Soil Vs Hydro
- Thread starter bl4ze:20
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i used to germinate in soil and move to a DWC
Sativied
Well-Known Member
You can replace the nutrient solution in hydro as in control the root zone to the extreme, you can't replace the soil... overwatering and over fertilizing is a primary cause of death for beginners... how is soil more forgiving? I guess it's more forgiving for forum-myth growers, avoid the nonsense, use a proper nutrient regime (no boosters and shit, no 1000ppm or whatever) and hydro is way more forgiving than soil can ever be.
Fill a reservoir of buckets with water, couple of caps of nutes, some drops of ph, and watch the plants grow fast, no need to fertigate individual plants... How is messing with dirt more straightforward than that? For seedlings I fill a rez with water, add some nutes, add some ph down, and don't do anything for a week or two except look at healthy fast growing plants.
A problem with many hydro growers is that they make it so much more complicated than it should be as if it's some sort of advanced grow method. And again, a proper nutrient regime. It prevents having to deal constantly with ppm and ph fluctuations and helps prevent root issues (a lot...) as well and many problems that some blame on hydro, even taste...
Anyway, good luck with the grow. Always good to see a nice clean setup.
Fill a reservoir of buckets with water, couple of caps of nutes, some drops of ph, and watch the plants grow fast, no need to fertigate individual plants... How is messing with dirt more straightforward than that? For seedlings I fill a rez with water, add some nutes, add some ph down, and don't do anything for a week or two except look at healthy fast growing plants.
A problem with many hydro growers is that they make it so much more complicated than it should be as if it's some sort of advanced grow method. And again, a proper nutrient regime. It prevents having to deal constantly with ppm and ph fluctuations and helps prevent root issues (a lot...) as well and many problems that some blame on hydro, even taste...
Anyway, good luck with the grow. Always good to see a nice clean setup.
skunkd0c
Well-Known Member
i find hydro easier/better yielding and faster
also hydro plants are more robust with a constant water/food supply can handle and thrive in harsh hotter grow room conditions, especially during summer
soil plants are not able to consume this much water to keep themselves cool
i still grow the odd soil plant every once in a while , but i do not allow them in the main grow room anymore
last time i did that about 5 years ago i found some spider mites on the soil plant so i threw it away before it could harm my hydro ladies lol
peace
also hydro plants are more robust with a constant water/food supply can handle and thrive in harsh hotter grow room conditions, especially during summer
soil plants are not able to consume this much water to keep themselves cool
i still grow the odd soil plant every once in a while , but i do not allow them in the main grow room anymore
last time i did that about 5 years ago i found some spider mites on the soil plant so i threw it away before it could harm my hydro ladies lol
peace
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
I use jiffy pops for my seedlings, they're easy to monitor, and IMHO hard to over saturate. Over saturation might be an issue with your rockwool, I noticed it when I used rockwool. I believe that if you know how to READ YOUR PLANTS then hydroponics is WAY more forgiving, couple capfuls of nutrients and some water, easy peazy (well you'd think so). Don't overcomplicate, and apply the knowledge you have from soil, most of it is still very applicable. Make sure that there are no dramatic changes and your plant will explode! When those roots hit optimal conditions, there's no stopping them, and as many say "bigger roots, bigger fruits".
@Sativied is right on point. I don't think I could agree anymore!
Dirt is just that, dirty. It's contents include feces, fungus, mold, and bacteria, soil also propagates serious diseases and infectious harmful bacteria.... Ask yourself, would I rather be breathing in feces, fungus, mold, and bacteria
or water vapor....
@Sativied is right on point. I don't think I could agree anymore!
Dirt is just that, dirty. It's contents include feces, fungus, mold, and bacteria, soil also propagates serious diseases and infectious harmful bacteria.... Ask yourself, would I rather be breathing in feces, fungus, mold, and bacteria
or water vapor....
Rrog
Well-Known Member
LOL. Soil = add water. Why complicate things? Some of what is stated above might be opinion, but certainly not fact.
A well-built soil will last for 12+ plant generations, with simple adding of amendments along the way.
