Ebb & Gro 12 bucket system

I bought the Ebb & Gro 12 Site Hydro System with 12 - 2 gallon planters and a 55 gallon reservoir. I plan to use 1 - 1000hps for light, and I'm going to be using hydroton for media.

How long should they veg. before I begin to flower? I will be using clones of an Indica strain and I know 2 gallons isn't the largest container, so my concern is them becoming root bound before flowering. I'm not going for sog or anything, ofcourse...so I don't mind letting them veg. for awhile to obtain a nice yield.

Also, for the size of the planters, how long would any of you consider vegging and flowering them for? I know it all depends on the exact strain, but just curious.

I plan on vegging 24/0, let me know if any of you disagree on this one.

Thanks in advance to all of you!

From reading here and there, most veg their clones until 12-18 inches tall. A clone can be put into flower right away, but since it is small, so will be the yield.
Remember in the initial stages of flowering, the plants will double+ in size before they get down to business of making buds.

I also read a lot of people say root bound only happens when the plant is seeking out moisture and nutes. If you are able to give the plant everything it needs, the roots will stay happy and will not give the root bound issues. Since your doing hydro, you should be able to give them all they need from properly maintaining and changing out your reservoir.

I do ebb and flow and start from seeds. When about 1-2ft tall, I go into flower. I have 6 plants in a flood tray I made from a Wall-mart under the bed clothing storage container and a 25 gal reservoir. Its only about 6 inches deep filled with hydroten pellets. I had to tie my plants up because the buds are so big they were leaning over the side and I thought they may uproot themselves.
The plants seem happy being crowded and the leaning actually helped as the light now makes it deeper into the canopy.

P.S. Since I use RO water, I needed to use Calmax due to some initial deficiencies. Most people state it is a given if your doing hydro you will be needing Calmax.

i use this system and i get around 3 oz plants with 4 weeks veg times, 10 to 12 plants per 1000.. ill try and post pics later of my latest

Thanks for the info, Dirty Harry. I will check out calmax!

Doniawon - I was curious, how long do you flower for? And you mentioned 4 weeks veg. time. Are you starting with clones or seeds? What height are your babies at 4 weeks of veg?

4 weeks veg 8 week bloom , strains are blueberry dutch passion and bubblegum local cut

some more pictures

im planning my bloom room and i want 15 plants min 10 im thinking 2 1000w do u think 1 light is enough for you

Donia, how tall are they once you harvest and how far did you spread out your pots? Whats your grow room size? Im glad I finally found someone using this system. thanks a bunch!

well of course they arent mine.. but i researched this alot when im bored in my spare time.. how tall? 1.5ft- 4 ft ill get a hand full of 1.5 in a 40 plant set up.. the median height is 3 ft.. yes i do 40 or more sites sometimes.. i spread them out with about 8 to 12 inches between the buckets.. of course i keep them close and slowly move them apart as needed.. ive "researched" alot of these grows.. usually 10x 16.. with 8 ft ceilings.. ill update my journal pics when i get some batteries tomorrow.. glad to help and any questions ill answer.. you did well with the ebb and gro

more pictures

my question is...how often do u have your timer set to water the plants?
How often for each growing stage?

lots of great info but would 1 1000 hps be enough light for the 12 pots

obie83 said:

lots of great info but would 1 1000 hps be enough light for the 12 pots

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I'm thinking 2x1000w. I am about to fire up my 4x8 tray...rockwool slabs. In that area I'm running 2x1000w.

obie83 said:

lots of great info but would 1 1000 hps be enough light for the 12 pots

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no, the purpose of these systems is that you want larger plants, atleast 3ft finished, 12 under one hood is gonna be tight, the plants wont get the full benefit since you would want significant side branching, unless you like single cola lollipops which wouldnt make sence in this system. you may be able to get away with it during veg if you have a large hood but in flower your gonna wanna space them out a bit

morrisgreenberg said:

no, the purpose of these systems is that you want larger plants, atleast 3ft finished, 12 under one hood is gonna be tight, the plants wont get the full benefit since you would want significant side branching, unless you like single cola lollipops which wouldnt make sence in this system. you may be able to get away with it during veg if you have a large hood but in flower your gonna wanna space them out a bit

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how many lights would you suggest for this system maybe 2 1000hps, what would average yeild be for a 3ft plant from this sysem

duguP said:

I bought the Ebb & Gro 12 Site Hydro System with 12 - 2 gallon planters and a 55 gallon reservoir. I plan to use 1 - 1000hps for light, and I'm going to be using hydroton for media.

