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How To Grow Big Buds Using a Hydroponics System - Part 2

Updated on October 7, 2011

There many ways to grow using hydroponics, different methods different setups.

There are single plant systems where there's only one plant in a bucket and grown that way, and then you have where there are multiple plant setups like an ebb & flow system.

When you grow with a one plant you must first build the system. Of course you can purchase  one online but it’s a way more interesting to do it yourself.

Like the example in part 1 we start by taking our clone and introducing it to the growing medium of your choice. You want to put the cutting into the net pot and fill the pot with whatever kind of  grow rocks you choose.

For a solo setup find a five gallon paint bucket (make sure it's clean) with the lid. Next you will want to cut a hole in the lid the size of the netted pot that is holding the cutting. The net pot should fit tightly into the lid.

As the plant gets bigger the roots will wrap throughout the grow rocks, traveling down inside the bucket. In the bottom of the bucket will be your nutrient rich water with a ph of ideally 5.3 ..

In the bucket you need to insert a fish bubbler to move the H2O at all times and also to provide oxygen in the water for the roots. The more oxygen for the roots means faster and healthier plant growth.

The roots will then reach into the liquid sucking in the nutes and oxygen for optimal growth and speed. You should change out the nutrient solution every 3-5 days regardless of the kind of system you use.

When you are a little more advanced you might want to upgrade your system to an Ebb & flow or a flood and drain system. These systems are used by growers the majority of the time.

Grow your plants in 4’x 4’x’4 wrapped Rockwool blocks, and you’ll want a 3’x 3’ ABS tray or a long shallow bucket with a stand as opposed to using the bucket method. You will also need a 6 gallon tub with a lid to be the nutrient reservoir.

You want two holes in the bottom of the tray or long shallow buckets,  one for the pump and one for the water cut off. This will keep the water from overflowing and flooding the tray. 

Attach the pump to the bottom of the ABS tray and the 2nd tube connected to the cut off drain going into the nutrient reservoir. The reservoir tube should be exactly under the ABS tray with the 2 tubes going up to the tray.

Now you're all good to grow. Connect the pump to timer programed to go on every Thirty minutes, and fill up your reservoir ¾ of your nute solution. Then get the plants that have been in the in 4’x 4’x 4’ Rockwool blocks and put them lined up in the bottom of the ABS tray. The last step is to fill up the tray with clay pellets barely covering the tops of the Rockwool cubes.

When the timer goes off every thirty minutes the pump will pump the nute solution from the reservoir to the tray flooding the root system with the solution, then draining it back into the reservoir and this will repeat every 30 minutes.

It is important that your pump runs on the timer at all times and that you change your water every 3-6 days. Hydroponics is not very forgiving and if your pump fails to work for just a few hours then you whole crop can be toast.  Follow these steps and you will be harvesting some great herbs on a regular basis.


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