The fact is that once we touch on a topic we won’t lose the grip till we are fully familiar with the subject. At Affluent Farmers we endeavor to enlighten you on agribusiness projects that are sustainable, like hydroponics. Yes. And importantly, they are projects that are readily and easily applicable regardless of your location.
For example, Hydroponics systems can be installed in diverse climatic conditions through use of automated controlled environments. It does not matter whether you are in rural areas or town. The principles are the same. Importantly, what you gain is clean, healthy, and nutritious food. Therefore, the hydroponics system gives you more control in determining the food you want to eat.
Have a look at the various types of Hydroponics systems you can have in your garden.
TYPES OF HYDROPONIC SYSTEM
Hydroponics is a farming technique without using the soil. Instead, it uses a water solution enriched with nutrients needed for plant growth.
Hydroponics systems fall into two basic categories.
There are fewer moving parts in the system. It does not require heavy machines or equipment like engines, pumps, or extreme engineering planning.
Active hydroponics system.
It’s a system that has moving parts and needs sophisticated machines and equipment, like engines and pumps. It also demands good technical planning. The hydroponic systems feature the following:
Recovery system where the nutrient solution recirculates in the system or
Non–recovery system where you apply the nutrient solution to the growing media without reusing.
1. Wick hydroponic System.
This is a passive non-recovery system. It operates naturally with low-maintenance plants that need less water and nutrients. The principle behind this system is the capillary action. The plant is suspended in solid media such as coconut coir for support. Water is transferred to the roots of the plant with a wick, for example, a string. For rapidly maturing plants like lettuce, oxygen in the water is not critical, and sometimes the air stone is not installed to save on energy costs.
Image _courtesy
How to Build a Wick Hydroponic System.
The system is cheaper to install, requiring some materials, which are readily available on our property without having to buy at the market store. It consists of five major components.
1. A container with plants can be a pot or tray.
2. A bucket that has enough water in it.
3. Solid media. E.g., Perlite.
4. Long strips of suitable wick material, for example, string or rope.
5. Media solution.
How does the wick hydroponic system work?
Advantages of the hydroponics wick system.
This is the easiest hydroponic system. It is easy to install and to maintain even for beginners.
This is cheap and easy to implement. The wick hydroponic system requires materials that are readily available in our homestead.
1. It is ideal for small plants such as lettuce.
2. It uses less energy. With few moving parts, the wick system is ideal for locations without power.
Disadvantages.
1. It is not suitable for a large plant that requires a lot of water. E.g., tomatoes, which are heavy–feeding plants in terms of water and minerals.
2. The system requires a constant power supply to run the pump and the air stone. In addition, if the power goes out, the plants may not receive enough oxygen and can be damaged or killed.
3. It is not efficient in nutrient delivery to plants
4. Nutrients are subject to toxic accumulation which may kill plants. Water and nutrients are also not absorbed evenly, which could result in an accumulation of toxic minerals. When using this system, be sure to rinse out additional nutrients with fresh water every 1 to 2 weeks.
2. Water Culture System
This is another simple hydroponics system that puts the roots of plants directly in the nutrient solution. The oxygen needed for plant survival is injected into the water by a diffuser or an air pump. As plants come into direct contact with nutrients and oxygen, they grow quickly. This is an active recovery system, so there are moving parts and the nutrient solution is recirculated.
How deep water culture works.
In this system, the plants are grown in a net pot with the same growing medium. They are positioned and secured by the lid on the top of the container. The roots grow out of the net pots and reach the nutrient solution held in the reservoir. An air pump helps oxygenate the water and let the roots breathe.
Advantages
1. Easy to set up.
2. Water saving. The water-nutritive solution is reused.
Disadvantages
1. It is not suitable for large plants
2. Not suitable for plants with large growing seasons.
3. Development of root diseases caused by dirt growing conditions.
3. Ebb and Flow System (Flood and Drain)
This is an active and recovery system that is uncommon, but still effective among a few home gardeners.
