1. Hydroponics
Is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient
solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the
mineral nutrient solution only, or in an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel.
The History of Hydroponics
The word hydroponics comes from two Greek words, "hydro" meaning water and
"ponics" meaning labor. The concept of soil less gardening or hydroponics has been
around for thousands of years. The hanging Gardens of Babylon and The Floating
Gardens of China are two of the earliest examples of hydroponics. Scientists started
experimenting with soil less gardening around 1950. Since then other countries, such as
Holland, Germany, and Australia have used hydroponics for crop production with
amazing results.
Why Hydroponics?
Hydroponic growing is the best way to overcome global food and water shortages and
produce the highest quality, nutritious produce in any type of climate.
It is a precise scientific growing method developed from experiment, experience and
observation.
The hydroponic growing method provides for reliable, predictable and repeatable, safe
food production.
When consumers are asked what they want from the fresh produce they purchase from
the supermarket their three main preferences are as follows:
 The food must be nutritious.
 It should be free of harmful agrichemicals.
 It should be produced in a way which avoids any negative effects on the
environment.

2. Hydroponic growing can address all three of these concerns and produce food on a scale
and quality which is unmatched by any other growing method.
There are an enormous range of benefits which are possible from growing a crop
hydroponically rather than in a soil based media:
 Water usage is much lower than soil based growing methods.
 Hydroponic waste water (run off), which contains valuable water & nutrients is
able to be collected, filtered, treated and recycled.
 Hydroponic crop yields and crop rotations are usually much higher than crops
grown in fertile soil in the same environment. This is financially significant.
 Plants are provided with all the nutrients they require in exact quantities and
nutritional recipes can be fine tuned based on observations of the crop or
laboratory testing.
 Any nutrient deficiencies can easily be detected and correctedwith a high degree
of control and responsiveness.
 Exact nutrition provides for a better cell structure in the plant resulting in a longer
shelf life after harvest.
 A high degree of uniformity is obtainable with hydroponic growing – all the plants
look virtually identical.
 Fertilizer usage is usually much lower than with soil growing.
 The use of an enclosed greenhouse environment enables Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) strategies to be applied. IPM involves the deliberate
introduction of natural insect predators into the greenhouse to prey on common
pests such as aphids and whitefly. The use of IPM strategies is a modern,
environmentally friendly alternative to using agrichemicals and it will form an
integral part of greenhouse systems in the future.
 When a plant is grown in a soil based media the plant spends energy & time
developing extensive root systems to access nutrients in the soil. In a hydroponic
system the full nutrition is immediately available to the plant so it focuses more of
its energy on abundant vegetative, flower or fruit growth.
 Modern greenhouse technology and hydroponic growing techniques allows
cropping to be extended into higher priced periods.
 The level of control and predictability experienced with hydroponic growing
allows future harvests to be planned and achieved with a high level of accuracy.
With soil growing, storms or inclement weather can interrupt or terminate a crop
or harvesting schedule.
 Under hot conditions the better water availability to roots can reduce water stress
on plants. This provides for less stress related diseases, higher yields and longer
plant life.
 For crops vulnerable to soil diseases, crippling losses can be substantially reduced
or eliminated. Crops are grown above ground in a clean, soil-less hydroponic
environment with good air movement from beneath.

