Despite the fact that these procedures are quite similar, there are significant distinctions that may lead you to one or another. There are a number of various ways to cultivate high-quality cannabis. As a grower, you may discover that one approach works better than another for your own personal set up, or based on the end result you’re aiming for.
Aeroponics and hydroponics are two popular ways to cultivate marijuana that are frequently used by both beginners and advanced growers. Today, we’ll go over both techniques before providing you the option of whether or not you want to grow your own cannabis using either method.
Despite their distinctions, hydroponics and soil are two excellent techniques to cultivate cannabis. Despite the fact that they have various requirements, you may get great results in both of them.
There are several methods to develop high-quality cannabis. After a period of time, you will discover the one that works best for you and allows you to accomplish what you want based on your budget, expertise, or availability.
For decades, aeroponic and hydroponic techniques for growing produce have been in use, but they’ve only lately been used to cultivate cannabis. These procedures entail growing without soil and immediately exposing the roots to the nutrient solution, allowing faster development and better quality buds.
Aeroponics
Aeroponics is a type of hydroponic farming that involves suspending the roots in mid-air using a net or container. Rather than being buried in dirt, the roots are immersed in oxygen and CO2, with a nutrient solution being applied to the entire root every 3-5 minutes.
This is an indoor technique that protects the plants from external factors while also giving the grower complete control over the surroundings.
Pros
• Higher Yields
Unlike other cultivation techniques in which plants must “defend” for nutrients, aeroponics allows the nutrient solution to be delivered straight to the roots. This translates into greater yields and faster development.
• Better Nutrient Absorption
Because the medium is absent, the nutrients will be absorbed more readily. There will also be less or no water and nutrient waste since the minerals are sprayed on the roots.
• Easy Transplanting
When you move the plants, there is almost no danger of damaging their roots. Simply lift the container and move it to another reservoir. The plants will not even notice since there is no medium.
Cons
• High Maintenance
Aeroponics is a high-maintenance technology that is extremely sensitive. Everything has to function properly at the proper moment because the roots are exposed. If there’s a power outage for a few hours, they won’t be hydrated and will die. The air conditioning systems must be cleaned bi-weekly and monitored on a 24-hour basis.
• High Cost
The initial expenditures for an aeroponic system are greater than those of other methods of growing since it relies on a lot of equipment and uninterrupted power and water.
There are some things that you may fix yourself at home, while others will need to be purchased. Don’t skimp on them; they’ll be responsible for your plant’s development.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a type of plant cultivation that does not require soil. It may be applied with a variety of media (such as coco fiber, clay pebbles, or rock wool). We eliminate the need for pests to live in soil by eliminating it from the equation. In this method, the roots are immersed in a nutrient bath. Because all of the water is changed every 10 minutes or so, they may feed themselves whenever and however much they desire.
Pros
• Water efficiency
Drain-to-waste systems are used by almost all gardeners who cultivate in soil or other media. This implies any runoff water is wasted. Recycling nutrient water is possible in hydroponics to prevent this in drain-to-waste systems. Because there is no barrier between the water and the air, it leaves extremely clean and may be reused several times because there is no medium through which it passes.
• More Control Over The Nutrients
We provide a solution in hydroponics that allows plants to feed themselves when they require it. As a result, we have more control over our plants’ growth rates and rates of development.
• Relatively Affordable
Although this is a relatively new technique for producing cannabis, it is less expensive than aeroponics. When compared to growing in soil, the initial expenditure may appear steep, but in an individual hydroponic system, you may produce a large number of plants that can even yield more and higher-quality buds. The additional money invested (as opposed to soil) will be repaid in terms of improved quality buds and greater yields.
Cons
• Diseases Spread Easier
Because all of the plants are in the same reservoir, if one gets sick, it will quickly spread to the others. When you’re not very experienced with hydroponics gardening, this is probably one of the most unpleasant aspects.
• Low Oxygenation
In hydroponic systems, you will need to oxygenate the solution that feeds your plants. This means spending an extra couple of bucks in air stones and you will need to check on them every day. If one of them fails, be sure to have a replacement ready. If your plants are submerged in a solution without oxygen, they will drown and die.
Why Use Aeroponics?
Why might someone choose aeroponics over hydroponics? This is all quite dependent on the sort of weed you want to cultivate. Aeroponics, for one thing, generally provides a higher yield than hydroponics.
Although plants cultivated in a hydroponics system are submerged in oxygenated water, they will never be able to compare to the oxygen that the roots of aeroponic plants get.
Oxidation in aeroponic farming is not uncommon. It promotes stronger development in aeroponics, which can be beneficial. Aeroponic plants are also more likely to be healthy or at least less prone to disease, owing to the controlled environment in which they develop. This is due to the fact that they are cultivated under highly regulated conditions that are unaffected by outside influences.
This is also due to the fact that hydroponic plants are exposed to a lot of water, which can cause germination of bacteria. If you want dependable plant development and health, aeroponics may be your best bet.
Some people may find that aeroponics is more environmentally friendly than hydroponics. While both techniques are less ecologically damaging than traditional cultivation, aeroponics has a slight edge in terms of environmental impact since it uses less water.
Why Use Hydroponics?
While aeroponics appears to outpace hydroponics in two significant categories (plant growth and health) there are several arguments for selecting hydroponics as well. Namely, cost, and stability. Both alternatives have an initial expense that is greater than that of traditional planting. However, because aeroponics necessitates the use of numerous pieces of equipment in order to be successful, the upfront investment is significantly higher.
The final cost will be determined by what you want to achieve. Whatever option you pick, the price or the equipment involved will ultimately be decided by your goals. Professional-grade installations can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 or less if you buy individual hydroponic units like Grobo for $1999.
Hydroponic farming, on the other hand, is generally self-sustaining enough to be left alone after the initial investment has been paid. Aeroponic production, on the other side, is entirely reliant upon the well-being of the equipment that enables it. The plants will die within hours if one of the machines breaks down.
Given the margin of error, growers have two choices. They may either accept that there is a built-in element of risk in their growing operations, or they may invest a lot in backup equipment, which raises expenses even further. It’s also worth noting that while aeroponics does usually result in bigger, healthier plants, both methods generally yield satisfactory results.
Choosing Between Aeroponics and Hydroponics
Finally, you must balance the advantages and disadvantages of each system to determine which is best for you. Ultimately, it will be determined by your goals whether aeroponics or hydroponics is superior. If plant quality is your main concern, however, aeroponics may win the ware even if they lose some fights.
It is a great choice for professional cannabis growers because of its high plant production and low disease risk. Hydroponic methods, on the other hand, can provide good outcomes if you have a limited budget. You will simply need to choose the set up that works best for you in the end.
