As the name suggests, hydroponics systems are all about managing water to produce crop plants. It differs from other more traditional growing methods in that it does not make use of organic substrates like soil, instead the roots of a plant are either allowed to spread freely without a substrate or are rooted into an inorganic substrate such as perlite or ceramic pebbles. A nutrient solution is added to water which is then either drip fed onto the roots where the excess runs off and can be recycled, or the entire root ball is immersed directly into the solution.
Each type of hydroponics system has its pros and cons, and they take on various levels of complexity. The most advanced systems allow for complete control over your growing environment and provide a highly technical solution to boosting yields and producing a truly vigorous crop. On the other hand, basic systems can be almost as low tech as field planting crops, and are very cheap and easy to maintain. Knowing which hydroponics UK system will suit your needs depends largely on what crops you want to grow, how much space you can dedicate to your project, and how much you can budget for equipment and materials.
Growing plants hydroponically is immensely rewarding, and you can start producing healthy, vibrant plants very quickly once your system is set up. There is a little planning and preparation involved when starting out, but ongoing maintenance is very simple, and perhaps the best part is that there is absolutely no weeding involved.
One of the most basic forms of hydroponics is called the Kratky method. This is a truly low tech way to grow plants without organic growing substrates; systems are made from large water reservoirs with lids that the plants can be set into so their roots grow downward toward the water. This encourages the plants to grow aerial roots as well as immersible roots so the system will not need any further aeration. Materials can be repurposed to create Kratky systems, so they are a very cheap option for those wanting to try hydroponics out before committing to a more expensive system.
Deep water culture systems are commonly found in the grow shop and are one of the most popular hydroponics systems you can buy. They are very cost effective systems which offer more functionality and control than the Kratky method but are still very simple and cheap to maintain over time. In DWCs the entire root system is submerged into water, with additional aeration provided by a pump attached to an airstone and placed at the bottom of the water reservoir. Deep water culture systems provide more oxygen to the root system than the Kratky method, meaning that plants can tend to be more vigorous.
Hydroponic drip systems fall into one of two categories: recovery and non recovery. In all drip systems, plants are rooted into an inorganic medium and water is pumped and drip fed directly into the root system. These systems are highly efficient with water and nutrient use, and are some of the most common systems in the world when it comes to indoor gardening. In systems which have recovery capabilities, the excess runoff of nutrient solution is allowed to pass through the substrate and is then collected in holding tanks beneath the growing plants in the small grow tent or other growing environment. It is then recycled into the system, meaning growers can make use of every drop of water and nutrient in their systems. Non recovery systems do not recycle nutrient solution and therefore are not quite as effective.
NFT systems have a lot in common with drip systems, but the key difference is that NFTs provide a constant thin stream of nutrient solution which passes directly over the root system of the crops being grown. Excess solution runs off into a reservoir where it is pumped back to the roots and recycled. One thing to watch with any recycling system is that nutrients can become dangerously concentrated if they are not monitored and diluted appropriately, so water testing kits are a must.