New to hydroponics

[VooDooH420]

OK, I was looking at ways to make hydro systems,and I saw a way to make one from a fishtank called a "foating raft system", or "water culture system"
look at http://www.greenmanspage.com/guides/hydrosystems.html

and could someone tell me if a 10 gallon tank, a 6" airstone, and a airpump for a 20 gallon tank would be good enough to grow about 5 or 6 plants?

I really need help with this. I had a bad bug prob with my soil, so I want to switch.

 

[SecretSquirrel420]

Voodoo the fish tank system will work I personally wouldn’t put more then 3 plants unless you plan to keep them small and trimmed. Better make sure you have a strain that isn’t going to get too big to begin with. Switching from soil to hydro will be a little different. Before you start consider a few things this system will use more water you have the initial 10 gal to fill it plus being open evaporation will have you adding water every couple of days. You will need to monitor the PH levels regularly also make sure you have plenty of air in the tank you might want to get a little bigger air pump run 2 air stones one on each side of the tank pick up a regulator valve at the pet shop with the air pump that way you can adjust the air flow to the stones. Also it might be a little difficult to change the water after plants start getting big if it were me I would get a glass drill bit drill a 3/8 hole in the side of tank pick up a small shut off valve from plumbing store so you will have an easy way to drain. I am sure someone on here has tried this and might have the hands on experience you need I have been growing 25 years mostly ebb and flo and now drip ….Best of luck

 

[VooDooH420]

thanks squirre
l

 

[GypsyBush]

May I recommend Ebb/Flow...

The lazy stoner's best friend...

Here is a build from the GrowFAQ

How do I make an ebb & flow
hydroponic system?





The goal: To demonstrate the construction of an Ebb & Flow hydroponic system.

The system being constructed is small, however the design is the same as larger systems.

Parts list...

• Restaurant bus tub, 15 1/2" x 20 1/2" x 4 1/2", flood tray.
  
• Restaurant bus tub, 15 1/2" x 20 1/2" x 7", reservoir.
  
• Reservoir lid, 15 3/4" x 22".
  
• Overflow fitting.
  
• Fill/drain fitting.
  
• Water pump, 70 gph.
  
• Tubing, 1/2" ID.
  
• Aquarium air pump.
  
• Air stones.
  
• Green air line.
  
  Notice, in the pictures above, the one inch holes, in the flood tray for the overflow, and fill/drain fittings, also, the two inch holes in the lid, for the fittings to pass through.
  
  
  

  
  
  A view of the plumbed flood tray with lid. See how it fits over the fittings.​
  
  

  
  
  This is a view of the reservoir with lid, and plumbed flood tray.
  
  

  
  
  Here, it's all assembled. The water and air pumps are not shown. The power cord, and air lines fit between, the reservoir and lid. A small notch may need to be added, to avoid pinching the air lines, and to help the flood tray sit level.
  
  
  

  
  
  Assembled with six 5 1/2" square pots. Notice the easy access to both fittings. The fill/drain fitting has a connector for a 1/2" hose, under the screen. Remove the screen, connect the hose, turn the pump on, and pump out the nutrient solution. Makes reservoir change outs very easy.
  
  
  

  
  
  Another view of the system.
  
  

  
  
  Note: Choosing a container...
  
  Not all containers are made equal. Some are very sturdy, while others are not. Using a weak container will only lead to failure and a flood. Choose heavy duty containers. Also, some containers will need a center support to keep them level under the weight of the nutrient solution.
  
  Note: About sizes...
  
  The reservoir should be large enough, to hold two, to three times the volume of the flood tray or table. The pump should be sized to flood the tray in 5 min. or less.

 

[snutter]

That's one of the best Ebb and Flow builds with pics I've seen on this site. Very nice, and very simple. Anyone who knows me knows that I love simple. Nicely done, gypsybush!!! +rep. I also build my own reservoirs which are simple and straight forward DWC, but I can always appreciate other cool style hydro reservoirs... Neat.

-S

 

[GypsyBush]

It's from the GrowFAQ ...

But thanks!

 

[VooDooH420]

that is a nice little set up, but I'm having trouble understanding how the air pump moves the water up ti the tray.

 

[GypsyBush]

that is a nice little set up, but I'm having trouble understanding how the air pump moves the water up ti the tray.

Because it is a water pump moving the water......

 

[VooDooH420]

i gotcha, I didn't see it say water pump my bad. I might try this, it seems easier.