How long should they veg. before I begin to flower? I will be using clones of an Indica strain and I know 2 gallons isn't the largest container, so my concern is them becoming root bound before flowering. I'm not going for sog or anything, ofcourse...so I don't mind letting them veg. for awhile to obtain a nice yield.

Also, for the size of the planters, how long would any of you consider vegging and flowering them for? I know it all depends on the exact strain, but just curious.

I plan on vegging 24/0, let me know if any of you disagree on this one.

Thanks in advance to all of you!

Click to expand...

Look at my grow journal in my signature. I have 15 plants going in my ebb and grow with three lights. I vegged them three weeks. If you are doing 12 plants with one light don't get them too big. No wider than the pot. They will quadruple in size by the time they are finished. Of the three weeks that I vegged, one week was on very low PPM to allow the roots to spread out.

15 plants fill every inch of my 10 x 5 room only three and a half weeks in.

My last grow I had 12 plants under 2k watts hps and that was plenty of light.

dntmatta said:

my question is...how often do u have your timer set to water the plants?
How often for each growing stage?

Click to expand...

When they are spreading roots the first week, twice a day. Once when the light goes on and once 12 hours later.

Once they have roots and you start the vegetative stage, three times per day. That is once when the light goes on and six and twelve hours into the 18 hours of light.

When I flower I irrigate three or four times per day. Right now, 24 days into flowering Im irrigating three times per day, when the light comes on and four and eight hours into the 12 hour cycle.

To water flowering plants four times per day, flood when the light comes on and three, six and nine hours into the 12 hour light cycle.

There is no need to irrigate at night.

morrisgreenberg said:

no, the purpose of these systems is that you want larger plants, atleast 3ft finished, 12 under one hood is gonna be tight, the plants wont get the full benefit since you would want significant side branching, unless you like single cola lollipops which wouldnt make sence in this system. you may be able to get away with it during veg if you have a large hood but in flower your gonna wanna space them out a bit

Click to expand...

Very informative stuff right there buddy... I am planning to use the 12 plant under 1 1000 with a light mover to compensate ?? wha do u think.. wud work?

duguP said:

I bought the Ebb & Gro 12 Site Hydro System with 12 - 2 gallon planters and a 55 gallon reservoir. I plan to use 1 - 1000hps for light, and I'm going to be using hydroton for media.

How long should they veg. before I begin to flower? I will be using clones of an Indica strain and I know 2 gallons isn't the largest container, so my concern is them becoming root bound before flowering. I'm not going for sog or anything, ofcourse...so I don't mind letting them veg. for awhile to obtain a nice yield.

Also, for the size of the planters, how long would any of you consider vegging and flowering them for? I know it all depends on the exact strain, but just curious.

I plan on vegging 24/0, let me know if any of you disagree on this one.

Thanks in advance to all of you!

Click to expand...

I run one of these same systems from C.A.P. . I do 27 under 3k watts with 4 weeks veg from a Rockwood cube clone, running 1/10hp chiller and 1250 ppm co2 at 82 or so degrees. I get about 3-3.5 zips per plant.

You can grow a plant as big as you want in the 2 gallon ebb buckets. Sky is the limit so no worries there.

I like to veg them to about 15-20" which usually takes 4 weeks on average. Then I flower. Depending on strain they will double or triple in size. Since you're doing indica, I'd say they will double to about 30-40".

2 gallon ebb bucket roots


About the size of plant I will switch to flower in ebb buckets (sometimes a little bigger)


Flower plants in 2 gallon ebb buckets probably around week 6 of flower. I flower all strains for 9 weeks minimum but I don't grow indica so 8-9 weeks flower time tops should be fine.