. They all suck ass. The blulab ph pen is ok but the probe isnt replaceable. And i dont care how well kept....probes last about a year or two. Oakton back in the day made decent ones. Hannah too but they went way downhill last few years.

 

[AnxiousRobot]

Sorry to derail... but I am about to start my first grow as well. I am trying to narrow down which seeds I am going to start with. May I ask what made you choose the 10 THC Bomb, 2 Afghani, and 1 Northern Lights/Big Bud Hybrid? Thanks!

 

[since1991]

With all the money you had to invest. You could have gone hydro and still had more left over. Soil is a pain in the ass, especially ph'ing. I know I'm going to get stuff for saying it, but you should have gone hydroponics, I promise you its more fun and more automation involved. With soil, no offense, your more bound to screw up. This is only my opinion. You has all that money, note you have a soil set up, not hating, but you should have gone hydro. I started my hydro setup with 250, imagine if I had 850+. Wow, id be superman. Again, this is all my opinion. Hydro is the best. Again, in my opinion. You look all set though, either way you're going to be smoking some in 8-12 weeks.

I agree. Hydroponics was and is way easier for me. Ive done all the setups back in the day. Top feed rockwool slabs...flood and drain hydroton...nft...aero...dwc....you name it. Very easy with a ph and tds meter. Ive settled the last 10 or so years on a simple coco coir drain to waste drip system. The most forgiving hydroponics system out there.

 

[since1991]

The GH color liquid drop pH kit is ballpark accurate. Decent for beginners with little cash but the big drawback is if your base nutes are colored.....cant see the correct number. Especially using humics and other additives. The color pH kits are worthless in that scenario.