GreenCoast Hydroponics Blog

This is an email that one of our team members sent to a customer. It covers alot of points on how to set up the 'best' hydro system for your growing needs...

This email is mainly going to cover some of the same features we spoke of on the phone yesterday. As a gardener though, I really recommend starting some research of your own into indoor gardening. There is a lot of different styles that people use, and I know that if you ask other hydro fiends that they will give you different ideas than the next person. Needless to say, there are many new products and components that will ultimately create the best growing situation for you to thrive in. In this case, comfort is king.

You want to go with the DarkRoom 150W. As a beginner I suggested that you start in a coco medium. Coco is ground up coconut husk that is defined as a soilless medium. It has great drainage yet retains adequate moisture for the roots. It is a sterile medium that does not interact with nutrients in the same way that soil does, which means better nutrient retention and no nutrient lockout(which occurs from too much salt build up in organic soil and nutrients.) The easiest method would have to be either the ebb n’ flow system, or hand watering. With the ebb n’ flow system you would need:

3x3 tray
http://www.gchydro.com/American+Agritech+Tray+-+3++x++3+++White.html

40gal reservoir
http://www.gchydro.com/American+Agritech+Multi-Res%AE+Reservoir.html

Nk-1 pump 210gph (gph=gallons per hour)
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_id=nk1pump

3/4in black tubing(you might have to get this locally for single foot cuts)

American agritech ebb n’ flow fittings
http://www.gchydro.com/American+Agritech+Ebb+and+Flow+Fittings.html

(9) 6in round pots(to start in the vegetative stage)
(9) 10-12in round plastic pots(for your bloom stage)
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_id=XROUNDPOTS

Air pump
http://www.gchydro.com/Million+Air+Dual+Valve+Pump.html

Airstones
http://www.gchydro.com/Elite+Aqua+Fizzzz+Air+Stone.html
¼ in tubing to connect airstones to air pump (the airstones keep your reservoir oxygenated so you don’t have to change the nutrients every batch.)

Grasslin Timer
(scheduled to pump water to the tray every other hour for fifteen minutes, and only watering when your lights are on.)
http://www.gchydro.com/Grasslin+Timer+-+15+amp.html

The other method is hand watering which really only requires a hose connected to a water source, like a threaded faucet. Some people have set a pump into a reservoir source and attached tubing with a compression valve or end cap to control the water release.

Another idea is the ebb n’ gro 12 site hydro system which we offer on our website for a sale price of $559.95.

It comes with everything that you would need for your hydro system, except nutrients. This system contains Hydroton as a medium. Hydroton is clay pebbles that have no retention of either nutrients or moisture, they merely act as a plant stabilizer. The nutrients for this system would have to be a fairly clean one like the house and garden line or general hydroponics. Both lines of nutrients are clean and very available to the plants in a pure hydroponic system.
http://www.gchydro.com/Ebb+%26+Gro+12+Site+Hydro+System.html

Now as for the lighting system we spoke of lumatek ballasts as a power source. For the DR150W I would suggest at least a 600w light system, if not a 1000w system. The reflector that would suit the situation best would be the Xtrasun 6” AC reflector. The great thing about the AC reflectors is the easy adaptability of an air cooled hood, which takes the heat straight from the light, creating a ideal atmosphere in your room.
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_id=XVAC6H

As for atmosphere you will need to set equip yourself with a fan, carbon filter, and some ducting to run it all together. For you room I would suggest…
6” vortex fan
http://www.gchydro.com/Vortex+PowerFan.html
Can 33 carbon filter
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_id=xcanfilter
6” ducting
http://www.gchydro.com/Flexible+Ducting+-+25+Ft.html

You should also get a standing or clip fan to give your plants some grow room oscillation.
http://www.gchydro.com/Air+King+6+Inch+Clip-On+Fan.html

As for nutrients I would suggest the Canna line if you use the coco. It is the best line specifically formulated to work with the canna coco medium. You do not have to check Ph in the reservoir and you are only using the 2-part nutrient the entire cycle. The additives go a long way too in helping maintain the ideal balance for your plants to flourish in.
http://www.gchydro.com/Canna+Coco+Nutrient+A+%26+B+-+1+Liter.html
http://www.gchydro.com/Canna+Rhizotonic+1+Liter.html
http://www.gchydro.com/Canna+Cannazym+-+1+Liter.html
http://www.gchydro.com/DETAIL.ASP?PRODUCT_ID=XCANNAPK

If you are considering the ebb & gro 12 site then you will need to go with a stable nutrient line for the water to provide the most nutrients to the plants. This is either the house and garden line or the general hydroponics line.
Both are great but the house and garden has been one of the best nutrient lines to come out of Holland.
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_ID=AquaFlks
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_ID=rootexcel
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_ID=XmultienZ
http://www.gchydro.com/detail.asp?product_id=xfloragro
http://www.gchydro.com/Kool+Bloom+Liquid.html
http://www.gchydro.com/Mineral+Magic+Diamond+Nectar%99.html

I hope that all this will help you get a good idea of what you want to do, please feel free to call again with any questions or items that need clarification. Thank you.
http://www.gchydro.com/information.asp


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