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Yes! I was in the same situation, trying to come up with a small but effective system in college, and in a small apartment.

My design was based halfway off of what I'd seen from Jeb Gardener on YouTube, and the other half just what I could throw together with what I had lying around. Jeb is a little... well... interesting, but very informative.

Basically, what I did was get a 10-gallon flat stacker tote from Walmart, drill holes in it, put net pots in, clay pebbles, and rock wool cubes, and now I have a garden! It's really tough to describe all of the little intricacies with it, but this community has helped me out tremendously. By no means is my system perfect, and in fact, it's super Jerry Rigged and super jank, but it works! This whole process has been a great learning experience. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask in this community, or if you want to hear more about my system, feel free to DM me! Here are some photos!

Here are the various things I bought off Amazon to get me started!

pH down (the better kind)

pH meter (not available on Amazon anymore)

rockwool cubes (1.5")

General Hydroponics nutrients

pH up & down (the down didn't last very long, but the up seems to work fine. You probably won't need up near as often as down.)

air stones (these seem to do a fine job. Not the best certainly, but they work.)

clay pebbles (not sure what quality these are, but they do their job! Be sure to rinse very thoroughly.)

net pots (these work fine. Nothing special.)

EDIT: Added links to Amazon

I made the system in your pic so I will answer your question as best I can:


First of all, what do you plan on growing? Leaf plants like lettuce, spinach, herbs, etc? Or flowering plants such as tomatoes? (Note, the system in that pic is really only intended for small plants, as the sites are all very close together and the reservoir is not that deep. It grows lettuce very well for example, but would not do well with a tomatoe plant. By purchasing a larger plastic tote for the reservoir but doing everything else the same, you could grow something larger though.

• What are the double sided elbows for, or the gromet? If this is just a way to snugly get the airhose in there than that makes sense, but literally drilling a small hole the size of the air tube will work just fine, I never use any gromets or elbows or anything myself and havn't had any problems.
  
  
• In the picture you posted, I used 4 inch netcups, on your list they are 3.75. I really recommend the full 4 inch ones, and a 4 inch saw will cut the holes perfecly for them.
  
  
• Instead of buying the pH up and pH down (and the tester kit) seperately for $20.37, you can get it all in a package for $17.99. You won't need a lot of either chemical (and the pH down will go 10x faster than the pH up since the water usually starts high or gets high over time). It's a couple of bucks less and maybe you can save on shipping. Either way will work fine though.
  
  
• Be sure you go to Lowes's or home depot to buy some Kitchen Sink Strainer Washers. The holes you cut in the container will be the same size as the netcup, so these fit snugly over the netcups to make sure they don't fall through the holes. They fit in the system like this: 1 & 2. These are a real life saver and they fit perfectly on a 4 inch netcup. (which is why I advise you get the 4 inch ones instead of the 3.75 you have in your list)
  
  
  But yes that list has everything you will need and will last for many grow cycles. That amount of hydroton, pH chemicals and nutrients will last you for a while. The only real ongoing costs after you buy this is going to be nutrients if you continue growing multiple times. The hydroton can be re-used and the pH chemicals last forever.
  
  Also make sure you get the 4 inch hole saw bit to cut the holes with, and also some black spraypaint or something to make sure no light gets inside the system or else bacteria will grow.
  
  Are you growing indoors or outdoors?
  
  I'm sure you already saw it (since the pic is from my site), but the full tutorial including a step-by-step video walkthrough can be found on my blog here.

Lighting/Electric

1 - Apollo 180W LED Grow Light This thing is painfully bright, even when you're not looking at the light itself. Without a grow tent to block the light I wouldn't be able to share my office with this light when it was on. Previously I've had issues with the grow tent and HPS/MH lighting, since over heating quickly became an issue. I tried some solutions involving air ducting and vent fans, but these didn't really help a lot. These LEDs fortunately put out almost no heat, so I don't really need to ventilate in the tent.

2 - TaoTronics 25*3w LED Grow Light (They don't seem to sell it on Amazon any more). Sort of painful too, but not as bad as the other one. Tent or some sort of light-blocking device is recommended if you share a room with your greenhouse.

3 - EnviroGro 2 ft T5 Flourescent These things are awesome. Great value for the money and everything seems to thrive under them.

4 - 8 Outlet Programmable Power Strip Highly recommended! Way better than those timer ones.

5 - Hydrofarm 2 Outlet Air Pump which actually has splitters on the lines coming out of each outlet, so the pump is providing air to all four homemade units.

