This Application describes how Each system functions. If you would like to place it on your website simply copy the code in the text field below and insert it within the <body></body> tags within your web page. We are continually updating it with New Calculators and features as well as the latest in Hydroponic News!
The Water Culture System
Hydroponics Dictionary
The Water Culture System is the simplest of all active hydroponic systems.
The platform that holds the plants is usually made of Styrofoam and floats directly on the 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, making them an ideal choice for this type of hydroponic system. Very few plants other than lettuce will do well in this type of system. This type of hydroponic system is great for the classroom and is popular with teachers.
A very inexpensive system can be made out of an old aquarium or other water tight container. The biggest draw back of this kind of system is that it doesn’t work well with large plants or with long-term plants.
The Wick System
Hydroponics Dictionary
The Wick System is by far the simplest type of hydroponic system.
This is a passive system, which means there are no moving parts. The nutrient solution is drawn into the growing medium from the reservoir with a wick. This system can use a variety of growing medium. Perlite, Vermiculite, Pro-Mix and Coconut Fiber are among the most popular.
The biggest draw back of this system is that plants that are large or use large amounts of water may use up the nutrient solution faster than the wick(s) can supply it.
The Ebb and Flow System
Ebb and Flow 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 Timer is set to come on several times a day, depending on the size and type of plants, temperature and humidity and the type of growing medium used. The Ebb and Flow is a versatile system that can be used with a variety of growing mediums. The entire grow tray can be filled with Grow Rocks, gravel or granular Rockwool.
Many people like to use individual pots filled with growing medium, this makes it easier to move plants around or even move them in or out of the system. The main disadvantage of this type of system is that with some types of growing medium (Gravel, Growrocks, Perlite), 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 (Rockwool, Vermiculite, coconut fiber or a good soiless mix like Pro-mix or Faffard’s)