- Image by tom.arthur via Flickr
There are 6 basic types of hydroponics systems:
- Drip (Top-feed)
- Wick (Capillary)
- Ebb and Flow (Flood and Drain)
- Water Culture
- N.F.T (Nutrition Film Technique)
- Aeroponic (Spray)
One of the most common hydroponic methods is the drip irrigation systems.
- perfect for the ‘newbie’ as well as the experienced hydroponic gardener
- drip irrigation supplies are readily available
- drip irrigation kits are sold online as well as at your specialist garden supplier
- easy to set up and maintain
- nutrient can be re-circulated, saving water and nutrient
- can be left for several days on ‘auto-pilot’ without risk of losing the plants
- avoids the risk of water-logging the growing media
- provides good levels of oxygen to the root system
In the drip irrigation system plants are contained within pots and held in place by an inert growing media.
The most suitable growing media being, coconut coir, clay pebbles and rockwool.
The pots are placed in a tray.
The nutrient solution is held in a reservoir.
A submersible air pump feeds nutrient solution to the top of the growing media via small delivery tubes.
The nutrient rich solution is dispersed over the growing media and drips down through the growing media and the plant root system.
Excess solution drains to the bottom of the pot, into the tray and is returned to the reservoir.
this re-circulating method of drip irrigation is high maintenance because the nutrient level in the reservoir needs to be checked regularly and more importantly the nutrient strength and pH level needs to be monitored and adjusted.
There are also drip irrigation systems where the nutrient solution is not re-circulated but allowed to drain away.
This ‘run to waste’ drip irrigation system is more expensive in terms of nutrient solution cost but requires less maintenance as the nutrient solution is not re-used and so the strength and pH level remains constant.
(Some growers use the ‘waste’ nutrient solution to fertilise their traditional soil-based gardens).
The drip irrigation system is suitable for single plants as well as multi-pot installations.
The rate of feeding the nutrient solution can be difficult to control as it is acheived by restricting the tube at the top of the plant pots. However once setup the rate of flow can be adjusted very accurately.
A timer can also be used to control the rate of flow of the nutrient solution through the drip irrigation system. Especially if you want to stop the flow during the nite time hours.
There are many and various diy drip irrigation kits available, but they can be rather expensive.
If you are at all handy with small tools, then a very useful system can be ‘home-made’ with component parts purchased at your local builders merchant and pet store.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
It is a useful information about drip irrigation. I am a farmer and we have very large fields, before drip
irrigation system was found it was a nightmare to irrigate all those fields because where i live is a place
that does not rain so much. Now we use drip irrigation, saving so many water and it is a lot easier to irrigate
the field with that. I am trying to read everything about drip irrigation and i recommend every farmer to use that
technique, so i am grateful for everyone who gives information about it. I also found a very good guide about drip
irrigation and it may be useful too for those who want to learn more information about that;
http://agricultureguide.org/