Hydro Units

A - 1 gallon bucket DWC currently growing brussels sprouts. No actual sprouts yet, but it seems to love the LED lighting. Slightly concerned about the space its trying to take up.

B - 1 gallon bucket DWC currently growing bell peppers. Peppers have just started blossoming earlier in the week and I've been vigorously vibrating the tree each morning to pollinate them. Got a few small peppers starting to come in already. Slightly concerned by how lopsided the plant is growing, but otherwise it seems to be thriving.

C - DWC I made from a tupperware container. Just planted some cilantro in there earlier. For some reason all of the Cilantro I've gotten previously has failed to germinate. This time around I put out about 30 cilantro seeds on a paper towel and waited until I saw some starting to sprout before planting. So far so good.

D - 2 site DWC unit I made from a storage bin. Just planted two additional basil there this morning since I am using much more than 2 plant's worth. Been making quite a bit of pesto lately.

E- 3 site Aerogarden currenly growing curly leaf parlsey. I took off the light that comes with the plant, since the T5s have a way higher output.

F - 7 site Aerogarden currently growing two basil plants and one oregano. Same as the three site aerogarden, I just use this for the base. This one can hold 7 plants, but I fine that having so many means they crowd eachother like crazy.

Tent

Mylar grow tent

Started seeds in early november. Put in the system around november 8th. the last pics in that album were around nov 16th, so about a weeks worth of growth. i pulled out the lettuce tub today to clean it up and i'm gonan replace it with a DWC bucket for some cherry tomatoes. here's pics of the peppers in their current state http://imgur.com/a/NY6xR . insanely bushy and got a few peppers and a TON of blooms that are quite healthy.

the lettuces were a mix of Perpetual spinach (A type of chard, it did insanely well), some oak leaf, some butter crunch, and some romaine. The lettuces did pretty well, but I think I was overcrowding the tub. Also, most of those lettuces really didn't do too great with the "cut and come again" type harvest, but the P. spinach did GREAT. You could slice off the outer edge leaves at the base, and the next day it'd be back to growing new ones at a crazy pace. I think next time, I'm just gonna do a tub full of it cause it was not only delicious eats but grew very very well. Lettuce is just so damn cheap at the store that it was not very practical to grow in the tubs, which is why I'm pulling it out to start some cherry tomatoes. With as good as the peppers are doing, I imagine a cherry tomato plant in a DWC bucket will thrive quite well.

Here's everything else I'm using
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LS07T5E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPEVMC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVF16JG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IB2TL08/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CKCQJKQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The nute levels were around 1000-1400 (Meter seems to fluctuate). I have hard water with a base PPM of about 160. The nutes I added had calcium/mag added, so I was a little worried about possibly too much calcium since my water definitely has plenty, but nope, no issues. Big healthy green leaves and fast growth. No root rot as well. Only issue so far is aphids. Lots of the little fuckers. Going to my local hydro store here today to try and figure out a solution

1. Cay is clay, I have not seen anything to suggest otherwise. I buy from a local hydro shop because he matches amazons price. Leca is the brand, but Hydrocorn from Gold is good too.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Leca-Clay-Orchid-Hydroponic-Media/dp/B004IAP7JW/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=hydroton
   
   
2. The air pump I have had the most success with is a Tetra Whisper. It sits outside all day, every day, for a year now, and it seems fine.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77848-Whisper-Pump-40-Gallon/dp/B004PB8SMM/ref=sr_sp-btf_title_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1409410615&sr=8-6&keywords=aquarium+air+pump
   
   
3. Low quality plastics might give off some particulates, but that shouldn't hurt your plants
   
   Best of luck!
   

Thanks for your reply!

All of the plants have roots in the water, and some of them have new white growth, but not a ton. About 7 out of my 24. I'm still not seeing new green growth on any of them.

I'm using this nutrient mix, with about 5 cups of the recommended mixture dissolved into my ~30 gallon tank. I'm using PH Up and PH Down from Lowe's. I don't know what acids/bases they are, but they're specifically marketed for hydroponics. I've only had to adjust the PH down, from 7.9 to 6.1.

I actually bought some larger plants that are already blooming and fruiting yesterday, so I was planning on refreshing my water and remixing my solution and then transplanting the more mature plants today or tomorrow, but if the crowns can be salvaged I'd like to save them too.

