In a Recovery Drip System, overflow of the nutrients will be collected back into the reservoir for reuse. The Non-Recovery Drip System does not collect the excess of nutrient solution. Therefore it is crucial to use a more precise timer to control the watering cycles to minimize the waste of runoff while nourish the plants with adequate hydroponic nutrients.

Though nutrient solution is utilized more efficiently in the Recovery Drip System, more maintenance tasks are required. When nutrient solution is recycled back into the reservoir, it will have significant change in pH and the strength. Therefore, constant checking and adjusting of the nutrient solution is essential.

Since Non-Recovery Drip system does not collect the excess of nutrients, it basically requires little to no maintenance. After you have set up the system with pH-adjusted nutrients, you can basically leave it to operate by itself until the time to refill with more nutrient solution.

Common growing medium used for Drip systems are rockwool, clay pellets and lava chips. Growing medium plays an important role in Drip system to determine the type of emitters used for dripping purpose. Generally, a fast draining medium (such as clay pellets) will require faster dripping emitters. On the other hand, slower dripping emitters are best used alongside with slow draining medium like rockwool.

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Usually pieces of porous material with high absorbent power like nylon ropes are used as wicks. One end of the wick is placed at the bottom of the growing container, and the other end is left hanging down the nutrient solution. The wick draws the water and nutrients from the reservoir up into the growing medium in the container.

While you can basically use any types of growing medium in the Wick hydroponic system, it is recommended to use growing mediums that can retain more water and nutrients for example, perlite, vermiculite, and / or coconut fiber. A mixture of perlite / vermiculite in the ratio of 1:1 works great in the Wick system, though the combination of perlite and coconut fiber is common too.

As the Wick system does not have proper aeration for the roots, it is usually wise to install an external air pump to supply oxygen into the nutrient reservoir. Run an airline from the air pump into the reservoir with the other end attached to an air stone. This will slowly oxygenate the nutrient solution in the reservoir. When nutrient solution is supplied to the root zone, it allows the roots to breathe.

There are few issues you need to consider when using the Wick system:

1. It is hard to achieve the correct moisture level for the plants as the wick used might not be able to pull sufficient water and nutrients to nourish the roots. You need to constantly experiment with different types of wick and growing medium in order to get the right growing environment.

2. The plants may use up the nutrient solution faster than the wicks can provide if the plants are big or if they take up large quantity of water.

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1. Arrange the rockwool cubes in a propagator.

2. Prepare the solutions with Roots Stimulator, and pH reading around 6.0.

3. Soak the rockwool cubes entirely with this nutrients solution.

4. Then, slot in the seeds into the hole in the centre of the rockwool cubes with a depth of around 0.5cm to 1cm.


5. Cover the propagator with a lid to maintain prevent nutrient solutions from drying out.

6. Illuminate the propagator with a soft or neon grow light.

7. Wait for the seed to start sprouting.

8. When you see signs of sprouting, transfer the rockwool cubes into a grow system.

9. Now, use a Metal Halide or HPS grow light to illuminate your grow system.

10. Fill the tank with water and fertilizer salts according to the irrigation scheme or with the help of an EC meter.

11. Start the system and set the timer for 1 minute of irrigation every 1 – 2 hours and 1 minute of irrigation in the middle of the dark period.

12. Set the timer to 18 hours of grow light per day.

13. Monitor the pH values and if necessary correct the solution with a pH+ or pH- corrector.

14. Monitor the EC values and if necessary correct the solution adding fertilizers or diluting it with water.

15. Always check that the solution in the tank is not damaged by sudden temperature changes and maintains the values between 18 to 26 degrees.

16. When you want to induce plants to flowering, change the daylight hours from 18 hours to 12 hours per day.

17. At the same variation of light, give a bloom fertilizer salt according to the irrigation scheme.

18. Monitor the pH values and the EC values whenever you have added or changed fertilizer, if necessary correct the solution accordingly.

