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Marijuana indoor growing and hydroponics

You can grow indoors without a full hydroponic system i.e. with just lights to replace the sunshine and your plants in pots of soil. This is the very most basic indoor growing system and for simplicity is still a great method. However, when most people think of growing marijuana indoors they think about using hydroponics.

Hydroponics is the name given for a variety of techniques for growing weed without soil. It was realised by researchers studying plant metabolism that plants took in their nutrients as simple inorganic ions, and that soil, while a source for such nutrients, was not essential. While a plant’s nutrients normally come from the soil, the only nutrients a plant can successfully absorb are those that dissolve into the plant’s water supply. When the required nutrients are introduced into a plant’s water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive.

Grow room planning

Most growers will only have a specific amount of room available inside or within a weather proof area outside. We try to concentrate on the home grows for personal use who might want to grow from 2 to say 12 plants. There are numerous hydroponic growing systems available;

The wick growing system is one of the easiest and most basic. There are no pumps moving the nutrient solution around, just capillary action moving it up from the reservoir below to the plants above. The Ebb and flow method which is used by the majority of growers requires your plants to sit in their hydroponic media, within their pots and on top of a tray that is filled with your nutrient solution approximately four times per day from the reservoir below. The grow box method incorporates a fully functional system usually bought as a kit. The entire hydroponics system including the light, pump and reservoir are usually housed in a tent which can start off very small, closet size but are usually the size of a large fridge or much bigger.

Sea of Green 

SSOG method incorporates how the Dutch masters create a fast yield in super quick time. They force the flower to flower at aound two weeks old, it saves space and harvest a far quicker. More info on Sea of Green.

Screen of Green

SCROG is very similar to the method above and also extremely productive. The difference is using screens to spread the leaves out and give more of the plant light. More info on Screen of Green.

Low Stress Training

Growers train their crops by tying them down instead of topping or pruning them this is known as Low Stress Training. More info on LST training.

Marijuana seeds 

Selecting your marijuana seeds is an interesting part of the growing process. For those that do not have any access to clones first make sure you know the difference between sativa and indica. Autoflowering marijuana seed strains have been around for some time now. They are a cannabis seed strain perfect for indoors growing. Autoflowering seeds will not require the lighting to be changed from 24 hours down to 12 as they will still flower under 24 hour light, but usually it is best to cut the light down to 18 hour on and 6 hours off to help them flower really well. We also suggest growers who can not get their hands on some clones buy feminized seeds which are chemically treated and grow to become females. Feminized marijuana seeds are an excellent choice when considering growing marijuana indoors. The same seeds grown indoors will not usually appear the same as their outdoor cousins. They will be scrawnier, appearing with weak stems and may even require you to tie them to a growing post to remain upright, but they will supply more resin if looked after correctly. Full marijuana seeds guide.

Growing medium

Is the substrate that replaces the soil and what your plants require to grow in. You can choose between many different mediums including Rockwool, perlite, clay pellets, cocos fiber or a combination of them. More info on growing medium 

Marijuana seed germination

This is where it all starts and one of the best methods for indoor growing is to the seeds off in a small amount of Rockwool, they then grow into the small cube which you then place onto the growing medium. The marijuana seedlings then grow straight through the rockwool into the substrate below. More info on marijuana seed germination.

Vegetative growth , pruning and flowering

Following on from germination your little seeds will start the vegetation stage of life. This when they require the more blue and green light spectrum from your grow lights. The vegetation stage can last from two weeks to many months depending on the strain and your growing method. For example using the Sea of Green method you would induce flowering in as little as two weeks. One you have you plants near your desired height turn the grow lights from 24 hours down to 12 hours on and 12 hours off  to induce flowering making sure that once it begins after around 10 to 14 days you identify the males and pull them out of the grow room, read more here marijuana sexing. More information on vegetative growth and pruning then on to marijuana flowering.

Temperature and CO2

Getting the right temperature and mix of air so that your plants aren’t too hot, cold or humid is crucial for fast quality growing. When plants are too hot or do not get enough oxygen they start to droop and lose their color. Marijuana will tolerate temperatures between 60°F and 92°F (17°C – 33°C) however these are more the extremes. Their ideal holiday temperature is 70°F – 83°F (21.1°C – 28.3°C) and if you use CO2 you might need a higher temperature again.  Try and keep the temp around the 72°F to 77°F (22.2°C to 25°C) range through the whole growth cycle. The big HID grow lights will produce around 5 to 6 times as much heat as LEDs, so if you use HIDs you must consider what ventilation system you will put in place.  More info on temperature, ventilation and CO2. Marijuana odor control your next indoor marijuana crop might use some amazing new cannabis seeds or even the original Skunk variety which is named so for a reason. If you need to control the odor created by growing then you will have to pass the air out of the internal environment to the outside usually through tubing and an extractor fan. If the external area is too close to neighbors for example then you need to filter the air first using carbon filters, ionizers and ozone generators.