Basil, as with all plants, enjoy lots of air. The more air the merrier. The container they are in looks like 14-18 gallon, for which I would recommend an 18 watt ecoplus pump, or even better this diaphragm pump, which though expensive, puts out amazing amounts of air and does not overheat. My watermelons loved it.

You will not save money unless you're going larger/commercial but for fun, who cares!

This book has various tried and true formulas. Check out the table of contents, chapter 3.

https://customhydronutrients.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

https://customhydronutrients.com/zencart/hydrocal/hydrocal.html

General Hydroponics 3 part Flora series has been around for decades for a good reason. I also use it in soil.

The miracle grow is fine for spraying your flowers in your yard but other than that I would steer clear of Miracle Grow for hydroponics.

Your plants will require different levels of nutrients (N-P-K) through their life cycle as well as a number of micro-nutrients. I will have to agree that you want to spend about $33 and get the 3 part Flora series from General Hydroponics. Amazon Link Here

Feeding schedule from General Hydroponics Recirculating is Here

Drain to waste is Here

Okay, thank you for that tip.

Workshop lights is probably the wrong term, sorry. I mean something like this.

Just one CFL would do for this?

Space isn't a huge problem, but I live in a flat so I just want something small like a 5-gallon bucket in my bedroom. What would be the best way to hang up that light bulb if it would do?

Thank you

Looks great, good work. If you want to speed up growth, buy a small aquarium air pump, and a cheap airstone. They have a lot of combo's on amazon for under $15.

I too started because of Jeb, humorously enough and now I have 5 foot tall plants in my man cave. Grow for the stars.

How big of a reservoir do you have? The bigger the reservoir the more stable the pH will be. Also here is a kit that is only $19.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-GH1514-Control-Kit/dp/B000BNKWZY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467387734&sr=8-1&keywords=ph+kit

Me personally I would just go with the kit, I like simplicity. KISS (Keep it simple, stupid) is something I try and follow as often as possible. Good luck.

1. I started with the general hydroponics but after I found out they have all in one solutions it was a game-changer. I would recommend following the basic combinations on the back vs only picking one solution. Some of them might contain other micronutrients vs the others unless you use all in one solutions.
   
   
   
2. I think most herbs are pretty tolerant of their water supply and you can probably get by on your first grow without measuring it. If the results are worse than go and invest in a kit. If you're just going to put the medium over the water until the roots grow out, the chlorine will have time to evaporate off.
   
   
   
3. See number 2.
   
   
   Additionally, while a lot of people use Rockwool I found rapid rooter plugs a lot easier to use. No soaking just put the seed in and wet and you are done. Make sure the rapid rooter bottoms aren't in your mason jars or they will deteriorate and mess up the water supply. Try and pick the largest mason jars, I think there are .5 gallons (Walmart should be a lot cheaper than amz do to shipping), so you don't have to refill it and don't risk drowning the roots on refills after the water goes down.

That stuff needs soil bacteria to decompose it into usable fertilizer and is designed to supplement soil grows. If you need organic, General Hydroponics has a line of nutrients that will work. If you need dry powder and organic, I have no idea.

If you don't need organic, Masterblend's 3-part formula is your best bet as it's super cheap and effective. If you want a 1-part, Maxigrow is good.

For my small nursery/seed starting I use little tubs like that and give air with a 10 gallon airpump. I think they're $9-12 at amazon. Get a good airstone - not those little round ones the diameter of a penny - but get one that is 2-3" around. They're cheap. You cannot circulate too much air.

With a later than few-gallon container, you'll want a water pump to move the water around. You can just get a small aquarium pump and not hook up an output line, turn it sideways, and it will do the job fine.
I use these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPGID2/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can get similar (prob made by the same china shop) at Harbor Freight for $15 sometimes or even less with a coupon.

Cant comment on compost tea other than it smells like poo and I wouldnt want that in my basement where I grow stuff :-)

One stone per container is fine. I would buy a better pump like this one https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Dual-Diaphragm-Pump/dp/B008UF9XLY and use that to power all the pumps. I have about 5 of these and they work great.

I'd recommend the best 2 foot T5 HO fixture you can afford.

I've got one of these and it's fantastic.

I somehow missed this thread when it was fresh, but I have this pump and it's been great for me, definitely moves enough air for at least two, 4gal systems.

