What is the easiest or best growing medium for hydro and help for a first timer

Hello, I am a first timer and i am using the grow box from stealthyhydro.com. It came with peat pellets and a 6 2x2" mesh cup hydro system. I planted 4 seeds last Monday in darkness, then On wednesday I put the lights and bubbler on and put the mesh cups in, modified the ph to 5.8. Now it still hasn't sprouted, I did a post yesterday someone informed me that peat pellets can hold to much water, so I pulled the cups out of the water and placed them under the light. I decided to use the two mesh cups, I soaked the seeds until they sunk then placed them in the last two peat pellets and they are now in a dark room, hopefully they will sprout. Anyway I wanted to get a different medium to grow them in I was gonna try rw but I don't think there is enough room to put the hydroton in the 2" mesh cups. Then I thought maybe it's not the best thing to go with so what is? I know that's a what you prefere but if I hear what some pros use and how to use it I can make an informed decision. So please help as If the original 4 don't sprout by next monday I know I probably drowned the seeds and need to start over again. Also the seeds are autoflower as if that makes a difference. Thanks for looking! I know I have a lot to learn!!

u need light for seeds, not dark.


seeds should be germimated(popped from the shell) before going into system.

best media is no media. get the 2" foam collars and thats all u need. no washing or stepping on hydroton. see a pic in my post in aero section called 3 stages of flower. i have done thousands of plants this way

Can I just take the germinated seeds I have out of the peat pellets and transfer to the foam collars and are they reusable?

they are so cheap i never keep net pots or collars. cost me 3¢ per collar to make and pots are 10¢. when i start seeds i pop them then into jiffy pellets and into aero cloner. when big enough i slip a collar on and done. have tried starting in collars and it worked i just did not feel comfortabe with it. i also used to gently rip the jiffy net and gently wash away as much dirt as possible, but just leaving them alone does as good or better because no stress. my major worry was dirt in my aero systems but at harvest it looked like no loss at all into system.

Medicinalhealing said:

Hello, I am a first timer and i am using the grow box from stealthyhydro.com. It came with peat pellets and a 6 2x2" mesh cup hydro system. I planted 4 seeds last Monday in darkness, then On wednesday I put the lights and bubbler on and put the mesh cups in, modified the ph to 5.8. Now it still hasn't sprouted, I did a post yesterday someone informed me that peat pellets can hold to much water, so I pulled the cups out of the water and placed them under the light. I decided to use the two mesh cups, I soaked the seeds until they sunk then placed them in the last two peat pellets and they are now in a dark room, hopefully they will sprout. Anyway I wanted to get a different medium to grow them in I was gonna try rw but I don't think there is enough room to put the hydroton in the 2" mesh cups. Then I thought maybe it's not the best thing to go with so what is? I know that's a what you prefere but if I hear what some pros use and how to use it I can make an informed decision. So please help as If the original 4 don't sprout by next monday I know I probably drowned the seeds and need to start over again. Also the seeds are autoflower as if that makes a difference. Thanks for looking! I know I have a lot to learn!!

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Ask a thousand people and get a thousand different answers. Everyone has to find the method that works best for themselves. I have tried every method I have ever heard of. Most work just fine. The important thing to remember is MOIST not wet! I use "Rapid Rooter" plugs; buy them by the case. Really chep and are usually moist enough right out of their bag. If they dry out, a few drips (4-5) of water brings them back. I have had seeds crack in as little as 12 hours and as long as 20 days, so patience is the word too. Seed will crack open only when all the conditions are right. strain dependent, they also are influenced by their age and overall vigor. Viable seeds stored correctly should be fine for 3-4 years. They actually found some seeds in a Pyramid that they successfully germinated. That's over 2,000 Y.O.!!! If you drowned them don't despair, they still might be OK if you let thm dry a few weeks then start again, but this time moisture not wetness. Back in the day, I was quite successful with paper towels. Also, seeds do n ot need/use light to crack open BUT AFTER THEY DO, they need light. It is the moisture that triggers germination as well as temperature, etc...

repeat this as you plant seeds the next time "moist NOT wet, moist NOT wet..." good luck

the seeds are duds. I've soaked seed in water for days actually I forgot lol and when I pulled them out of the water they were sprouted. I soak seeds in lukewarm tap water for 2 days before I place them in a damp napkin which in place in a zip lock and place somewhere dark and warm. In 3-5 days they sprout.

Ive never done my seeds straight into a hydro system , usually I just germinate them the regular way , wet kitchen roll paper place the seeds in them then leave them for a few days in a dark warm place, after a few days they should germinate, ie the shell should crack open and have a small little white tail.

I would then personally plant however many you feel you may need into small soil pot's , and these will be your mother plants. Truth be told you dont want a mother plant in a hydro system , as soon she will be to big to handle, smal soil pot usually keeps them managble.

You would have to veg them for a while before they get big enough to actually use for cuttings , might even want to go with 3-4 mothers at he start so you can have a real pick of the litter without waiting forever , take the cutting you need, maybe even begin a smallish grow with the extra mums after you get the cutting you need.

I Would personally say dwc bubbler buckets are a great way to go, individual buckets allows for all the movement of a normal soil setup , with a hydo benefit, now to mention if you use big buckets and the plants arnt to large maintaining them is apiece of piss, i've left nice big plants in flower over a week onetime with only the water i placed in the bucket the roots sit in(ie 1 watering) , I came back expecting the worst , all they did is drink the massive amount of water they where in , the tub was dry , however the plants where healthy and still going strong.

Try that with soil ^^

I agree with superstoner1. No medium. Germinated seeds strait into collars.
Here are two recent ones I did.




Here is a write up about the procedure.

Thanks everyone I think im gonna try a few different methods and stick to the first method that works.