Aquaponics Education Center
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Learning About Aquaponics
Are you interested in learning about aquaponics? Are you still not very aware of what is required to start? Here is some information which will help you understand the requirements better.
Read MoreSave Money with Aquaponics
Nutrition is essential for good health. Unfortunately, less and less healthy food is available on the market. The fatty, semi-prepared food has taken over the supermarkets and local store. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find organic food that is not only tastier, but it is also healthier than the crops grown with chemical fertilizers. Fortunately, it’s possible to save money with aquaponics.
Read MoreHydroponic Garden Kits
What is a hydroponic garden kit?
Hydroponic kits provide materials and accessories for growing and cloning seeds or cuttings. Types of kits include outdoor and indoor hydroponic kits, hydroponic starter kits, hydroponic tent kits, and others for supporting your plants in a nutrient solution indoors and outdoors.
However, the more you substitute for nature, the more complicated these kits are and the more expensive they become. When you remove plants from their natural environment, as in indoor gardening, then you have to duplicate all aspects of that environment by artificial or technical means.
The right hydroponic kit will depend on the stage of development, the conditions the plants are grown in and your available budget. Here are some hydroponic kits you may find indispensable:
Hydroponic Cloning Kits
Hydroponic cloning kits can cost between $30.00 to $100.00 depending on the level of sophistication. A hydroponic cloning kit enables you to have faster growth cycles and harvest more often.
The best hydroponic cloning kits will support dozens of trimmings and deliver a high success rate of clones. The cloning kit should consist of a reservoir that holds the water and nutrient solution mix.
The growing chamber section usually consists of trays or pots containing a growing medium for root support. For example, it may contain compressed peat or a perlite Vermiculite mix to support the seeds or clippings.
An automated hydroponic cloning unit will contain an air pump and watering system. This system can include a water pump, water spray or mister. You should avoid humidity domes as these can lead to mold and wilting of the plant.
Important features of hydroponic garden kit
- A hormone to enhance the development of roots.
- Hormone rooting compounds such as Rootex-L, Clonex, or Eziroot
- A heating pad or propagation mat
- An anti-stress agent such as superthrive
- Nutrient solution and thermometer
- Pruning shears or sharp scissors
You should see tiny root bumps appearing after 3 days and in about a week these roots should be formed and expanding. After about 2 weeks the plants should be ready to be transported into whatever medium you wish – this could be soil or a hydroponic unit.
Hydroponic Grow Kits
When your plants grow to a size that the cloning kit cannot support, you can transport them to a hydroponic grow kit. Many of the required components are similar to that of the cloning kit. However, the unit will be on a larger scale and may be housed within a tent.
A hydroponic grow kit will require light either from the sun or a powerful LED grow light. It will usually also provide various nutrients depending on the stage of development.
The cost of a hydroponic grow kit can vary significantly in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The price depends on the size and type of hydroponic unit. However, you can find inexpensive hydroponic kits for sale from various sources. There are a number of different hydroponic units available to growers and hobbyists. Each of these typically uses a different method of water transfer and plant support. Options can include drip systems, ebb and flow systems, wick systems and aeroponic systems.
Hydroponic Nutrient Kits
You can make your own homemade nutrients using fertilizer salts. However, to obtain higher yields and faster plant growth a number of hydroponic manufacturers provide nutrients that contain more than just the major and minor trace elements. These hydroponic nutrient kits contain crop enhancers such as root boosters, amino acids, microbes, enzymes, vitamins, fulvates, humates, and a non-ionic surfactant.
A good hydroponic nutrient kit contains all or most of the above enhancers. They should be easy to use and provide a more than one part formulation containing a different formula. The formula you use depends on whether your plant is in the growth or bloom stage of development.
Hydroponic Guide Sections
To learn more about other aspects of hydroponic gardening, see the following sections of our guide.
Hydroponic Foggers
What are hydroponic foggers?
Hydroponic or hydroponic/aeroponic hybrid systems use hydroponic foggers to feed nutrients to plant roots via a nutrient fog. A hydroponic fogger differs from an aeroponic mister since the fogger produces fog ultrasonically and it doesn’t atomize the solution.
A hydroponic fogger sits below the water level producing fog, thereby raising the humidity in the rooting zone. If the water particles produced by this fog are small enough – usually between 5-15 micrometers this allows for increased nutrient uptake. The oxygen-rich mist combined with high humidity and small water particles results in accelerated growth.
Fogger benefits
- Reduced need for water and nutrients
- No growing mediums required
- Increase in the overall root surface area due to increased growth of small root hairs
- Reduces the risk of harming the plants with excess nutrients
- Ultrasonic Hydroponic Fogger
Fogger Products
Hydroponic Fogger Tips
- Use only products that do not contain live microbial cultures as hydroponic foggers can sterilize live cultures.
