Everything you wanted to know about making a

home hydroponics system, plus a little more.

Adams-Friendship High School

Becky Grabarski

Agricultural Education Instructor/FFA Advisor

What is hydroponics?

• Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil – Faster growth rate– Less bugs and diseases– Better taste– Less space– Better nutrition– No weeds

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Plant Requirements

• Nutrients – C. HOPKN’S CaFe Mg– C, H, O needed most– Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen come from Water

and Air– N,P,K, Ca, S, & Mg (Macronutrients)

• need in large quantities

– B, Mn, Mo, Fe, Cl, Zn & Cu (Micronutrients)• Need in small quantities

– Micro and Macronutrients must be supplied.• Normally through soil and/or fertilizer

pH– Plants like the pH level of 5.8-6.8 – 6.5 is the best– Improper pH levels

causes nutrients to be

unavailable

Plant Requirements

Also, the natural tendency is for the pH to creep up over time, so it is your natural tendency to adjust the pH down to the low end of the range when you make an adjustment.

Plant Requirements

• Lighting – Need light to carryout photosynthesis to make food

• Temperature– Water will cool the plant through transpiration– maximum growth occurs when day temperatures are

about 10 to 15°F higher than the night temperatures

• Structure- Someway to hold itself up (usually soil)

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Types of systems

• Wick• Water Culture• Ebb and Flow• Drip• N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)• Aeroponic  

Types of systems

• Wick– simplest type – Passive system (no electrical pump)– nutrient solution is drawn into the growing

medium from the reservoir with a wick– Disadvantage is large plants may need more

water/nutrient solution than the wick(s) can supply it.

Types of systems

• Water Culture– Platform that holds the plants – floats directly on the nutrient solution – air pump supplies oxygen to the roots of the

plants – Good for leaf lettuce (Very few other plants)– doesn't work well with large plants or with

long-term plants

Types of systems• Ebb and Flow

– by temporarily  flooding the grow tray with nutrient solution

– draining the solution back into the reservoir – submerged pump that is connected to a timer.  – grow tray can be filled with Grow Rocks, gravel or

granular Rockwool

– vulnerability to power outages as well as pump and timer failures

Types of systems-School

• Ebb and Flow

-3 times a day for .5 hour

-hydrotrons/geolites

-rockwool cubes

Types of systems

• Drip– most widely used type – nutrient solution is dripped onto the base of

each plant by a small drip line – Recovery Drip System - excess nutrient

solution that runs off is collected back– recovery system can have large shifts in the

pH and nutrient strength (must check)

Types of systems-School

• Drip– Nutrients dripped into rockwool blocks – Recovery Drip System

Types of systems

• N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)

– constant flow of nutrient solution– no timer required for the submersible pump – nutrient solution is pumped into the growing tray

(usually a tube) – flows over the roots of the plants– drains back into the reservoir– plant is supported in a small plastic basket– roots dangling into the nutrient solution – very susceptible to power outages and pump failures

Types of systems-School

• N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)

– AQUAPONICS – Grown plants with “Fish Water”– Plan

• Set up a NFT system that will run off the 300 gallon fish tank

• Submersible pump will pump water through 2-3” PVC pipe

• Water will exit PVC to the tank• Will filter water and provide nutrients to the plants

Types of systems

• Aeroponic

– most high-tech type of hydroponics gardening – roots hang in the air and are misted with

nutrient solution – short cycle timer controls the nutrient pump

Types of systems-School

• Aeroponic

• Adjusts to amount of roots

• Recycles nutrients

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Supplies

• CocoTek – product is designed to sit inside plastic baskets and

prevent media from falling through

• Perlite– volcanic glass that has a relatively high water content

• Rockwool– molten rock spun into fibers like cotton candy – feel like a sponge and will not breakdown – used for starting cuttings or seeds or growing out– Provide structure for roots

Supplies

• Rockwool» *Growing Blocks are used for small plants in a flood / drain

tray

» *Multiblocks are used for seedlings and cuttings

» Granulated for filling pots

» Hugo Blocks for larger plants, best with a drip system

» Slabs for large plants watered by drip irrigation.

