#hydroculture

@eli-beta​

You should do a post about how to set up and effectively use a simple aquaponics system! Maybe that's a lot, but it's an idea I had stewing in my head for a bit

Hydroponics!! The alternative to dirt-based gardening. There are three basic methods to growing shit in water: kratky, deep water culture, and ebb and flow.

Kratky is definitely the easiest to set up and use because of its passive nature. This method works really well for lettuces--other plants need lots bigger containers. I’d resort to this for vegetative fruit only if you lose electricity.

[id is an example of the kratky method outside in a transparent tupperware container, with the plant sitting in a net pot in the center of the lid]

Deep Water Culture means anything that’s growing in water deeper than like 10 inches and has a circulating water reservoir, which means there’s movement in the water that circulates oxygen.

[id is titled “Deep Water Culture” and is an example DWC setup from “how to grow marijuana.com.” The air pump is outside the trapezoid water reservoir, connecting to an airstone which sits at the bottom of the reservoir, delivering diffused air to the roots of the four plants sitting in net pots filled with growing medium]

Ebb and Flow/Flood and Drain systems involve a pump flooding a tray above the water reservoir at intervals. Plants are either rooted directly in growing medium or set on the tray in pots.

[id is titled “’Flood & Drain’ System” and is an example set up of an ebb and flow system, showing the flow of water from the reservoir to the suspended tray back through the overflow drain into the reservoir. The plants examples are in pots on the tray.]

Some keywords/things:

Net pots are what holds your growing medium and seed. These are pretty easy to diy (literally just poke holes in solo or dixie cups).

Growing medium -- although hydroponics is about growing in water, you need to have something that will support the plant, allow oxygen to get to your roots, and retain water for your plant.

Grow lights are a substitute for sun. You can buy bulbs at your local Walmart or home improvement store for like $5 a pop. They don’t last as long as the fancy shit, which are LED panels, but those start at like $25 to $50. Some diyers also rig up lights from other LED options, but I don’t know a lot about those. The grow panels are specifically designed to output only light that contributes to plant growth.

Darkened container is any container that doesn’t let sunlight hit the water below your plants. Sunlight + water + nutrients = algae. Algae will compete with any plant you’re trying to grow, so it’s ideal to prevent it from the start.

Air pumps are used to oxygenate water. You can find these in the fish section at Walmart or pet stores, along with check valves (keep water from running back into your air pump and destroying it), air tubes (transport the air), and air stones (which diffuse the air in the water).

People with more space and dedication to hydroponics than me have lots of diy ways to set up huge DWC and ebb and flow systems. A really easy, cheap setup for DWC is a 5 gallon bucket with a hole cut or drilled in the middle for the net pot, and another little hole cut in for the air tube. Stick it in the sun and you’re in business. (he has obnoxious music playing in that video over him speaking but his information is great.)

Here’s a good nutrient solution on amazon. You can mix your own up but I’d suggest doing that once you’ve got more experience under your belt (which I don’t lol). Salt-free medication-free fish water is always a great fertilizer for plants.

Kratky is the easiest to start right away, esp if you don’t have access to a power drill or an air pump right now! Use a milk jug or similar food-safe container and cut off the top of it to insert the net pot there. Get some rocks to use as the grow medium--not ideal but it serves the purpose. Start your seedling off elsewhere (in dirt or whatever) and then transport it in with its roots dipping into the water. Start collecting compost now in order to make a compost tea for your nutrients, if you can’t get to the store or use amazon to buy other nutrient options.