The name 'Hydroponics' came from the Latin language and means' Working Water '.
Many people, thinking about hydroponics, imagine growing plants with roots placed directly in water without a substrate. These are only some of the types of hydroponic cultivation of plants, known as the 'Nutrient Film Technique' (N.F.T. - Nutrient Film Technique). There are several varieties of N.F.T. used around the world, it is a very popular hydroponic growing method. What people don't understand is that there are literally hundreds of hydroponic gardening methods.
Hydroponic systems
There are 6 main types of hydroponic systems:
- Wick;
- Water Culture;
- Ebb and Flow (Flood & Drain) systems;
- Drip irrigation (Reverse or/Non-Reverse) (Drip (recovery or non-recovery);
- Nutrient Film Technique (N.F.T.);
- Aeroponics (Aeroponic).
There are hundreds of modifications on these basic systems, but all hydroponic methods are a variation (or combination) of these six types. Descriptions and drawings of each hydroponic system are given below .
1. Wick system
The wick system is the simplest type of hydroponic system, best suited for hydroponics at home. This is a passive system, which means that it has no moving parts. The nutrient solution is supplied to the substrate from the tank through the wick.
This system can be used with a variety of substrates. Among the most popular are Perlit, Vermiculite, Pro-Mix, Coconut Fiber - all of which are available at any flower shop.
The only thing that dares from this system is that large plants and plants that require a lot of water can consume nutrient solution faster than it can come through the wick.
Water culture (aka DWC or Deep Water Culture)
Water culture is the simplest of all active hydroponic systems. The platform that holds the plants is usually made of foam (styroform), and floats directly on the surface of the nutrient solution. The compressor supplies air stone, which bubbles the nutrient solution and supplies oxygen to the roots.
Water culture is the preferred system for growing lettuce leaves, a fast-growing, moisture-loving plant, making it an ideal choice for this type of system. Very few plants, in addition to lettuce, can succeed on a system of this type.
This type of hydroponic system is great for the school class and is very popular with teachers. A very inexpensive system can be made from an old aquarium or other waterproof container.
The biggest drawback of this type of system is that it does not work well with large plants and plants that grow for a long time.
Intermittent flooding system
Intermittent flooding system, occasionally flooding the growth tray with nutrient solution and then draining the solution back into the tank. These actions are usually done with a submerged pump that is connected to a timer.
When the timer is turned on, the pump pumps the nutrient solution into the growth tray. When the timer is turned off, the nutrient solution is drained by gravity into the reservoir. the timer is configured to perform this procedure several times a day, depending on the size and type of plant, temperature and humidity and the type of substrate used .
The periodic flooding system is versatile, and a variety of substrates can be used with it. The growth tray can be filled with expanded clay or gravel. Many people like to use separate pots with a substrate. This makes it easy to move plants, and manipulate plants by removing their systems or, conversely, placing them in it.
The main disadvantage of systems of this type is that when using substrates like (gravel, expanded clay, perlite), there is a vulnerability to power outages, as well as timer and pump failures. The roots can quickly dry out if irrigation cycles are interrupted. This problem can be somewhat reduced by using a substrate that retains more water (Rockwool, Vermiculite, Coconut Fiber, or a good hydroponic mix, such as Pro-mix or Faffard).
Drip systems
Drip irrigation systems are probably the most popular type of hydroponic systems used in the world. The action is simple, the timer controls the submersible pump. The timer turns on the pump and the nutrient solution drips under the base of each plant in small drops. In the Recovery Drip System, excess nutrient solution is collected back into the reservoir for reuse. The solution is not reused in the Non-Recovery Drip System.
Reversing systems use nutrient solution slightly more efficiently. Since excess solution is reused. This also takes into account the use of a less expensive timer, since reversing systems do not need accurate control of irrigation cycles. Non-reversing systems should have a more accurate timer so that it can be adjusted so as to ensure that the plants receive enough nutrient solution and the flow rate is kept to a minimum.
Non-reversible drip systems require less maintenance due to the fact that the nutrient solution does not return back to the reservoir, so that the pH and nutrient content of the solution will not change. This means that you can fill the tank with a nutrient solution with adjusted pH, and forget about it until you need a new portion of the solution. Reversible drip systems may have large variations in pH and nutrient content of the solution, whereby the system requires periodic inspection and adjustment.
Nutrient layer technique (N.F.T)
This is the kind of hydroponic system that people remember when it comes to hydroponics. N.F.T. systems have a constant feed solution current, no timer is required for a submerged pump. The nutrient solution swings into the plant tray (usually pipes), flows through the roots of the plants and then flows back into the reservoir.