3.  Hydroponic crops such as lettuces, herbs and strawberries are grown above ground
level at an ideal working height for planting, cultivation and harvesting. This
provides for better working conditions, faster crop turnover and lower labour costs
or work related injuries.
 Hydroponic systems can be installed on cheap infertile land or waste land as well
as inside buildings or on top of buildings. Because of the isolation of the system
from any soil or ground water the risk of crop contamination from heavy metals or
toxins in the soil is eliminated. Expensive soil remediation is not required when
using a hydroponic system and wasteland that would otherwise sit dormant can
now be utilised beneficially for food production.
 All growing media, nutrients and equipment are able to be assured as sterile before
use. Incoming water is able to be filtered, treated and laboratory tested. All inputs
are carefully monitored to ensure the growing environment and crop is clean and
food safe.
 After each crop, the preparation and setting up of the next crop is very quick and
simple.
 Weeds are substantially reduced or eliminated when using a hydroponic system.
 A wide variety of airborne pests can be shielded from the growing area through
the use of horticultural mesh, textiles and modern greenhouse technology.
 An ever changing global climate is no obstacle to successful growing.
Hydroponic crops are almost always grown under cover in a greenhouse or
glasshouse, which enables an ideal climate to be promoted. The greenhouse
environment can be heated, cooled, humidified or dehumidified using energy
efficient technology. The crop cover eliminates rain and wind damage and the
crop remains dry so that associated fungal problems from wet foliage is avoided.
 Hydroponic growing methods combined with a good greenhouse growing
environment will significantly reduce plant stress and provide for a very healthy
crop. This significantly reduces the need to use agrichemicals or organic sprays.
What Is Hydroponic Gardening and How
to Do It?
 Gardening is the passion of so many people and for the ones who want to keep up
with the latest trends in this domain, it is vital to learn about the hydroponic
principles. They are as easy as it gets and can do a lot of good to your concept of
gardening. The hydroponics requires plants to grow without the use of any type of

4. soil. This might sound a little bit strange at first, but it is actually a good way to
keep the plants watered and fully provided with food.
 Everyone knows that the function of the soil is to give nutrients and support the
roots of the plants. This means that plants actually use the water and the food that
is in the soil. In the case of hydroponics, the plants are given the proper nutrients
and support for their roots but with no soil.
 In this way, they have better access to them. Most people are interestedin this new
type of gardening; so there are plenty of online support and resources to make
their quest easier. You will need to be sure that you respect certain conditions in
order for the gardening to be successful.
1. The Plants
In a hydroponic garden you can grow medicinal plants, flowers of veggies. Most popular
ones are orchids, cucumbers, peppers or tomatoes. Starting a garden is easy as you need
to first buy the seeds of the plants that you want to grow.
2. The System

5. The hydroponic systems are of six types. You will need to choose the right one for the
garden. In order to choose the best one, you will need to take into consideration the
following factors: budget, garden size, lighting, medium, and so on. In this way, you will
be able to pick smartly.
3. The Garden
The next thing to do is to decide upon the size of your garden. This will determine the
levels of air circulation, water, electrical power and the needed systems in order to
produce them. The water has to have the right pH level so that the plants get the
necessary nutrients. If you go for indoor gardening, you will need an entire system based
on electrical power.
4. Various Accessories
You will need to get a variety of accessories according to the complexity of your garden.
Among all, these will contain meters, water pumps, fans, light sources. In most cases, it is
excellent to demand assistance from someone who already has a hydroponic garden.
5. The Light
If you decide to have a hydroponic indoor garden, you need to be aware that light is a
vital element. Choosing the ideal lighting system needs to be done according to the room
which is designed for the plants. You will need to provide a light similar to the sun so
that the plants have the right conditions to grow.
6. The Nutrients
The nutrients in a hydroponic garden come from prepared solutions. As you will not use
soil, you need to make sure that the plants get all the elements that they need.

