- User ID
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Just wanting to share a few of my methods/tips for anybody starting out on a budget or anyone willing to save a few bucks in general. Mainly for indoors. Subject to changes later on down the road 
..
Equipment
Cheap out on everything but the light fixture.
Tent - Greenfingers brand. Cheap and nasty, thin material, expect a few pinhole light leaks but otherwise a decent start for a beginner, a 120×60×120 starts at $36 delivered.
120×120×200 around $150, both tents are a decent option for a beginner grower.
Fan - Chinese brand inline fans from eBay (with variac / speed controllers) start at $51 for 4 inch fans, or $60 for 6 inch fans.
I recently got a great deal on a mars inline fan + controller combo which was 50% off RRP, but they are probably not worth it if you can't get them on sale.
Carbon filter - again eBay do cheap ones starting at $49 for 4 inch filters, upto $65 for 6 inch, however I would say it's a better idea to spend a bit more and get a refillable carbon filter from mars hydro, as it will be cheaper long term.
Lights -
Mars for a 2×4
marshydroau.com
Digilumen for a 4×4
www.quickbloomlights.com.au
Personally I like the spectrum of mars better, but the digilumen is too much of a good price to pass up for a 4×4 space. Its well worth buying bar style led lights, by far the best when it comes to spread, being more even unlike quantum boards which have hotspots.
Pots / Growing Medium / Irrigation
hydroland.com.au
Brick coco is by far the most cost effective way of growing (unless you are reusing and amending potting mix/soil)
Hydroland has the best price (for 5kg bricks) and works out a lot cheaper than buying from Bunnings when buying a few at a time. Another option is going to your local seed and produce / agricultural supplies store, but the quality can be very shit and salty.
When using brick coco, it has to be prepared properly. Rehydrating it and then pouring boiling water over each pot of coco to flush tannins and excess salt out before running cold water through until runoff is clear.
Cheap and good quality pots can be acquired from Sage Horticultural in bulk, or just go to Bunnings. https://www.sagehort.com.au/?utm_so...MIxuCXma-hkgMVsthMAh2ZCiSzEAAYASAAEgJWlPD_BwE
Irrigation (if not hand watering) -
Netafim Dripper Halos (these have gone up a few bucks since I ordered mine, but are still the cheapest option)
duralirrigation.com.au
13mm Irrigation tubing
www.drgreenthumbs.com.au
4mm vinyl tubing
duralirrigation.com.au
Dripper hubs
duralirrigation.com.au
Reservoir (40-100L)
Black storage containers with lids from Bunnings is the best option.
Water pump - Any cheap 20w pump from eBay will do fine, just make sure it comes with a 13mm fitting for the irrigation pipe.
Digital Timer - Again, eBay will have cheap ones around $15.
Pretty simple setup, can be used for drain to waste if you can dial in the time it takes to runoff, or recirculate it back to the reservoir via a flood tray/table which gives more control and less issues like plants sitting in their runoff, Completely optional
Nutrients
Dry salts will save lots of money compared to bottle nutes, especially on larger scale grows.
Campbells Diamond Special T - the base with trace minerals
Calcium Nitrate - instantly available Nitrogen and calcium
Monopotassium Phosphate - to bring Phosphorus levels up a bit for flower bulking
Magnesium Sulphate aka Epsom Salts, for lush green leaves
Enfield produce stocks everything needed compared to hydroland which only has special t and calcium nitrate. The prices are a bit more expensive but not by much.
VEG
Special T (8.2-3.9-32) 0.50g/L
CalNit (15.5-0-0) 0.80g/L
MagSulf (0-0-0) 0.25g/L (+0.25g if deficient)
MKP (0-54-32) 0.20g/L
(Total NPK 17.60-5.83-10.67)
EARLY BLOOM
Special T 0.70g/L
CalNit 0.70g/L
MagSulf 0.25g/L
MKP 0.60g/L
(Total NPK 8.29-17.57-20.80)
RIPENING / LATE FLOWER
Special T 1g/L
CalNit 0.50g/L
MagSulf 0.25g/L
MKP 0.40g/L
(Total NPK 8.86-11.17-23.11)
The above amounts are a starting point, which can be increased by 0.30g if plants are hungry.
EC should be around 1.4 with the above amounts which is good to begin with
Additives
Brix Fix by Nutritech Solutions, a mixture of kelp plant hormones, amino acids and fulvic acid etc, derived from natural sources.
nutri-tech.com.au
nutri-tech.com.au
Both of these will go a long, long way compared to the watered down shit you buy at hydro shops.
PH Down
Ph Down is basically watered down Phosphoric Acid
bosca.com.au
Dilute 40/60 50/50 or 60/40 acid:water.
Pour into a dropper bottle for more precision/control with lowering ph.
No need to buy ph Down for many years now.
Pests and Diseases
Pythium/Root Rot
Keep Algae and bad Bacteria away and make roots look pristine by using Chlorine (calcium hypochlorite) aka pool shock, a way cheaper alternative to Hydrogen Peroxide (which also doesn't last very long at all, and does nothing if the water is too warm, it cannot hold dissolved oxygen regardless)
www.bunnings.com.au
4 grams of Chlorine to 2L of water (I just use a clean milk bottle to add it to)
Dosage of 1-3mL per litre of water.
