Pros & Cons

Can someone...Anyone tell me the pros and cons to growing in soil and using a hydro setup?

I know soil is a bit more forgiving....But hydro plants grow faster. Other than that...Why choose one over the other?

well... soil is just soil in a bucket... not the hardest set up... and depending on how you want to do your hydro, well, there are just lots more pieces involved... not that hydro has to be difficult, it just can be

I chose soil because it was cheaper and easier, especially for my first grow. I don't mean to say that hydro is necessarily difficult, but there's a lot more upkeep, it takes up more room, and like lumberjack said, there are a lot more pieces involved.

I want to try hydro eventually, but right now I'm content with soil.

I just started my 1st grow in soil...but have been on the hunt for info to grow hydro style. I lucked up and found a store with everything I need right here in town. Since I would save so much cash on the shipping costs....I was gonna start piecemealing a hydro system together.

The fast growth is what makes me want to do it. And as far as room....I think if the system is a good design...you can grow just as many if not more plants using the same space as a soil grow (from what Ive seen thus far).

Con soil:
with soil you go always some odds agains you, you never gone controll. its lot of dirt you gone howl around, it eats up space, its heavy as shit sometimes.
Pro soil:
it produces better tasting buds, you get it everywhere, no-one ask you for what you need soil/pots and stuff.

Con hydro:
lots of stuff you have to buy and in the mix it just looks odd tips everyone who is up to speed. some stuff you just can only order and that nosy ups guy is the pledge! and lots grodan cubs in your household waste will tip off the trash dude and he will pay off his chevy with the blood money he gets from the sheriff for your head X(
Pro:
TOTAL CONTROLL (i love control) if set up smart it will use up less space then a soil grow. and lots of fancy toys you can fully use

yes but with hydro you use and waste lots of solution and nutes

not really, in hydro i use lots less nutes since the cycle in the system till the are used up, on a small 1l bottle in hydro i can get 4 grows done at my place with soil i'm luck if i make 2.

with hydro u can definatley grow faster
but u need alot of nutes and air pumps

with soil i believe u can get more buds
and better tasting ones at that.
and the cost is alot cheaper.

hydro is not only bubbler set-ups, its E&F and derivatives as well, and you really can use a fish tank if you happen to have on and save on nutes and have some fish swimming in there, it works even if it sounds odd as hell and that you can grow on soil more the on hydro, well i wouldn't support this one really, if you work well on both methods you draw even and it is easier to do so on hydro/soiless mediums if you as me. but this is just my opinion

Soil cheaper and simpler.

BloodShotI'z said:

Can someone...Anyone tell me the pros and cons to growing in soil and using a hydro setup?

Click to expand...

Hydro Pros
Generally faster growth rate due to the precise nature of the feeding regime ie you can give them the exact strength of nutrients and ph you want to give them. The faster growth rate is still very much dependant on your skill as a grower though. The chemical based nutrients used in hydro systems are in a form that the plants can uptake immediately they're given. Unlimited root space for growth and nutrient uptake.

Hydro Cons
More expensive to buy, set up and operate and you use more nutrients. Steep learning curve - there's a lot more you need to know and understand for hydro than soil. Requires a lot more maintenance and time than soil grows. The faster growth rates can catch people out as they need a lot more time and maintenance than soil. Bud taste isn't as good due to the use of chemical nutrients. Can't use organic nutrients.

Soil Cons
Messy and bulky to buy and transport. Nutrient feeding and ph is more difficult to control although soil is to a large extent ph buffering it's not always easy to know how much nutrient is in the soil mixture and it's therefore easy to over or underfeed and over and underwater. Generally slower growth than hydro, pot sizes can be a limiting factor in soil, the less soil the less roots can grow and the less nutrients the plant can uptake. The condition and size of the soil 'micro-herd' can impact on the breaking down of nutrients and therefore the quantitiy of nutrients available to the plant at any time. Soil quality can vary considerably from same make and product brands.

Soil Pros
Much flatter learning curve than hydro, easier and cheaper to set up and start growing. Possibility of growing organically and thereby producing sweeter and better tasting bud. Can use a broader range of nutrients than hydro, particularly organic based ones. Pots can be moved relatively easily. Ph not so critical as in hydro, less things to check and buy. Less forgiving of mistakes than hydro. Requires far less attention and time, once the watering schedule is known the only maintenance is a visual check every day.

I'm sure there are others, but those are the ones that spring to mind.

Much appreciated everyone....very good information to mull over. After doing a complete check/price list of the things I need to grow with a bubbler...I see how expensive it all will be. To do it right I was looking at $250+ (ph,ec/tds meters being 150+ alone).

LOL, So of course I'll be sticking with soil. Better to have dirt under my nails than an wilting bank acct. Besides, Im only on my 1st grow. And Im only 2 weeks in. Ive learned alot thus far with soil....so I why rock the boat? Again, Thanks to all.