imho hydro sucks

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
Have to say i prefer organic too. I think it tastes better also, let alone cheaper to grow.

Though my biggest gripes with hydro grew because of how environmentally unsustainable it is. Got so sick of adding acid to neutral water, buying strong salty nutrient. Being left with waste i can't give my plants outdoors ANY plants outdoors, otherwise it burns them. So instead, i take this salty, acidic, nutrient rich garbage and put it down the drain, for all the natural water ways.

I'll be the first to admit hydroponics is a very effective way to grow. But it's an environmentally harmful one, and that is most of all, why i enjoy smoking organic cannabis more.

Each to his own. Pack a cone pass it around, will happily smoke either! bongsmilie
I used to use the waste on Monocot plants - Like your lawn or any grain crop. Nice in the garden for bean crops. Fix's most of the N back to the soil and actually use's the rest, quite well...IF YOU DON"T ORGANIC GARDEN!

Mostly we just watered the lawn with it...

The other issue I have, environmentally thinking. Is that it is reducing the amount of actual mineable "quality" P......It is estimated that we have less then 30 years of quality mineable P left in the world...

What's going to be left in the future? ORGANIC growers!
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
For what it's worth, I'm growing fully organic in DWC at the moment (other than a dose of potassium silicate). I'm noticing some small issues, but so far, I would call it a success in veg.

Here's day 10 from seed. Roots were pruned after pic.

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Here's day 15.

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I've pruned the roots already with no ill effects, so the microbes are definitely doing their job.
 

JSB99

Well-Known Member
little more yield huh? it is more expensive but I find it easier than soil. I change a res every now and then and adjust ph the same , the system does the rest. while you're packing heavy bags of soil I'm opening a valve. water cost much less than soil.
No doubt! I thought soil would be easier as well, after only growing via DWC. I was wrong. Heavy bags of soil, watering every day, once they get big, etc...my system consists of a few totes and pipes. All the weight is in the water.

And I really like the instant feedback plants show, when growing in hydro.
 

Jefferson1977

Well-Known Member
Have to say i prefer organic too. I think it tastes better also, let alone cheaper to grow.

Though my biggest gripes with hydro grew because of how environmentally unsustainable it is. Got so sick of adding acid to neutral water, buying strong salty nutrient. Being left with waste i can't give my plants outdoors ANY plants outdoors, otherwise it burns them. So instead, i take this salty, acidic, nutrient rich garbage and put it down the drain, for all the natural water ways.

I'll be the first to admit hydroponics is a very effective way to grow. But it's an environmentally harmful one, and that is most of all, why i enjoy smoking organic cannabis more.

Each to his own. Pack a cone pass it around, will happily smoke either! bongsmilie
You're doing something wrong then if you think it harms the environment. If you were to just add some water to your waste solution, it would not burn any plants, even if using mineral nutes. That's what I do and I feed it to all my outdoor plants and garden. But then I use lakewater and don't pay for filters, I guess not everyone can be so lucky. I also re-use hydrocorn and so don't have any waste medium. Bury my roots in my compost pile. Hardly ever need to change my reservoir using beneficial bacteria too. Honestly don't see much difference from organic in my grow in terms of environmental impact.
 

Aqua Man

Well-Known Member
You're doing something wrong then if you think it harms the environment. If you were to just add some water to your waste solution, it would not burn any plants, even if using mineral nutes. That's what I do and I feed it to all my outdoor plants and garden. But then I use lakewater and don't pay for filters, I guess not everyone can be so lucky. I also re-use hydrocorn and so don't have any waste medium. Bury my roots in my compost pile. Hardly ever need to change my reservoir using beneficial bacteria too. Honestly don't see much difference from organic in my grow in terms of environmental impact.
I agree on the dilution and can use outside but the problem is over years of doing so you will eventually ruin the soil from accumulated build up of salt slowly making the soil worse over time.

I use mine in my wife's flower beds. Not much and not often about 2 times a year the rest goes down the drain.

