GrowHydroponicly

Good morning!

Today is March 29, 2025, and it’s currently 6:14 AM. I just woke up, and I figured now is as good a time as any to get started on this blog.

So, I recently bought this expired domain from 2007 called GrowHydroponicly.com But before I dive into what I plan to do with it, let me back up and tell you a little about myself and why I’m here.

My name is Rhadeik, but you can call me Rhady. I’m Jamaican and about to turn 30 years old in a couple of months. I’m separated from the military, where I worked as a healthcare specialist/combat medic. Since leaving the military, I’ve had a difficult time grounding myself in reality. Lately, though, I’ve found a sense of peace by reconnecting with nature and growing plants.

My girlfriend noticed how much I missed that connection and bought me a small hydroponic kit. I left it sitting on my kitchen counter for a couple of months, but then on January 17th of this year, with a snowstorm headed to Texas, I decided to finally put it to use. I live in San Antonio, and since I was going to be cooped up in my apartment, I figured, why not?

I had some seeds left over from last year that didn’t make it due to the extreme Texas heat and slugs. I wasn’t able to tend to them properly, so they all died. But instead of letting those seeds go to waste, I thought, Screw it! I’ll plant two of everything and see what happens.

To my surprise, everything grew. I even planted a few things that probably weren’t meant to grow in such a small space, like tomatoes, which quickly took over.

Now, two and a half months later, I’ve got an entire shelf in my living room dedicated to hydroponics. I bought some Barrina grow lights on Amazon that I keep on for about 12 hours a day. I’m using the Kratky method in a variety of containers like water bottles and jugs. It’s been an amazing learning experience.

My Goals

I plan to document this entire journey on this website and YouTube channel-  Rhady From GrowHydroponicly. This isn’t about selling anything — it’s a genuine experiment. I’ve been growing plants since I was a kid, and I even went to school for it before switching to medicine. But hydroponics is still pretty new to me.

Aside from one teenage experiment where I built a fish pond system and grew duckweed to feed the fish, I don’t have much hands-on experience. I’ve been reading books, reddit, watching videos, and wondering  how far I can push the limits with indoor hydroponics. Now, I’m excited to put all that knowledge to the test.

My ultimate goal is to replace everything I would normally buy at the grocery store. Right now, I’m growing tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, peppers, thyme, parsley, bok choy, Swiss chard, and more. I want to see if I can grow it all indoors, under lights, and experiment with expanding into propagations, cross breeding, growing root vegetables, fruit plants and some regular soil gardening when possible.

Learning Through Experimentation

Since I live in an apartment, growing outside isn’t always an option. Even though you’d think Texas would be perfect for gardening, my space only gets a few hours of sunlight a day. That’s why I love the control hydroponics offers. I can manage the temperature, water levels, and nutrient intake, which gives me a direct comparison to traditional gardening.

A lot of the fun comes from problem-solving, jerry rigging random things together that would have otherwise been trashed. For instance, I’m growing tomatoes in 5-gallon water jugs, and they’re thriving.

But I’m also growing bok choy in water bottles, and while it works, it’s far from efficient. I have to refill the water daily because the plants drink about a third of the bottle every day. Lesson learned: Bigger is better when it comes to hydroponics.

However, not all small setups are bad. One of my chocolate scotch bonnet plants is growing like crazy in a 2.5-liter cranberry bottle, and it’s surprisingly low-maintenance. It’s been thriving for six to eight weeks, and I’ve only added a half-liter of water in that time. And as a side note, (specifically for Kratky growers*) if you’re growing in small containers and need top of on water/nutrients, do so sooner rather than later and slower so you don’t drown the air roots.

The Joy of Growing

More than anything, I love the peace and joy I get from spending time with my plants. Tending to them, pruning, seeing and experimenting with roots systems and grow, and watching them grow brings me a sense of calm. It’s incredibly satisfying to see the fruits of my labor (literally) growing before my eyes.

Since I have experience growing traditionally, I know what healthy plants should look like. I can quickly spot deficiencies or nutrient imbalances, which has been helpful as I tweak my hydroponic setups.

Documenting the Journey

My plan is to update the blog regularly with photos, progress updates, and lessons learned. I’ll also share videos to provide a more hands-on look at my process. If you’re a hydroponics enthusiast or just someone curious about growing plants indoors, I’d love to hear from you! Share your tips, ask questions, or just follow along.

I’ve also connected with a few friends here in San Antonio who are new to hydroponics, so we’re learning together. This blog is as much about community as it is about growing.

By the way, you can find all the products I use here (these are all on amazon)

Thanks for stopping by.

My name is Rhady, and I’ll catch you in the next post.

Peace.