General Hydroponics EcoGrower Drip Hydroponic System

I was interested in indoor gardening and learning about hydroponics, and gave this a shot. Setting it up was quite simple. The hardest part being the cleanup from all of the clay dust that's generated from the growing media in shipping. I ended up using this in a VivoSun 4' x 4' grow tent and it fit perfectly. After germinating my seeds and giving them about a week in a propagator, I transferred one to each of the six net pots, and was good to go. Reading a few recommendations from others, I set the drip pump to cycle on and off for 15 minutes, twice a day. In later discussion with General Hydroponics, they said I could have left them on until the roots were submerged. Speaking of which: that's the biggest benefit of this system. You're getting all of the benefits of a circulating system and a deep water culture system. Admittedly, I did make one small modification. While the drip pump was cycling, I added two air stones and a second pump to drive them. In retrospect, I didn't encounter many of the "first timer" growing problems people run in to like root rot and mold / fungus growth, and I attribute a lot of that to adding the air stones. Just something to think about there. One other post-grow thought: larger plants can cause the relatively shallow pots to tip -- and that not only creates a problem with growth of the plant, but can also introduce algae into your system. Be sure to keep an eye on what you're growing. And if you're growing something large, like cucumbers, tomatoes, or cannabis, you're probably going to want to limit yourself to 4 plants instead of 6. Outside of that, General Hydroponics gives you a generous amount of clay growing media, and the included nutrients should easily last you for a couple of months, if not an entire grow cycle. Of course, you're going to read about bucket systems and other methods. I'll be honest with you, I thought I had outgrown this and did opt for a Waterfarm and PowerGrower system, but relative to the EcoGrower, they require way more maintenance (preventative and ongoing) than my trusty EcoGrower ever did. So, I'd definitely recommend this over building your own bucket system if you're just starting out.

just wish the res was shorter. i don't require 12gallon res. mind ur hieght limitations. can b converted to aero. was hard to find distributor, not thanks to g.h. most didn't arrive, discreetly, coco cups n lids didn't arrive with, contrary to advertisements. most hydroton arrived busted open n loose in package/reservoir; very messy... if u daisy chain, u might get bigger pump. the areo is phenom. the hydro, bout 1/2 as "productive" and requires more time. both, beat soil/soil less. customer service is quick to respond and answer a myriad of questions; save, who sells supporting products. was about $20+ shipping, for everything, cept the aero pump/distributor, itself. that's a lil more pricey, but worth having backup systems.

My first purchase was missing parts. To avoid the hassle of returning the entire system for six missing net pots I bought them in addition. Since I liked how it fit in my 3x3 grow tent I decided to buy a second one. The post office called me to let me know it was leaking fertilizer, so I had it returned. I liked the idea of having one reservoir rather than two so I decided to get another after the first reservoir sprung a leak, for the sake of convenience. Now I’ll switch to a two bucket dwc setup. It’s probably easier to build your own reservoir and I might add significantly cheaper. I wasn’t impressed by the drip setup, as the tubes and central assembly had to be perfectly placed to work properly. Since I was worried about my plants dying I wanted a more predictable setup, so I used it for deep water culture by removing all the tubes and just placing an air stone in the reservoir. It worked nicely until it sprung a leak and flooded my grow tent. Save yourself the hassle and buy something else.

EcoGrower is the best way to get started with hydroponics. Even if you are a pro the unit will come in handy. This was the first unit I purchased when I started my hobby. I still use it year round. I usually start my herbs in the grower but have grown full size cucumbers, tomatoes, and citronella plants in it. Solid construction helps the unit withstand daily use. It is helpful to place the unit near your water source as it does get heavy when full. Having the drain on the side is also helpful with water changes. You will not regret this purchase!