I would say that literally the difference between organic and salt based nutrients is one is sustainable and one is not. It may take time for it to become unsustainable but eventually it will happen.

And a major problem on a large scale is run off into streams and lakes destroying aquatic habitats.
 

Aussieaceae

Well-Known Member
I agree on the dilution and can use outside but the problem is over years of doing so you will eventually ruin the soil from accumulated build up of salt slowly making the soil worse over time.

I use mine in my wife's flower beds. Not much and not often about 2 times a year the rest goes down the drain.

I would say that literally the difference between organic and salt based nutrients is one is sustainable and one is not. It may take time for it to become unsustainable but eventually it will happen.

And a major problem on a large scale is run off into streams and lakes destroying aquatic habitats.
Exactly my point. Well said.

You're doing something wrong then if you think it harms the environment. If you were to just add some water to your waste solution, it would not burn any plants, even if using mineral nutes. That's what I do and I feed it to all my outdoor plants and garden. But then I use lakewater and don't pay for filters, I guess not everyone can be so lucky. I also re-use hydrocorn and so don't have any waste medium. Bury my roots in my compost pile. Hardly ever need to change my reservoir using beneficial bacteria too. Honestly don't see much difference from organic in my grow in terms of environmental impact.
Fact of the matter was, i was left with gallons, and gallons of waste over time that i couldn't use. Even from a water usage perspective it's environmentally harmful. Especially in a continuously drought stricken country like i'm in. It's a big waste of water in this regard.

Australia's Murray Darling basin is a prime example of what excessive water use, and nutrient rich waste can do.

Any organic waste i give to my outdoor garden, and it's absolutely fine. Every ounce of soil always gets reused too.
Nothing ever goes into landfill or waterways if organic gardening is done right. Ever.

Like i say i'll happily smoke either. Smoking organic weed makes me feel better about doing so. Makes me appreciate the way it was grown more, and gives me a clearer conscience too.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
Exactly my point. Well said.



Fact of the matter was, i was left with gallons, and gallons of waste over time that i couldn't use. Even from a water usage perspective it's environmentally harmful. Especially in a continuously drought stricken country like i'm in. It's a big waste of water in this regard.

Australia's Murray Darling basin is a prime example of what excessive water use, and nutrient rich waste can do.

Any organic waste i give to my outdoor garden, and it's absolutely fine. Every ounce of soil always gets reused too.
Nothing ever goes into landfill or waterways if organic gardening is done right. Ever.

Like i say i'll happily smoke either. Smoking organic weed makes me feel better about doing so. Makes me appreciate the way it was grown more, and gives me a clearer conscience too.
Gallons and gallons of waste in hydro?

You realize that you don't need to change out gallons and gallons of water, right? You can run the same res for a full grow, never removing water from the bucket.

Sure it's a waste if you constantly cycle buckets, but it's no different than the gallons wasted every time you water soil plants.

Hydro uses less water and less nutrients... Just saying.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
The misinformation about salts building up in the lawn and hurting it is just that. Misinformation!

Those salts are mineral salts that the plants eat to live do if anything it will make it healthier.

When you grow organically the microbes and fungi in the soil break down organic matter into the same freakin salts so the plant can grow. Using hydro nutes just cuts out the middleman and gives them what they need at that moment.

Using hydro nutes to supplement an organic grow will not kill the soil bacteria unless you go overkill with the nutes and then you'll fry your plants anyway.

Your tap water is full of salts too so better water the lawn with RO or you're gonna kill it! :D

:peace:
 

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
Soil gives much better taste. Grower experience makes me not have to worry about ph issues and I like 2-3 gal pots. U think soil is messy try.50 gal or nutrient all on the floor. How much faster u talkin about as far as.growth. soil can grow pretty Damn fast. Being on a three ft high table don't leave all that much room to grow big plants especially in a tent. Never see.cannabis.cup won by a hydroponically grown weed.
I dunno about better taste.
A hydro guy who knows what he is doing can put out stuff that you would never know wasnt grown in soil if he didnt tell you.
 

