Hydroponic Grow Systems Wick System Ebb & Flow Drip System NFT System Aeroponic System Open Source Ideas

Hydroponic Wick System The wick system is the simplest of all six types of hydroponic systems. That's because traditionally it doesn't have any moving parts, thus it doesn't use any pumps or electricity. However some people still like using an optional air pump in the reservoir. Because it doesn't need electricity to work, it's also quite useful in places where electricity cant be used, or is unreliable

Wick Systems Pros The wick system is the simplest of all six types of hydroponic systems. That's because traditionally it doesn't have any moving parts, thus it doesn't use any pumps or electricity Their really more suited to grow smaller non-fruiting plants, like lettuce and herbs. 

Wick System Cons The biggest downside's to a hydroponic wick systems is that they don't really work well for larger plants that need to drink up more water. Wick systems also have the disadvantage of being less efficient at delivering nutrients.  Another downside to wick systems is that plants don't absorb nutrients and water evenly, and the wick cant tell what nutrients the plant needs.

Ebb and Flow System Ebb and Flow, also known as Flood and Drain It is one of the most widely recognized hydroponics systems out there. It is intermediate level in difficulty, relatively low cost to set up, and extremely versatile.

Ebb & Flow Pros Easy to Build - Ebb and flow systems are roughly on the same level of difficulty as water cultures, drip systems and the likes, which are quite easy to handle if you have the right set of plans. You don't have to be a hydroponics system expert to get an ebb and flow up and running. Easy to Use - An ebb and flow hydroponics system is quite easy to use and manage, as it doesn't require a lot of technical knowledge to keep it running. Even better, if you're not building it yourself, it's almost plug-and-grow easy. Nutrient Abundance - Since the ebb and flow systems work on a flood/drain concept, the grow tray will constantly get flooded with nutrient rich water, leaving them feeding off for as much as they want. This is also beneficial for plants that require heavy loads of water to work with, such as strawberries. Low Cost - ebb and flow hydroponics system costs are usually very low in comparison to many other systems, because they don't require any high tech, expensive components that could make their prices skyrocket. Even better, if you're going to try and build the system on your own, you will get off quite cheaply.

Ebb & Flow Cons Higher Risk - There are several risks involved with using an ebb and flow system: the flood/drain component could malfunction, causing the flood of the area you've installed the ebb and flow in. Another risk is that of ruining your plant yields, due to the flooding mechanism. Because many plants require a lot of water on their roots, but need not get their corona wet, ebb and flow hydroponics systems can actually be dangerous to your plants. The strawberry is the most well known plant that can suffer from this in an ebb and flow hydroponics system. Breakdowns - Because the ebb and flow system is ran with the help of a pump controller, which is usually prone to breaking down, the risk of the entire system breaking down is also higher than with many other system types. Plant Toxicity/Deficiency - ebb and flow hydroponics systems flood the plants with water, allow them to suck up their required nutrients, then drain the water back in the tank. Over time, continuously draining the water will have salt building up on the roots or the growth media, which will block out certain chemical elements from reaching the plant, causing a deficiency. Unstable pH levels - When water and nutrient solutions are drained back from the growth tray and into the nutrient container, the pH level of the solution changes dramatically. This can have devastating effects on your plants in time, blocking out certain chemical elements, or allowing others to run out of control and cause toxicities

Drip Irrigation System

Drip System Pros Drip irrigation enables efficient use of water as it is applied evenly, ensuring a balanced distribution of nutrients and salts. This enhances healthy growth of plants and boosts crop yields. The system is also associated with reduced nutrient and chemical leaching as well as less waste of water and runoff into stream. This is because it allows water to infiltrate deeply into the soil. A drip irrigation system therefore conserves water, which is both cost- effective and environmentally friendly.

Drip System Cons At first, purchasing and installing a drip irrigation system can seem like a costly investment. It involves frequent maintenance and constant monitoring, which adds to the cost. In addition, the water requires quality management, including cleaning through filtration. Troubleshooting drip irrigation can be difficult. Tiny contaminants and lime deposits can easily block the small openings in the tubes and drip emitters. If siphoned back into the emitters, these can cause the system to malfunction very quickly.

NFT Nutrient Film Technique Small, relatively fast growing plants are the most suitable for an NFT system. They start in the channels a few weeks before they are harvested and are replaced or cut back and allowed to re- grow. Vegetative plants like various leaf, Bibb and Cos type (Romaine) lettuces can be grown along with mustard greens, kale and many oriental vegetables. Any of the fast growing herbs can also be grown in the same NFT system at the same time. A couple herb plants of each kind will produce quite a quantity of herbs. It is very easy to get too many herb plants for your use. A few edible flowers such as nasturtiums and pansies can also be grown in NFT channels. These can add interest to many salads and other food presentations.

NFT Pros Fast healthy growth throughout the plants life (assuming you have a good growing environment. right nutrient dose, PH, temps etc..) Larger yields. Not much waste to get rid of, and quick to re-start another grow. Some simple spreader mat and a few used cubes in the bin, and that's it really. Most problems (once identified) can be solved quickly . Super easy to maintain

NFT Cons roots getting into the pump channels being overflowed by root growth magnesium deficiency shows up sometime  A pump failure

Aeroponic System

Aeroponic Pros Quicker, more vigorous rooting. Cleaner, so less chance of disease. Less maintenance. Reduced risk of drying out or wet / dry stress. No need to purchase or prepare growth media. More flexibility when you choose to use your cuttings. Larger cuttings can be more readily supported in aeroponic cloning machines. Aeroponic cuttings tend to be a little hardier as they haven't rooted inside a propagation dome.

Aeroponic Cons Extra care needs to be taken when transferring to loose fill media. Aeroponic cuttings are more sensitive to changes / extremes in temperature. Increased start-up costs-unless you fashion your own machine! Risk of power-cuts! A few hours of no misting can damage or kill your clones. Consider using a UPS battery back-up if power cuts are common in your area. The pump and misters can be a little on the noisy side. Nothing too severe, but your other half is definitely going to kick off if you try sneaking this into the bedroom.

Open Source Ideas

Questions Floor layout System Types Water Source Power Source Fail Safes Lighting Biologics (Aquaculture, Vermiculture) System Maintenance

Floor Plan Ideas. Open and visual displays Interactive component Informative Self contained Product sampling?????? Aeroponic NFT Tower Drip Irrigation Aquaculture