Materials

Things in the kit:

• An 11L storage tote container with holes cut for net cups.  We didn’t talk about this specifically during the workshop but if you look at the bottom of the container you’ll see that it’s LDPE, one of the plastic types that is safe for hydroponics in my opinion.
• 100mL each of Optimum Hydroponix Grow A and Grow B.  It’s not a case of using one for grow and one for bloom, it’s a grow formula that just comes in two parts.  See the article about nutrients if you want to learn about bloom formulas.
  
• A liquid-based pH test kit, including testing liquid, vial, and colour chart for reading results.
• 8 net cups.  This is more than the system holds, but the extras are so you can start germinating new plants as you’re preparing to ‘retire’ some older ones.
• 8 media cubes (rockwool or Rapid Rooters).  The small rockwool cubes are a good size on their own but Rapid Rooters are a little small.  If using Rapid Rooters, pad their sides with slices cut from an extra cube in order to make a snug fit.  For another media option, you can use larger loose media such as large perlite or coco coir or smaller sized hydroton, or see my post on cloning to see how plastic mesh netting can be used together with smaller grain perlite or coco coir.

Continue reading Hydroponics workshop: Starting the Kratky system →

The end of July is approaching, but mentally I’m already preparing for late fall, trying to brainstorm ways to transition some of my balcony projects indoors. Continue reading Cloning for hydroponics (and how to use fine grain media in net cups) →

The Yamazen LED Planter is a commercially sold kit for hydroponic growing, and it was my introduction to hydroponics.  It combines ideas from floating raft systems as well as non-circulating hydroponics. Continue reading Hydro workshop: Yamazen case study →

The basic idea of the Nutrient Film Technique is that plants sit in net cups suspended a small distance over a thin stream of nutrient solution which is in constant motion.

Generally, a steady stream of water is continually pumped into one end of a channel and a small downward gradient causes the water to flow to the other end thanks to gravity. At the other end of the channel is a connection which allows the water to return to the reservoir, ideally without relying on power so that the water can return to the reservoir in the event of a power outage rather than gathering at one end of the channel.  NFT is best used for shallow rooting plants like lettuce and other greens, herbs, strawberries, etc. Continue reading Hydro workshop: NFT case study →