i've been helping a friend get started with some of my clones. he has kept them trimmed as mothers because he's still saving up $$$ for an HPS, but he was recently offered a 400W HPS to use for 1 or 2 harvests in exchange for 25% of the yield. i'm trying to convince him to invest in a waterfarm if he can borrow that HPS, but he's skeptical. here are some of his concerns: - drainage holes in grow chamber are too small so the roots will clog them - the grow rocks included are prone to mold/algae - the fertilizers included are poor quality - under 400W he would need at least 4 units for good yield - small res needs to be changed frequently because of these potential drawbacks he wants to build his own hydro system, but he's never worked with hydro. i suggested he get a waterfarm and build a SCROG unit on top of it, similar to this one but bigger. that would give him a chance to get some experience working with hydro. he could also figure out how it works to give him ideas for his home made system. finally, by the time he harvests i should be living in a house ready to start my grow op again, so i could buy his waterfarm after he builds his hydro system. a few questions: would a single waterfarm unit be able to fill a 2-3 square foot screen if he starts with a clone? is it common for the roots to clog the drainage holes? how do the fertilizers included with a waterfarm compare to others like tiger bloom? are the grow rocks good? can they be reused? if the res is filled to the max how long can the system run without topping the res? does anyone have pictures from a plant flowered in a waterfarm unit? THANKS, PEACE
hey dood! i emailed you some pix today. re your questions... i have never had the roots clog the holes. some roots will grow thru the holes, but there are a lot of holes. i have never used the ferts that come w/the waterfarm, since i can buy the individual unit at my grow store. i am sure they are good though since 'general hydroponics' puts out good products. i have only used Fox Farms Grow Big and Tiger Bloom, myself. i use hydroton's hydrocorn as the grow rocks, and they are totally reusable. they do tend to grow some algae on the top layer, but it does not harm the plant. filled, a farm could go probably 5 or 6 days before needing to add more water. all you do is pour the water on top of the grow rocks to bring the reservoir water level up to the proper level. the pump draws from the bottom of the reservoir so you may be able to go even longer before adding water. i have never tried it to see. the reservoir only needs to be changed every 2 weeks. under 400w, you could comfortably grow 4 plants, but only one or two would love all the light 'attention'. dood, you're right, this is a simple way to learn hydro. and it's very easy, too. good luck on convincing your friend! they're very inexpensive, so you can't 'go wrong'. (Edited by marymaryquitecntrary at 5:06 pm on Feb. 10, 2004)
