What Is Hydroponics

[align=center][/align]Introduction to Hydroponics
I. Hydroponics - Definition
Hydroponics is basically a cultivation method of growing plants with a complete nutrient formula, but not soil, in water. This method makes plants grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only, or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, rockwool, or coir, etc.
In general, soil functions in supplying plants with nutrients. However, it is not a must for the plants to thrive. Nutrient solution can replace the natural soil to provide the plants with moisture, nutrients, oxygen, temperature, and ensure the normal growth of the plants and complete their entire life cycle. Thus, hydroponics is also called Soilless Culture. The difference is some types of soilless culture do not use the mineral nutrient solutions required for hydroponics.
II. Hydroponics - History
1. Important Figures
1.1 W â?¢ F â?¢ Gericke
In 1929, W â?¢ F â?¢ Gericke from the United States succeeded in the trial of a tomato soilless culture. He grew a tomato vines twenty-five feet high in his back yard in mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil. Analogically with the ancient Greek term â??geoponicsâ?�, the science of cultivating the earth, Gericke coined the word â??hydroponicsâ?� in 1937. Since then crop cultivation finally gets rid of the shackles of the natural soil. In 1940, he wrote the book Complete Guide to Soilless Gardening.
1.2 Dennis R. Hoagland & Daniel I. Arnon
Dennis R. Hoagland and Daniel I. Arnon developed several formulas for mineral nutrient solutions, known as Hoagland solution.
1.3 Howard Resh
Another hydroponics pioneer is Howard Resh who published the first edition of his book Hydroponics Food Production in 1978. This book promoted the 3-part base nutrients formula which is still a major component of hydroponics gardening today. Resh later went on to publish other books. Currently, he is in charge of a hydroponics research and production facility in the Caribbean.
2. Events
It is said that one of the early successes of hydroponics occurred on Wake Island, a rocky atoll without soil in the Pacific Ocean used as a refueling stop for Pan American Airlines. Hydroponics was used there in the 1930s to grow vegetables for the passengers.
III. Hydroponics - Application
Hydroponics can be applied in vegetable and flower growth. The convenience and high yields develop hydroponics in commercial growing. Hydroponics medium include rockwool, perlite, gravel, sand or coir, etc.
1. Medium
1.1 Rockwool
Rockwool, also called mineral wool, is the most widely used medium in hydroponics. It is superior because of its proven efficiency and effectiveness as a commercial hydroponic substrate.
1.2 Perlite
Perlite is a volcanic rock that has been superheated into very lightweight expanded glass pebbles. Perlite has similar properties and uses to vermiculite but, in general, holds more air and less water.
1.3 Gravel
Gravel is inexpensive, easy to keep clean, drains well and will not become waterlogged. Plants using gravel hydroponics can be grown with water circulated with electric power head pumps.
1.4 Sand
Sand is cheap and easily available. However, it is heavy, does not hold water very well, and it must be sterilized between use.
1.5 Coir
Coir is a perfect natural grow and flowering medium. It can store unused minerals to supply to the plant when needed. This is because of its excellent high cation exchange.
2. Construction
To set up a hydroponic cultivation, many garden supply equipments listed below are needed. Garden supply grow tent, hydroponic nursery pot, grow light, grow kit, electronic ballast, grow light reflector, hydroponic system, grow light YOYO hangers, carbon air filter, garden supply air silencer, garden supply exhaust fan, garden supply air duct, hydroponic CO₂ controller, thermometer and hygrometer, grow light timer, etc. Leaf trimmer is also needed for harvest.