I generally like this thing. I bought it to grow varieties of chili peppers after learning that Aerogardens, as nice as they are, tend to be a bit small for growing more than one or two such plants. I've had mine in use for three months now and am getting very good results. Coming from Aerogardens, the price is certainly right when you consider the growing capacity this offers. The downside, compared to Aerogardens is that you have to roll your own lighting solution, and while LED panels are easy to find and cheap, finding a way to mount them or hang them or... whatever, has been an ongoing issue. The hardware feels solid, and given that the only moving part is the air pump, reliability seems to be a given. I'd like a larger hole in the top to run a hose through for refilling, but you can easily remove one of the six panels for quick access. The biggest ongoing logistical problem is draining and refilling this every 7-10 days. The filled capacity is 13 gallons, which is well over 100 pounds of water. Draining is made mostly easy by the combination level gauge/drain tube, assuming that you have the pot elevated so it can drain into something, and finding a stand or table (or bench) that can support the weight can add significantly to the overall price. My weekly refill schedule means draining to a 5 gallon bucket, 3 times, then mixing three buckets (of 4+ gal each) worth of nutrients and finding a way to pour or siphon those buckets into this thing without spilling it all everywhere. It has been a learning experience. And the final piece that subtracts the fifth star: Aside from being large (basically 2'x2'x2') and heavy (figure 140 pounds when full), it offers six fairly generous grow sites which nevertheless are a bit too closely spaced for growing six full sized pepper plants. I am constantly having to trim my plants back to keep one from literally overshadowing another. At least the 6" net pots are large enough to accommodate some trellis systems to help support the plants. I have tried three different drip/DWC "bucket" solutions and this is by far my favorite. Unlike GH's single site "Power Grower," there is no spash from this drip system - the floor under and around this is perfectly dry. The only change I've felt the need to make is the addition of an airstone. I just don't trust the air-pumped column to oxygenate the water enough. This, of course, necessitated buying a new two-outlet air pump. But, if you want a cheap, reliable six-grow site drip/DWC bucket, and don't mind spending your weekends hauling around 5 gallon buckets of water, this is certainly the answer you're looking for. I am seriously considering buying another.

First let me say I am very happy with the unit. Setup is easy but takes considerable time to rinse growing media. The unit works perfectly. But here's what is not disclosed about the unit in its description :1. The growing media must be thoroughly rinsed before placing in the unit. Otherwise small chips and dust could block or restrict flow of nutrients/water through the tubes; 2. It is recommended in setup directions that the 17 gallon reservoir which holds water & nutrients be drained & replaced every 1 to 2 weeks depending upon plant growth. If you don't have the time or desire to commit to this maintenance schedule than this is not for you. There is also the minor costs involved with replacing nutrients. For example I'm using my unit to grow habanero peppers & a couple of tomato plants. If I buy the three types of required nutrients in the 32oz size, my cost to drain & replace nutrients four times a month is about $4.00 dollars US. Considering the maintenance schedule to drain & replace water & nutrients, you should plan on where you intend to place your unit so maintenance can be done easily.

This item was left on the porch by UPS while I wasn't home. When I first saw the box I was sure I would have to return it. It look like it had been shipped to Afghanistan. However upon opening it and inspecting it, there was no damage whatsoever and everything was there. It's easy to set up and if you're a first timer, don't worry, it has a nice step by step instruction book. Everything you need to get started is there with the exception of PH adjustment chemicals. I'm not sure what the guy who had trouble rinsing the hydroton was talking about. It's the same as any other I've bought. It's dusty. You put it in a strainer and rinse it with very hot water for about a minute, it's clean. Maybe he was trying to rinse it a cup at a time or something, i'm not sure. I will update as my grow proceeds but for now I couldn't be happier.

I use all GH systems and nutrients for my plants. The drip system components I own are top-notch; built to last; easy to clean. This was an obvious choice for starting plants. I rarely give five stars to anything because I'm contrarian, crabby, overly critical and hard to please. I just can't find fault with GH's products. Geez, I think my eyes are getting as watery as my hydroponics systems.

Very good product. Good size, good quality. Comes with everything you may need (except the seeds starter). Clean everything correctly to be sure not to block the dripping system.

give up trying to make it work, packaging etc. looked like a returned unit