Soil will culture a normal microbial relationship with the plant. Hydro does not. If anyone wants to debate that, stand up.
This normal microbial relationship will work for you. Plants have a much higher and faster immune response when cared for by microbes.
Nothing wrong with hydro, I've been there and done that.
A well-built soil will last for 12+ plant generations, with simple adding of amendments along the way.
Soil will culture a normal microbial relationship with the plant. Hydro does not. If anyone wants to debate that, stand up.
This normal microbial relationship will work for you. Plants have a much higher and faster immune response when cared for by microbes.
Nothing wrong with hydro, I've been there and done that.
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
Elaborate on what is not factual
This?
.....I will stand and say that SOME properly cared for hydroponic systems culture a MORE ADVANCED MICROBIAL RELATIONSHIP than any soil could attain. All organic hydro systems will achieve a highly advanced microbial relationship via the living organisms in fertilizers
reasonevangelist
Well-Known Member
Hydro uses more electricity and more water?
I'd say if you're not going with legit organics, might as well go hydro.
To me, hydro seems like a massive tedious hassle, and a delicate balance in need of perpetual maintenance, which can instantly kill plants if you mess up a little bit.
However, sustainably producing all your own safe and actually-organic materials/amendments/etc., isn't exactly the easiest thing either. Raking/bagging leaves, building worm bins and compost piles, homemade biochar, and the months/years/space involved with such things... AACT and building a brewer... that's a bit more than "just add water."
Also: i like the idea of building soil Once, and merely keeping it alive and healthy.
Hydro is kinda like overclocking; you can get improved results, but they're not really necessary, requires careful maintenance and perpetual monitoring, increases the potential consequences from mistakes, and the curve of diminishing returns seems prohibitive.
I still think it's "cool" though, i just prefer the soil approach, ideologically, in accordance with my worldview, principles, and personal philosophies.
And then, of course, you have aeroponics, which is sort of a combination of both.
Ideally, i'd like to use self-produced soil in a convertible greenhouse... while attached to a sort of "earthship" setup. But that's totally not happening, so soil and LED is my preference. Some people might be surprised by the type of results that can be achieved with such low tech and minimal maintenance.
One of the other things i like about the soil approach, is that you're basically doing all the work up front; no res changes, no ppm or ph manipulations, no crazy math, no mad-science... just roots in dirt and plants being awesome.
One downside is that you don't get those ultrasexy monster root mass shots... but oh well.
I'd say if you're not going with legit organics, might as well go hydro.
To me, hydro seems like a massive tedious hassle, and a delicate balance in need of perpetual maintenance, which can instantly kill plants if you mess up a little bit.
However, sustainably producing all your own safe and actually-organic materials/amendments/etc., isn't exactly the easiest thing either. Raking/bagging leaves, building worm bins and compost piles, homemade biochar, and the months/years/space involved with such things... AACT and building a brewer... that's a bit more than "just add water."
Also: i like the idea of building soil Once, and merely keeping it alive and healthy.
Hydro is kinda like overclocking; you can get improved results, but they're not really necessary, requires careful maintenance and perpetual monitoring, increases the potential consequences from mistakes, and the curve of diminishing returns seems prohibitive.
I still think it's "cool" though, i just prefer the soil approach, ideologically, in accordance with my worldview, principles, and personal philosophies.
And then, of course, you have aeroponics, which is sort of a combination of both.
Ideally, i'd like to use self-produced soil in a convertible greenhouse... while attached to a sort of "earthship" setup. But that's totally not happening, so soil and LED is my preference. Some people might be surprised by the type of results that can be achieved with such low tech and minimal maintenance.
One of the other things i like about the soil approach, is that you're basically doing all the work up front; no res changes, no ppm or ph manipulations, no crazy math, no mad-science... just roots in dirt and plants being awesome.
One downside is that you don't get those ultrasexy monster root mass shots... but oh well.