6. 7. The Environment
The new type of gardening will replace the classic soil with an ideal environment, which
is excellent for the plants. You may want to ensure a proper medium for growing so you
will need to use a substitute which is benefit to plants.
Hydroponic gardening could be the new type of plant growing solution as it demands no
actual soil. The resources are little and on a small space, many types of plants can grow.
This solution is certainly more of the future than of the present, but it sure has its fair
share of popularity among gardeners.
High-tech agriculture: The extraordinary profits of
hydroponic vegetable farming
Through this technique, farmers can get between 450 and 550 tons of vegetables per acre,
compared to the average yield of 15 tons per acre from traditional farming.
Tahir Rana is a nuclear physicist who gave up a job in Canada to set up a vegetable farm
in Faisalabad. He is part of a growing number of people worldwide who have been drawn
in by the extraordinary profits in hydroponic vegetable farming, a new method that
dramatically increases productivity and thus farmer incomes.
Hydroponic farms are unique in that they do not require any fertile soil. Indeed many of
the world’s largest hydroponic farms are set up in the deserts of the Middle East or
unfertile soils in other parts of the world. Seeds are placed in a growing medium – which
can be either solid or liquid – in trays made from steel pipes. The advantage of this
system is that nearly all of the nutrients poured into the growing medium are absorbed by
the plant, making it exponentially more efficient and increasing productivity
manifold.

7. Rana uses coconut waste imported from Sri Lanka as the solid medium in which he
grows his plants. The vegetable plants are then irrigated through a water injection system.
Fareed Farm uses reverse osmosis water purification systems to ensure the quality of the
water.
Each plant requires up to two liters of water per day, which needs to be slightly acidic,
with a pH of 5.8,
There are 6 different types of hydroponic systems
Since there are many different options when it comes to hydroponic systems, it can be
hard to decide what unit may work best for you. Here’s a breakdown of some different
types of hydroponic gardening.

8. Hydroponic Farming
HYDROPONICS
Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants in water. It is generally thought that
plants need soil for growing. In fact, what they need is the nutrients (vitamins and
minerals) and moisture contained in the soil and these can be supplied through water, as
well as through soil. Hydroponics is not a new process.
As long ago as the 1690’s, an English physician tried growing plants in water in a
laboratory experiment. However, it was not until the 1800’s that German researchers used
this method to develop many of the formulas for plant nutrient solutions still in use
today. About a generation ago, hydroponics moved out of the research laboratory into
practical use. In the past 40 years, hydroponic farming has progressed in a number of
areas, especially in those where water is in short supply and temperatures are too extreme
for ordinary agriculture.

9. Hydroponics farming – Floating Platform
This is because hydroponic farming is the only economical solution in such desert areas.
Each year, more than 2.7 million kilograms of vegetables and fruit arc produced by
hydroponic farming. These are mostly tomatoes but cucumbers, lettuce and melons are
also grown. On hydroponic farms, each tomato plant produces an average of 6 kilograms
of fruit twice a year – a total of 12 kilograms every year.
An ordinary soil-grown plant, on the other hand, produces only a total of 9 kilograms per
year. In hydroponic farming, plants are grown in greenhouses. The greenhouses measure
8 by 39 meters and consist of steel frames covered with strong transparent plastic that is
resistant to weather and lets in a maximum amount of light. The plants are fed by
inorganic nutrients dissolved in water which is supplied by a plastic pipeline. The feeding
and watering system is automated. Electric sensing devices (sensors) determine when the
plants are hungry or thirsty. The sensors send messages which automatically start the
water and nutrient delivery system.
When the sensors ‘know’ that the plant have had enough, the system turns off
automatically. Nothing is left to chance within the greenhouses. Temperature, humidity
and air circulation are carefully controlled. Air conditioning and heating equipment
keep the temperature at 29°C by day and 18°C by night. In recent years, hydroponic
farming has expanded to many parts of the world. An application of the method has
occurred in Italy, for example, where the largest hydroponic installation – 50,000
square expansion of such a bar, due to heating, may be used to operate switches and
valves.

10. In a gas refrigerator, there is a reservoir containing ammonia water. When the lower gas
flame is burning, the ammonia water rises through the tube to the ‘generator’. The upper
gas flame drives off the ammonia gas, which passes into the ‘condenser’. The cold air
around the condenser rapidly brings down the temperature of the gas. Then the cooled
gas, now condensed into a liquid, passes into the ‘evaporator’, which contains hydrogen.
In the evaporator, the ammonia expands rapidly, especially since its expansion in
hydrogen is greater 45 than it would be in air. This rapid expansion greatly lowers its
temperature. It is the cooling of the gas in the evaporator which lowers the temperature of
the whole refrigerator and freezes the water in the ice-cube trays.
The market today for your specific needs are:
1. Drip System
The most commonly used hydroponics system is the drip system.

