The concept of Hydroponics becoming widespread all over the world now a days. It simply is the cultivation of crops without using soil. The population of the world is increasing day by day. With that the land extent for the cultivation process decreases rapidly. Because of that the concept of hydroponics came in to use. There are some types of hydroponics you can use in your farms. Mainly there are 6 types and you can select the best type to practice in your farm also.
You can grow many types of crops by using this amazing technique. Here the water act as the main source of nutrients needed for the crop growth. Water replaces the soil using in the conventional agriculture. Water in this hydroponic system perform the same duty as the soil.
By making your farm a hydroponic farm it is pretty sure than you can have a nicely stand of the crops you want. As well these crops are vigorous, grow faster and also with better quality. You can have a higher income also through this system of cultivation.
Through this post I am going to discuss about some of the main types of the hydroponic systems. Choose one and enjoy its benefits friends. so, lets start from the types of the systems.
Table of Contents
Different Hydroponic Systems
- Deep Water Culture
- Wick System
- Ebb and Flow Technique
- Drip System
- Nutrient Film Technology
- Aeroponics
Let’s have a brief and a simple review on these different systems one by one.
1.Deep Water Culture
This system of the hydroponic can consider as the one of the simplest methods. As well it is very cost effective also. I know that most of you know about this method of hydroponics due to its popularity.
In here the plant grows normally in net pots. These pots are placed above water reservoir. The roots of the plants allow to submerge in the water. The water reservoir provides all most all the needs for the plant growth. Nutrients, oxygen, favorable pH, temperature and etc. are providing through this water reservoir. Here you need to fix a pump also. Pumping of air bubbles to the water should do continuously to aerate the water and also to prevent drowning of the roots in water. This air bubbling also helps to circulate the nutrients also
The setting of this system is very easy and inexpensive. Anyone who loves to start a hydroponic cultivation can simply start with this system. This needs lesser maintenance also. The inputs also need in lesser amount as we can recirculate them especially the water. So, my friends if you are also interested let’s start with this method as your first step. This method is so much easy and also productive.
2.Wick System
The other most popular system of hydroponics is the wick system. This can identify as the simplest method of hydroponic. Here you do not want to use motor or a pump. So, it is cheaper. This also can consider as the basic type of the hydroponic cultivation. You can install this system anywhere you prefer as this requires less space. The best system to learn about the hydroponic farming.
You have to grow your crop in growing media like perlite, vermiculite etc. Then normally these plants have to place in trays and keep above the water reservoir. But the roots are not allowing to grow inside water. Instead of the roots running directly towards the reservoir here we use a wick running from the plant roots to the water reservoir. The wick transport all the needs for the plant growth from the reservoir.
But in here it is better to select small plants which require lesser amount of water. It is better to practice for the plants which do not demand higher nutrient contents. As well continuous inspection of the system is also need.
3. Ebb and Flow Technique
This system is also somewhat popular among the hydroponic farmers. This can use to grow even large plants. In here unlike the above-mentioned methods there is no continuous connection between the plants and the water reservoir. Instead, time to time flooding is done.
This system also known as flood and drain system. The plants are growing in a growing medium. There is a water reservoir below the plants stand. Here we need a pump and a timer too. The nutrient rich solution is pumped in to the plant stand such that it floods. Then the pump stops. Then the water will drain in to the below reservoir. As there is a timer set up this process is continued from time to time.
The main feature regarding this system is that you can grow much larger crop types than in the other hydroponic systems. If you can set up the system correctly at first then it is very easy to maintain also.
4.Drip System
This system of hydroponics is more popular among the commercial growers. It is very easy to implement in large scale commercial farms than in the small-scale farms.
In here the nutrient solution reaches the roots of the plants directly. There is a network of water tubes or tunnels that provide water to the plants. The water retain in the growing medium provides the needed moisture and the nutrients. The excess water drip in to a collector. Sometimes this excess water is dripping in to the reservoir itself or it will remove. These two processes can name as recovery drip system and the other as non-recovery drip system respectively.
Continuous inspection of the system is needed to maintain the nutrients, temperature, pH and aeration of the solution. There you can grow larger plants than in the other systems. Expanding the farm is also easy in this method.
5.Nutrient Film Technology
This system of hydroponic is also somewhat similar to the deep-water culture system. In here the plants are growing in a channel which kept inclining. Then a water stream is flowing at the base of the channel by touching only the lower parts of the roots. Unlike in deep-water systems the roots are not submerged here.
The flowing water through the incline channel reaches the solution reservoir and then using a pump you can circulate the solution. In this method you do not need much water as well the growing medium.
This method also quite a simple and is popular among the growers also. Continuous monitoring is important in here too.
7.Aeroponics
This can identify as the most effective method of hydroponics which uses less water compared with the other systems. In here the plants are suspended in the air allowing them to absorb oxygen from the environment. The nutrient rich solution is spraying in to the roots of the plants. There are mist nozzles locates there near the roots to do this. the excess solution flows in to the reservoir below.
This method needs higher technology than the other systems. But once the system is set up it is more effective method. In here you can grow larger plants also. This is only a brief description about each of the type. Let’s have another discussion about these systems more.