Rrog
Well-Known Member
That may be true, but it is not at all necessarily beneficial. People equate any microbes = good, but they're only good if working in unison with the plant. Microbes living in fertilized soil do not have a plant /microbe dependance / symbiosis. You likely just have a soup of microbes that happen to be in the same pot as a plant. You start dumping loose nutrients to the medium and the relationship is changed.
Once this relationship is lost, the plant's immune system is severely weakened. Just as our own human immune system is screwed when you take antibiotics and kill off your 4-6 pounds of beneficial microbes living in and on you.
This weakened immune system means dealing with microbes that would otherwise be present and keep malicious microbes at bay.
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
I can't remember the last time I fully changed my reservoir.... I have a constant ph/ec/ppm temp probe in every reservoir, I only really have to go in my tent once a week to top off, and my fertilizers mix perfectly with my water bringing it to a nice 6.1 ph.... No crazy math, no mad scientist shit. JUST ROOTS IN WATER AND PLANTS BEING AWESOME... Again Soil is disgusting, filled with SHIT, FECES, POOP, MANURE, CACA, DEFICATION I don't want my hands in that, I don't want to breathe it in, or smell it.
So that you know, overclocking is a VERY common practice for those who are familiar with their machinery (or plant), it provides a quick affordable way to speed boost performance, and when done safely does not shorten the life of said item being "overclocked"
reasonevangelist
Well-Known Member
Dude, you have probes and monitors and automation growing your plants for you. That's mad-science.
I know what overclocking is, i'm doing it right now, and on water too. ^^
Soil isn't the only thing with "icky" stuff in it. Have you ever touched a public door handle with your bare flesh? You probably have cooties.
We all have "bugs" and various other microbes living in and on us, yes, even if you shower constantly. Your hands are already in that. My soil doesn't smell bad at all. There is zero unpleasant odor. It actually smelled appealing before anything went into it. If you think "a little clean dirt" is "disgusting," you wouldn't last 5 minutes in my life LOL. Humans are disgusting, far more disgusting than soil with poop in it. In fact, you have poop in You, Right Now! Gross!
Rrog
Well-Known Member
You'd have starved in any era before WWII then. You live in an ocean of unseen microbes. They're literally in every breath you take.
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
The probes monitor, there is ZERO automation in feeding/watering, I have no recirculation from a larger reservoir, no float valve adding water, and generally speaking I have ZERO MAD SCIENTIST SHIT going on.Dude, you have probes and monitors and automation growing your plants for you. That's mad-science.
I know what overclocking is, i'm doing it right now, and on water too. ^^
Soil isn't the only thing with "icky" stuff in it. Have you ever touched a public door handle with your bare flesh? You probably have cooties.
We all have "bugs" and various other microbes living in and on us, yes, even if you shower constantly. Your hands are already in that. My soil doesn't smell bad at all. There is zero unpleasant odor. It actually smelled appealing before anything went into it. If you think "a little clean dirt" is "disgusting," you wouldn't last 5 minutes in my life LOL. Humans are disgusting, far more disgusting than soil with poop in it. In fact, you have poop in You, Right Now! Gross!
If you are at all confused as to what I'm saying or why I believe what I am saying read this:
http://bohemiawga.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/6/7/3267391/lbna24893enn.pdf
It might be mad scientist shit but I think you can hang....
Hydro is cleaner, more efficient, yields bigger better flowers, and when done correctly is nearly maintenance free. Not to mention the fact that I can control any potential issues in 24 hours or less....
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
Why live in it if you don't have to?
PLUS you ignorant retards, I have a child with immune system problems. So again
Why live in it if you don't have to?
Rrog
Well-Known Member
Seriously dude, you would have many many many people arguing that comment. That might be your experience, But certainly not the experience of others
Rrog
Well-Known Member
You can't avoid microbes for shits sake. You're surrounded by them. They're in you, and on you despite anything you might do to the contrary. All you can do is introduce a bunch of bad bacteria but you will always have bacteria.
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
Argue away! the name of the thread is
SOIL VS. HYDRO
FrozenChozen
Well-Known Member
Why live in EXTRA harmful bacteria if you don't have to?