Hydroponics System

Today is another continuation in a series of posts about the most important agricultural system invented since the green revolution. The so called blue revolution as it's called incorporates organic and siolless techniques mixed with changing diets and consumption patterns. Many of these changes require work for the average consumer. However it is imperative for this shift to occur. Many people are part of this "revolution" in the growing urban farming movements and the general interests in all things "green".

One such technology that you can easily incorporate into your lives is simple hydroponics. Simple hydroponics usually is comprised of passive technologies. This can be as simple as a cup filled with medium (perlite, coconut hull, gravel etc.) and another cup to mix nutrients. Or it can be as complicated as making your own nutrients with worm castings. I personally recommend, with my 2 years of mistakes, using a grow tray (rectangular trench a few inches deep, rectangular pie pan or plastic ones found in a hydroponic shop) set up. More on this later.

This was not my first system ( in fact it was recently built) so if you want to go a different route here are the ones I have tried. My first system was a hydrofarm, my second a deep water culture tub (homemade), I built another one a few months later, then I built some simple seed starters made out of clay pots and hydroton/perlite medium. I soon after built my latest system which I will describe how to build now.

Materials: 2L bottle, medium, and grow tray. Nothing more is needed. 2L bottle can be recycled when you buy juice etc., medium can be bought at a garden store, hydroponic store etc. and a grow tray can be a used pie pan or a plastic grow tray bought at a hydroponic store for $2.

1. Gather materials
2. Fill grow tray with bottom medium, make sure to spread it out first. Make sure this medium is absorbent, I used pumice found at my local supermarket. This ensured oxygen was readily available and water was kept
3. Fill 2L bottle
4. Carefully place 2L bottle inside medium at a non-invasive location so that it reaches the bottom
5. Once certain that water is no longer flowing through the bottle place hydroton (brand name--it's just clay pebbles in a firing process) on top of the of the bottom medium so that it covers it
6. If not already done place in a ideal location ( near the sun)
7. Plant, enjoy, repeat

Remember to fill the bottle once it runs out of water and do nutrients to the requirements of the plants listed on your nutrients or by looking at the plants.

Now if you want to build a deep water culture system you need only a rubbermaid tub, an aquarium airstone (what produces the bubbles in an aquarium) and medium.

Materials, rubbermaid tub, I used a 18 gallon one; knife; net cup (yogurt cup with holes); airstone; air pump; vinyl tubing; medium.

1. Gather Materials
2. Outline the smaller side of the net cup with a sharpie
3. Use the knife to make small incisions in the plastic top
4. Slowly and carefully use the knife to go across the surface of the circle
5. Make the cut so that it's close to round
6. Insert the net cup to make sure it's done correctly (it should fit right in)
7. Hook up your airstone with your air pump with vinyl tubing
8. Put airstone in the middle of the tub
9. Fill the net cup with medium that wicks
10. Fill the tub with water
11. Place net cups in the hole
12. Plant, enjoy, repeat

More posts to continue on the subject.