11. The main principles behind the hydroponic drip system are relative simple which makes
them incredibly easy to use, hence their popularity.
Vital nutrients are added to a tank of water to create a nutrient reservoir which is kept
separate from the plants. The water is then pumped up a network of tubes, and is
released to the plants individually.
The pump can be controlled by a timer, taking any manual watering out of the equation,
and allowing you to decide how frequently you want a watering cycle to occur. You can
also place an emitter at the end of each tube in the network to allow more, or less, water
to reach a specific plant during each watering cycle. This means that you can put a range
of different plants into the same system and tailor make watering cycle to cater to the
different plants’ individual needs.
There are two types of drip systems: the recovery drip system and the non-recovery drip
system.
The recovery part of the name is pretty self-explanatory, and refers to whether the water
recycles itself or not. In a hydroponic recovery drip system, any excess nutrient solution
will drain back into the nutrient reservoir, where it can be re-used. This makes the system
much more efficient;consequently, a relatively low amount of maintenance is needed.
You will have to check the solution reservoir periodically: as the plants absorb the
nutrients this will start to distort the makeup of the nutrients remaining in the water.
2. Ebb and Flow System (Floodand Drain System)
The ebb and flow hydroponic system (otherwise known as a flood and drain system) is
also a very popular form of hydroponics. They work in a similar way to the drip system,
but are actually even more simplistic to use which makes them a great first hydroponics
system for an amateur gardener.

12. Like in the drip system, an ebb and flow system also makes use of a nutrient reservoir,
keeping the water in a separate tank to the plants, which are placed in a grow tray above.
A timer is set to periodically activate a pump which is kept in the nutrient reservoir.
When activated, the pump will flood the grow tray with the nutrient solution, feeding
your plants the nutrients they require for optimal growth.
When the grow tray is sufficiently flooded, the system will turn itself off, and the excess
run off will begin to drain back into the nutrient reservoir. This continuous cycle of
flooding the growing tray, and then allowing it to drain, is where the system gets its
name.

13. Because the run off filters back into the nutrient reservoir the system is very low
maintenance, and almost self sufficient.
As with the drip system, the pump timer can be manually set to feed your plants as
frequently as necessary to suit their needs. However, unlike the drip system, there is no
way to tailor the amount of the nutrient solution that each individual plant receives: all
plants in the growth tray will be flooded equally.
Because of the ebb and flow systems simplicity, it is relatively easy to build your own
system at home. However, if you don’t have the time for this you can also pick them up
relatively inexpensively, and the simplicity of the system means most are plug in and go.
If you’re looking for the perfect hydroponic system to start with, I recommend one of
these as they are almost impossible to do wrong!
3. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
The third type of hydroponic system is known as the Nutrient Film Technique, or NFT
for short. NFTs are often used in commercial hydroponics, particularly for short harvest
crops.

14. Unlike the first two systems we’ve looked at, an NFT system does not require a timer.
Instead, the nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir up into the grow tray in a
continuous cycle. The growing chamber is built with the slightest downhill decline,
allowing the solution to trickle from the top end of the tray to the bottom, where it is
recycled back into the nutrient reservoir.
Instead of a regulated watering schedule, the plants in an NFT hydroponic system are
provided with a constant flow of nutrient solution. The slope is set at a shallow angle to
ensure the solution only trickles along the growing tray. However the slope is sufficient
for ensuring that the solution does reach the bottom, where it is drained back into the
reservoir. This ensures the grow tray is never flooded, which prevents your plants from
being overfed. In fact, only a small film of nutrient solution is accessible to the plants
which are suspended above with their roots hanging down — at any given point.
Because there is no timer involved there is less scope for anything to go wrong. This
means maintenance is kept to the bare minimum: You simply prepare the nutrient
solution and then turn the pump on.
Because the system can run for so long without being manually checked, they usually
include an air stone in the nutrient reservoir which is vital for keeping the water within
the system oxygenated.
4. Aeroponics System
The aeroponic system is the most technologically advanced of all the hydroponic
systems. Many top scientists have claimed that this very system could be the solution to