Boiling water helps dissolve the chlorine.
Hydro shops sell this as 'Hydroguard'.
The chlorine will reverse root rot and can potentially save your plants from the pythium Bacteria. Keeps reservoir clean and plants love a bit of chlorine also, which is proven to increase uptake as well.
Spider Mites
DIY Lost Coast Plant Therapy
A spray bottle is required. Recipe makes 500ml
Ingredients:
Isopropyl Alcohol 100% - 100ml
Olive oil/Castor oil or Vegetable oil - 50ml
Baby Shampoo or Dish Soap - 4 or 5 pumps or a good squeeze of dish soap
Water - 350ml
Add all ingredients to spray bottle (add soap last)
Completely saturate plants and make sure to spray under leaves, repeat every 3 days for 9-12 days. Not ideal for flowering plants as the soap and alcohol will strip/dissolve resin from the plant.
Make sure to dim the lights a bit, if outside move the plants under shade, as the sun and oil combined will fry your plants.
Not only good for mites, will also sort out most insects like thrips, aphids and leafminers etc.
Fungus Gnats
www.pestrol.com.au
I have tried a lot of the methods listed online but none of them were effective (peroxide, magnesium, bacillus thuringiensis mosquito bits and dunks) and were a complete waste of money.
..Equipment
Cheap out on everything but the light fixture.
Tent - Greenfingers brand. Cheap and nasty, thin material, expect a few pinhole light leaks but otherwise a decent start for a beginner, a 120×60×120 starts at $36 delivered.
120×120×200 around $150, both tents are a decent option for a beginner grower.
Fan - Chinese brand inline fans from eBay (with variac / speed controllers) start at $51 for 4 inch fans, or $60 for 6 inch fans.
I recently got a great deal on a mars inline fan + controller combo which was 50% off RRP, but they are probably not worth it if you can't get them on sale.
Carbon filter - again eBay do cheap ones starting at $49 for 4 inch filters, upto $65 for 6 inch, however I would say it's a better idea to spend a bit more and get a refillable carbon filter from mars hydro, as it will be cheaper long term.
Lights -
Mars for a 2×4
[Extra 5% code:MHFC] Mars Hydro FC4000-EVO 320W Dimmable Samsung LM301H EVO LED Grow Lights
Mars Hydro FC4000-EVO LED Samsung LM301H to grow lights, deliver 320W uniform and strong lighting to promise rewarding harvest for growers.
marshydroau.com
Digilumen for a 4×4
Digi-Lumen 720w Extreme LED Grow Light - High Output Full Spectrum
The DIGI-LUMEN 720 W Extreme LED delivers serious power and efficiency for commercial growers, greenhouse operators and serious hobbyists who want top-tier light performance without ballooning energy costs. Built with a fully integrated 720 W driver, this LED outperforms traditional HID lighting...
www.quickbloomlights.com.au
Personally I like the spectrum of mars better, but the digilumen is too much of a good price to pass up for a 4×4 space. Its well worth buying bar style led lights, by far the best when it comes to spread, being more even unlike quantum boards which have hotspots.
Pots / Growing Medium / Irrigation
Premium Cocopeat Brick - 5kg Compressed 100% Coco Coir (Low EC)
Australia's Cheapest hydroponic growing media for Hooch Multi Bucket and other hydroponic systems. Low electrical conductivity, High CEC, excellent aeration, nutrient and water retention ability.
hydroland.com.au
Hydroland has the best price (for 5kg bricks) and works out a lot cheaper than buying from Bunnings when buying a few at a time. Another option is going to your local seed and produce / agricultural supplies store, but the quality can be very shit and salty.
When using brick coco, it has to be prepared properly. Rehydrating it and then pouring boiling water over each pot of coco to flush tannins and excess salt out before running cold water through until runoff is clear.
Cheap and good quality pots can be acquired from Sage Horticultural in bulk, or just go to Bunnings. https://www.sagehort.com.au/?utm_so...MIxuCXma-hkgMVsthMAh2ZCiSzEAAYASAAEgJWlPD_BwE
Irrigation (if not hand watering) -
Netafim Dripper Halos (these have gone up a few bucks since I ordered mine, but are still the cheapest option)
Netafim Netbow Pot Irrigators
Dural Irrigation's Netafim Netbow Pot Irrigator is an innovative, user-friendly container irrigation multi-outlet dripper arc. Buy it now.
duralirrigation.com.au
13mm Irrigation tubing
Flexible Tubing & Water Hose (13mm / 19mm / 25mm)
Discover versatile flexible tubing and water hoses in 13mm, 19mm, and 25mm sizes, perfect for various applications and ensuring reliable performance.
www.drgreenthumbs.com.au
4mm vinyl tubing
Neta 4/7 (4mm) Flexible Riser Tube
Dural Irrigation currently offer the Neta 4/7 (4mm) Flexible Riser Tube. These can be purchased in interest-free instalments via Afterpay. Learn more.
duralirrigation.com.au
Dripper hubs
Multi Outlet Adaptors
Dural Irrigation's Multi Outlet Adaptors allow multiple Arrow Head Drippers to be connected to 3-5mm Flexible Tube.
duralirrigation.com.au
Reservoir (40-100L)
Black storage containers with lids from Bunnings is the best option.