 

[GypsyBush]

Actually it says BOTH...

The airpump stay on 24 hours a day to "aerate" the water... cooler water can hold more dissolved oxygen than warm water... so a pump is recommended in all small reservoirs...

and the water pump is set with a timer to flood and drain at pre-determined times..

As for easy... you can adapt the above instructions to huge tubs if you want...

The principle stays the same...

An Ebb/Flow SoG is a stoner's best friend...

Look at this animation...

Parts list...

• Restaurant bus tub, 15 1/2" x 20 1/2" x 4 1/2", flood tray.
• Restaurant bus tub, 15 1/2" x 20 1/2" x 7", reservoir.
• Reservoir lid, 15 3/4" x 22".
• Overflow fitting.
• Fill/drain fitting.
• Water pump, 70 gph.
• Tubing, 1/2" ID.
• Aquarium air pump.
  
• Air stones.
• Green air line.

 

[GypsyBush]

Even with such a small set up and some decent lighting, you could harvest 3 lollipops a month... on a staggered "perpetual harvest"...

Just add 3 new clones every time you chop 3...

or you can make it a lil' bigger...

I fit 48 of these per light...

I even use the same size pots...

 

[shinedog]

I've been interested in ebb and flow for sometime. I'm a soil guy, however I've tried a DWC/bubble system. I gave up after a little while only because I could see dealing with multiple buckets daily would be too much. At lease for me. I like the idea of once source such as a reservoir for checking ppm, ph, etc. However, I'm not exactly sure of how this process should work.

Being a soil guy I cut my clones from plants in veg before they go into flowering. I get the clones rooting and them move them into 5 gallon buckets in my veg room. When they are done vegging each bucket is moved into flowering and the cycle continues. Very simple process really.

What I'm curious about is how to move the ebb and flow systems from one room to another. If I were to migrate to a system like this I could see having 2 large tables in my flowering room and 1 in the veg room. However, I would think the plants in veg would become one with the table at least as far as roots. Don't they tangle roots? Or even embed themselves into the hydroton or growing medium? I don't think I would want to move tables once I had them going.

Also, I veg my plants large for about 4 to 5 weeks in soil. It looks like the shallow base of an ebb and flow wouldn't allow for a large vegged plant. Not to mention the added height of the table moves me a little closer to my lights than I would like.

Either way could some one explain how the process may vary from what I'm presently doing?

 

[GypsyBush]

What I'm curious about is how to move the ebb and flow systems from one room to another. If I were to migrate to a system like this I could see having 2 large tables in my flowering room and 1 in the veg room. However, I would think the plants in veg would become one with the table at least as far as roots. Don't they tangle roots? Or even embed themselves into the hydroton or growing medium? I don't think I would want to move tables once I had them going.

That is why we use pots... and no media in the tray...

No need to...

Also, I veg my plants large for about 4 to 5 weeks in soil. It looks like the shallow base of an ebb and flow wouldn't allow for a large vegged plant.

How is this for an example that small shallow pots work in hydro...?

Not to mention the added height of the table moves me a little closer to my lights than I would like.

Indoors, your plants should finish at 3ft or less anyways... any taller and the bottoms just do not get as much light...

Either way could some one explain how the process may vary from what I'm presently doing?

How did I do...

I'm ready for round 2...

 

[GypsyBush]

And you can always make your tray deep.. like this one...

 

[shinedog]

Brilliant Gypsy! Thanks so much that helps a lot. I had only seen a couple of examples and usually it looked like the table itself was filled with a grow medium. I sure you can understand my confusion in that not working. However, the pots individually loaded into the tray makes perfect sense. I think I saw this asked else where, but I wasn't sure what they were referring too. Do you end up with roots growing out of the pot bottoms and onto the table? Especially, in the plant example above. If so, does this pose a problem in moving the plants or an issue with light hitting the roots?

 

[VooDooH420]

yeah i was wandering the same thing. Does the roots end up growing out of the pot, or do the pots keep them contained?

 

[seasmoke]

I like the setup, clean,self sufficiant,totaly reuseable.

Like Shinedog, i'm a "soil"/promix grower that might change. We grow exactly the same way. So you get 6 3ft plants per container of that size? They don't crowd each other out?
I have an 8 plant cycle, and three cycles in the bud room,(8'x8'x8'). I normally like a 4 ft plant finished, yielding 1/4lb per plant.
Do you constantly use fertilized water, never using straight water?
How often do you change the solution?
If the power goes out, will the medium support plant life for a few hours?(any longer i'll start the generator up.) Clay right?
....and about that root tangling question....

