My first hydro attempt, any advice?

I've only grown soil but want to try a DWC this time. I've got most of what I need and am a little unsure about what exactly to get for the rest. So far I have:

4x 5 gal buckets
2x air pumps for 30-60 gal aquariums with 2 outlets each
4x 10" air stones

What I need:

Nutes- have no idea what to do, I saw some liquids at home depot a 5-1-1 fish fertilizer and another 8-8-8 mix, im not sure how well these would work if at all.

Container- want to try 2" net pots or some small container with a bunch of holes stabbed in it. Does this work or will the roots get tangled up cut?

Ppm/ph testers- only found one cheap one but I wonder if its too cheap, if I get a RO filter, would I need the meters?

Medium- want rock wool but haven't found any locally. Perlite and vermiculite seem like they'd slip through and just cloud up the water. Has anyone tried gravel, sand, moss, or orchid mix?

I don't really feel like driving an hour to the hydro shop or buying stuff online but I also don't want to waste two and a half months to see four plants die, so Ill probably just go there anyways. What do you think? Is it a recipe for monster plants? Or a disaster?

I too am working on a hydroponic DWC set up for my next grow , it will also be my first hydroponic attempt , I have rock wool but haven't attempts to use it yet so what I am thinking is to take clones from my current soil veg room and grow the clones from hydro but still at research phase , I'm probably going to do a couple more weeks of researching videos,forums,articles,magazines etc before I even attempt the cloning process . The current soil grow that I have going right now is also my first ever grow , so I'm still a nub . Just feel like getting out into the forum world and getting into the world of greenery . Cheers bud .


-BuddyKronik

My advice is to start reading .. All your answers are in here. Along with the answers to questions you haven't even thought of yet..

savana said:

My advice is to start reading .. All your answers are in here. Along with the answers to questions you haven't even thought of yet..

Click to expand...

this ^^^^^^ there are stickies that you need to read....then read them again....then take this advice to heart ---> YOU WILL KILL PLANTS <---- just be aware that Hydro is not forgiveing like soil mediums can be. =D

My advice, Don't go to the light!

Thanks for the advice. Ill definitely keep reading on here and in the book I got. Ill also keep a few in soil incase I kill the hydro plants or have too many males.