Best Solid Hydro Medium?

[CARE giver]

What do you guys think the best solid hydro medium is in terms of growth speed?

I want to make the switch to hydro but not have to deal with all the pumps, pipes ect.

 

[foaf]

so you want to hand-water some inert substrate?

 

[BongRipkenJR.]

Coco drip system. Ebb and flows are good, just strain dependent imo. Some will argue against it, but I have seen great results and bad results. DWC with hydroton and rockwool works great as well. Just depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[Rednick]

so you want to hand-water some inert substrate?

Don't worry foaf, some people just don't get it.

I have an idea.
Soil.

Seriously, though, you might as well do a search on HempyBuckets.

 

[BongRipkenJR.]

I want to make the switch to hydro but not have to deal with all the pumps, pipes ect.

I didnt really read that part lol

I would say drain to waste coco then. Thats what I am doing. Works great. I might be installing a drip system soon though because it is quite the chore hand watering all the plants once they start feeding heavily.

 

[CARE giver]

Don't worry foaf, some people just don't get it.

I have an idea.
Soil.

Seriously, though, you might as well do a search on HempyBuckets.

Yes hand watering plants isn't too hard I don't think. I like spending time with the plants .

I've read alot on hempy. I have been reading that coco hempy would be just slightly slower than normal hydro. But still faster than soil, which is what I'm looking for.

 

[Lazyman]

Coco/perlite with BLumats. I've done flood and drain tables, Ebb and Grow buckets, pots of handwatered organic soil, you name it. I am using Botanicare's Readygro coco (coco/perlite/light ferts) straight out of the bag in Smartpots and getting the best results I've ever had in 8 years of growing.

 

[CARE giver]

Coco/perlite with BLumats. I've done flood and drain tables, Ebb and Grow buckets, pots of handwatered organic soil, you name it. I am using Botanicare's Readygro coco (coco/perlite/light ferts) straight out of the bag in Smartpots and getting the best results I've ever had in 8 years of growing.

Thanks man, appreciate the helpful input. Sounds like everyone else is thinking the same way I am. I guess coco it is .

 

[BongRipkenJR.]

Read all you can on coco. It is a weird one. If you are hand watering dont mix with perlite imo. It will dry out too fast. If you have the luxury of blumats mix with perlite. I use straight botanicare coco and I have to hand feed every day. I could even feed twice a day without overdoing it. Remember to have a 5.8-6.2 pH and don't get nutes high in K. Cal-mag seems to be mandatory as well. I thought I could get away with using Canna coco A+B, Flora Nectar, and my 100ppm tap water. Turns out cal mag was a necessity. Good luck on your quest!

 

[chosen]

I'd say that you would want to go HEMPY... If you're trying to avoid mechanical items, that's probably the best way for you to go.