 

[GypsyBush]

Do you end up with roots growing out of the pot bottoms and onto the table? Especially, in the plant example above. If so, does this pose a problem in moving the plants or an issue with light hitting the roots?

yeah i was wandering the same thing. Does the roots end up growing out of the pot, or do the pots keep them contained?

I do end up with the occasional "stray roots" coming out of the pots... but they usually just get "air pruned".. so yeah.. no issue with light..

In any case, I completely ignore these roots... there is plenty inside the pot to support the plant...

So... since the roots that do come out never grow very much, the pots never tangle... so you can move them freely...

 

[GypsyBush]

I like the setup, clean,self sufficiant,totaly reuseable.

Like Shinedog, i'm a "soil"/promix grower that might change.
We grow exactly the same way.

Hydro is easy, but it must be exact...

So you get 6 3ft plants per container of that size?

I don't... I use four 3x3 trays...

I get 48 lollipops to a light...

They don't crowd each other out?

Not if you lollipop them... but if you tray to grow full size plants they will...

I have an 8 plant cycle, and three cycles in the bud room,(8'x8'x8').

why not just use a few 4x4 (1k HPS) or 3x3 trays (600 HPS)...

I normally like a 4 ft plant finished, yielding 1/4lb per plant.

I normally get a 2~3 ft plant that gives me 1/2 oz... usually a little less... per plant.. but remember there are 48 per light... My op does a a lb every two weeks, when in full swing...

Do you constantly use fertilized water, never using straight water?
How often do you change the solution?

I change the solution every 2 weeks... and when I do I run pure, fresh water through everything a few times...

Aside from that, my flower room is at a constant 1400ppm....

Worthy of note is that a big reservoir is a good thing... way more stable in ALL parameters..

I use 2x 100 gallon res in my op and i can literally leave for 2 weeks and find everything still within parameters... small reservoirs change to quickly for that...

If the power goes out, will the medium support plant life for a few hours?(any longer i'll start the generator up.) Clay right?

This is a trade of here...

Hydroton (clay) does not absorb much water, so it can be flooded more often with faster results.. but it dries out overnight... I've had plants survive 2 days without water, but I would not bet on it...

If you introduce RW floc or any other highly absorbent media, you will have more of an insurance, but slightly less performance...

I like hydroton... and i like flooding often, but that is actually a personal preference thingy...lol...

....and about that root tangling question....

If any roots escape the pot... just ignore them... and make sure there is no standing water on the tray when it is drained... puddles are bad...

Hope this helps out...

 

[seasmoke]

Hydro is easy, but it must be exact...



I don't... I use four 3x3 trays...

I get 48 lollipops to a light...


Not if you lollipop them... but if you tray to grow full size plants they will...

why not just use a few 4x4 (1k HPS) or 3x3 trays (600 HPS)...


I normally get a 2~3 ft plant that gives me 1/2 oz... usually a little less... per plant.. but remember there are 48 per light... My op does a a lb every two weeks, when in full swing...



I change the solution every 2 weeks... and when I do I run pure, fresh water through everything a few times...

Aside from that, my flower room is at a constant 1400ppm....

Worthy of note is that a big reservoir is a good thing... way more stable in ALL parameters..

I use 2x 100 gallon res in my op and i can literally leave for 2 weeks and find everything still within parameters... small reservoirs change to quickly for that...





This is a trade of here...

Hydroton (clay) does not absorb much water, so it can be flooded more often with faster results.. but it dries out overnight... I've had plants survive 2 days without water, but I would not bet on it...

If you introduce RW floc or any other highly absorbent media, you will have more of an insurance, but slightly less performance...

I like hydroton... and i like flooding often, but that is actually a personal preference thingy...lol...




If any roots escape the pot... just ignore them... and make sure there is no standing water on the tray when it is drained... puddles are bad...

Hope this helps out...

Thanx a million Gypsy, yes you helped alot. I like the way you broke everything down.

I just may try this in the near future....promix is getting to expensive to throw away....even mixing it into the compost pile, it takes forever to reuse.
The 1/4 lb I try to get is if everything goes perfectly...which it seldom does, so by crunching the #s, you are doing as well if not better than I am.