Hey guys,
new here to Planet S and it seems great! lovely sense of community and people helping each other out.
I live in Ireland so not the easiest place to purchase seeds/light/anything to do with growing. I'm going to be growing my first ever crop this coming april, i know its far away but i'm starting to buy things now to spread the setting up costs out.

I'll be growing indoors, that i've decided. But as a first time grower, should i go for soil or hydro? I've read some great threads here on both ways but i dunno which to pick. I will be growing with a HPS coz a friend is giving me one for free, i believe it is a 1000w. Should i make my decision based on the light or space where i am growing or my experience or what! Confusion!!!!!!

Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro,Hydro and welcome lemonhead.....
T.

Cheers T

Welcome LemonHead,

I would go for the easiest to access growing medium, so if you have hydro shops in Ireland use coco coir or clay balls etc if it's harder to get hold of that stuff use soil. Either way you will learn how to grow it your own way anyway.

But I LOVE HYDRO!

Cheers guys,
i think i'm gonna go with. hydro.
I agree that soil is the basis of growing ice but i really like the control you seem to have with hydro.

I think for my first seeds i'd like to grow something relatively easy going. A plant with medium quality somke but very good quantity.
I know i shouldnt sell it but just a few oz's from the first crop to pay for lights equipment electricity etc.. i'm really stuck for cash.

Any suggestions, was thinking something like bigbud

Northern Lights is a nice easy first time crop and hardly smells, Skunk will clone in a glass of water but is stinky, its a bit hard to choose the right strain, I had to think long and hard and do a lot of research, the only thing is that you become overwhelmed by the amount of choices available.
T.

cheers t.

would you recommend a diy hydro kit or an online store or e-bay?

Definitely don't buy one, they cost an arm and a leg, look around the web, you will fine hundreds of variations on the hydro theme, overgrower is a good place to start, I am in the process of building a flood and drain system for my mother plants, when you look at all the different types and they way they are built you can easily knock up a system that will do the job and it will be custom made to fit your needs, not to mention that it is extremely satisfying.
T.

I still think airo or dwc systems work better then flood and drain tho.

but i also think you should do a few soil grows as well hey do both.

I use aeroponics for my Cloner, my Veger and my flowering (aerotubes), the system is fantastic but a little tricky to get everything humming along. The mothers flood and drain system I am in the process of building works by using a 1.7metre head pond pump from Bunnings, in my veg aerospray container and flooding a tray of clay balls on another shelf then draining back to the veg aerospray container. Any suggestions on the time periods of off/on for the pump? or just leave it on 24/7?
T.