I run T5's and love them because they are cool and dont pull too much energy. I have a 6 lamp 4 foot T5 HO and it does well for everything I have tried to grow so far.
LIKE THIS

If you only grow greens then I always recommend these (Pack of 6) Barrina LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture, 4FT, 2200lm, 6500K (Super Bright White), 20W, Utility Shop Light, Ceiling and Under Cabinet Light, Corded Electric with Built-in ON/Off Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HBT3BVM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_EDN6BbD2J5E4T

They're affordable and provide a lot of light, they work great for leafy stuffs

I'd use something like this is you're talking leafy greens like lettuce or kale or similar. I'm using the 4 foot version of this for hydroponic lettuce and kale right now and they love the light.

T5 Grow Light (2ft 4lamps) DL824 Ho Fluorescent Hydroponic Bloom Veg Daisy Chain with Bulbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GU4RMC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FlM5BbVX6DY06

You should consider buying a TDS meter like this one. It allows you to accurately keep track of the solution strength.

Don't worry about buying a more expensive one, you won't need much for a home project.

Both work great. Florescents are cheap upfront. LEDs cost more, but last longer and use a little less electricity for the same output. It is really just a decision of if you want to spend your money now or later.

Another consideration is that led grow lights tend to be red/blue. It makes them very efficient grow lights, but might be off putting if it is in a living space.

Whatever you get, a light stand would allow you to move it easily.

The cheapest/easiest thing that might work would be to buy A clamp light and a High Power CFL

Ignore this next bit. ~~But if you really want it to flourish, I'd be looking at a 2ft 4 bulb T5 lamp or a ~100W led array plus a light stand.
Beware of advertised wattages on LEDs(especially cheaper models). Most manufacturers advertise the maximum power and then actually drive the leds with much less.~~

Edit: No matter what you get, don't forget an outlet timer. You are going to want to automate turning the light on/off. Also all links above are just examples they may not be the best thing/best deal.

These guys. You can get a 12 pack for cheaper also. I think it works out to 7.50 per light. I run them for 16 hours a day. I use three per shelf for green and herbs. Two per shelf for microgreens. They need to be fairly close for the first couple of weeks, but things take off well. They are completely cool to the touch.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Integrated-Fixture-Utility-Electric/dp/B01HBT3BVM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=35RVOJTLYQCAN&keywords=barinna+led+t5&qid=1559125327&s=gateway&sprefix=barinna%2Caps%2C175&sr=8-3

1. Use something like this, adjust the ratio so that its 1-2-2 Gro, Micro, Bloom OR just follow whatever ratio they recommend for bloom when you get flower formation, before that use the vegetative growth ratio. You want a pH between 6.0 and 6.4, and an EC of 1.4 above whatever EC your water is before adding any nutrients. Always remove the runners; early blossom removal has no effect on yield.

2. Just use day neutral strawberries (get crowns or runners, not seeds):

> Day-neutral strawberries are a modern cultivar developed from everbearing plants. The modern day-neutral varieties were developed to produce continuously all summer and into the fall. In contrast, the older original everbearing types produce two to three separate crops each growing season.

water doesn't need to change so often if you are using inocculant to help prevent root rot/buildup(a popular one is hydroguard). i've seen some people go a few months between full changes, only amending the water with more water/nutrients every week by what their ec meter tells them.

The reason to use 1 big reservoir vs using many separate buckets is you can just amend the reservoir and do the mixing there. If you have separate buckets then you will have to test and amend each bucket separately. Or can do a hybrid system like some RDWC setups on youtube.

if you need an idea of everything you want in a single dwc bucket look at the kits and copy their part list. (or maybe just buy a kit to start out with, then when you have more experience you can diy). (there is no water pump in single bucket setups)

You can find pretty cheap pumps on amazon that will work. In Zipgrow towers they generally have 2GPH drippers in them.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Active-AAPW250-Submersible-Water/dp/B002JPGID2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=active+aqua&qid=1550686698&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

The 550 should give you a total of 7.2 Ft of head pressure and give you a bit of extra flow for adding towers

​

Cheers

Hey thanks for the reply! I do have a similar setup where the pH did not drop as drastically. The difference in this setup was that I was using a much weaker 5000k light, and there were only 5 basil plants in the tower vs the 10 I currently have. The prior setup also only had a 5 gallon (19 litre) tank where as the current setup has 10 gallons (37 litre). I can create a graph of the pH and EC of the prior setup and post it here if you'd like?

