Best grow medium for PC grows - Micro Grows - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

thecarguy · 10-24-2006, 10:52 PM

Howdy-

I'm starting work on a PC grow, but I'm still undecided as to my grow medium. I've seen people use soil, but the yields of hydro appeal to me.

I'm looking for the best SILENT method of growing...can't have the thing making tons of noise, the point of PCs is to be stealth

Ebb and Flow, drip system into perlite/coco, and soil are the current options I am weighing...I have a PH pen and TDS meter so no worries on that.

Suggestions anybody?

OUTLAWZ · 10-25-2006, 12:27 AM

snap a picture of ur setup and will look at it closer... and make possible suggestions...
looks like u have useful accessiories already ... v.good .
noise shouldn't be a problem maybe just u will be able to hear the fans working.
Ble$$

OUTLAWZ · 10-25-2006, 12:28 AM

BTW Welcome to Micro Grows...
I can say I'm new in it as well

no worries...
stay safe...

thecarguy · 10-25-2006, 05:55 AM

Outlawz-

Digicam is MIA at the moment....
the case is completely cleared out, 20 inches tall on the inside, 19 inches long, 7.5 inches wide. I plan on running a 70 watt HPS and a 40 watt CFL under a piece of tempered glass with independent cooling....

But I don't know what my medium is going to be

Any help would be great guys...thanks Outlawz

Saabotage · 10-25-2006, 07:59 AM

2 pound foldgers coffee cans work well. I use those as bubble buckets. You could use those as pots for soil I soppose if you put holes in the bottom of them. As for soil I use Promix It works very well.

Turnip · 10-25-2006, 08:40 AM

Here's my chassi setup.

I have a ½ gallon TWC (Tiny Water Culture?

) under 70w HPS. I run the pump on 12/12, which is working fine so far, because the air pump is a little noisy and I like to be able to fall asleep...it doesn't sound supsiciously loud if I have my real puter on at the same time though, fans mask the sound a bit...good luck with your build!

If you decide not to go with hydro, I'd use coco and not soil since coco allows more room for roots, which is essential for a tiny build.

thecarguy · 10-25-2006, 08:46 AM

Turnip- nice! Looks like that TWC is working out real well for you. The noise is what I am worried about...which is why I am looking at drip systems and ebb and flow systems...anybody else wanna chime in?

tacobell530 · 10-25-2006, 09:17 AM

damn turnip, i dont really know too much about DWC or "TWC", but i gotta say thats inspiring. Do you just have an air pump pumping air into your bucket?hmm. regardless, lookin pretty good.

Turnip · 10-25-2006, 09:37 AM

Sorry for stealing your thread thecarguy, but here are some more pics of how my pc is set up:

Air pump and carbon filter mounted on the back

Coolshade:

Mr_Micro · 10-25-2006, 12:36 PM

Personally, I'm a hydro man all the way!

I have a black thumb when it comes to soil and despite my best efforts I've killed very single plant I've ever put into soil (about 12 of em I think). However when it comes to hydro, I've never had a plant die on me or even show any signs of a defficieny!

So when I decided to do a PC case grow I know it had to be hydro. But after thinking about it for quite a while I decided the only real way to do hydro in such a tiny space was with an SWC (shallow water culture) tub. Right now I'm doing some PC Case hydro grows with a 1 gallon SWC tub with two fully flowering plants in it in a PC case that measures 19" (L) x 8" (W) x 20" (H) with great results!

So personally, I'd say if you want to do hydro in a PC case than SWC (or TWC, as they say now) is probably the best way to go. Something like a Ebb & Flow or Drip system would just take up way to much height in your PC case, which is going to be the limiting factor. 5" of height for the lights/heat shield and 5" of height for the SWC/TWC tub only leaves you with 10" of growing room in a 20" tall case! I tried designing a Ebb & Flow system for a PC case at one point but the shortest height I could get it to was 8" tall with a 1/4 gallon res. And trust me, you don't even want to think about how bad the PH fluctuations are going to be in a 1/4 gallon reservoir LOL (Like 1 point ever 2 hours).

IMHO I'd stick with SWC/TWC for a PC case hydro grow

If you like, check out my SWC hydro PC Case grow diary/thread here ---> https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=39837

P.S.
Sweet lookin PC Case Turnip! Glad to see I'm not the only one doing PC case hydro these days! Best of luck and keep us posted on that grow!

