THE DIFFERENT HYDROPONIC SET-UPS

Wick System:

The wick set-up is probably the most used and simplest form of hydroponic agriculture. The wick hydroponic set up is known as passive hydroponics, a form of hydroponics that don’t need the help of water and air pumps. Nutrient water is moved through the plants root system through the natural absorption of the wicking medium, usual string or a piece of felt. One key to success with this particular method is choosing the appropriate growing medium. As this system requires natural absorption of water it would be wise to select a medium that transports water efficiently. Such mediums like coco peat, perlite, vermiculite or a mixture of the three would be a good option. If set up correctly, the wick system acts as a self sufficient hydroponic system, with the only real work needed when changing the nutrient solution in the set-ups reservoir every one or two weeks. Its also important to note that wick systems are not great for large sized plants due to the rate of absorption without air or water pumps.

Deep Water Cultivation System (DWC):

Deep water cultivation is one of the most efficient hydroponic set ups out there. At its simplest form, the DWC allows for a plants root system to be completely submerged in nutrient and oxygen rich water. We achieve this oxygen rich water through the use of an air pump, which connected to an air stone, provides the plants with a direct source of oxygen. A simpler form of DWC that does not require an air pump utilises the natural oxygen pocket (space) between the bottom of the mesh pot (in which the roots are fed through to the water) and the nutrient water in the reservoir. Essentially this changes the way in which the roots search for oxygen. With the air pump oxygen is fed from the bottom of the reservoir as apposed to having the oxygen pocket at the top of the water. Its important to note that DWC systems are not suited to large sized plants.

Nutrient Film Technique system:

Like deep water cultivation the NFT system is a recirculating hydroponic set up. Plants are grown in channels that have a consistent flow of nutrient water. When the water reaches the end of the channel it falls back into the main reservoir. Unlike DWC your plants root in a NFT system are not fully submerged in nutrient rich water. NFT systems are often utilised when growing quantity as its ease of maintenance and use of multiple pots in one channel allows for multiple plants to be grown at the same time and in close proximity to one another. A recirculating system like a NFT or DWC may be one of the most water efficient systems out there as the recycling of the water reduces run off waste and fast evaporation, essentially feeding the plants when necessary.

Ebb and flow/Flood and Drain Systems:

Ebb and flow systems or more commonly known as flood and drain systems are some of the less used hydroponic set ups that growers utilised but are still easy to maintain and may be best suited to you, depending on your growing needs and demands. Unlike DWC, NFT or wicking systems, the flood and drain set up does not expose your plants root system to nutrient water on consistent basis. Instead you grow in a tray containing your chosen growing medium which is then “flooded” with nutrient solution a few times a day. That depend on factors such as; the size of the plant, the water requirement of the plant, the air temperature and humidity and where your plants are in terms of their specific growing cycle. If you don’t have the time to manually water your plants, then the use of a reservoir and water pump may be beneficial in this situation. In this case, reservoirs are commonly placed below the tray with the water pump submerged in water, the pump then pushes water and feeds the solution through plastic tubing that is directly inserted into the growing medium where the plants root system is located. The excess nutrient water then falls back into the reservoir and recycled back into the system.  The use of a timer can also be helpful to schedule consistent feeding times through out the day. This also frees up the grower and eases the experience of maintaining the system itself.

Aeroponic System:

This form of hydroponics is considered the most “hi-tech” set up in the hydroponic industry. An aeroponic set up is similar to an NFT system in the sense that the roots are not completely submerged in nutrient rich water. What sets it a part form a NFT system is in the manner in which the system delivers water to the roots of your plants. Instead of having the water flow through a channel the nutrient solution is misted (sprayed) directly to the root zone. This is achieved through a network of air pumps, tubing, and spay nozzles. In some cases, aeroponics has been seen as the fastest (faster than DWC) when it comes to plant growth, but isn’t the case in all aeroponic set ups. Although very good in producing good yields from grows, aeroponics may not be the easiest and cheapest of systems to run.

Drip System:

Drip systems are very common in commercial sized grows due to the low maintenance requirement and the cost of setting up a whole system. Drip systems are often considered one of the simplest forms of hydroponics and for this reason is commonly used in large grows. Drip system set ups usually require; a nutrient reservoir, water pump, tubing, drain nozzle and drip tips. The water pump is submerged in the reservoir, pumping the water through the tubing and dripped into the medium using drip tips connected at the end of the tubing. Plants are often placed into a tray (which collects excess run off) above the water reservoir itself. At the bottom of the tray, there will be a drainage pipe leading back directly into the reservoir, therefore recycling the excess water back into the system and reducing water waste. Add in a timer to help with watering schedules and you’ll have one of the cheapest and easy to maintain systems in hydroponics, which appeals to a lot of commercial growers. Would not recommend using this system in small grows, although it is still possible if that’s the way you want to go.