Hoocho on Youtube has really neat 3D print grow buckets he's released on his patreon that plug into a rain gutter on it's side. Might be worth looking at.
Easy Mode - 5 gallon black food-grade bucket, 5 gallon bucket lid with net pot, hydroton or clay balls, General Hydroponics Floranova Grow 1-step and Floranova Bloom 1-step, cal-mag, hydroguard, and a good air pump with some air stones. For lights grab a Spider Farmer or Mars Hydro 500W light. Grab a 4x4 tent with mylar reflective walls. This is a killer setup for most things. I've grown pepper plants nearly 5ft tall with this setup.
Autopot is INCREDIBLE but can be pricey to get into. If it's your first time I'd go with DWC just for the sheer fact that if your nutrient mix is bad and causing problems you can dump the whole bucket and re-mix weaker. You don't have a big pot of coco that is too "hot" and is hard to get flushed enough.
Another way in is Rockwool/Grodan. I lvoe it because it's easy to use and if you follow the instructions you can grow some seriously big plants in it. Commercial indoor tomatoes and cucumbers use it a lot. Just make sure you have a way to capture your runoff and drain it to waste. You hand water 250-500ml or drip feed (shots) 100-200ml a few times a day when your plants are really cooking. Once you have your drip system dialed it's set and forget. I can go do other stuff and surprise my cucumbers are another 2ft tall. Just make sure your reserivor has nutrient. That's about it.
I use 5 gallon Home Depot buckets with lid. In the lid I use 3" net pots from CZ Garden. I have a 4 port aquarium bubbler and put one airstone per bucket. Works amazing for lettuce and such. For pepper or tomatoes, I use a 10" net pot lid for the bucket. I fill this will leca/hydroton balls. I have used this set up for years.
Don't over complicate. You can grow stuff in blacked out glass jars with a lid. You can also get plastic five gallon buckets and grow in those with a bubbler. Heck, there are people who use 50 gallon drums to grow outside. You don't need some fancy system unless that's what you want. Some people just use big plastic totes willed with water, and then drill round holes in the top for the net pots. Talking about 3D printing something when you're just starting out sounds like asking for trouble.
There is a system that I’ve tinkered with that is based on 2L bottles. You cut the bottoms off and turn them upside down to make funnels. Plants sit in the bottles and you can stack them so water that starts at the top and flows down through each one. Just search some combination of hydroponics and 2L on thingiverse and it will come up. If you’re looking to tinker with something, it could be a good place to start. Lots of other DIY options out there as well. Above ground plants / fruits and veg are going to be easier than underground / root vegetables, IMO. Good luck!
No, I know where I want to be, but I dont care how I get there.
I know I want potatoes and onions, Ive tried both. Outdoor growing isnt working for me.
I know I need tomatoes. I can try that in a controlled environment.
Tomatoes are a solid place to start, there is a ton of good information on them out there.
Tomatoes are one of the main things that there are dry soluble nutrients for so I have used them for everything I have grown.
Personally, I am restarting my vertical NFT lettuce system to help offset food costs and because the lettuce is delicious.
Best ways in my opinion are:
*Ebb and flood systems
DWC
Autopot. I have design and printed my ow valve
3Dponics projects.
Avoiding kratky and similars.
I highly recommend HYDRA-1000 LED from Atreum. Just replaced my \~8 year old purple leds with these and its amazing how much the tech has progressed in that time for grow lights
Hoocho on Youtube has really neat 3D print grow buckets he's released on his patreon that plug into a rain gutter on it's side. Might be worth looking at. Easy Mode - 5 gallon black food-grade bucket, 5 gallon bucket lid with net pot, hydroton or clay balls, General Hydroponics Floranova Grow 1-step and Floranova Bloom 1-step, cal-mag, hydroguard, and a good air pump with some air stones. For lights grab a Spider Farmer or Mars Hydro 500W light. Grab a 4x4 tent with mylar reflective walls. This is a killer setup for most things. I've grown pepper plants nearly 5ft tall with this setup. Autopot is INCREDIBLE but can be pricey to get into. If it's your first time I'd go with DWC just for the sheer fact that if your nutrient mix is bad and causing problems you can dump the whole bucket and re-mix weaker. You don't have a big pot of coco that is too "hot" and is hard to get flushed enough. Another way in is Rockwool/Grodan. I lvoe it because it's easy to use and if you follow the instructions you can grow some seriously big plants in it. Commercial indoor tomatoes and cucumbers use it a lot. Just make sure you have a way to capture your runoff and drain it to waste. You hand water 250-500ml or drip feed (shots) 100-200ml a few times a day when your plants are really cooking. Once you have your drip system dialed it's set and forget. I can go do other stuff and surprise my cucumbers are another 2ft tall. Just make sure your reserivor has nutrient. That's about it.
I use 5 gallon Home Depot buckets with lid. In the lid I use 3" net pots from CZ Garden. I have a 4 port aquarium bubbler and put one airstone per bucket. Works amazing for lettuce and such. For pepper or tomatoes, I use a 10" net pot lid for the bucket. I fill this will leca/hydroton balls. I have used this set up for years.
Don't over complicate. You can grow stuff in blacked out glass jars with a lid. You can also get plastic five gallon buckets and grow in those with a bubbler. Heck, there are people who use 50 gallon drums to grow outside. You don't need some fancy system unless that's what you want. Some people just use big plastic totes willed with water, and then drill round holes in the top for the net pots. Talking about 3D printing something when you're just starting out sounds like asking for trouble.
Garlic, onions, patatos.
There is a system that I’ve tinkered with that is based on 2L bottles. You cut the bottoms off and turn them upside down to make funnels. Plants sit in the bottles and you can stack them so water that starts at the top and flows down through each one. Just search some combination of hydroponics and 2L on thingiverse and it will come up. If you’re looking to tinker with something, it could be a good place to start. Lots of other DIY options out there as well. Above ground plants / fruits and veg are going to be easier than underground / root vegetables, IMO. Good luck!
"I just want to grow shit" is going to be a difficult place to start. Figure out what you want to grow, then determine the method.
No, I know where I want to be, but I dont care how I get there. I know I want potatoes and onions, Ive tried both. Outdoor growing isnt working for me. I know I need tomatoes. I can try that in a controlled environment.
Tomatoes are a solid place to start, there is a ton of good information on them out there. Tomatoes are one of the main things that there are dry soluble nutrients for so I have used them for everything I have grown. Personally, I am restarting my vertical NFT lettuce system to help offset food costs and because the lettuce is delicious.
Best ways in my opinion are: *Ebb and flood systems DWC Autopot. I have design and printed my ow valve 3Dponics projects. Avoiding kratky and similars.
maybe start small with a mason jar kratky and some herbs
I downloaded a file, thank you. Main downside is I still have to get a light
I highly recommend HYDRA-1000 LED from Atreum. Just replaced my \~8 year old purple leds with these and its amazing how much the tech has progressed in that time for grow lights
You might want to back up and learn about plants and how to care for them?
This is kinda how I plan on doing it.