The term ‘hydroponics’ is derived from two Greek words ponics (toil) and hydro (water) that started to be used since 1950. Hydroponics is another way of growing plants that do not require soil and this hydroponic gardening is being used by countries like Australia. Being 30-50% faster in growth than the soil planting; these hydroponic growing systems actually uses water to mix the nutrients to get their way to the root system enabling the plant to utilize much energy for fruit making besides the search process (that plants do to search nutrients in the soil in non-hydroponics systems). Testing pH in these homemade hydroponic growing systems is also important however mostly plants grow within the 5.8-6.8 pH range. Moreover to direct the nutrients to the plant various mediums are used like Rockwool and perlite.
An Overview of the important Hydroponic Systems
The diy hydroponics grow systems can generally be passive or active. Wick system being the non-recovery one carries the nutrient solution to the root system. Ebb and flow system on the other hand works with pump in the container hence becoming the active system. How to make a hydroponic system surely demands the appropriate medium, type and some necessary parts however, some innovative and best hydroponic systems are as follows:
1. Vertical Hydroponic Gardening System
These homemade hydroponic systems require good lighting and are best for small space gardeners. Various herbs and vegetables could be grown, with proper organic fertilizer. Many such vertical systems are developed with square buckets or round units stack, having particular characteristics using perlite commonly. The cost is usually $500 not benefiting commercial for production.See how to build this here.
2. A DWC system
A deep water culture system within the range of $20 is cheap and reliable. It needs a rockwool cube, 5 gallon bucket with air pump and net cup of 6”. Watering the system in the starting days could keep it cool. The conversion of the rockwool into the DWC bucket is done when the leaves begin to sprout. 68 degree F is the temperature to water the plants. Get the tutorial here
3. Hydroponic Drip Gardens
The Ebb and Flow system is useful for home hydroponics drip gardening in which water pump with nutrients of some inches. It functions to full the tub and is drained back to the reservoir when it gets loaded. It may involve pump failure so a large reservoir is necessary. Such systems can also work with the fog and raft system.Get the details here
4. Hydroponic Fodder System
In order to save much cost and to get quality fodder hydroponic systems like these could be used. Fodder Pro 2.0 Feed Systems are suitable to grow any required nutrient,protein and enzymes-rich fodder thus bringing betterment to the poultry. It requires no fertilizers and could help in increasing the daily production. However the organic dairies can produce their own seeds.Get the detail here
5. Indoor Hydroponic Gardens
Antonio Scarponi has helped to describe how to maintain and develop numerous indoor hydroponic farms from a ledge herb to a vertical garden. ELIOO is the instruction manual for this purpose. Hydroponics using little space and being environmental are beneficial for the users to make the systems in accordance to the planted nutrients.Get the detail here
6. Aquaponics As Art
A food production system that brought up aquatic animals like prawns and snails with the hydroponics is called aquaponics. In this system water in the hydroponic plant breaks the bacteria into nitrates that are used by the plants however microbes convert the ammonia. Aquacultural operation involves several stages that involve hatchery or nursery operation.Project detail
7. Indoor DWC Hydroponics Systems
Indoor hydroponic systems involve plants that are placed in a basket poised in a reservoir with nutrient solution. Inert medium like the clay pellets gives support to the anchor. Air stone is attached to the air pump with opaque walls of the reservoir. Nutrient toxicity will occur if the solution is not changed periodically thus increasing pH may kill the plant.Get the instructions here
8. Cheap, and Expandable Hydroponics System
Hydroponic grow systems should be cheap and expandable. The ebb and flow system is popular as it may use an aquarium pump for production. This could be accomplished with the help of few items like dremel, pliers using 3 containers and a pump of about $20. Enough lighting is also important; example of such an expandable system could be Patent US7975430. See the complete plan here
9. Small NFT Hydroponics System
Nutrient Film Technique uses nutrients enriched with water allowing the plant to fulfill its needs. It needs lumber for the pipes so that the required openings for water flow could be created at the ends. The making of such system involves 4” PVC pipe, screws, Teflon tape, opaque bucket, clay ball as the medium etc. The turn -around at the end of the crop reduces the labor costs. Detail plan
10. Hydroponic drip system
This system could be used to grow less or more plants through containers costing $80 and may need a PVC connecting with 5gallon buckets. Hydroponic growing system, like this may require Grow Rock with a removable filter pump. Moreover to keep the filter in place for water drainage rocks should be placed at its top.Get the plan here
11. Hydroponic NFT Lettuce Production
One major use of the NFT hydroponic growing systems is that they enable herbs and lettuce production. The rinsing and drainage of lettuce head is done quickly in such systems so that it could help in the further placement. The root system can be shipped out of the channel bringing an increase in its shelf time. The PVC pipe should have no slope and could be around 4”. Get the detail here
12. Deep Water Culture Hydroponic Gardening Systems
The deep water culture systems are also called the bubble hydroponics that uses plastic buckets with a plant having a net poised above the solution of nutrients. An air pump constantly delivers oxygen so that plant gets flourished properly. An aquarium could be converted to such system with vertical sides using Styrofoam 1 1/2″ to 2″ thick, plastic cups, perlite and a hydroponic fertilizer. Get the instruction here
I agreed that all 12 Creative and Innovative Homemade Hydroponics Systems are impressive and updated.
hydroponic grow systems
Mate, it’s so tough to find soil round these parts these days so I’m gunna need these hydroponics for me eucalypts! I tried number 12 first because I thought that maybe the higher the number the better the system. I tell you it worked wonders for me mate. It was even a new home for me fish in the aquarium! Sweet as! Plus it’s great because you don’t need to be a rocket surgeon to make any of these – great stuff and great guide mate.
I found your blog very useful about indoor hydroponic systems as it provides best information. Very informative blog post this is. Thanks for sharing this information.