Hydroponics 101 Explained
What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics, by definition, is a method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution.

Hydroponics does not use soil; instead, the root system is supported using an inert medium such as perlite, Rockwool, clay pellets, peat moss, or vermiculite.

The basic premise behind hydroponics is to allow the plants’ roots to come in direct contact with the nutrient solution, while also having access to oxygen, which is essential for proper growth.

Advantages
Growing with hydroponics comes with many advantages, the biggest of which is a greatly increased rate of growth in your plants. With the proper setup, your plants will mature up to 25% faster and produce up to 30% more than the same plants grown in soil.

Your plants will grow bigger and faster because they will not have to work as hard to obtain nutrients.

Even a small root system will provide the plant exactly what it needs, so the plant will focus more on growing upstairs instead of expanding the root system downstairs.

All of this is possible through careful control of your nutrient solution and pH levels.

A hydroponic system will also use less water than soil-based plants because the system is enclosed, which results in less evaporation.

Believe it or not, hydroponics is better for the environment because it reduces waste and pollution from soil runoff.

Disadvantages
Despite the fact that a hydroponics system has so many advantages, there are actually a few disadvantages as well.

The biggest factor for most people is that a quality hydroponics system of any size will cost more than soil gardening.

A large scale hydroponics system can take a lot of time to set up if you aren’t the most experienced grower. Plus, managing your hydroponics system will take a lot of time as well.

You will have to monitor and balance your pH, PPM, EC nutrient levels on a daily basis.

The greatest risk with a hydroponics system is that something like a pump failure can kill off your plants within hours depending on the size of your system.

They can die quickly because the growing medium can’t store water like soil can, so the plants are dependent on a fresh supply of water.

Let’s take a look at the four systems I use and explain how they work:

Deepwater Culture (DWC)
DWC is by far the easiest method for growing plants with hydroponics.

In a Deepwater Culture hydroponic system, the roots are suspended in a nutrient solution.

An aquarium air pump oxygenates the nutrient solution; this keeps the roots of the plants from drowning.

The primary benefit of using a Deepwater Culture system is that there are no drip or spray emitters to clog.

This makes DWC an excellent choice for organic hydroponics, as hydroponics systems that use organic nutrients are more prone to clogs.

Recirculating Deep Water Culture (RDWC)
RDWC hydroponic systems are an improved way to grow crops versus static DWC.

The improvement in plant growth capabilities with RDWC hydroponics, whether in greenhouses or indoors or on the patio garden stems from the fact that more oxygen can be dissolved into the nutrient solution and the hydroponic nutrient-rich solution flows laterally through the bare plant roots that feed the crops up top.

This is achieved by adding a water circulation pump into the equation. Typically, water pumps like submersibles are used in hydroponics systems.

They use very little power and are typically reliable, especially if there is a filter used to keep anything from getting into the pump. I use a paint strainer and wrap it around the pump.

Oxygen pumps are the heart of RDWC and DWC hydroponic systems.

These also use very little power and offer reliability relative to the great benefits they offer in improving plant health and growth rates.

Plants grown in hydroponics, especially RDWC have full access to water, oxygen and plant nutrients.

This supercharges growth rates and yield potential.

Another benefit is that these systems use considerably less water and fertilizer over conventional gardening methods.

Dutch Bucket
Dutch bucket is perhaps the most commonly used container for holding plants in an indoor growing system.

Dutch buckets have seen extensive use throughout the US and can be connected easily, Allowing hydroponic systems to be scaled to virtually any size needed.

At first glance, the Dutch bucket looks like nothing more than a conventional bucket. However, appearances are deceptive.

These buckets are used for hydroponics that features the ability to use a single watering line and a single drainage line for multiple media beds when lined up together.

Kratky Method
The Kratky Method is a hydroponic growing technique developed by B.A. Kratky at the University of Hawaii.

Kratky Method of hydroponics is one of the simplest systems to build and set up.
Full Explanation: http://www.hydroponicsdoneeasy.com

Hydroponics 101 Explained

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| Hydroponic Gardening | October 7, 2020 10:22 am 15 Comments
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15 Comments

  • Joe Sullivan

    First video I have ever watched that explained what all these methods are. A much needed channel here. Thanks for starting it. In a few weeks I look forward to understanding what this is all about.

  • Lisa Kukla

    Hands down, the very best explanation I have ever come across of the various methods. I have a feeling I'm about to have enough of a handle on all of this stuff to actually get started on something.
    Farmer G mentioned your greenhouse build video in a comment on Punky Rooster's latest video (of which JT Bear was the subject) and I had to see for myself. I'm glad I did, too. I'm eager to dig in to you two channels because it looks like this could really be game-changing for me.

  • Gardening in Gnome town

    Wow your greenhouse is amazing. So much great information! I’ll have to give it a try and I’m looking forward to the build videos. Thanks for all the work that went into your presentation. Have a great day

  • Higher Ground Farm

    Great info and overview CB! Looking forward to watching you build and grow these systems. The handful of dutch buckets I am experimenting with this summer have done well with your advice and instruction. My wife prefers those tomatoes to the same ones I have growing in the garden. I guess I may have a combination of both to work on for next year. Thanks for sharing what you do!

  • Grow Somethin' with Jeff

    Very good information. I have so far only used the Kratky style. Lettuce, peppers, tomatoes and cucumber so far. Watermelon hopefully coming once the seeds germinate. Thanks for sharing that information. Awesome video! Have a great rest of your week and weekend.