- You need to clean the disks occasionally. You can use white vinegar for this. Simply place the Hydroponic Fogger in a glass of white vinegar and run the device for a minute or so and the mineral deposits from the nutrients will shed off.
- Replace the Teflon disks every 6 months to a year as the discs wear and the mist output decreases.
- Foggers can increase the temperature of your nutrient solution so monitor the temperature of the solution. If you provide a continuous flow of solution, such as the ebb and flow system, it can help keep temperatures down.
- You should consider a hybrid system that includes an ultrasonic fogger used in conjunction with a solution (ebb and flow nutrient film technique, or deep water culture, etc.) as hydroponic foggers can sometimes fail. The nutrient solution will feed the bottom half of the roots and the upper half of the roots are fed by the fog produced by the hydroponic fogger. Should the fogger fail there is still a system in place to feed the roots nutrients and water. This also leads to maximum oxygenation and access to an unlimited supply of nutrient solution at the bottom of the tray.
- The nebulizers on hydroponic foggers can be damaged quickly if water levels drop too low.
Hydroponic Guide Sections
To learn more about other aspects of hydroponic gardening, see the following sections of our guide.
Hydroponic Grow Tents and Grow Boxes
Advantages of a Hydroponic Grow Tent or Box
With a hydroponic grow tent or box, it is easier to control growing environments conditions such as the temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. This makes it easier to create the optimum conditions required for a specific plant.
If you purchase a grow tent with a reflective silver coating, the light and heat reflects off the interior sides onto the plant leaves. The confined area and reflective surface save energy and money.
Grow tents are easy to set up — such as lighting, ventilation, etc. Lights may be hung from the steel-enforced ceiling, and most grow tents also come equipped with ventilation holes so setting up ventilation is an easy process.
With a grow tent there are fewer problems with pests because there is a barrier between the plants and the outside environment.
Hydroponic grow boxes have similar advantages to a grow tent. The boxes tend to be better sealed from the elements and you can use them for smaller numbers of plants. Another advantage is that they often include integrated features, like a reservoir, tubing and trays and lighting.
Making Money with an Hydroponic Grow Tent
It’s possible to control and fine-tune the environment within a grow tent. Therefore, you can obtain larger crop sizes and healthier plants than most other environments. A hydroponic grow tent enables you to grow exotic and expensive herbs, fruit or vegetables out of season or under conditions that would normally require a different climate.
You can sell these plants or you could always sell them to restaurants, hotels, farm shops, food halls or private buyers at premium prices.
What to Consider when Buying a Grow Tent
When buying a grow tent the 3 most important factors will be the cost, dimensions, and materials. The materials and size of the grow tent are the biggest factors in determining the price. Other Important factors include light and heat leakage, the strength of the frame, user-friendliness, and accessories.
Size and Cost
Indoor grow tents are available in a variety of sizes. Grow tent sizes include the smaller 3×3 and 2×4 foot tents, medium-sized 4×4, 4×6, or 4×8 foot, as well as the larger 5×5 and 10×10 foot grow tents.
The cost of a grow tent can vary significantly but you can buy a grow tent suitable for a hobbyist for between $100 to $200. For this price, you can expect a decent sized grow tent (at least 4ft x 4ft width x 6ft height) with reflective inner lining.
User friendliness
You want a grow tent that is easy to set up with clear easy to follow instructions. Most grow tents are easy to set up.
Grow Tent Accessories
If buying a grow tent you should also purchase a grow light. A high intensity discharge lamp should be used for this purchase as these are powerful enough to mimic natural sunlight while efficient enough to be cost-effective. Other accessories could include the following:
- An Air Duct Inline Hydroponic Booster Fan
- A Flexible Ducting pipe for the air
- A Hydroponic Carbon Air Filter
- An indoor humidity monitor
- A grow light hanger
You can also buy grow tent kits that include all necessary accessories as a single package.
When buying a grow tent you should ensure your tend meets the following standards:
- The inner surface should be made of reflective material to retain light and heat (Mylar reflective inner surface etc)
- Be sturdy and strong enough to be moved around and hold a decent sized grow light and/or fan on the bars above the plants.
- Provide good insulation against heat loss.
- Made of non-toxic, non-flammable materials.
- Easy to set up (user-friendliness)
If you are interested in creating a DIY grow tent, you’ll be interested in the following video:
Hydroponic Guide Sections
To learn more about other aspects of hydroponic gardening, see the following sections of our guide.