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There are two main kinds of system: active and passive.
Passive types deliver nutrients via the growing medium, but active systems use
a pump. An active system will cost more and take more to maintain, but may get
better results.
This method is probably the most high-tech type of
hydroponics gardening. These systems use little to no growing medium. The roots
hang in the air and are misted with nutrient solution. The misting is usually
done every few minutes. Because the roots are exposed to the air, the roots
will dry out rapidly if the misting cycles are interrupted. A timer controls
the nutrient pump much like other types of hydroponic systems, except the
Aeroponics system needs a short cycle timer that runs the pump for a few
seconds every couple of minutes. Other types of Aeroponics systems run
constantly, requiring no timer.
This is the simplest of all active hydroponics systems.
Plants are in a basket of grow rocks, suspended over a container of aerated
nutrient solution. An air pump supplies air to the air stone that bubbles the
nutrient solution and supplies oxygen to the roots of the plants. Water
culture is the system of choice for growing leaf lettuce, which are fast
growing water loving plants. Very few plants other than lettuce will do well in
this type of system, although it can work well for the vegetative stage of
flowering plants. A very inexpensive
system can be made out of an old aquarium or other water tight container. This
kind of system is that it doesn't work well with large plants or with long-term
plants.
Probably the most widely used type of hydroponic system in
the world. Operation is simple; a timer controls a submersed pump. The timer
turns the pump on and nutrient solution is dripped onto the base of each plant
by a small drip line. In a Recirculating Drip System the runoff is collected
back in the reservoir for re-use. The Water-to-Waste System does not collect
the runoff. The advantage of Water-to-Waste is that the nutrient solution in
the reservoir has never passed through the system, so it is unchanged. In a
Recirculating System, the nutrient solution can fluctuate in both nutrient concentration
levels and pH levels. With quality nutrients and a good soilless mix, a
Water-to-Waste Drip System can be one of the best ways of gardening with
lights.
Works by temporarily flooding the grow tray with nutrient
solution and then draining the solution back into the reservoir. This action is
normally done with a submerged pump that is connected to a timer. When the
timer turns the pump on nutrient solution is pumped into the grow tray. When
the timer shuts the pump off the nutrient solution flows back into the
reservoir. The disadvantage of this system is that with some loose types of
growing mediums, there is a vulnerability to power outages as well as pump and
timer failures. The roots can dry out quickly when the watering cycles are
interrupted. This problem can be relieved somewhat by using growing media that
retains more water.
N.F.T. systems have a constant flow of nutrient solution so
no timer is required. The nutrient solution is pumped into the growing tray and
flows over the roots of the plants, and then drains back into the reservoir.
The plant is supported in a small plastic basket full of grow rocks, with the
roots dangling into the nutrient solution. N.F.T. systems are very susceptible
to power outages and pump failures. The roots dry out very rapidly when the
flow of nutrient solution is interrupted. There is usually no growing medium
used other than air, which saves the expense of replacing the growing medium
after every crop. Normally the plant is supported in a small plastic basket
with the roots dangling into the nutrient solution.