so im going to be growing 25 blue dream in an ebb n gro system under 2 1000 hps lights and was woundering if there is anyone out there who has used this system under simuilar situation (lights and poss strain) i was woundering how hard is the system to use and how did the finishing product trun out
I think the system is very user friendly, and does a wonderful job. I do think you'll need another light though. I have 24 pots, in a form of 3 rows of 8. 3 1000 watt xxxl reflectors just gets the job done.
Downfalls of it are:
1) 3 bags of hydroton per turn. washing 150 lbs of that stuff sucks big time.
2) The res is 55 gallons, which you'll want to use at least 40 gallons of. It's a lot of water to change out. I grow upstairs in a pole barn, and had to make a pvc drain next to my res that runs to the outside so I can hook up a hose to the top of the tank, and drain to the outside.
3) You go through a crapload of nutes.
Good things:
1) the large 2 gallon pots of hydroton allow the plants to develope awsome root systems.
2) installation is super easy. get some vasoline, and use that on every part you put together. The grommets, the fittings, and the hoses.
3)reliable. it does a great job of keeping real time, and filling and draining on time every time.
4) easy to move around. if you give yourself some slack on the lines, you can spread them apart as the plants grow with no problem.
Don't bother with HPS ballasts. Switchables are the same price, and you can have the right bulbs all the time, instead of using conversion bulbs, which have lower lumens.
Finished product is really up to the grower. But as far as system goes, sky is the limit.
I take my clones directy from my clone machine, and they go right into the hydroton, with the lights way up high. I bring the clone machine in while running for a couple of days to get them used to the room. I flood 6 times a day for the first week, and cut down to 4 during veg. On my third week of flower, I cut to 3 feedings, than just 2 at the end.
Feel free to PM me if you have any issues getting started.
Good luck.