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Simple Types of Hydroponics Systems
Hydroponics is the art of growing plants in nutrient solutions without soil. There are essentially six systems of hydroponics and Santee Hydroponics can supply whatever you need to get going, whichever system you choose. The simplest system is the wick system, a passive system with no moving parts, whereby the plant draws its nutrients from a wick placed in a reservoir, not a good system for large plants as the wick cannot supply enough nutrient. You will need Perlite, Vermiculite, Pro-Mix or Coconut Fiber as your growing medium, available from Santee Hydroponics. The water culture system has a floating platform to hold the plants, usually made of Styrofoam, and an air pump that supplies air to the air stone through which the nutrient is delivered to the plants, and supplies them with oxygen. Again this system does not work well with large or long term plants.
More Complex Hydroponic Systems
A system favored by more serious growers is the ebb and flow system, which works by flooding the grow tray with nutrient then drawing it back into the reservoir, driven by a submerged pump linked to a timer. You can use a variety of growing mediums with this system, and to protect against timer failure or occasional power outages that interrupt the watering cycle, it is recommended to use growing media that retain more water, such as Rockwool, Vermiculite, coconut fiber or a good soil-less mix like Pro-mix or Faffard's. The most widely used hydroponics system is the drip system, either recovery or non-recovery. As with the ebb and flow the driving force is a submerged pump, but the nutrient is dripped onto the roots of each plant by a small drip line. In a recovery system, the run-off is collected and reused and is not in a non-recovery system. In the nutrient film hydroponics system, the flow is not regulated by a timer, but is driven by a pump, and flows over the plant roots and back into the reservoir, constantly, using air as the growing medium. Pumps, reservoirs and all growing media are available at Santee Hydroponics, together with advice on how to set up the different systems.
High Tech Hydroponics and Equipment
Aeroponics is the most high tech of hydroponics systems. The only growing medium is air and the dangling plant roots are misted with nutrient at intervals, managed by a timer. If you are a serious grower, Santee Hydroponics can supply you with grow huts and rooms, and all the hydroponics system components you could ever need. In addition, they have ventilation and purifications, water filtration, irrigation and lighting systems plus environmental controllers and all the propagation items you need. Santee Hydroponics is well regarded enough for them to have started to buy and sell used equipment, helpful for the novice hydroponics fan that may be put off by some of the costs.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about hydroponic gardening and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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