Water pump - Any cheap 20w pump from eBay will do fine, just make sure it comes with a 13mm fitting for the irrigation pipe.
Digital Timer - Again, eBay will have cheap ones around $15.
Pretty simple setup, can be used for drain to waste if you can dial in the time it takes to runoff, or recirculate it back to the reservoir via a flood tray/table which gives more control and less issues like plants sitting in their runoff, Completely optional
Nutrients
Dry salts will save lots of money compared to bottle nutes, especially on larger scale grows.
Campbells Diamond Special T - the base with trace minerals
Calcium Nitrate - instantly available Nitrogen and calcium
Monopotassium Phosphate - to bring Phosphorus levels up a bit for flower bulking
Magnesium Sulphate aka Epsom Salts, for lush green leaves
Enfield produce stocks everything needed compared to hydroland which only has special t and calcium nitrate. The prices are a bit more expensive but not by much.
VEG
Special T (8.2-3.9-32) 0.50g/L
CalNit (15.5-0-0) 0.80g/L
MagSulf (0-0-0) 0.25g/L (+0.25g if deficient)
MKP (0-54-32) 0.20g/L
(Total NPK 17.60-5.83-10.67)
EARLY BLOOM
Special T 0.70g/L
CalNit 0.70g/L
MagSulf 0.25g/L
MKP 0.60g/L
(Total NPK 8.29-17.57-20.80)
RIPENING / LATE FLOWER
Special T 1g/L
CalNit 0.50g/L
MagSulf 0.25g/L
MKP 0.40g/L
(Total NPK 8.86-11.17-23.11)
The above amounts are a starting point, which can be increased by 0.30g if plants are hungry.
EC should be around 1.4 with the above amounts which is good to begin with
Additives
Brix Fix by Nutritech Solutions, a mixture of kelp plant hormones, amino acids and fulvic acid etc, derived from natural sources.
Brix-Fix™
Cost-effective yield builder for all crop production (fruit, vegetables, cereals) in a convenient, concentrated liquid. Includes triacontanol, trace minerals and biostimulants to promote beneficial soil biology and encourage strong, healthy growth.
nutri-tech.com.au
Aloe-Tech™
This whole-leaf Aloe vera concentrate is a powerful botanical activator, fungi booster and plant growth promotant. ACO organic certified.
nutri-tech.com.au
Both of these will go a long, long way compared to the watered down shit you buy at hydro shops.
PH Down
Ph Down is basically watered down Phosphoric Acid
85% Phosphoric Acid 500ml - Food Grade Orthophosphoric Rust Remover
Best rust remover on the market. Phosphoric Acid 85% is acidic cleaner works best as a descaler, cement haze remover. Fast Australia wide shipping, Low prices.
bosca.com.au
Dilute 40/60 50/50 or 60/40 acid:water.
Pour into a dropper bottle for more precision/control with lowering ph.
No need to buy ph Down for many years now.
Pests and Diseases
Pythium/Root Rot
Keep Algae and bad Bacteria away and make roots look pristine by using Chlorine (calcium hypochlorite) aka pool shock, a way cheaper alternative to Hydrogen Peroxide (which also doesn't last very long at all, and does nothing if the water is too warm, it cannot hold dissolved oxygen regardless)
{productName}
Find {productName} at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.
Dosage of 1-3mL per litre of water.
Boiling water helps dissolve the chlorine.
Hydro shops sell this as 'Hydroguard'.
The chlorine will reverse root rot and can potentially save your plants from the pythium Bacteria. Keeps reservoir clean and plants love a bit of chlorine also, which is proven to increase uptake as well.
Spider Mites
DIY Lost Coast Plant Therapy
A spray bottle is required. Recipe makes 500ml
Ingredients:
Isopropyl Alcohol 100% - 100ml
Olive oil/Castor oil or Vegetable oil - 50ml
Baby Shampoo or Dish Soap - 4 or 5 pumps or a good squeeze of dish soap
Water - 350ml
Add all ingredients to spray bottle (add soap last)
Completely saturate plants and make sure to spray under leaves, repeat every 3 days for 9-12 days. Not ideal for flowering plants as the soap and alcohol will strip/dissolve resin from the plant.
Make sure to dim the lights a bit, if outside move the plants under shade, as the sun and oil combined will fry your plants.
Not only good for mites, will also sort out most insects like thrips, aphids and leafminers etc.
Fungus Gnats
Imidacloprid 200 Systemic Insecticide - Superway - 1L
Shop Superway Imidacloprid 200 Systemic Insecticide 200 g/L – systemic protection against aphids, thrips & beetles. Fast delivery Australia-wide.
www.pestrol.com.au
, as long as it doesn't effect yields or goes up in flames 
.