Edit: This is the nutrient brand I used in both setups. https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-MaxiGro-Gardening-2-2-Pound/dp/B00NQANQAC/ref=sr_1_3_acs_ac_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539889673&sr=8-3-acs&keywords=hydroponics+nutrients Maxi-Grow by General Hydroponics. Followed the directions of 1 small tsp per gallon.

I plan to grow larger variant tomatoes such as beefsteak and want to make sure this kind of layout and these components will be good enough for that purpose.

Here is the list of components I'm planning to use:

1. Buckets https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPJ4896
   
2. Lids https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072C3G5CJ
   
3. Hydroton https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KYYZ9DE
   
4. Nutrients https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017H73708
   
5. pH Control https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BNKWZY
   
6. pH/TDS Tester https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKMH86J
   
7. Water Pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E9IO9BY
   
8. Water tubing https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DL0Y9O
   
9. Air Pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YF4FI
   
10. Air Stone https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M9DL67H
    
11. Air Line https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002563MW
    
12. Growlight (Already own) Galaxyhydro 300w LED Grow Light Full Spectrum
    
    ​
    
    The remaining plumbing components I need I'll pick up from my local Home Depot.

the 3 part set up. amazon link below. I have two 5gal bucket set up. About to replant bc i did not have goo luck with the lettuce and spinach. But the herbs i have (Cilantro and Basil) are doing great. Im going to try adding mint, thyme, rosemary, and probably sage.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Flora-Bloom-Fertilizer/dp/B017H73708/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1485849552&sr=1-1&keywords=general+hydroponics

I use this stuff in my buckets and haven’t had an issue, I change water once a week and add 2 ml/gallon and it has worked like a charm.

Botanicare HYDROGUARD Bacillus Root Inoculant, 1-Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IGFH25M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KO86AbSE2DCDZ

Yeah, I need a fixture like this for another setup I've got so I think I'll see if I can take it apart to do what I want for the other system.

I use Perlite in two gallon buckets, and these nutrients: General Hydropnics, CalMag both ordered from Amazon.


SImple setup, check out my post here: My setup.. I have most of the details of the setup in the thread.

Water with nutrients is pumped into the buckets 4 times a day, and it all drains right back to reservoir.

I have mine set up outisde, but i've had to put a tarp over the reservoir as it's been raining a fair bit lately.

Putting specific plant cultivars aside, on a macro level, in controlled environment agriculture, the three biggest costs are a) equipment (whether you depreciate it or not) b) energy and c) labor probably in that order. All of those cost factors are several times higher than conventional agriculture for a given amount of real estate.

If you are not able to grow at very high yields to compensate, then its far more "self sufficient" to use traditional methods, assuming you have have the room to do it.

Finally, with specific plants in mind and further to the above point, you probably don't get to fully customize your menu. You will grow what grows well in the region and system. (or just system if you aren't exposed to sunlight/outdoor temps at all)

check out resh's book it is not a beginners guide but comprehensive.

Thanks!

GH Rapid Rooter Plugs

https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Rapid-Rooter-Replacement/dp/B0002IU8K2

https://generalhydroponics.com/rapid-rooter

Here you go boss. I think this also confirms they are the same set OP has haha. They are very cost effective. I run four per shelf in my garden but I will note that I've run into the occasional plant that I need more light for. Three season lettuce comes to mind (they didn't develop any color until I moved them outside) though that may be a light temperature thing... I still need to test that.

https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Integrated-Fixture-Utility-Electric/dp/B01HBT3BVM

im using General hydroponics Maxigro. Just mix x amount of powder with x amount of water. Is easy to find in uk and rest of europe
You can buy it here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Hydroponics-MaxiGro-Gardening-2-2-Pound/dp/B00NQANQAC


Or check their store locator
https://www.eurohydro.com/

You can try Rapid Rooter or Root Riot starting plugs. You can then put those directly into any growing medium you want when they are ready. They fit into standard starting trays that you normally find at garden centers.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Rapid-Rooter-Replacement/dp/B0002IU8K2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521185349&sr=8-2&keywords=rapid+rooter+starter+plugs&dpID=51zQ-Gvwy2L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

https://www.amazon.com/HydroDynamics-Root-Count-Replacement-Cubes/dp/B00CJIYPI4/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1521185385&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=root+riot+plugs

Here are some extra pics.
These are 4" pipes.
Used electrical outlets at the end and gorilla glued them in.
Three inlet tubes for circulation on the end, then the four on top are for air.
Overview
Crazy glue job
Pump
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012UZYMG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPEVMC/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1

Not sure how this setup is going to work yet, but I will post more with success or failure.

