Starting over differant system

I have a 4x8 tent that I grow photo’s in 2 at a time.I use hydro and I have the equipment needed for that except good lights. (I use metal halide). With Two plants I can easily get around 28 ounces which is good but the quality isn’t that good, airy buds, so I am thinking about a smaller tent 4x4 use soil and get a decent light, the Diablo looks good or the scorpion diablo.I will try my luck with soil and autoflowers. The photo’s just take to much effort, topping, training and I have no choice but to scrog but they just keep growing and they get out of control. I grow for medical reasons and the amount I get with photo’s are to much and it just goes to waste I can only use about 12 ounces in 6 monthes possibly 12. I have never grown in anything but hydro so I have no clue how to grow in soil or coco.
Any thoughts or suggestions would help. I won’t be starting another grow for a few months.

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What kind of genetics are you growing? Bag seeds ?

I started in soil with autos. Moved to photos. Then to coco. What a revelation. If you have time to feed daily, coco is the way. Quite frankly, you are going against the trend. Most graduate to hydro.
I did OK with autos. 3-4 oz avg per plant when I started. I improved to 6-7 while still in dirt. But, . I don’t trust autos. If you get off schedule your screwed.
Why not one change at a time. Start with a new light. You are the right track with HLG Diablo. Maybe do 1 plant in half of the tent. See where that gets you.
I don’t do hydro. Do you feel you have it tuned in and are comfortable with it?
I run a couple of autopots. That may be an option as well.

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I buy my seeds from a reputable place all feminized. Sometimes its a high THC strain sometimes High CBD just depends on what I need.

i agree with @beardless, ive been growing for a year now and i also did autos 1st and got the hang of that and now im doing photos. I trying new things one at time. cloning and auto pots and possibly trying coco on one plant is on my next to do list but hydro i am still reading and watching others to learn but it will be awhile for myself.

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I started with soil… then went to hydro and then decided coco was a happy medium between the 2. It’s atm preference but to me coco is a good balance between the two when your looking at the pros and cons

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If you are use to hydro coco will be less of a jump for you then soil

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Are you lollipoping as well? You could be getting a bunch of Larfy buds because those are the buds that are below the canopy and are not receiving adequate lighting. This is where lollipoping helps

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Also when I grew hydro I had ph drifts all the time it was so annoying. Are you adjusting the ph on a daily basis in your reservoir?

With my work schedule I don’t really have the time needed to top, trim scrog etc. I suppose setting auto’s in a hydro system might work. Auto’s don’t grow as big and the feeding would be consistent.half the tent is a good idea. I can do that.

I Use 2 totes each using 8 gallons a piece and a reservoir With a water chiller, of course there are fans. I check ph daily sometimes twice a day and although it does fluctuate it’s always in a good range. ( by fluctuate I mean it goes from 6.0 - 5.8 or the other way) That just an example. Lighting is one of the problems thats why I’m going with a quality LED instead of the MH. I do have quality meters.

Honestly I think a good light would solve most of your problems. Get a led with Samsung diodes and that should take care of the larfyness issue, maybe try that with some kind of flower bulking additive. I use general hydro kool bloom, liquid for the first 6 weeks of flowering and powder for the last 2-3 weeks all the ways through flush

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As everyone else does I really hate airy buds . Haha

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Yes, Lighting would take care of most of the problems I’ve been having with the grows. I do want to cut back a little on the quantity because I can’t use the amount I grow. I also don’t have the time it takes with the photo’s. I believe the auto’s in smaller containers a smaller tent and the lighting taken care of but still using hydro would be the way for me to go. I guess I won’t need to change systems just tweak a few things.

This was a gorilla cookies auto in dwc . It got big


I like to use frames. They were grown in autopots with coco.
If I need to I run mason line to train them. The first one never reached the bottom frame.


The bottom is used to locate and train the colas (point in the right direction).
The 2nd is mainly for support and to help separate the colas

Each was only about 6 ounces.

The next time I ran clones from another mother


The came in at 22 ounces.

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Maybe keep doing exactly what you’re already doing but flip the lights sooner so the plants don’t require so much training and invest in a high quality light fixture. If you switch to autos you still run the risk of airy buds regardless of the lighting based on the numerous testimonials/complaints in here about autos making airy buds.

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They look NIIIIIIIIICE

I Wait until there are 5 nodes top wait until those 2 branches have 3 nodes top again flip about 3-4 days later then on my last grow topped the 4 branches hoping this would cut down on the size but they still got out of control. They are usually only about a foot tall when I flip but in the end 2 plants will cover my 4x8 tent. This is why I’m thinking autos because they grow a little smaller and god only knows what would happen if I had decent lights and growing photo’s.

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These are my new grow, all autos in here and 3 are already throwing out pistols lol. What are ya gonna do?