How ebb and flow work. In this system, the plants are positioned at a spacious grow bed that’s packed with a growth medium like rock wool or perlite. Once the plants are carefully planted, the nutrient solution is flooded on the plant root system. After soaking the plant roots at set intervals and water levels, gravity automatically drains the solution back into the reservoir. Moreover, the pump is outfitted with a timer, pushing the water nutrient solution in the reservoir to raise through the tube and onto the system’s main parts.
Image _courtesy
Advantages
1. It is effective for growing nearly all types of plants, which include Vegetables like carrots.
2. It can grow large plant varieties.
Disadvantages.
Pump timer malfunction.
4. Aeroponic System.
This system uses nutrient–rich water solution to nourish the plants. However, instead of using an air stone to provide oxygen, the plants are suspended in the air, and water solution is misted onto the roots. The advantage of an aeroponic system is that it can be very efficient, as misting of Water solution allows for high rates of absorption by the plants. However, the system can be expensive to set up and maintain, and if the water solution is not misted properly, the plants may not receive enough nutrients or may become overwatered. Vertical aeroponic towers are a hybrid of the aeroponic system that saves the problem of clogged spray nozzles and space.
Image _ courtesy
5. N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technology)
In this system, a thin film of nutrient-rich water solution is circulated over the roots of the plants, which are supported by slopping troughs. The water is circulated continuously and is replenished as needed to ensure that the plants receive an optimal number of nutrients. However, the system is highly susceptible to problems, if water film is not circulated properly as plants may not receive enough nutrients or may become overwatered.
Image _ courtesy
6. Drip hydroponic system.
It is an active system that uses a pump to feed the plant’s roots with nutrients and water regularly. It is also referred to as a micro irrigation system. This uses a network of feeder lines to deliver water and nutrients to the plant’s roots in the form of droplets and, is best suited for large-scale agriculture. The drip system is also suitable for vertical farming as water is pumped to the top of the system and gravity does the rest.
Drop-by-drop hydroponic systems come in two categories.
Re-circulating or recovery system. Mostly common for home gardeners. In this system, water and the nutrient solution are recirculated and re-used by the plants. As the solution recirculates again and again, the roots of plants absorb nutrients, which causes changes in both the pH and the concentration of nutrients. However, it is important to periodically check the solution and adjust the pH and nutrient strength according to the needs of the plants. This aims at guaranteeing a balanced solution for crops.
Non– recirculating. Currently use it in commercial agriculture, the nutritional solution is not recycled. This system is cheap to maintain since none of the used solutions is recovered back in the reservoir, meaning that solution pH and concentration do not change; thus no adjustment is required. Excess water drains into the waste ground.
Image – courtesy
Advantages
The system is easy to build and operate to grow plants all year round.
The system provides increased control of nutrients and water.
Minimal maintenance is relative to other types of hydroponics.
Disadvantages
This is therefore complex and costly to small farmers.
The non-recovery system leads to the wasting of nutrients and water.
Conclusion
Indeed, it’s possible to grow plants without using the soil, but instead, feed the plants with nutrient solutions enriched with necessary nutrients for plant growth. (Hydroponic farming)
Different hydroponic systems have different characteristics which make them suitable or not suitable for a particular farmer. So, it is important for a farmer to understand each system’s features well, bearing in mind what his/her needs for hydroponic farming are. For example, for small scale, they should consider a simple system that requires little initial setup in terms of capital and space. E.g., wick system or water culture system. If a farmer wants to grow a wide range of plants for commercial purposes, a drip system or N.F.T. system will be the best choice.
References
https://sensorex.com/hydroponic-systems-explained/
Image Credit: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maximumyield.com%2Fmaximizing-hydroponic-nutrient-absorption%2F2%2F18332&psig=AOvVaw3O6HysRGE0i9-FlAe9TxUs&ust=1685148693353000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBMQjhxqFwoTCKiA-Jvikf8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
1 thought on “Hydroponics: A Game Changer in the Agriculture Industry”
Pingback: Hydroponics Institutions: Get New Skills Today - Affluent Farmers