Hydroponics Systems

Hydroponic System

The simple hydroponic system is the Wick System. It has no moving parts, therefore being labeled passive. The nutrient solution is drawn in from the reservoir with a wick. The Wick hydroponic system can use a variety of growing medium but the most popular are Perlite, Vermiculite, and coconut fiber. They are Wick, Water Culture, Ebb and Flow (also called Flood and Drain), Drip, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), and Aeroponic. From these six types stem hundreds of variations or combinations.

Simple Hydroponic System

Another simply hydroponic system is the water culture system, however it is active, meaning that it has moving parts. There is a platform normally made of Styrofoam that holds the plants and floats directly on the nutrient solution. A pump supplies air to the air stone that bubbles the nutrient solution and provides the roots with oxygen. The water culture hydroponic system is ideal for growing lettuce which is a fast growing, water loving plant. Unfortunately very few plants other than lettuce work for this system and it also does not work well with large or long-term plants.

The Ebb and Flow hydroponic system works by temporarily flooding the grow tray with nutrient solution before draining the solution back into the reservoir. It is normally done with a submerged pump connected to a timer. The timer is set to turn on several times a day, depending on the type and size of the plants, humidity and temperature. The Ebb and Flow system easily works with a variety of growing mediums.

The most widely used system is the drip system. A timer controlling a submersed pump turns the pump on and nutrient solutions is dripped onto the base of each plant by a small drip line. In recovery drip systems, excess solutions that runs off is collected to be recycled and non-recovery systems does not recycle the excess solution requiring less maintenance.

Hydroponic Growing System

NFT systems have a constant flow of nutrient solutions requiring no timer for the sumbersible pump. The nutrient solution is into a growing tray and runs over the roots before draining back into the reservoir. The usual growing medium for the NFT hydroponic system is air, saving the expense of replacing the growing medium after every crop. The plant is normally supported by a small plastic basic with the roots hanging into the solution. The downfall of the NFT systems is that they are very susceptible to power outages and pump failures. When the flow is interrupted, the roots dry out.

The most high-tech of the hydroponic systems is the aeroponic system. It also uses air as it's primary medium. The roots hang in the air and are misted with the nutrient solution every few minutes. Like with the NFT system, the roots can dry out very easily if interrupted.