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This method is probably the most simplest of any hydroponic system. It doesn't involve the utilization of timers to change pumps off and on. The seeds have to be propagated first in a different tray until they have a sufficient root base to be put in the system rarity tools.

So how exactly does it work?

The apparatus contains long shallow trays which come with a long lid keeping the machine enclosed. There are cut outs in the lid that will be where in fact the plants are placed. The plant sits in a plastic pot with slits to permit the roots to cultivate through them. They appear to be an inferior version of the inner pot utilized in flood and drain systems.

The trays are placed above a water tank and a push connected at one end to pump water in to the trays. There must be a good gradient in the trays so that the water flows down the tray and back in the water tank. Typically the gradients used are 1:30 or 1:40 this stops water pooling in the depressions caused by uneven surfaces and roots. The idea is that the roots of the plants are continuously bathed in a nutrient rich water supply and produce healthy, linear growing plants.

The name nutrient film is in mention of the the thin film of roots which will eventually form on the underside of the tray. It takes to be always a very shallow stream of water with only the base of the roots submerged; this permits the remaining portion of the root to be available to the air and get the required oxygen necessary for growth.

The systems can be found in different lengths which holds different numbers of plants. Essentially you'll have any amount of NFT system, nevertheless the longer the machine the more chance that flow may be interrupted. Systems longer than 12 metres tend to obtain less growth in plants towards the finish because of the nutrients in the water being taken on by the plants nearer to the reservoir. However this dilemma may be overcome by establishing another water supply along the size of the channel.

Problems

I have mentioned several issues with NFT systems such as for example pooling of water and nutrient reduction in the water in long system set ups. However there are always a couple more.

Pump Breakdown

As NFT systems only demand a small, shallow water delivery the pumps used are not very powerful. They are also on all of times meaning which they get a lot of action within the span of the grow. This along with possible salt precipitation from the dissolved nutrients (especially in hard water areas) implies that at some point the pump probably will break down. When you can catch this quickly then apart from the expense of a new pump, there's no real problem to the plants. However if this goes unnoticed it indicates that the roots will dry up rapidly and this can affect growth.

Disease

The plant roots are constantly submerged in water and this may result in bacterial infections such as for example pythuim. Pythuim is much better referred to as root rot and can decimate your crops if it's not detected early. There are products available on the market that can eradicate this if you should be unlucky enough to obtain it, but the simplest way is prevention. This is attained by changing the water reservoir periodically and adding preventative additives to the nutrient solution.

Stability

Heavy fruit yielding plants can become unstable in a NFT system. This really is because of the roots growing long and flat and lacking any a great deal of purchase. This causes the plant to become top heavy and they fall out from the trays - not ideal! This is overcome by supporting the plants by using yo-yos, string or canes. This can give some stability to the plant and give it time to continue growing and bearing fruit without toppling over.

Summary

Despite having the difficulties mentioned previously these systems are an effective way to demonstrate the utilization of hydroponics. They are an in-expensive system and great to utilize being an introduction to growing your own personal produce at home. 

Growing crops hydroponically is an eco-friendly method to farm for all reasons. First it increases the amount of nutrients acquired by the plant, second it almost eliminates pests found in soil and soil related diseases. Thirdly, hydroponically grown crops tend to yield more produce than their planted cousins. That being said, there are several kinds of hydroponic systems which can be suitable for the house grower as well as for large-scale commercial use.

Several popular systems would be the Ebb and Flow, Aeroponic, NFT or Nutrient Film Technique, Continuous Drip, Rockwool Based and Europonic Systems. Since hydroponic systems may come in numerous sizes you can scale any one of these simple systems to match your budget.

NFT or Nutrient Film Technique

Let's focus on the NFT, Nutrient Film Technique, which really is a popular system. In this technique the plants are suspended in troughs and the nutrient solution is constantly running through the troughs. The nutrient solution is held in a reservoir designed with a submersible pump. Solution is definitely being re-circulated to the start of the trough system. It trickles after dark roots before finally falling back in the reservoir to start the procedure over. Sometimes rain gutters are used as troughs and they could be fixed aside of a wall in this way that the water starts at the topmost gutter which is positioned on downward angle and so the water falls into the next gutter. And so on until it eventually ends up back the reservoir to start over. Commercial systems could have larger troughs to facilitate more flow within the roots.

Aeroponic Systems

Aeroponics is the next kind of system. In this technique a plants roots hanging in this way that they're subjected to the air. In this technique the plants grow without a medium in a kind of misty environment where in fact the roots are sprayed with nutrient solution. The stems of the plants are supported by many types of materials such as for example foam, neoprene, or web pots. A trellis can be utilized to support the plant once it starts to bear fruit. Leafy greens and herbs do well in a aeroponic system. These systems may also be used for propagating plants after the seedlings have germinated.

Europonic System

The Europonic System incorporates the utilization of rockwool or mineral wool, as it may also be called. This material is made from molten rock at about 1,600 degrees Celsius that's spun similar to just how cotton candy is made and it resembles insulation. It's used because of it's ability to support intricate root systems. Rockwool is able to hold large amounts of air and water which are extremely important to a healthy and productive plant.

In a Europonic System, which gets it's name from the commercial systems utilized in Europe, trays have plants growing in the rockwool which have hoses that deliver solution to every individual plant. The answer trickles down seriously to the roots until it generates it's in the past to the reservoir where it is constantly recirculated. Plants such as for example tomatoes, cucumbers, large flowering plants and peppers are good candidates for the Europonic System.

Continuous Drip Systems

Next, the continuous drip system incorporates just one plant in a pot with a tiny reservoir under it to recover nutrient solution rarity tools. Usually a drip ring is used to supply a continuing stream of solution to the plant. Holes in the bucket or pot allow the answer to be caught in the reservior and reused. Here is the easiest system to set up and perfect for a little experimentation. Commercially it's not used because it's not feasible in large-scale production.