15. food shortages in the future.
The plants are suspended in the air, as in the NFT system, with their roots hanging down
below. The nutrient solution is then pumped up a tube, where a second higher pressure
pump sprays the solution as a mist over the dangling roots.
Because each misting provides the plants with less food than a standard cycle in, say, a
drip system, the misting takes place considerably more frequently, which does mean a
more advanced timer is required. This, as well as the high pressured pump, can mean that
the component costs are higher for this type of system

16. The nutrient water is moved around far more frequently in this system due to the
regularity of the feedings, as well as the actual process of turning the water into mist.
This means the nutrient solution is far more oxygenated than in any other system, and
this helps the plants achieve faster growth rates. The plants will also adjust to their
feeding methods, and will grow more roots to enable them to absorb more nutrients from
the mist.
The reason this technology is considered essential for future food production is that it
offers the possibility of a group of plants to be grown vertically, meaning less land is
required to farm. If a plant can be suspended on a vertical wall, with their roots
protruding out the other side, then the roots can be misted using the techniques already
described.
5. . Deep WaterCulture (DWC)
Deep Water Culture (DWC) systems are by far the most simple method of hydroponics.
They are often used in classrooms to provide a working example of a hydroponics
system.
Unlike the other systems we have looked at, the grow tray in a DWC system is not kept
separate from the nutrient reservoir. Instead, the growing platform (oftena piece of

17. Styrofoam) is simply floated on top of the nutrient solution! This floating platform will
hold the top of the plant, including the leaves, above the water, but will have holes cut
into the bottom to allow the roots to grow down and directly into the solution.
Because the nutrient solution in this type of system is not circulated, it is essential to
include an air stone to keep the water oxygenated.
It is also not an appropriate hydroponic system for every type of plant: Because the
roots are constantly submerged in an abundance of nutrient solution, many plants will
suffer from being overfed. Therefore it is recommended you only use this system for
water-loving plants, such as lettuce.
If you have an old aquarium lying around the house and have access to a plank of
Styrofoam then you could put together a simple DWC hydroponic system in minutes!
6. Aquaponics
Yes, an aquaponic system actually features real, living fish! Far from being a novelty
hydroponic system though, this arrangement actually creates an intricate ecosystem that

18. benefits both the plants and the aquatic life swimming below!
In an aquaponic system, the fish are essentially living in the nutrient reservoir. Their excrement
releases ammonia into the water, as does any uneaten food. Ammonia is toxic to fish, and if they
remain in water filled with ammonia they will die; therefore, it must be removed to keep them
healthy.
The good news for the plants in the aquaponics system is that the fish are effectively creating a
natural fertilizer for them. When bacteria mixes with the ammonia in the water it will turn into
nitrate, one of the nutrients that is essential for optimal plant growth. This is then pumped into
the grow tray where it is fed to the plants.
As the plants absorb the nutrients they remove the toxins from the water. The runoff, now free
from ammonia, is then drained straight bank into the nutrient reservoir, where the fish live.
Clever right? The fish benefit the plants by providing them with a naturally produced fertilizer.
The plants benefit the fish by removing toxins from the water, leaving it fresh and clean when it
is returned to the tank. As I said at the start, a complex ecosystem, but one that is extremely
effective.

19. We could go on and on with different types of systems but the basic idea is to keep the
roots moist and exposed to the air.