Phototrons...SWC/TRON

Are you no longer doing the hydroponics in the Tron? I believe there were two sizes. Mine is the shorter one of the two. I think its more than 2’.
I was excited about growing in water. I got all set up for that. I have the air pump, the bucket to grow in, the styrofoam. Why all of a sudden you are steering me away from hydro?

2 Likes

I will always grow hydro in my SWC/TRON’s…you can grow hydro if you want its totally up to you…if you’ve grown swc/dwc and feel comfortable by all means go ahead…the main thing with hydro is your water quality…I use Chicago water out the tap…I don’t know water the quality of water you’re using…

btw, you didn’t need to buy the nutes I’m using you could’ve just use the nutes that you have been using when you were growing in soil…if you can hold off on the BC nutes and use the nutes you are comfortable with from your past grows…I tell everyone grow your plant as you normally do pretend you are not growing in a Phototron.

Bottomline you can be successful growing in a Phototron if you just grow as you normally grow, in soil or hydro…you don’t have yo use the same nutes I’m using…I think that’s where you’re gonna run into problems, hold off on the BC nutes and use the nutes that you have had success with…

If you had experience with SWC/DWC/DWC hydro with a certain nutes use those nutes that you have used and had success with…so hold off on the BC nutes…Hope this helps.

1 Like

The nutes just delivered. Im not kidding.
I havent grown weed for 30 years. I have never done hydro.
Walk me through it. I have it all set up to go.
We have the best water quality here. We are famous for it.
Im only setting up for one plant. I am going to germinate seeds today. These are my 30 year old Mowy Wowy, acapulco gold, thai stick. They were sick killer weed back then. Lets see if any germinate. Meanwhile, I am getting some feminized seeds.
So, we in this together? You with me for a cool bromance!

2 Likes

I dont even know what they mean? Shallow Water Cultivation?
I am going to learn though!

2 Likes

Shallow water culture & deep water culture read up on them here on Overgrow…As far as your water quality just cause it tastes fine doesn’t mean it’s good quality…I cannot walk you through hydro its fast growth and my environment is not the same as yours…soil is more forgiving…so just start off with soil first…I would hate for you to fail so start off with soil…read up on DWC everything seriously…

As I said just grow as you normally grow, if you haven’t grown in 30 yrs. I suggest you read up on growing in soil here on Overgrow.

2 Likes

Threads for basic growing in soil or hydro…Hope this helps.

Preparing the soil
New to everything
Beginner’s first grow: with soil or hydroponics?
First time Indoor grow - Blue Dream - DWC
Absolute Beginner on a Budget
No Flushing?

2 Likes

Well, I have to listen to you. I am going to set up in soil. I will read up on the hydro. It seems to me that is the smart way to go. I’m just going to use regular potting soil or should I get something fancy?

2 Likes

This is your grow, if you’ve never done hydro don’t do it in your Phototron yet…read up on it, do some research here on Overgrow and read other threads on DWC…you said you grew in soil before and it turned out good, do it again in soil, do everything you did before except you will be growing in the Phototron…btw, you are gonna need a timer veg time is 18/6 & flower time is 12/12.

As far as soil I have no preference, hell I’ll use what’s on sale at Menards usually Shultz. A lot of growers use Fox Farm etc…there you go, start a thread on soil what do others members use and why…Do a lot of research on growing in soil & hydro because in the long run it will pay off. There’s a lot of growers who are expert/experienced soil growers.

When I first started with my Phototrons I used DiMarco’s directions and failed…I did everything on his directions except for sending him a sample of my soil or sphagnum moss that came with the Phototron. I had to think outside of the box so to speak. I hung out at Overgrow basically just finding out about nutes and DWC. After a couple of weeks I finally dove into DWC with that BC nute package… A lot of people in the old Overgrow put me down and looked down on me because I was using Phototrons…They were saying its junk , you got ripped off and shit…After all those negative comments I was more determined to make my Phototrons work. Throughout my life I’ve always had this Once you give up you admit defeat attitude…I wasn’t gonna let the Phototron defeat my ass.

I did everything I read about DWC and tried not to overthink things…As I said before try growing your plant normally. Thats what I did…I also said nowadays people are growing in big black tents with lights, thats almost like a huge Phototron. One thing though try and keep your Phototron in the dark when the lights are off…

If you have any questions about soils or other nutes don’t be afraid to ask other Overgrow members. A lot of growers will be more than happy to help you. I’m here to help you also because I want you to succeed with your Phototron bromigo.

I am waiting for a buddy of mine from Chicago to come visit me because he’s bringing me some Chicago tap water…My water in this small town town I’m in is crap…way too much salt. I have 2 rain barrels this year so I can collect rainwater and I’m gonna see if I can use rainwater for my SWC/TRON grows. I’m actually using rainwater now in my cheapo aero cloner and it works.


3 Likes

Very neat @PhilCuisine! I always thought the Phototrons were a cool concept, just impractical. God only knows how many house fires were started with those back in the day. :grimacing: Looks like you figured them out though!

Those Venus flytraps are cool! I’m assuming you always grow them indoors, else they wouldn’t be flowering this time of year. All of mine look dead, as they are dormant and the pots they are in are frozen solid at the moment. In Autumn they are showstoppers for sure. I have been growing and breeding them for nearly 25 years, hope you don’t mind me sharing a few pictures of some of mine…

10 Likes

Very nice VFT bromigo…yes, these are in my enclosed unheated front porch and I gets the southern sunlight all day…it is flowering right now and I had to pollinate it by hand since there are no bees around to pollinate it. Just took these pictures now…

I had to put my rooted cuttings that were in my cloner in soil this morning…

These are my Matanuska Thunder Head clones.

6 Likes

Very nice! We have these iridescent pollen wasps around here that do the flytrap pollinating for us. Make sure the seeds pods are fully ripe when you harvest, there will be all these tiny, black, shiny seeds that will fall off when you touch them.

5 Likes

@JustSumTomatoes do you have any other carnivorous plants? I got these VFT at Walmart last summer and they are easy as hell to grow and take care of…

2 Likes

@Zubenal, this is what the bottom of the newer Phototrons look like, it’s flat…Does yours have a bump on the bottom of the Phototron?

I’m using one of the smaller Phototrons as a veg only chamber 18/6…I’m gonna break out one of the bigger Phototrons to flower my MTH as soon as I get my Chicago tap water.

4 Likes

@PhilCuisine Sure do, sundews and pitcher plants too. I have a nice little collection of bug eaters. There are so many different varieties of flytraps alone, just like cannabis.

!

8 Likes

Mine does not have a bump on the bottom. It looks like yours, except white.
Im going to put a pot in it and put my starts in soil. I have to get some soil building stuff. I will use the nutes you directed me to to grow in soil. I called the company and spoke to Andrew. He is a trip. He was excited to talk to someone about the Phototron.
He agreed with your suggestion to go with a soil grow. He is a hydro guy.

3 Likes

Do you have these lights then, the T5’s in your Phototron?

These are the lights for the small Phototrons…

These are the lights for the big Phototrons.

3 Likes

Was just reading the beginning of this thread and was wondering about how you made your cloner not wanting to spend the loot on a mass produced one I can make

2 Likes

Click on my profile and it should take you to a link bromigo…Hope this helps.

Building a Cheapo-Aero cloning tub

1 Like

Mine has those u shaped lights.
Can they be upgraded?

3 Likes

Way too much work to change those out because you would have to change the ballast too I think…The only thing I can suggest is get that garage light and just add some under the cabinet leds lights to it…you can link them together bromigo…

1 Like