» Grow cubes in a pot

Supplies

• Hydroton Growing Media– Provides structure for the roots

• Vermiculite– another superheated mineral that is expanded into

light pebbles– holds more water than perlite and has a natural

"wicking" property• Gravel

– Gravel is inexpensive– easy to keep clean– drains well – But, it is heavy

Supplies

• Vine clips– used tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other tall

plants– attach plants to strings or trellis support wires

• Plastic net pots – allow root development and promote oxygen transfer

• Drip emitter– Drips nutrient solution to plants

Equipment

• Ec meter– Measures nutrients in water

• pH meter– Measures pH levels

• Timers– Controls lights and pumps

Equipment

• Submersible pump– Used to circulate the nutrients solution

• Aerator/air stone– Adds air to nutrient solution– Prevents algae build up

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Nutrients

• Nutrient solutions– mostly in inorganic and ionic form. – Numerous 'recipes' for hydroponics solutions are

available. – Plants deplete specific nutrients more rapidly than

others– Care is required not to allow salt concentrations to

become too high, nutrients to become too depleted, or pH to wander far from the desired value

– Change reservoir every three weeks

Nutrients

• Nutrient solutions– Lots of choices on the internet

• Grow formulas• Bloom formulas• Homemade recipes• Miracle-Gro

– The main things to remember…• C.HOPKN’S CaFe Mg• Keep pH in check

Lighting

• Before using garden grow lights, you should consider a few things, such as...– The heat they produce– The electricity they use– How to be safe with both electricity

AND water in your garden

• three types of lights– fluorescent grow lights– metal halide (MH) grow lights– high pressure sodium (HPS) grow lights

Lighting

• Fluorescent Grow Lights– used for clones and seedlings – vegetative stage– need to use more of them to keep the growth nice and

healthy– Plants grown under fluorescent lights usually do O.K.

as long as you keep them within 24 inches from the bulb

– When it comes time to force flowering– Must give a few hours of high pressure sodium light

each day for two or three days before they can handle the much brighter light (which is required for good fruiting/flowering)

Lighting

• Metal Halide Grow Lights– used for the vegetative stage of plant growth– must be kept 12 to 18 inches from the bulb or

they will burn – will support nice, healthy plant growth up to

24 inches or so– they will reach this height much more quickly

than with fluorescents– Plants do not need to be "broken in" to

sodium light when grown first under metal halide light

Lighting

• High Pressure Sodium Grow Lights– lights are used for the flowering stage of

growth– must keep the plant tops 12 to 18 inches from

this light, also, or they will burn– flowering stage require much more light to

develop properly

Lighting

• Expensive• 18 hours of light• Can be set on a timer

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Homemade Hydroponics Systems

•WICK, RAFT, BUBBLER SYSTEMS

Homemade Hydroponics Systems

• WICK– consists of…

• a plastic nursery pot• some wood chips, perlite, pea gravel, etc • plastic bucket (Food Grade)• a wick (old cotton t-shirt) 2” wide

Homemade Hydroponics Systems

• WICK

-Put 2 or 3 wicks in the medium, out the holes in the bottom of the pot to the bottom of the bucket.

– Add nutrient to the bucket – Plant some seed touching one of the wicks and watch

it grow.– Any number of things can be substituted for the pot

and bucket shown above.

Homemade Hydroponics Systems

• RAFT SYSTEM– a floating part (usually Styrofoam)– floats on a container of nutrient with the plant

roots extending downward through a small hole or cup

Can use• 5 gallon bucket• childs swimming pool • Pond?

Homemade Hydroponics Systems

• RAFT SYSTEM– aerator is necessary to maintain oxygen

levels– holes are 9/16th inch– cotton balls inserted and extends slightly

below to act as a wick– Cups filled with woodchips or coarse saw dust

Bubbler System• Bubbler system

– probably the most effective– when considering simplicity with the variety of plants – that can be successfully grown.

Material list2 buckets with 1 lid. Most any size will do.1 Aquarium aerator4 feet of 3/16th inch vinyl tubing or whatever length necessary to attach the Aerator from a protected place to the bucket.2 1/2 feet of 1/4 inch black vinyl tubing2 feet of 3/8th inch vinyl tubing22 inches of 1/2 inch thinwall PVC pipe28 inches of 1/2 inch thinwall PVC pipewood chips or other growing mediumThe above measurements are based on using 5 gallon buckets. Adjust for different sizes.

Bubbler System• Bubbler system

– probably the most effective– when considering simplicity with the variety of plants – that can be successfully grown.

Material list2 buckets with 1 lid. Most any size will do.1 Aquarium aerator4 feet of 3/16th inch vinyl tubing or whatever length necessary to attach the Aerator from a protected place to the bucket.2 1/2 feet of 1/4 inch black vinyl tubing2 feet of 3/8th inch vinyl tubing22 inches of 1/2 inch thinwall PVC pipe28 inches of 1/2 inch thinwall PVC pipewood chips or other growing mediumThe above measurements are based on using 5 gallon buckets. Adjust for different sizes.