(Images credit to www.hydroponic.eu)

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Most hydroponic kits are equipped with elementary features that make the task of hydroponic gardening an enjoyment. Below are the basic fundamental features for a practical hydroponic kit:

Nutrients and Oxygen

Plants require adequate nutrients and oxygen in order to grow healthily. Therefore, hydroponic kits these days are essentially equipped with high-oxygenated nutrients. In some hydroponic kits, aerator stones are used to alleviate the supply of oxygen to the root zone of the plants.

With adequate supply of oxygen to the root zone, root system is able to absorb the essential nutrients and minerals at its optimum rate. This improves the growth rate of hydroponic plants tremendously.

Hydroponic Lighting

Light is important for the process of photosynthesis. Usually, a full-spectrum lighting system is integrated into a complete hydroponic kit to promote proper photosynthesis. This lighting system used shall be ideal for all phases of plant growth.

Ease of Maintenance

Hydroponic kits these days are designed for easy maintenance. The grow boxes used are usually simple and uncomplicated in terms of maintenance. This is perfect for beginners who have limited knowledge of hydroponic gardening.

The feature of detachable side panels for most hydroponic kits allows the moving of plants effortlessly. This makes the maintenance of hydroponic plants a bliss within the hydroponic kits.

Control of Air

It is vital to have proper air flow within a hydroponic system. The hot air trapped inside the hydroponic kits must be channeled out to reduce the temperature within the system. This is usually aided by the use of a fan that mounted to the hydroponic kits. In some hydroponic kits, a cooling fan is used to further facilitate good air circulation within the hydroponic unit.

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Hydroponic gardening is very simple and is fairly inexpensive. For the beginners, it is wise if you do some research so that you will not overdo it and buy a bunch of unnecessary materials. Do not be afraid to ask questions. The only stupid question is the one you do not ask. Many people are switching to hydroponic gardening because they do not want produce that has been treated with harmful pesticides and insecticides. They also want to be able to have their favorite fruits and vegetables all year round. With hydroponic gardening, you can have your favorite produce fresh from the garden at any time of the year.

There are several different hydroponic kits available at the stores. The only problem is to find the right hydroponic kit that is suitable for you. The most common of these hydroponic kits are ebb and flow systems and aeroponics. Both of these systems utilize a chamber known as a reservoir to store the nutrient solutions. See, hydroponic gardening involves growing plants in water and nutrients. Because water does not contain all of the nutrients necessary for the growth of healthy plants, you must add a nutrient solution to promote strong roots and produce grand foliage.

Hydroponic kits provide all of the necessary equipment for a beginner to start their own indoor garden. Some hydroponic kits will cost more than others because they contain more equipment and are more complex than other kits. As a beginner, you need to know the difference. Ebb and flow kits use a flood and drain concept. The nutrient solution is flooded into a chamber with water.  After a set period of time, the chamber is drained back into the reservoir and regular water replaces it. Aeroponics kits are similar except that oxygen is transfused into the water so that there is air getting to the roots as well as water and nutrients.

Now, I know that this may all seem confusing to you at the moment. However, if you ask around, you will find that there are many people who do practice hydroponic gardening in their homes. They are usually more than happy to provide you with the answers to any question on hydroponic growing. Hydroponics is becoming more popular. And it is a good thing considering that the world’s soil supply is being rapidly depleted of its nutrients. Using water to grow our produce is probably the greatest idea since solar paneling.  Hydroponic gardening is very beneficial, not only to our health, but also to the environment. So do your research, get the hydroponic kit that is right for you, and kick back and enjoy the wonders of hydroponic gardening.

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Hydroponic kits

These kits would also free you from looking after the water and light requirements of the garden. All you need to do is to set up the schedule when you want to water your plants and hydroponic kit will handle the rest. A hydroponic kit comes with trays or pots for you to grow your plants, various types of hydroponic nutrients, digital meters, water heaters, circulators, artificial light sources and many more such devices to help hydroponic gardening a stress-free project.

Hydroponic kit provides a complete solution for a greenhouse system where you can cultivate your vegetables and plants easily. So, if you are planning to have your own hydroponic greenhouse then you should consider purchasing a hydroponic kit.

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