This equipment will include a reservoir, which can simply be a plastic tote tub, an air pump, and air stone, tubing for the air pump, hydroton, and net pots. Now, you can use a 5 gallon bucket for your reservoir and you will be fine. The main elements which you cannot skimp on are the hydroton and the net pots. Connect the air pump to the tubing and then connect the tubing to the airstone. This will ensure that you get the circulation and the aeration of the water done properly.
Put your plants into the netpots. If you only have seeds, the best medium to get those rooted and into hydro will be to start the seeds in Rock Wool. Once the roots start to grow, they will expand into the water and will draw upon the nutrients in the water. Immediately your seedling gets needed nutrients, plenty of water and you will see rapid growth. Keep the roots below water at the seedling stage.
So long as the water is above the roots, the plant will survive. The roots will simply wick water upwards. You can easily upgrade to a Recirculating DWC which will allow you to maximize the number of plants which can be grown from one system.
So instead of maintaining and checking 10 different reservoirs, all you have to check on is one. The main difference between the deep water culture system and the recirculating deep water culture is that the recirculating system, the water is pumped from one large reservoir through the system and then back to the reservoir. The only part of the system which is changing from the standard DWC is the re-routing of water back to the head of the buckets.
Hence the re-circulation. It sounds a great deal more complicated than it is. Bubbleponics is simply taking some tubing or an irrigation hose and running one tube to each individual net pot in your system. It will require you to have an additional pump and hose system attached to the reservoir, but this is relatively cheap. Yes, you can go without the bubbleponics system, but in doing so you extend the time it takes for the seeds to germinate.
Here is how it works:. This gives the plant a sense of rain being applied to the seed. Think of it as a saturation of nutrients. When using the bubbleponics top feed method you should occasionally check the pipes and the tubing for any accumulation of algae which can in time affect plant growth or a build up of nutrient sludge that could clog the piping.
Keep in mind that you are working with water and so any metal fittings will need to periodically be checked for rust. It is a low maintenance system, but it does still require maintenance. While there are tremendous advantages to having a deep water culture system, there are some downsides which must be addressed in order to allow you to make an educated decision. The downside to this sort of system is that the PH levels tend to be a bit unstable, especially when one decides to have a single bucket system.
The fluctuation of the PH levels must be monitored closely to keep the plants growing properly. The roots of the plants need to have high oxygen and nutrients. Water temperature on the smaller systems are prone to shift considerably and at a rapid rate. My advice to anyone who is venturing into the DWC waters is to start with the simple 5 gallon bucket and get acquainted with the process of keeping the system going. When you are flushing out the system, make sure that you clean and sanitize everything in the system to prevent cross-contamination and any future problems with your plants.
To ensure that everything in the system is thoroughly cleaned, use fresh water and bleach when soaking the pipes and containers. If you do not have floor drains in your growing zone, you can siphon the water out from each container with sump pumps and dispose of the water properly away from any other hydroponic systems.
Most tap water originates from a public utility center if you live in the city or the suburbs. These centers typically treat the water to kill off any microbes or diseases that can cause illnesses in humans. When they treat the water, they usually use chlorine and other chemicals, which can alter the pH level in the water.
If you live in a more rural area, you most likely obtain your water from underground wells. Inside of those wells is a plethora of minerals that alter the pH level of the water.
Minerals, like calcium, can cause white buildup around your pipes, which can lead to clogs. Make sure that you test and treat your water as needed before putting it in your hydroponic system to ensure that they have the proper pH required to absorb nutrients. The best type of water to use in your recirculating deep water culture system is distilled water because it is already pH neutral. Distilled water is created by turning tap water, or any type of water, into steam.
You will then collect the condensation, and you can use it in your systems. This process purifies the water, removing any bacteria, heavy metals, or chemicals that may have been in your tap water or other water sources.
Filtered water is also another great source of water to use for your hydroponic system. If you are choosing to filter your tap water, it is best to use simple carbon-based filters. You can also use a more complex reverse-osmosis system if you choose to. Regardless of which method you choose, you will still end up with nearly pure water. If your system is held in an area where there is natural sunlight, then the light and heat from the sun should suffice.
Try to search for light bulbs like T5 fluorescents known to run a bit cooler than the average light bulb. For your recirculating DWC hydroponic system to work best, your plants need to have an uninterrupted flow of nutrients. Microorganisms and diseases are the biggest problems that can halt the growth of your fruits and vegetables.
To help solve this problem, you can install carbon filters and inline UV filters to ensure that the nutrient-rich solution stays untainted. The primary purpose of the carbon filter is to remove any plant exudates. Plant exudates are plant hormones that attract microorganisms.
These types of nutrients tend to get stuck in pumps, and they may clog up your system. When picking nutrients for your plants, stick to those that are specifically made for hydroponic setups.
When putting your plants into the containers, it is important not to submerge the entire plant. A good rule of thumb is to have about two inches of the root above the water, as this helps with oxygen intake. If your water is too cold, you can stunt the growth of your plant. Water that is too hot can run the risk of decreasing the oxygen level.
Three weeks is a reasonable amount of time in between changing out your nutrient solution. Of course, that time frame can be sooner or later, depending on your growing plants.
It is better to do a complete change to avoid playing a guessing game about the right balance between the solution and water. You can purchase oxygen meters to measure the amount of oxygen in your solution, but it is unnecessary. You can continuously monitor your air pump, check the pH levels, EC levels, and temperature. As long as those are up to par, you should not have to worry about the oxygen level in your containers.
Sterilizing your container is something that many hydroponic garners debate because of the pros and cons. With a sterilized container, you may lose out on the beneficial bacteria that can grow in your container and help your plants grow.
If you choose not to sterilize your container, you can get beneficial bacteria in your system. It is important to note that allowing these beneficial bacteria in can also run the risk of inviting other organisms that may damage your plants or throw off the pH levels of your water. It is essential to monitor the PPM and EC of the nutrient solution to ensure that your plants grow to their fullest potential. Fluctuations are likely with the recirculating DWC, and those fluctuations can cause deficiencies which can lead to your plants becoming stressed or dying.
The recirculating deep water culture system is an upgraded version of the traditional deep water culture system, bringing you higher crop yields. Once you have the system set up and running, you can expect healthy and quick growth.
Maintenance becomes trivial with only one system to keep watch of… and you need to keep watch on it. All pots are connected so an issue affecting one pot likely spreads to the others very quickly. While the many kits on the market make getting started very easy, they tend to thin the wallet. In part, the many bits that make up the DWC system drive the price, but mostly the convenience dictates what people will pay, especially if you are growing a premium crop that you cannot afford to fail with.
The most reasonably priced system Amazon has to offer is a kit that contains a series of things you can make yourself and comically poor photo editing. Better systems exist, but the price trends upwards quickly.
Building your own requires a working knowledge of how water levels work, and the ability to work with plastic piping. Simply mix your nutrients, and run the pumps continually. Transplant your seedlings into the grow media with the roots touching the liquid.
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