Bubbler System• The above measurements are based on using 5 gallon

buckets. Adjust for different sizes• Using heat, bend a 90 degree angle in about 1/2 inch of

the 3/16th inch vinyl tube. Cut the bent tube to 1/4 inch long.

• Drill a 3/16th inch hole about 1 1/2 inches up the 3/8th inch vinyl tube. Place the 1/4th inch end into the hole and seal with hot glue

• Drill a series of holes in the lid and bottom of one of the buckets The size and placement of the holes is not important except for two 7/8th inch holes in each that must line up when fitted together.

Bubbler System

• Cut 22 and 28 inch pieces of 1/2 inch PVC pipe. • Cut a notch in the bottom to allow water to enter the

pipe. • Put the buckets together where the 7/8th inch holes line

up. • Slide the PVC pipes into the 7/8th inch holes all the way

to the bottom of the bucket. • Slip the 3/16th and 3/8th tubes into the 22 inch PVC pipe

as far as they will go. There should be 2 inches of the 3/8 tube above the PVC.

• Drill or punch 4 or 5 holes into the 1/4th inch black tube. Insert about 1 inch of the black tube inside the 3/8th inch tube.

Bubbler SystemThe black tube is used above the wood chips to prevent

algae growth inside the tube. • The 28 inch PVC pipe will be above the top of the bucket

and will be used to insert a dip stick to measure nutrient level. (Any clear tube placed outside the bucket to read the nutrient level will grow algae inside.)

• Attach the aerator to the 3/16th inch tube, place wood chips or other medium above the clear vinyl tube, add nutrient to the bottom bucket, plug in the aerator, and it is ready to go.

• The nutrient should drip and occasionally squirt out the holes in the black tube.

Easy Wick System

• You need– Empty 2 liter soda bottle– Wick– Fertilizer– Plant– lemon or lemon juice– baking soda– Optional: pH test kit or litmus paper, – Filler (straw, Lego blocks, shredded fabric, shredded

paper)

Easy Wick System

• How to make– Cut top off soda bottle– put back in the bottle up side down– Adjust water for pH– add wicks– Add nutrient to water– Add filler material

• ½ vermiculite• ½ perlite

Homemade Aeroponics

• Homemade Aeroponic system– Supplies

• 5 gallon bucket• an aquarium water pump• some old garden hose or tubing

– Set up• pump submersed in a few inches of nutrient solution• tubing (or hose) has several 1/16 inch holes drilled into it• tubing is positioned to coil around the container from bottom

to top• A 200 gph aquarium pump works well for this.

Homemade Aeroponics

– The lid • usually be cut for netted pot• Nets either filled with expanded clay pellets or containing a

rockwool block.

– Issues• may need to be hand watered until the roots begin to hang• biggest disadvantage to this homemade aeroponics system

is the small nutrient reservoir• The smaller the reservoir, the more quickly the solution will

become unhealthy for the plants.Biggest problem with homemade aeroponics systems clogging spray emitters

Hints

• dark color tote to keep light out of the nutrient solution...this will help prevent the growth of algae

• Dark color hoses to prevent algae growth

Adjusting pH

• buy a little pH test kit/ litmus paper-

• If the pH is over 7: – add ½ squeezed lemon per gallon water.

• If the pH is 5 or lower (unusual)– add 1 tsp baking soda.

What we have learned so far…

• Big Door open too cold

• pH changes rapidly

• No Bugs – No fertilization

• Lights do burn plants

• Change water solution – 3 weeks

Internet Help

• http://www.hydroponicsearch.com/Explore_the_Science_of_Hydroponics/Homemade_hydroponics_%26_aeroponics_system/

• http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/homemade-aeroponics-system-2.html

• http://www.simplyhydro.com/system.htm• http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-

hydroponics-gardening.com/garden-grow-lights.html

Internet Help

• http://members.mailaka.net/norm34/building.html• http://www.hydroponics101.com/sw63175.asp• http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-

hydroponics-gardening.com/how-to-grow-hydro.html

• http://ezinearticles.com Easiest-Homemade-Hydroponics-System&id=109225 /?

• Plant requirements• types of hydroponics systems• equipment and supplies• nutrient and lighting requirements • tour of the AFHS Ag Facility• Homemade systems• Questions

Becky Grabarski

Agricultural Education Instructor

FFA Advisor

201 W. 6th Street

Friendship, WI 53934

608-339-3921 ext 110

Grabarski_b@af.k12.wi.us