How to Grow Hydroponics Cannabis

Do you know how to grow hydroponics cannabis? Growing hydroponics cannabis is a cultivation process where your plants are grown through the use of an inert growth medium and a water solution rich with nutrients as opposed to nutrient-rich soil. The hydroponics system is as basic as hand watering plants with a nutrient solution and an inert medium like pebbles.

The benefits of hydroponics cannabis are vast. You get more control over your plants, no soil is required, and plant growth is amplified. When you first begin, you may be confused, but once you understand the basics, you’ll realize that the hydroponics process is not nearly as difficult as you originally thought. Let’s get started!

What is Hydroponics Cannabis?

Cannabis’s nickname, weed, refers to the plant’s ability to grow in just about any condition and environment. Hydroponics cannabis is simply a way to grow cannabis without soil. Rather, hydroponics cannabis utilizes nutrient-rich water solutions and a growth medium.

Hydroponic Weed vs. Soil Weed

The debate between hydroponic weed and soil weed isn’t going anywhere. Soil weed is generally associated with outdoor practices where proper cultivation can yield a plant that is up to two meters tall. Meanwhile, hydroponic weed is usually limited to the indoors where yields are limited.

However, quality tends to be better and easier to control for hydroponic weed since you’ll be giving the plant all the nutrients they need under perfect lighting and humidity conditions. Meanwhile, with soil, factors like wind come into play along with spikes in temperature and wind.

While both have their pros and cons, we’re going to be focusing on hydroponics cannabis for now. That said, let’s start by taking a look at the best growth medium for your hydroponics cannabis.

Choose a Growth Medium for Your Hydroponics Cannabis

You need to select a growth medium to begin. This is a substance capable of holding the intersection of roots and stems in place. This will enable the roots to reach below the water to find nutrients. Your inert medium also makes certain there is enough access to air for the top of your roots.

There is an extensive number of different types of media growers use most frequently. A list is provided below. There are unique benefits for each method, although certain methods are the most advantageous if you use them with different systems. The idea is to learn while you are deciding which method will work best for your needs.

Perlite:

As a volcanic glass, perlite will expand at higher temperatures. Perlite is a good choice for ventilating the soil in your garden. This is the reason it is so beneficial as a hydroponic medium for the cultivation of cannabis.

Clay Pebbles:

One of the most popular choices to aerate root systems are clay pebbles. In most cases, the growers are required to modify the pH to make certain the growing conditions are optimal. You can also purchase pebbles that have been pre-altered. You need to put your clay pebbles into a hydroponic basket constructed of plastic with enough room for the expansion of your roots.

Coco Coir:

Coco coir is an excellent choice for a sustainable growing medium. Coco coir is a fiber obtained from coconuts used for enabling correct moisture retention and aeration. You can use coconut fibers for the protection of your roots due to an infection resulting from hormones used to stimulate your plants.

Rockwool:

Rockwool is another popular option. This substance is created from volcanic rocks. The substance was named after the wool texture of the rocks. Rockwool has the capacity to retain an extraordinary amount of water. This enables good hydration of your upper root system. You can use Rockwool in a hydronic basket, or it can be placed directly into a tank lid or the top of a bucket.

Select the Hydroponics Weed Setup

Once you have decided which growing medium to use, you need to choose your hydroponic setup. There are similarities among all the processes because each one requires a water solution enriched with nutrients. There are also considerable differences between the setups depending on factors including circulation and water exposure. The majority of the systems outlined below can be found easily. However, if you have DIY skills, you can make them yourself using pumps, drills, buckets, and air stones.

Drip System:

A drip system is a large tray you have filled using a growing medium like clay pebbles. You directly place your plants into the medium with a nearby drip pipe. An external water tank including air stones and a pump is necessary for the consistent supply of a water feed drip above every plant. The plant roots receive continuous exposure to air, while the excess water simply drips into the medium prior to returning to your external tank.

Deep Water Culture:

One of the most effective and simplest ways to grow marijuana is by using a deep water culture. This is an ideal choice if you are a beginner because it is so easy to build and very cheap. You fill buckets using a nutrient solution, then put your plants inside. Your plants receive a continuous oxygen supply with an air pump.

