Build an Efficient Hydroponic System in Easy Steps

Build an Efficient Hydroponic System in Easy Steps

Hydroponics is vying to become the go-to method for home growing. It reduces the physical effort involved in growing crops at home and offers a much simpler formula to grow crops. To build a hydroponics system you can go about it in 2 ways, build your own from scratch or buy prefabricated hydroponics systems from a Hydroponics Equipment Supplier in India.

To build a basic NFT( Nutrient Film Technique) system you will need to understand the basic application of the Nutrient Film Technique. Which is to suspend roots in the shallow flow of water. The water supplied to the plants is to be nutrient-rich and oxygenated. A flat or round pipe is a good choice for this technique. Upvc has been found to be the longest lasting and safest for use in hydroponics.NFT is a great technique for large-scale hydroponics in India for its advantages such as low usage of water, electricity, and Nutrient.

The NFT hydroponic system is also a great way for beginners to start. It maximizes crop per sqft and is easier to maintain due to its recirculating configuration. A basic NFT system has 4 parts. Inlet, outlet channel, and reservoir. Water needs to be circulated through these sections.

Deep water culture systems also have recirculating systems but they give more space for media and interplant space for growing vine and large rooted fruiting vegetable crops. These usually use buckets that are round or square to accommodate the large root systems and have means for efficient trellising. Be aware that fruiting crops have longer cycles and require pollination which can be done manually to grow fruit.

Raft systems are easy to build and need nothing more than a tub and styrofoam. These systems are not the most water efficient and require frequent clearing of algae and careful protection from contamination.

It is good practice to improve aeration with the use of air stones and an air pump to supplement oxygenation of water in standing water and deep water cultures.

Building an efficient hydroponics system also means taking into account the requirement of the crop that is being grown. Raft systems are very good for growing roots in the early stages of the plants’ life I.e to be used in the nursery. NFT caters to plants with small root systems like herbs in contrast to DWC systems meant to grow large plants like tomatoes.

We at future farms make prefabricated units for beginners and home growers. We have leveraged our knowledge of doing large scale hydroponics in India to make easy to assemble kits that are efficient and space saving. These kits avoid the hassle of having to make your own kit and the expensive tooling required to build a system efficiently. We only use certified food grade material in our systems for both commercial and home has grown, and supply the best quality of accessories, nutrients and testing equipment from our international partners.