When you say hydroponics, it usually means working water wherein it came from the Latin words “hydro” which means water and “ponos” which means labor. Even back then, early civilizations use hydroponics to grow their plants. In today’s time, hydroponics is used by many in growing plants such as marijuana.
So if you plan on pursuing hydroponic grow systems for your plants, here are the 6 different types that you should know about:
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1. Aeroponic System
This particular system of growing plants is using no soil at all with only a small amount of water. You might think that it’s a bit silly when you want to grow a plant but this method is really effective and very efficient. This method allows you to grow your plants on either a vertical or horizontal way wherein you save a lot of space in the process. This high-density planting will make harvesting an easy task and growers will surely experience high yields.
2. Drip System
The drip system or the drip irrigation allows the delivery of the water directly towards the plant’s root zone and it seeps to the soil slowly by one drop at a time. Only a small or no amount of water is left unused since the soil has lesser chances of holding the water for the plants. This will ensure that nutrients go directly towards the plant.
3. EBB & Flow System
It is also known as the food and drain and is the classic of all hydroponic setups. For this method to work, individual plants are set up on a growing bed or drain table that can hold few inches of water. The nutrient solution is then pumped in thus flooding the holding bed. This method allows the plants to be watered through the drain holes of the pots.
4. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
This process uses a shallow stream which contains the dissolve nutrients to be re-circulated past the roots of the plants through channels. The ideal depth of the stream must be very shallow or a little bit more than a film of water thus the name “nutrient film”.
5. Water Culture System
This is a hydroponic way of growing plants wherein the roots are suspended on a nutrient solution throughout the entirety of its growth cycle. The pot is suspended from the center of the lid while the roots are also suspended in a reservoir that is containing the nutrient solution. An air pump is also used to deliver the air through the reservoir. This allows the water being supplied have the required oxygen needed for the plant’s roots.
6. The Wick System
It is also a bit similar to the Lettuce Raft Methods where the roots always make contact with the water. The different thing about it is that the roots receive water using two or more wicks. This particular system is best used in growing lettuces or herbs.
Using a hydroponic grow system can be a bit challenging at first but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to use it effectively to your advantage.