Hydroponic marijuana water pH

It is not always possible to simply use the hose and fill up the reservoir. Some water will have higher acidic pH which is considered to be above 7.0 (distilled water) and some water will be lower and too alkaline. Usually it is best let water stand for 2 or 3 days in another reservoir before use to help neutralize its pH. More info on hydroponic marijuana pH.  

Hydroponic nutrients

Most hydroponic nutrient solutions can bought from a hydroponics shop and marijuana like all plants require the basics, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) that is why you might recognize these letters on nutrient packs (N-P-K) or in the format 10-5-5 showing it contains 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphorous and 5% potassium. More info on hydroponic nutrients.

Marijuana lighting guide

Basic kit to grow indoors

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

In this method, the plants grow through light-proof plastic films placed over shallow, gently sloping channels. A steady flow of nutrients is maintained along the channel, and the roots grow into dense mats, with a thin film of nutrient passing over them (hence the name of the technique). A downside of the technique is that it has very little buffering against interruptions in the flow eg: power outages, but overall, it is probably one of the more productive techniques.

You don`t need a lot of kit to start growing great flowering plants in a cupboard, wardrobe, attic or grow room. Apart from the plants the lamp is the most important thing. There are three main types used for growing light hungry plants. Metal halide (MH) which are one of the best HID grow lights for the vegging stage due to their blue / green light, high pressure sodium (HPS) which are decent all rounders but far better in the flowering stage offering light in the yellow, amber and reds. Broad spectrum LED grow lights are an excellent choice and they can be used from seed germination right through to harvest. Broad (full) spectrum LED grow lights usually cost more to setup when compared to HIDs but only suck down about 1/8 of the electricity and the top performers run cold with no ballasts or fans.  More on marijuana lighting.

Basic kit using grow pots or NFT tank

1. LED broad spectrum grow lights with a total output of approximately 80 to 120 Watts or a high pressure sodium lamp (600 watt is the most efficient but a 400 watt may suit a smaller space);
2. Fan and ventilation exhaust systems running 24 hours a day if possible. No need with the LEDs as they produce very little heat;
3. Seedlings in pots situated in your tray using your chosen growing medium. Try a basic mix of 50% potting compost 50% Perlite. Raise the pots in the trays with bricks or wood so they don`t sit in a puddle once watered, they need drainage to keep oxygen flowing and help them grow. OR. NFT tank with pump and spreader mat (these come with the tank), Rockwool cubes.
4. 24 hour timer to control light periods. This should be used with a high power switch known as a contactor or relay switch as grow lamps can easily burn out regular timers used on their own;
5. A pH tester to test water and nutrient feed solutions;
6. pH adjuster such as phosphoric acid to adjust water and feed solution to around pH 6.0 – 7.0;
7. Nutrients, ones aimed at growing the plant during the vegging stage and then usually a different solution when it comes to flowering or budding;
8. Matt white paint or white plastic to cover the walls of the grow space to help reflect light back onto the plants.

Also useful are a measuring bucket, measuring jug, large syringe and pea netting or string to support top heavy plants. If you can afford it a great help is a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter. These allow you to check the nutrient levels of feeding solutions to make sure they are optimised for your plants.

Growing hydroponically in a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) Tank is really simple and not something to be afraid of. In fact some beginners to growing may find it easier than using soil mixtures in pots. You do not have to judge if the plants need watering or feeding so much using NFT, as long as you follow the simple instructions supplied with the tanks the plants should look after themselves.

Also useful is a measuring bucket, measuring jug, large syringe and pea netting or string to support top heavy plants. If you can afford it a great help is a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter. These allow you to check the nutrient levels of feeding solutions to make sure they are optimised for your plants.

Also…

Wherever you decide to set up your grow space remember that the plants night time or dark period is very important. Check that when the light goes off the grow space is in total darkness. Proper ventilation for the grow space should also be considered as the area can become very humid. Opening up the space daily may be enough but larger areas may need extactor fans to avoid problems. Please visit Legalize Marijuana and show your support for the cause.

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