10-24-2006, 10:52 PM	#1
thecarguy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 169	Best grow medium for PC grows Howdy- I'm starting work on a PC grow, but I'm still undecided as to my grow medium. I've seen people use soil, but the yields of hydro appeal to me. I'm looking for the best SILENT method of growing...can't have the thing making tons of noise, the point of PCs is to be stealth Ebb and Flow, drip system into perlite/coco, and soil are the current options I am weighing...I have a PH pen and TDS meter so no worries on that. Suggestions anybody?
	Quote

10-25-2006, 12:27 AM	#2
OUTLAWZ Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London Posts: 76	snap a picture of ur setup and will look at it closer... and make possible suggestions... looks like u have useful accessiories already ... v.good . noise shouldn't be a problem maybe just u will be able to hear the fans working. Ble$$
	Quote

10-25-2006, 12:28 AM	#3
OUTLAWZ Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London Posts: 76	BTW Welcome to Micro Grows... I can say I'm new in it as well no worries... stay safe...
	Quote

10-25-2006, 05:55 AM	#4
thecarguy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 169	Outlawz- Digicam is MIA at the moment.... the case is completely cleared out, 20 inches tall on the inside, 19 inches long, 7.5 inches wide. I plan on running a 70 watt HPS and a 40 watt CFL under a piece of tempered glass with independent cooling.... But I don't know what my medium is going to be Any help would be great guys...thanks Outlawz
	Quote

10-25-2006, 07:59 AM	#5
Saabotage Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 68	2 pound foldgers coffee cans work well. I use those as bubble buckets. You could use those as pots for soil I soppose if you put holes in the bottom of them. As for soil I use Promix It works very well. __________________
	Quote

10-25-2006, 08:40 AM	#6
Turnip Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 29	Here's my chassi setup. I have a ½ gallon TWC (Tiny Water Culture? ) under 70w HPS. I run the pump on 12/12, which is working fine so far, because the air pump is a little noisy and I like to be able to fall asleep...it doesn't sound supsiciously loud if I have my real puter on at the same time though, fans mask the sound a bit...good luck with your build! If you decide not to go with hydro, I'd use coco and not soil since coco allows more room for roots, which is essential for a tiny build. Last edited by Turnip; 10-25-2006 at 08:44 AM..
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10-25-2006, 08:46 AM	#7
thecarguy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 169	Turnip- nice! Looks like that TWC is working out real well for you. The noise is what I am worried about...which is why I am looking at drip systems and ebb and flow systems...anybody else wanna chime in?
	Quote

10-25-2006, 09:17 AM	#8
tacobell530 my taco bell days are over Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: norcal! Posts: 82	damn turnip, i dont really know too much about DWC or "TWC", but i gotta say thats inspiring. Do you just have an air pump pumping air into your bucket?hmm. regardless, lookin pretty good.
	Quote

10-25-2006, 09:37 AM	#9
Turnip Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 29	Sorry for stealing your thread thecarguy, but here are some more pics of how my pc is set up: Air pump and carbon filter mounted on the back Coolshade:
	Quote

10-25-2006, 12:36 PM	#10
Mr_Micro Orbital Jellyfish for the Flying Saucer Men Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 353	Personally, I'm a hydro man all the way! I have a black thumb when it comes to soil and despite my best efforts I've killed very single plant I've ever put into soil (about 12 of em I think). However when it comes to hydro, I've never had a plant die on me or even show any signs of a defficieny! So when I decided to do a PC case grow I know it had to be hydro. But after thinking about it for quite a while I decided the only real way to do hydro in such a tiny space was with an SWC (shallow water culture) tub. Right now I'm doing some PC Case hydro grows with a 1 gallon SWC tub with two fully flowering plants in it in a PC case that measures 19" (L) x 8" (W) x 20" (H) with great results! So personally, I'd say if you want to do hydro in a PC case than SWC (or TWC, as they say now) is probably the best way to go. Something like a Ebb & Flow or Drip system would just take up way to much height in your PC case, which is going to be the limiting factor. 5" of height for the lights/heat shield and 5" of height for the SWC/TWC tub only leaves you with 10" of growing room in a 20" tall case! I tried designing a Ebb & Flow system for a PC case at one point but the shortest height I could get it to was 8" tall with a 1/4 gallon res. And trust me, you don't even want to think about how bad the PH fluctuations are going to be in a 1/4 gallon reservoir LOL (Like 1 point ever 2 hours). IMHO I'd stick with SWC/TWC for a PC case hydro grow If you like, check out my SWC hydro PC Case grow diary/thread here ---> https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=39837 P.S. Sweet lookin PC Case Turnip! Glad to see I'm not the only one doing PC case hydro these days! Best of luck and keep us posted on that grow! __________________ PC Case Growers Club The Nanomachine Mr. Micro's Dual PC Case Hydro HPS/CFL 3 Strain Grow Last edited by Mr_Micro; 10-25-2006 at 12:38 PM..
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