Hydro/Bubbleponics & Autoflower?

[BrickAsAThick]

I'm just getting started, or I should say, returning to the game after 30+ years. Holy crap a lot has changed!

Reading through all the setup & other tutorials, I am starting to lean toward a 30×30×60 tent, LEDs and a small hydro/bubble setup like the one in the small tent example on GWE.

for time and space reasons I am looking at autoflower, eventually transitioning to photo later on down the line.

So I guess what I'm looking for is whether hydro is "overkill" or even just a bad match for auto, and if it's good to go, what are some things I ought to know for this kind of setup?

Thanks in advance and happy growing!

[Allenpro]

I think its a myth that Auto Flowers are any easier than Photo Period plants but auto's are a changing, Anyway this site has some great tutorials for growing so I suggest reading all you can and planning before you dive in, Sounds like your doing the planning part so dive in

[Rwise]

photos can finish in near the same time as autos, just flip the lights at 3-5 weeks old.

[Allenpro]

Absolutely

[Stunnaelite]

Hi,
Autos can be grown in any fashion. I personally think they are easier to manage. It would be a good place to start in my opinion. As Allenpro stated there's a ton of good info on this site.
Good luck.

[SoOrbudgal]

Lots of folks like the water type setups. Things can go south quickly from what i've seen, i'm a soil grower so don't know anything about this grower style. But i've seen alot of photos and articles here about it. I see mostly photoperiod in DWC water temps are most important, black tubing cause any kind of light will grow slime like a fish tank. I'm not saying don't try it as long as you know the in's and out's. From what i've seen when it works and goes great those flowers are top notch. I hope more growers with this experience will chime in we have some great hydro folks here.

[Allenpro]

No argument there, I just posted a picture of a plant in a DWC that was very healthy until I changed the res forgot to turn on the air pump or leave an air gap. 12 hours later it was DOA. High water temps can kill a plant too so I added a water chiller to my RDWC and that fixed the problem
That said what I like about hydro is if you screw up, over feed you can drain the res, flush for a day or two and they bounce right back. Coco coir is the best of both worlds without the risk of drowning or cooking the roots.