Hydroponics Systems

Hydroponic System

Nutrient Film Technique or NFT is a type of hydroponic system where a shallow stream of water containing all the essential dissolved nutrients required for plant’s growth is re-circulated past the bare roots of plants in a watertight gully, also known as channel. As the depth of the recirculating water is extremely shallow, a little more than a film of water, hence the name ‘nutrient film’. NFT uses a reservoir with a submersible pump that pumps up the water from nutrient reservoir which then moves to a clarifier, then to channels and finally drains back into the reservoir due to gravitational force.

A well designed NFT system should have the right channel slope, the correct flow rate and precise channel length. While the recommended slope is 1:100, in practice it is difficult to build a base for channels that is sufficiently true to enable nutrient films to flow without accumulating in locally depressed areas. Therefore, it has been recommended that slopes of 1:30 to 1:40 be used. The general guideline is that the flow rates for each gully should be 1 litre per minute. Flow rates beyond these extremes are often associated with nutritional problems. Depressed growth rates of many crops have been observed when channels exceed 12 metres in length. Also ensure that there is adequate air circulation at the root zones. Moulds and pathogens are prone to grow in moist environment, so a regular check on the condition of your plants in NFT system will help you to spot the early signs of pests and diseases. To prevent your plants from Pythium infection, it is better to add H₂O₂ to your solution.

The advantages of using NFT system over other hydroponic systems are:

• The plant roots are exposed to adequate supplies of water, oxygen and nutrients. In all other hydroponic systems, there is generally a conflict between the supplies of these requirements, since excessive or deficient amounts of one of the factors results in growth imbalance.
• High yields of high-quality produce are obtained over an extended period of cropping.

However, on the downside, NFT has very little buffering against interruptions in the flow, e.g. power outages, but, overall, it is one of the more efficient techniques.

LEDs are an important component of the indoor growing industry. But still a large segment of the hydroponic gardening community does not know exactly how to make LEDs work effectively for their garden. LED can be used a supplemental lighting device or a primary lighting device based on your needs.

LEDs designed to boost the amount of red light in your hydroponic grow room and promote larger fruit and flowers and heighten the ripening response in photosensitive plants.  These days even ultraviolet LEDs which emit UV-B rays are gaining popularity. As a grower you can use this to enhance essential oil production and promote stronger structural integrity in their plants.

Use of LED as a primary source of light in your hydroponic garden is becoming prevalent with advance in technology. Lighting fixtures capable of replacing HID or fluorescents as the primary lighting source for an indoor garden are available these days. In the past, LED grow lights were used for primary lighting created spindly plants unable to produce large fruit or flower sets because the LEDs used were not powerful enough to penetrate the plant canopy. The most recent horticultural LED fixtures utilize high wattage (2- or 3-watt bulbs) to enhance light penetration.

LED lighting devices produce much less radiant heat than HIDs. So the grower might need to externally heat the grow room. Another way to maximize performance in an LED grow room is by supplementing metabolic stimulators. Metabolic stimulators increase the rate at which plant functions occur, which increases growth rates and yields. You will also need to pay attention to ensure that there is adequate air circulation within the grow room. Use of oscillating fans is probably the best way to ensure sufficient air -movement in between plants while using LED in your hydroponic grow rooms.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in nutrient solution. Hydroponic fruits and vegetables are extremely beneficial. Each variety of hydroponic plant has its own requirements. Among them daylength is usually the most vital factor in regulating vegetative growth of your hydroponic garden. Plants use daylength as a sign to promote their growth in spring and prepare them for the cold weather. Many plants require specific daylength environment to initiate flowers. The long days of summer supply a good amount of heat for the healthy growth of your hydroponic plants.

To adjust to their new stage of growth, you need to shorten the daylength of your plants. For your autumn-flowering crops, you need to reduce the daylength from 18 to 12 hours. Chives usually grow year round, however for that you need to provide enough long daylength. Remember, if your outdoor plants do not get proper sunlight during the vegetative growth phase, quality and yield of your garden will become low.

Usually, plants adjust their growth cycle according to the daylight and darkness lengths. In hydroponics, grow lights enable control over the light available to plants irrespective of seasons. This makes it possible to have long days in the winter and fall. In areas with low light level, you need to take help of artificial lights to maintain good rate of production. You can use fluorescent grow lights, which are particularly suited to the vegetative growth phase of plants and can be used throughout the year to grow your favorite vegetables in an indoor hydroponics growing system. Shortening the daylength of indoor hydroponic garden is simple enough, you just need to change the timer of your grow room.