Hydroponics

What is Hydroponics

Hydroponics is a technique and art of growing plants from seed or cuttings to full maturity and harvest in a nutrient rich solution, without any soil involved in the process.

Hydroponics Growing Media

Hydroponics requires a growing media that is inert (chemically in-active) and also has no nutritional content, as the nutrients will be supplied in the water. Hydroponics growing media is used mainly to support the roots and the plants that are grown and allow plenty of air, water and nutrients to be available to the roots, and this is one of the main reasons for hydroponics cultivation being so much quicker than soil grown plants. The most common growing media used for hydroponics is expanded clay pebbles and rockwool fibres, these both hold oxygen, water and nutrients well and contribute to the roots ability to grow fast. There are several other substrates that can be used for hydroponics, such as perlite, vermiculite, gravel and foam.

Hydroponics Liquid Nutrients

Hydroponics liquid nutrients are available in one, two or three part soluble formulas that contain all the essential nutrients for plants to be grown without any soil. A good quality hydroponics nutrient will contain macro and micro nutrients in a well balanced form that can be easily absorbed through the root system and then broken down chemically within the plant. Macro nutrients are the elements that plants require the most to grow, nitrogen (N), potassium (P) and phosphorus (K) are used by plants in large amounts and also secondary macro nutrients, magnesium, calcium and sulphur are used by plants in large amounts. Micro nutrients also called trace elements are used by plants in much smaller amounts, zinc, manganese, iron, boron, cobalt and molybdenum are all micro nutrients.

Hydroponics Growing Systems

Hydroponics growing systems store all water and nutrients in a main tank to be delivered to the media and plant roots actively with a pump, and then the systems allow excess water and nutrient to drain freely and re-circulate back into the main tank, it's that simple.
We have listed below some of the most common methods that are used for hydroponics growing systems

ACTIVE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
An active hydroponics system will require a pump or components to actively move stored water and nutrients to feed plants regularly.

PASSIVE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
A passive hydroponics growing system uses capillary action to draw water and nutrients from beneath into the media to feed plants.

RUN TO WASTE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
A run to waste hydroponics system will deliver water and nutrients to feed the plants and then the excess solution will drain and be directed away from the main tank, normally to a drain.

RE-CIRCULATING HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
A re-circulating hydroponics system will actively deliver water and nutrients to feed the plants and then allow all excess solution to drain back into the main tank and re-circulate. This is a popular method as it produces very little waste.

DEEP WATER CULTURE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
Deep water culture is a very simple, yet very effective method for hydroponics. The plant roots are allowed to be submerged into a deep solution of water and nutrients that is highly oxygenated by an air pump and stone. The flow of bubbles into the system and around the roots, allows the plants to flourish and grow quickly.

NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
NFT is probably the most popular method used for hydroponics. Plants are supported on a tray that is regularly covered with a thin film of nutrient solution that passes over the plant roots and then re-circulates back into the main tank.

FLOOD & DRAIN HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
Flood and drain systems do exactly what they say, they flood the system with water and nutrients to cover the media and roots, and then they drain pulling in large amounts of fresh air into the media and roots of your plants. Flood and drain systems can be made from pots or trays.

HYDROPONICS DRIP SYSTEMS
Drip systems are a favourite with many growers. Water and nutrients are pumped through irrigation lines and into the top of the growing media (pots or slabs) to feed the plants, and then excess solution can be drained and run to waste or re-circulated back into the system.

VERTICAL HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS
Vertical hydroponics systems can be very productive as they can allow many more plants to be grown in a smaller space and with less lighting than you could ever imagine. Vertical systems position plants in a vertical position around the lighting rather than a horizontal position beneath the lighting. This design allows many more plants to receive the lighting provided and grow extremely well. Vertical growing systems are not designed to grow large plants, but as there are many more plants grown in a smaller space and with less lighting, the benefits are obvious.

When choosing your hydroponics growing system the main things to consider are the type of plants you want to grow and how many. There will be a system out there somewhere to suit your needs.

Hydroponics Compared To Soil

Hydroponics wins when compared to soil, the rate of growth and yield from fruit bearing plants cannot compete from a soil grown plant to a hydroponically grown plant. Hydroponics supplies all water and nutrients directly to the roots of the plant and this means the plant does not have to develop a large root system to feed, but with soil the plant will divide its energy between growing upwards (plant vegetation) and also downwards (roots). A plant grown for ten weeks with hydroponics will be a lot bigger and stronger than a plant grown for ten weeks in soil.

Hydroponics is the Future

Hydroponics has been researched and developed so much over the last ten years and is now used by many people in many countries around the world as a most reliable and efficient way to produce crops, all year round. With artificial lighting, ventilation and a hydroponics system and nutrients, you too can produce your very own crops, all year round and in your own home.