Hydroponic pump systems

Hydroponics is a way to grow plants by providing them with the nutrients they need to grow in water. Even if soil is not used, a medium can be used to soak the roots and provide a stable water supply. Such media lead to thinking about hydroponics systems, which are discussed below.

 

There are basically 6 types of hydroponics systems, including wick, water culture, ab & flow (also known as flood & drain), drip, nutrient film technique (NFT), and aeroponic.  Although there are many variations on these 6 systems, all hydroponics methods combine these 6.

 

Wick system

By far the simplest system, the wick system is a passive hydroponics system, meaning there are no moving parts in it. The nutrient solution is taken into the rising medium from the reservoir with a wick.

The wick system can use many plant growing media such as perlite, vermiculite, pro-mix, and coconut fiber - all of which are extremely popular.

There is a disadvantage associated with the wick system, which is that the plants are large or the nutrient solution can use up too much water, much faster than the wick system can supply.

 

Water culture

Of all the active hydroponics systems, water culture is the simplest. The Styrofoam system is the platform that contains the plant and floats directly in the nutrient solution. The air is pumped to the rock by an air pump and bubbles form to the nutrient solution, providing oxygen to the roots of the plant.

The water culture hydroponics system is ideal for growing leaf lettuce, through which they grow rapidly. However, with the water culture hydroponics system, a few more projects will grow well.

In addition, the water culture hydroponics system is very popular among teachers because the most inexpensive system can be made from an old aquarium or water-tight container. The biggest disadvantage of the water culture hydroponics system is that it is not suitable for large or perennial plants.

 

Ebb & Flow System

The Ebb and Flow hydroponics system temporarily raises the flood, raises the tray with the plant nutrient solution, and then pours the solution back into the reservoir.  The submersible pump is usually connected to a timer in this system.  The timer sends the nutrient solution into the grow tray.  When the time is of the nutrient solution flows back into the reservoir.  It is set to be activated several times a day depending on the size and type of plant, temperature, humidity, and type of plant growing medium.

The Ebb & Flow hydroponics system can be used with many plants growing media.  The grow train can be filled with gravel or granular Rockwool or raised with stones.  If individual pots are filled with plant growing medium, it is easier to move the plants around and outside the system.

The disadvantage associated with the Ebb & Flow system is that plant-growing media such as grow rocks and gravel are prone to power outages as well as pump and time failures.  Consequently, the plant roots dry out quickly when watering is interrupted.  This problem can be solved to some extent by using a growing medium that stores more water, which can be somewhat relieved by the use of increasing water retention media such as Rockwool, vermiculite, and coconut fiber.

 

Drip Systems - Recovery / Non-Recovery

The most widely used hydroponics systems in the world are drip systems.  They are easy to operate, and the timer controls the submersible pump.  When the timer pump is activated, the nutrient solution drips through a small drip line on the base of each plant.

There are two types of drip systems, the recovery drip and the non-recovery drip system.  In the recovery drip system, the nutrient solution is re-accumulated in the reservoir for reuse, while in the non-recovery drip system, the excess nutrient solution is not collected back into the reservoir.  In a recovery drip system, the timer is inexpensive and efficient because it does not require precise control of the watering cycle.  On the other hand, a non-recovery drip system requires a precise timer so that the plants can adjust the watering cycles to get enough nutrient solution and the solution will be less wasteful.  This means that the non-recovery system requires less maintenance, but the recovery system involves large changes in nutrient strength levels, requiring routine inspection and adjustment.

 

Nutrient Film Technique (N.F.T)

  The most well-known of the hydroponics systems is the Nutrient Film Technique (N.F.T) system.  NFT The systems supply the nutrient solution continuously and the submersible pump does not require a timer.  The nutrient solution is pumped into a growing tray and flows over the plant roots, then collects back into the reservoir.

  In the nutrient film technique, there is usually no growing medium other than air.  This proves to be an inexpensive system as there is no need to replace the growing medium.  The plant is usually supported in a small plastic basket, and the roots are immersed in the nutrient solution.

  N.F.T hydroponics systems are prone to power interruptions and pump failures and the sources of interruption to the flow of nutrient solution can dry out.

 

  Aeroponic

  Most technically in hydroponic pump systems, aeroponics systems are mainly used to operate the air.  The roots hang in the air and receive moisture from the nutrient solution.  Moisture occurs every few minutes, but as the roots hang in the air (as in the N.F.T. system), they will dry out if the moisture cycles are interrupted.  In aeroponic hydroponics systems, the control timer runs the pump for a few seconds every two minutes.

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