Usually, the substrate other than air is not used, which protects against the cost of replacing the substrate after each harvest. Usually the plant is maintained in a small basket, with the roots hanging in a nutrient solution.
N.F.T. systems are highly susceptible to power outages and pump failures. After interrupting the flow of the nutrient solution, the roots dry out very quickly .
Aeroponics
The aeroponic system is probably the most high-tech. Like N.F.T. systems, aeroponic have air as the main substrate. The roots weigh in the air and are washed away with a suspension of water dust of a nutrient solution. Fog is usually done every few minutes. Since the roots, like N.F.T. systems, are in the air, if the bleaching cycle is interrupted, they will quickly dry out.
The timer controls the feed pump, like other hydroponic systems, in addition, the aeroponic system needs a short-cycle timer that turns on the pump for a few seconds, every couple of minutes.
What is Substrate
The substrate is just what plant roots grow in. The substrate can be an extensive range of materials including Rockwool mineral wool, perlite, vermiculite, coconut fibre, gravel, sand or any number of other materials, even air can be a substrate. The substrate is an inert substance that does not supply any nutrients to plants, all nutrition comes from a nutrient solution (a mixture of water and fertilizer). Therefore, you can easily control everything that plants get, saturation and solution is easy to adjust so that plants get only the right amount of nutrients and water. Watering cycles can be easily controlled by an inexpensive timer so that plants get moisturized when needed.
What are the differences between hydroponic, organic conventional fertilizers ?
Both hydroponic fertilizer and soil fertilizer contain three main nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).
The main difference between hydroponics fertilizer and soil fertilizer is that hydroponics fertilizers contain the proper amounts of all mandatory trace elements that are not included in soil fertilizers (plants are expected to find these elements in the soil, suggesting that trace elements in the soil are actually a gift). Problems can occur in plants if one or all trace elements in the soil do not exist or are depleted by successive (or excessive) plantings. Hydroponic fertilizers are usually in a cleaner form with less impurities than soil fertilizers in order to be stable and better soluble in water. (See below for more information on Trace Elements).
Organic fertilizers are very different (in most cases), and in the composition and methods they supply nutrients to plants than fertilizers for hydroponics or soil. Organic fertilizers rely on the action of bacteria and microorganisms to destroy the substance on the main elements, so that plants can use them. Hydroponics and soil fertilizers supply the plant with these ready-to-use elements.
What are trace elements?
Trace elements are nutrients that are essential for healthy plant growth - calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. These nutrients are essential elements that the plant needs in very small quantities. Without these trace elements, a plant can become ill and develop all kinds of problems, depending on the absence of one or another trace element (s). In the case of crops, a lack of micronutrients in the soil can mean a lack of nutrients in agricultural products, which means at best that products are not as healthy as they could be at worst, that people can cause wasteland problems, due to a lack of these mandatory elements. It is for this that it is important to use good quality hydroponic fertilizer whenever plants are grown using hydroponics.
How difficult is hydroponic gardening?
Hydroponic gardening can be very complex, with computers and sensors controlling everything from watering cycles to nutrient concentrations in the nutrient solution and the amount of light plants receive.
On the other hand, hydroponics technology can be incredibly simple, a bucket of sand with one plant and hand irrigation is also a hydroponic gardening method. Most hobbies of oriented hydroponic systems are a cross between the two extremes mentioned above.
Conventional home hydroponic systems usually consist of several main parts: a plant pan, a reservoir, a simple timer controlling a submersible pump for watering plants, and a compressor and aerator for oxygenating the nutrient solution. And of course, light is also required (either natural or artificial).
Is pH really important in hydroponics?
pH control is extremely important not only in hydroponics, but also in soil cultivation. When the pH changes, plants lose their ability to absorb various nutrients.
Being able to quickly and easily test and control pH in hydroponics is a major advantage over gardening in the ground, where researching and adjusting pH is more difficult and takes time.
Why does hydroponics work so well?
It's simple. You give the plant exactly what is needed, when necessary and in the necessary quantities, thanks to this the plant will be as large as genetically possible. With hydroponics it's an easy task, with soil it can be almost impossible.
With hydroponics, plants grow in an inert substrate, they get nothing from the substrate. Plants only get what you give them and nothing else, you have complete control over pH, nutrients and quantities. When growing in the ground, you don't really have a clue what the plants are getting, so gardening becomes a 'field of miracles' game. How many nutrients does the soil contain? How about mandatory trace elements? Should I fertilize? How much do you want to add? What amount after the last application was washed away by the last irrigation or storm rain? Questions arise and arise. If you can't do a very expensive soil analysis, then you just don't know, you can only guess.