Indoor Gardening – A Quick Look At Hydroponic Drip Systems
Before we delve straight into hydroponic drip systems, let’s cover the basics of hydroponics. Hydroponics is a from of growing plants in a controlled indoors environment with no soil and the aid of artificial lights. It accomplishes this by growing them in a rich in nutrient solution, most commonly water. Hydroponics is generally set up inside using special lights to promote growth. As a result you can grow anything you want all year round, without the knowledge of which season are the best to grow crops. Of all the hydroponic systems available, it’s hydroponic drip systems that are mainly used. The setup and operation is a simple process. A timer controlled pump is submerged in the solution. The pump utilises the timer to drip feed the solution to the plants at a specific rate. Any excess solution in a recovery drip system is then rerouted back into the reservoir, where it can be reused. Unless you have a recovery unit on your drip system, the excess solution will accumulate at the plants base. A recovery system is much more efficient as it makes use of the solution more effectively, as a result, a cheaper pump can be used as getting the drip rates dead on is not necessary. Word of caution though, unless you have a recovery unit installed, be aware of the exact amount of solution the plant requires, so you can set your timer accordingly, or they will not grow at their optimum rate. hydroponic drip systems with Recovery units tend to requires more maintenance time than non-recovery systems. The reason being, to maintain a flat level of nutrients and pH balance, the solution will have to be regularly check as a build up can occur due to the recycling process. To ensure your garden grows at it’s healthiest levels, monitor these levels and adjust them when required.