Wick System:

One of the basic hydroponic settings is a wick system you fill using clay pebbles. Your growing tray is a lot like the drip system. Beneath your tray is a tank filled with water the wicks use to enter and exit your growing medium. Water travels up through your wicks for passive hydration of your medium. You do not need a pump with this system.

Ebb And Flow:

This type of hydroponic system enables your water to flow extremely well. An ebb and flow system uses numerous buckets you suspend over a growing tray containing an inlet and outlet for the water. Everything is connected to your external tank with nutrients, and the water supply is aerated with an air stone.

This system enables your roots to be submerged underwater constantly. Once the cycle of your pump stops, the water is drained into your external tank. Periodic feeding is enabled by the ebb and flow system. Once your growing tray empties, you can easily tend the roots of the plants for harvest.

Nutrient Film Technique:

This system is a lot like the Ebb and Flow, but the difference is the more circular shape much like the growth of marijuana above a river. This method mandates putting your plants in an angled tube to enable the water to stay on one side, with gravity enabling an exit using the other side.

Aeroponics:

The most futuristic hydroponics system is most likely aeroponics because no growing medium is necessary. Misted air-dispensed water is used by this growing setup for the optimization of hydration and aeration. You put your plants at the top of a big water tank. The bottom is filled 25 percent, with the pump below sending the water directly into your root systems.

The roots of the plants are steadily soaked by a fine mist enabling your plants to receive a lot of water and air at the same time. Your plants can grow up to 10 times faster with aeroponics than soil. You lose practically no water due to evaporation.

Choosing a Cannabis Strain to Grow Using Hydroponics

One of the most important parts of hydroponic growing is choosing a cannabis strain. Nutrients are absorbed extremely quickly when you produce plants using one of these systems. This frequently results in rapid and explosive growth. This is the reason a towering sativa variety should not be selected, especially if your system is placed in an indoor grow tent. A more compact, and smaller strain is suitable when it comes to using hydroponics to grow cannabis indoors.

Your best option is to start with a smaller strain and this is for multiple reasons. First, you gain the ability to use a smaller area for growing multiple plants. This gives you the potential of a larger yield and better variety. In addition, if your plants experience a growth spurt, you have enough room to handle any unexpected surges in height. The two most recommended strains for hydroponic growing are White Widow and Royal Dwarf.

White Widow

This hybrid strain is well-balanced, with 50 percent sativa and 50 percent indica genetics. White Widow S1 was used for the creation of the parent strain. The high provided is balanced for exciting and stimulating the mind while stoning and calming the body. The 19 percent THC content provides a strong psychoactive experience lasting for a few hours.

The flowers offer a terpene profile with a scent and flavor of earthy pine. When White Widow is grown indoors, the height reached is between 60 and 100 cm. This makes White Widow an ideal choice for hydroponic growing. You should expect an abundant yield between 450 and 500 grams once the eight to nine-week flowering period is complete.

Royal Dwarf

Another great option for a hydroponic setup indoors is Royal Dwarf. This strain contains a mixture of Ruderalis and Skunk for the creation of a compact plant capable of providing moderate potency and a good yield. This strain is a sativa-dominant containing 13 percent THC.

The head high is both inspirational and motivational. The plant is infused with citrus notes and sweetness. The expected indoor growth of the plant is a height between 40 and 70 cm. Your yields are a maximum of 200 grams, going from seed to harvest in only eight weeks.

I Love Growing Marijuana

Robert Bergman operates the I Love Growing Marijuana or ILGM seed bank. He is a veteran grower, with more than 25 years of experience in the Netherlands. This seed bank has been stealth shipping marijuana seeds successfully all over the world. The distribution is impressive for prolific strains. ILGM offers fast-flowering, regular strains, feminized and auto-flowering strains.

Gathering Your Hydroponics Cannabis Supplies

Everything you will need to begin growing cannabis is listed below.

