New to hydro growing

I'm almost done my first grow and is thinking of switching to hydro. What are the materials needed to start one up.

This is what i know;
- 2x rubbermaid container (house the plants, res?)
- 1x water pump
- 2x air stones
- misters

am i missing anything?

What type of system are you trying to make? Im confused causehave items for different types of systems. If yor tryig DWC(bubbleponics) all you'll need is the rubbermaid container, an air pump(not water), baskets,airstones, and thats about it not counting lights, nutes and medium. If your gowing for aeroponics you will need a good timer for yopu mister cause you will be misting every other minute or so.

2cimdma said:

What type of system are you trying to make? Im confused causehave items for different types of systems. If yor tryig DWC(bubbleponics) all you'll need is the rubbermaid container, an air pump(not water), baskets,airstones, and thats about it not counting lights, nutes and medium. If your gowing for aeroponics you will need a good timer for yopu mister cause you will be misting every other minute or so.

Click to expand...

lols, well i want to make a DWC system. I kinda got the idea down but still confused on some things. I would still need 2x rubbermaid? (one for the plants and one for the res), will the plants be submerged in water all the time?

those are it for now =D

For DWC you can make a system with one rubbermaid which you fill with water and nutes. You take the lid and cut holes in it to fit your baskets. Say your gonna use 6 3" baskets to begin with you would take a holesaw and drill and cut 6 holes in the lid of the rubbermaid. Also drill a 5/8 hole in the lid. place the baskets in there place and then run a 1/4" tube through the 5/8" hole and place airstones in the res. the other end of the tube goes to air pump. The roots will stay submerged in water. Have the res water about 1/2-1" away from the bottom of the nets. The airstones will make babbles which will keep the top water turbulant which will cause the bottom of your nets to stay wet. Thats how your plants get fed. With hydro youll want to get a PH tester and check at least once a day to keep it around 5.7 and you will want to keep track of you PPM's. Hydro is ALOT more finicky then soil so it requires paying attention to details. But as you know the rewards are....well Im sure you know. I personally never liked the Rubbermaid systems. If I were you I would go with 3-5 gallon buckets. With each bucket you have a net with plant and airstone. I have the same strain growing right now in 4 buckets and each one likes their nutes alittle different. If I give Res2(Ihave my buckets numbered for keeping track purposes) the nutes Res 1 likes then I would get nute burn. Even so with the rubbermaid container your going to have to switch to something bigger once the plants get bigger.Here are some pictures of a one grow I have going.


















I have 4 pumps going into my bigger buckets and 1 pump for all 3 of my coffee cloners.

I use a 600 watt MH on a light rail

Yeh, make sure you get yourself a ph meter and a ec meter,before any hydro setup.

I am also new to hydro.. currently im growing in soil but im converting to hydro... I dont understand the differences between all the various types of hydro systems. With my basic knowledge of hydro systems I decided im going to go with 2 different ones...

1st. Im going to grow my mother in a bucket system
http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=93&xSec=24

2nd Im going to clone and grow my cash crop in a rubbermaid system
http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=48&xSec=24

I studied the systems and next I will be going out and buying all the various parts. Its allot funner building them then buying them.

I think you will be able to take it from here.. need any additional information then let us know bud....

THANK YOU 2cimdma for your detailed comment on hydro growing. I will use what you wrote as a guide and i'll update you when i persue this task=D.