Well-known Types Of Hydroponic Systems
August 5th, 2010
There are various methods that can be used in hydroponics which is gardening without the use of soil. The concern lies on how to place the plants that will expose the roots to a constant supply of nutrient formula. There are several ways you can do this and some of these techniques are more efficient that the rest. Usually hydroponic systems fall into the classes of active or passive (active generally means a pump is used) and recovery or non-recovery (recovery means the solution is captured and re-circulated). Some systems make use of grow trays to hold the plants and a compartment for the solution. With these items in mind, here are a few of the most common hydroponic systems.
Ebb and Flow
In this active recovery system, crops in the grow tray are usually anchored by some sort of medium (preferably one that retains water, like rockwool). A pump motor floods the grow tray with water occasionally depending on the time you set on the timer, it then shuts down and lets the nutrient solution drain through a maze of tubes attached to the tray that leads back to the reservoir. Also known (for obvious reasons) as flood-and-drain, this system is a preferred choice for beginners.
The Drip System
This system is more or less the same with ebb and flow but instead of surging the grow tray this method uses a pump that pushes the nutrient solution around the network of tubes that drips the solution straight on the plant roots. Depending on your preference you can turn the hydroponic systems into a recover or non-recovery system. The non-recovery variation is more low-maintenance because you do not have to keep track of the pH of the reservoir nearly as much.
The Wick System
This is a simple, passive non-recovery hydroponic system in which the nutrient solution is carried from the reservoir to the plant roots by means of a wick (like an oil lamp wick). There’s no need for a pump and for water circulation thus making this system simple and low-cost. However, it also tends to be less productive because it is tougher to regulate the water flow, which means (depending on the type and quantity of plants) there can be either too much or too little mixture getting to the roots.
Nutrient Film Technique
Also called NFT for short, this is an active recovery system in which the plant roots are hanging in a regular flow (or film) of solution. A tube is used as a grow tray and the plants are hanged on top while the roots are suspended and exposed beneath. With the pump the formula passes through one tube and drains on the other end and into the reservoir. While efficient, this method is also more complicated and higher-maintenance.
There are several variants of hydroponic systems but the ones pointed out are the most popular. Which hydroponic systems you select will depend mainly on your skill level and funds.
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