• Grow table
• Clay pellets (You need enough for filling every bucket)
• Airstone
• Water pump (the largest you can find is best)
• Air pump
• Dripline
• Depending on your garden size, you may need a reservoir tank
• Rockwool cubes
• Plastic tubing

• Three or five-gallon bucket (You need one bucket for every plant)

• Drip line emitters (each plant needs one or two)

Growing Your Hydroponics Marijuana

Once you have all of the supplies you need, you can begin. Start by setting up your reservoir. Depending on the size of your grow space, different sizes and shapes are available. Your reservoir holds your air stone and water pump, and stores your nutrient solution. Your grow table will have a drainage line and a line between your air stone and air pump. There is also a line from your reservoir to your drip line and water pump in addition to the water pump power cord.

You will need to create a grow table for containing and returning extra water to the reservoir from the plants. It is important to note your grow table must contain a low section for your excess water. This is the area where you need to install a drain. Your water will use plastic tubing to return to your reservoir. Fill five-gallon buckets with clay pellets, then place them on your grow table. Clay pellets must be soaked overnight prior to use.

Clay pellets need to be completely soaked through with water so that your plants to drink. Make certain you have drilled holes in the bottom of the buckets to ensure excess water can be drained onto your grow table. To prevent clogging, your holes need to be approximately 50 percent of the diameter of your clay pellets. Grab the plastic tubing attached to your water pump, then run your line to your table.

Use your drip line equipment for puncturing holes in your plastic tubing. Now extend your drip line until it reaches every bucket. You can now add your drip line emitters to the ends of your drip lines. To make certain everything is working correctly, your system needs to be run without plants first. There should not be any standing water in your system. Your air pump should always be running to ensure the water circulates in your reservoir and is oxygenated.

Make certain your grow table and five-gallon buckets are draining all of the extra water right back into your reservoir. The nutrient water solution goes into your reservoir. The three key nutrients your plants need to grow are called macronutrients. These are Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P), and Nitrogen (N). Your secondary macronutrients are calcium, iron, sulfur, boron, zinc, copper, and magnesium. These nutrients contribute to the development of your plants.

The easiest solution for feeding your plants is purchasing either a powder or premixed hydroponic nutrient solution with everything your plants require for both the flowering and vegetation periods. Your solution will indicate how frequently you need to put nutrients back into your system in addition to the amount of dilution necessary. You need to monitor your solution two times per day to ensure your levels are accurate.

You should practice switching the solutions once every one to two weeks to ensure they remain as optimal as possible. Once your solution is prepared, add your plants. Take your clones beginning to grow in Rockwool, then put them into your clay pellets. Insert your drip line, making certain the moisture can reach the roots of your plants and the Rockwool. Your system will require regular maintenance. All hydroponic systems need maintenance to ensure an optimal environment for growth.

Key Factors for Hydroponics Cannabis Growth

Here are some key factors you’ll want to consider if you want your hydroponics cannabis to grow properly:

• Proper pH of the water
• Proper temperature (20 degrees Celsius)
• Clean growing equipment

The pH of your water requires continuous testing to ensure an optimal environment for growth. When your atmosphere is just slightly acidic, your plants will receive more nutrients. Your pH level needs to be between 5.5 and 5.8. Check your levels regularly with a pH test kit to make certain this selection is maintained through weekly solution changes. During the flowering period, a pH of six is preferable. Your water temperature needs to be maintained at about 20 degrees Celsius.

The perfect temperature for hydroponic marijuana is 20 degrees Celsius. You can check your temperature with a water thermometer. If your temperature drops too low, you can raise it using a water heater. Ensuring everything remains clean will prevent contamination. You will need to empty and clean your growing equipment including your tanks and growing trays approximately once every two weeks. This will give both the roots and plants protection from diseases and invading pathogens.

You need to repeat this process when you first prepare your system. Even though hydroponics growing is often confusing and scary at first, you should at least try. You will discover that it’s not as difficult as you believe. Start simple and easy by choosing an appropriate strain. Then, keep a consistent eye on the environmental needs of your plants. When done correctly, growing cannabis using a hydroponic setup is extremely satisfying and offers fast growth and high yields with the space provided.