Unless its a commercial air pump, which you dont need for 10 gallons it should be whisper quiet. Look into the Eco whisper series, they come in various sizes, all of which are quiet until you get to the commercial level. IF you feel you need heavier air output from a commercial size BUT you also need it quiet id go with https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Dual-Diaphragm-Pump/dp/B008UF9XLY

Its what I use indoors for DWC 60 gallons across 4 reservoirs and it does fine.

TLDR; Your pump can be small enough that you shouldnt even hardly hear it running if at all

These are what I use. They work just fine.

pH:

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Instruments-pH600AQ-Tester-Calibration/dp/B005H78ZI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348464821&sr=8-1&keywords=milwaukee+ph+test


TDS/EC:

http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Auto-off-Function/dp/B002C0A7ZY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1348464821&sr=8-6&keywords=milwaukee+ph+test

CFL is a 23 watt 6500k Sylvania from lowes - the LED is a http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007AM9FV6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not sure what you mean by lux value at plant height

Based on another Reddit users recommendation, I have a 6-pack of these on the way for the shelf/tower I’m building for growing greens.

lights

There are products like a starter plugs you plant into these once you get roots it all goes into a hydro system.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Rapid-Rooter-Replacement/dp/B0002IU8K2

You can also use rockrool and grodan and seed directly into the cubes or whatever you choose. I would shy away from starting soil and moving over.
https://www.amazon.com/Grodan-Rockwool-Stonewool-Cuttings-Propagation/dp/B0087SJ3U0

I have these hanging from above, and these where I need something freestanding.

... My previous comment was actually kinda sarcastic. You see, these provide white light, which includes all (visible) colors.

https://www.amazon.ca/General-HydroponicsGH3255-Hydroponics-Rooter-Replacement/dp/B0002IU8K2

New Question! How much air do I need? I'm thinking of using this pump. Again I'll be using it in the res for a 6x5' rail system.

Howard Resh has a decent book on commercial cultivation. Covers all the bases, some more in depth than others.
https://www.amazon.com/Hydroponic-Food-Production-Definitive-Commercial/dp/1439878676/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504112157&sr=8-1&keywords=howard+resh

Go with some cheap LED strips. These should do the job https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HBT3BVM

Here's the pump we bought for multiple buckets http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008UF9XLY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
You can even tee them off to do 8 buckets.

Flora series, I balance the PH with General Hydroponics control kit. The lettuce has gotten bigger since this post. I should be able to harvest in 2-3 weeks. The lettuce is 2 weeks old.

As for the res, I've been topping it off with RO water every once in a while. I filled the res with well water, which is high in iron sadly. So as the water goes down I just replace it with RO water. It only gives 2 gallons at a time though.

I also have 2 AeroGardens (Ultra and the 7), they suck for production though. I only find them useful for herbs. As soon as the lights burn out I plan on selling them.

Nutes: http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-Flora-Series-FloraBloom/dp/B0024NDVRA

PH kit: http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-GH1514-Control-Kit/dp/B000BNKWZY/ref=pd_bxgy_lg_text_y/180-9766400-6084003

Doesn't get any easier or cheaper than this for beginners.

For lettuce:
https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-MaxiGro-Gardening-2-2-Pound/dp/B00NQANQAC/ref=sr_1_25?srs=3029221011&ie=UTF8&qid=1498793863&sr=8-25

For tomatoes:
https://www.amazon.com/General-Hydroponics-MaxiBloom-Gardening-2-2-Pound/dp/B00NXVZQUW/ref=pd_bxgy_86_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00NXVZQUW&pd_rd_r=N34HAQYTWQ06PBVKJ5Q6&pd_rd_w=AjPTO&pd_rd_wg=pRXDh&psc=1&refRID=N34HAQYTWQ06PBVKJ5Q6

If hydro does not work out for you, you can still use these products for regular gardening.

They are weak but here they are.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0009YJ4N6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

anyone else using, or thought about using, those LED light strips like this? http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Controller-2034RGB-3315-3215/dp/B0040FJ27S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375383479&sr=8-1&keywords=led+stripe

I got one as a gift and have been wondering if I can use it to supplement my current lighting(HPS150 on one rig and 6xCFL 60's with 2x 4"tubes on the other). thought it might be actually to use this thing for something other than mood lighting in my mancave. I was thinking about using it to wrap around the lower section but didn't know if that would be a complete waste or not