How to Set Up Hydroponics Systems
Simple gravity-fed hydroponics systems are used by non-commercial gardeners to cultivate fast growing crops such as tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Hydroponics systems allow the grower to determine and provide the amount of nutrients, light and heat available to the plants. Hydroponics systems keep invasive organisms to a minimum. Although some hydroponics systems rely solely on liquid growing mediums, a gravity-fed hydroponics system requires a growing medium, or aggregate. Some aggregates include: pea stone, perlite, vermiculite, gravel, Styrofoam or crushed marbles. Aggregates, in conjunction with ordinary gardening supplies, are needed to set up a gravity-fed hydroponics system. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 buckets, 5-gallon
- Spigot
- !/2-inch diameter hose
- Aggregate
- Growing bed
- Podium
- Water
- Nutrient solution
Instructions
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1
Prepare the growing bed. Growing beds can be window boxes, greenhouse beds, old fish tanks, children's wading pools, or a simple pail.
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2
Create holes in the growing bed. Make one hole for nutrient uptake and one hole on the opposing side of the bed for drainage.
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3
Raise the growing bed at least 1 foot above ground level.
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4
Fill the growing bed with your chosen aggregate
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5
Label one of the 5-gallon buckets with the letter "A" and affix a spigot to the bottom of the bucket.
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6
Place bucket A on a podium at least 2 feet above the growing bed.
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Determine the length of 1/2-inch diameter hose you will need to connect bucket A's spigot to the nutrient uptake hole. Cut the hose to the correct length.
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8
Attach the hose to the spigot and feed the other end into the uptake hole.
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Label the remaining bucket with the letter "B." Place this bucket on the ground below the drainage hole.
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10
Run a second length of hose from the drainage hole into bucket B.
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Mix the correct amount of nutrient solution with water into bucket A by following the manufacturer's directions.
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12
Turn on the spigot and allow the mixture to drain through the growing bed.
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13
Check the moisture level of the medium by inserting your fingers or hand throughout the aggregate.
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14
Transplant the crop into the growing bed once the medium is sufficiently and uniformly moist.
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15
Recycle the nutrient solution from bucket B back into bucket A.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep the solution away from direct light sources to prevent the formation of algae.
Change the solution every one to two weeks.
Maintain a constant nutrient solution-to-water ratio.