IV. Hydroponics - Advantages
Hydroponics has the below advantages:
1. Plants can grow without the restriction of soil.
2. Lower water costs because the water stays in the system and can be recycled.
3. The nutrition levels can be controlled in their entirety, so nutrition costs is lower.
4. The controlled system ensures no nutrition pollution is released into the environment.
5. Convenient, stable and high yields and easier to harvest
6. Container's mobility is easier to control pests and diseases than in soil growth.
V. How to build a successful indoor gardening

1. The right environment
Having the right environment is critical for your garden. Key elements to a successful garden room include relative humidity, temperature, CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and air circulation/exchange. The ideal humidity for a garden room falls between 40 & 60 percent. Some plants like higher humidity. Temperatures in your grow room should be between 68 â?? 75 F degrees. Temperature changes will lead to variations in humidity levels. Your plants need CO2 to grow. Assuming you have good air circulation/ exchange, your garden room will naturally have between 300-400 PPM (parts per million) of CO2; If you choose not to supplement CO2 in your garden room, it is important to address the air circulation/exchange so that your plants will receive fresh CO2.
2. Start off with good water
The water you use for your plants will determine how well your plants will grow, regardless of what you add in terms of nutrients and supplements.PPM (parts per million) or EC (electrical conductivity) are the measurement of the salts in a solution. Neither PPM nor EC readings will tell you what is in your solution / water, but rather are indicators of the solutions ability to conduct electricity. Ideally, you want to start off with a low PPM or EC then you can add nutrients specified to your plants requirements. You can reduce the PPM of your water using a Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) unit then build your nutrient solution around what your plants need. pH (potential hydrogen) measures the acidity or alkalinity of your solution on a scale of 0 â?? 14. A solution is considered acidic below 7 and basic at 7 or higher. When working with hydroponics you typically want your pH to fall between 5.8 and6.2. When growing in soil or coir you want your pH between 6.0 and 6.8. The most important rule to remember with pH is to avoid extremes. Nutrient â??lockoutâ?� occurs with high and low pH levels.
3. Choose a method
Ebb & Flow gardens flood and drain a tray of plants with a nutrient solution at regular intervals. A drip garden provides nutrient solution to the plant through tubes & emitters (drip stakes) to each plant. Aerologic growing mists an oxygenated nutrient solution directly to the roots of a plant. NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) gardens create a slow moving nutrient solution -â??filmâ??- that flows over the roots of the plants. Organics have become a preferred method of growing. Choose the size container you want, an organic soil/medium, an organic fertilizer and water by hand.
4. Choose a medium
Growing mediums act as the anchor for the plants root system. Some add nutritional value to your plants while others simply give the roots something to hold on to. Some mediums to consider are soil, soil-less mixes, coco, hydroton, rockwool/stonewool, or silica stone.
5. Nutrients
Like humans, plants require food (nutrients) to grow. Nutrients come in organic and synthetic varieties and are available in both liquid and dry form. Nutrients can be separated into two categories, macro and micro nutrients. The macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. The micronutrients or trace nutrients include iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and chlorine. If the nutrients are deficient or are abundant you may see burning, curling or yellowing. You do not want to over or under fertilize. There are many different types of nutrients/fertilizers available on the market. You can purchase organic, synthetic (chemical) or a combination of both.
6. Lighting
High Intensity Discharge (HID) is the preferred grow light in a garden room. The two types of HID grow light commonly used are HPS (High Pressure Sodium) and MH (Metal Halide). HPS grow light deliver more of an orange/ red spectrum, which is ideal for most plants in the flowering/bloom stage. MH grow light delivers more of a blue/green spectrum, which is ideal for most plants in the vegetative/growth stage. Another type of lighting ideal for plant growth is T5 grow light. T5 grow light is a high-output fluorescent light with low heat and minimal energy consumption. It is an ideal grow light for cuttings, mother plants and short growth cycles. In the growth or vegetative stage plants typically want 15-18 hours of light. In the bloom stage you reduce the amount of light your plants get to 10-12 hours.
7. Testing equipment
There are many different meters available for testing pH, PPM, EC, temperature, humidity, CO2 and light levels. Single meters are available as are combination meters that test and/or monitor your environmental conditions The important thing to remember is your garden will only be as good as the limiting factor. Water, nutrient, light, temperature, humidity, CO2 & circulation are the elements to a successful garden room. By â??dialing inâ?� these elements, you will ensure a successful and bountiful garden.
8. Optional Accessories
There are many items available to help your garden grow. Organics, controls, fans, blowers, plant stakes, relays, nutritional supplements and the lists go on.
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