First DIY Hydro Grow

Hey All,

I've started my first grow ever and with a DIY hydroponic system. Only having very limited funds to get started I'm doing this as cheaply as possible. So far I've only spent about $60 for building a room, exhaust system, lights hydro system and the greatest expense were the General hydroponics flora series nutes. I am pretty good at finding deals at thrift stores, yard sales and dumpster diving.

Here is pretty much my set up, but as I find more items it will keep improving.

150 Watt sun system light and 1-42 watts CFL- I’m working on getting more CFLs right now.

I cut down a large tub and put 4 net pots with clay pebbles. It holds about 18 Gals of water to the bottom of the net pots. I’ve installed a drain to this as well, to make draining easy.

2 -Air pumps with air stones.

For my water I have a simple fish tank water pump attached to a cut garden hose. I’ve wrapped the hose around the top and I have it go back into the reservoir. I've cut a hole over each net pot and water pours out of the holes.

For my exhaust I have a box fan pulling air in from outside at the top of my room. Not really blowing onto the plants. Then I have another small fan blowing air out into another room at the bottom of the grow room. It seems to stay pretty circulated doing this.

I am also running a heater because temps outside are cold without it.

A couple questions I have - I don't have PH stuff or anything to check my ppm yet, do you think it will be fine for a few weeks till I can get this sorted out? Water flows out of my holes in the hose. Should I put this on a timer or run it 24/7?


I'll post a few pictures and add more as I can. Let me know what you think and what I should try doing differently.

Thanks!

no you will not be able to get away with no ph stuff ,when i make a batch my ph is 4 on adverage depending on what I add (veg or bloom
)till i adjust it

also dont allow the water to hit your stems just the roots if yoy allow the stem to remain wet stem rot will ensue and ruin your crop play with placement of the line to saturate the media but leaves the stem dry at the surface

Thanks, Ill get the ph kit next. I've fixed the water flow so it doesn't hit the plants. Should I keep the pump on 24/7?

you only need to top water untill the roots hit the res

read this...

https://www.rollitup.org/dwc-bubbleponics/234626-rosemans-diy-bubbleponics-tutorial.html

hardcore765 said:

Thanks, Ill get the ph kit next. I've fixed the water flow so it doesn't hit the plants. Should I keep the pump on 24/7?

Click to expand...

pH and EC are important - especially at the seedling stage.
EC, CF and PPM (of TDS) are, confusingly, different scales for measuring essentially the same thing.

EC (Electrical Conductivity) and CF (Conductivity Factor)
EC 1,0 = CF 10
EC 1,0 - PPM 500

EC x 10 = CF
EC x 500 = PPM
CF x 50 = PPM

Stick with EC and you cant go far wrong
BUT you DO need some way of testing the pH and EC of your water and acting accordingly (pH UP/DOWN).
To lessen EC simply add more pure water to dilute the solution to a higher degree.

Kudos
I'm well impressed with the pioneering spirit of DIY horticulture.

You're an example to us all that expensive, brand name items CAN be done without!

I will defo attempt to build my own ebb and flow table.

Thanks guys!