Aussieaceae

Well-Known Member
Gallons and gallons of waste in hydro?

You realize that you don't need to change out gallons and gallons of water, right? You can run the same res for a full grow, never removing water from the bucket.

Sure it's a waste if you constantly cycle buckets, but it's no different than the gallons wasted every time you water soil plants.

Hydro uses less water and less nutrients... Just saying.
Respectfully you're misunderstanding what i'm saying. Never said i don't get any waste from watering potted plants. I'm saying i'm able to reuse 100% of it. Organics is 100% recyclable. If it isn't then you're not doing it right.

I'm not buying that used hydro water can't be used. Salts won't build up in the soil especially if you dilute it. Besides it's better to ruin a little soil than to contaminate our waterways.
I respectfully disagree. Vineyards are just one example of when soil becomes salty, and the soil is leached.

Salty soil is a cause of dry lifeless topsoil, compaction, and can also lead to erosion. Erosion is one of the largest contributors to water way pollution.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
Respectfully you're misunderstanding what i'm saying. Never said i don't get any waste from watering potted plants. I'm saying i'm able to reuse 100% of it. Organics is 100% recyclable. If it isn't then you're not doing it right.



I respectfully disagree. Vineyards are just one example of when soil becomes salty, and the soil is leached.

Salty soil is a cause of dry lifeless topsoil, compaction, and can also lead to erosion. Erosion is one of the largest contributors to water way pollution.
The only difference between a fertilizer "salt" and an organic "nutrient" is terminology. They are both simply ions, the same ions. An over abundance of either will cause contamination in runoff.

I see no reason why a "salt" fertilizer is detrimental when applied in the proportion necessary to supply plants with proper food levels, the same as "nutrients".

Fertilizer "salts" aren't really salts, rather crystallized ions that are formed from bonding.

An example:

Plants uptake nitrates, not nitrogen. Nitrates are broken down into nitrogen in the plant. Whether manure or nitrate "salt", it's the same to the plant.

To me, organic has little to do with which source of fertilizer is used, as opposed to the manner in which it is used.
 

Aussieaceae

Well-Known Member
The only difference between a fertilizer "salt" and an organic "nutrient" is terminology. They are both simply ions, the same ions. An over abundance of either will cause contamination in runoff.

I see no reason why a "salt" fertilizer is detrimental when applied in the proportion necessary to supply plants with proper food levels, the same as "nutrients".

Fertilizer "salts" aren't really salts, rather crystallized ions that are formed from bonding.

An example:

Plants uptake nitrates, not nitrogen. Nitrates are broken down into nitrogen in the plant. Whether manure or nitrate "salt", it's the same to the plant.

To me, organic has little to do with which source of fertilizer is used, as opposed to the manner in which it is used.
Yes, i realize that by the time organic compounds are broken down, the ionic compounds are virtually the same.

I'd actually argue in organic gardening, you're not improving the soil for the plant specifically. But improving the fertility of the soil, creating an environment where the ideal soil life thrives. Synthetic fertilizer bypasses all of this completely.
Organics you are effectively farming, attracting, and supporting an abundance of soil life. Worms, microbies, critters, you name it.

I could use synthetic fertz on my garden, and the plants themselves will probably be just as healthy. Have done. I could use it without adding any organic matter to my topsoil, like mulch, manure, compost etc. The top soil will be bare and dry, but the plant i'm feeding will still be healthy. That to me is a concern.

I feel better when i smoke organic. For the reason only plant matter, feces, earth, water and sunlight have gone into making it. I appreciate what it is more. That opinion won't ever change.

Like i've said each to his own. Two identical strains and quality, 1 organic, 1 not, choice of only 1. I'd take organic every single time, because i appreciate it more, and feel better for the planet doing so. Simple as that.
 
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