Hydroponics is fast becoming one of the most popular growing produce in the gardening community. The equipment has become much more affordable and accessible, allowing even the most curious beginners to get involved without blowing their budget.
Furthermore, a wealth of information is floating around these days, making getting started a lot less painful than it would have been years ago. Nowadays it isn’t heard to learn how to set up hydroponic system, and I will guide you about it in this article.
The technology has advanced so much that it’s more fun than effort! There are 6 basic system setups that you can use. Of course, each of them requires varying expertise levels and can produce differing results.
These 6 are the DWC (Deep Water Culture), NFT (Nutrient Film Technique), Ebb and Flow (flood and drain), wick systems, drip systems and aeroponics.
The best hydroponic system for beginners is the DWC. Identically, the NFT method is one of the most reliable.
If all of these words make no sense, read on as we go into full green thumb mode. This detailed guide on how to set up hydroponic system will walk you through the ins and outs and help make the decision process a much more educated one when choosing which system is right for you.
Whether you are tight on space, low on funds, confused with all of the nutrients or have no idea where to begin, don’t go away because we got you with exact steps of how to set up hydroponic system at home!
Table of Contents
How Does the Hydroponic System Work?
Hydroponic systems work in a way that they allow the user to control and enhance every aspect of the plant’s growing phase/stage. From seedling to fruiting.
You can control all of its environmental conditions, such as the temperature, the exact balance of its pH levels, and maximizing the amount of exposure to water and the essential nutrients. Furthermore, this method doesn’t require any soil, and you are providing your plant with exactly what they need when they need it.
What are the advantages of Growing with hydroponics?
There is a long list of advantages to using hydroponics to grow your plants. These include:
Maximizing Space
The footprint created through growing hydroponics is much less than traditional methods. This is because the largest part of a plant is its root system. When using hydroponics, the root system is given all of its nourishment via nutrients and water directed at the roots.
This means it doesn’t need to spread itself out in search of food and moisture as it would using traditional methods. Smaller roots mean less space used. Couple that fact up with vertical farming techniques, and you can have a small growing area.
Requiring Much Less Labor
A hydroponic system removes many arduous elements such as maintaining weeds, eradicating pests, setting up a whole garden, shifting soil and huge pots, etc. Even a smaller greenhouse requires just a few hours per week to ensure everything is running smoothly. This makes it the ultimate hobby.
No Need For Soil
Aside from soil’s mess, it can also be costly in the long run. So to remove these things alone, make a hydroponic system worth investing in. Furthermore, finding the right soil type for your plants that is also of the best quality is a lot more difficult these days.
Reduces Supply Chain
Quite often, by the time our store bought produce reaches our plate, it’ll have been transported halfway across the world, sprayed with a ton of chemicals to keep it edible, and I won’t even mention the fact that they are usually genetically modified.
Growing your removes these factors, and who wouldn’t want to cut out the middle man? It’s more money in your pocket to continue growing the good stuff!
Producing Much Higher Quality Food
This is a no-brainer; you’re giving your plants every chance of maximum potential in a quality sense. No chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, tinkering with genetics. From your garden to your plate.
Most plants nourishing nutrients lose their potency after a short period so that you could imagine the loss due to transport times. I know what I prefer!
Conserving Water
As crazy as it may sound, using water rather than soil as the main method to grow plants does save water. The water is adjusted to only use what the plant requires, leaving very minimal wastage.
Furthermore, it recirculates and can be redistributed when required. On the other hand, plants grown in soil take moisture sporadically, and the rest either drains out or evaporates.
Producing Higher Yields
When plants are grown using hydroponics, they are administered with the optimal amounts of everything required to produce as much yield as possible. All this is done in the shortest amount of time possible also.
Facilitating a Micro-Climate
A hydroponic system is set up, so absolutely every facet of a plant’s growth cycle is mitigated so that it is nearly impossible to fail. It receives optimal nutrients and water; it’s away from any harsh form of climate, restricts insects, doesn’t require any harsh chemicals, and even the sun can be replicated.
It is like growing under a perfected bio-dome.
Being Predictable And Avoiding Seasonality Issues
Growing a specific plant is possible all year round. The environment is controlled. Therefore, the growth cycles can be more precise and predictable. This, in turn, deems hydroponics a reliable form of growing.
Faster Crop Growth
Hydroponics improve the growth rate compared to traditional farming methods by 30-50%. The nutrients are directed at the roots, so the plant only focuses on growing its fruit or flower.
On the other hand, traditional farming methods may see a plant spend its energy growing thicker stems to counter wind, for example. Or even grow closer to a source of light. Hydroponics optimizes everything so that it can grow faster.
Different Types Of Hydroponic Systems
There are 6 commonly known types of hydroponic systems may suit diverse levels of expertise and conditions. The range of systems also comes with benefits and drawbacks. They differentiate in how they supply water, nutrients and oxygen to the plants.
These 6 systems include DWC (Deep Water Culture), NFT (Nutrient Film Technique), Ebb and Flow (flood and drain), wick systems, drip systems and aeroponics.
DWC (Deep Water Culture)
Plants are placed and positioned directly into the nutrient solution. Uses diffusers and air stones to produce the plant’s oxygen source.
Pros
✅ Great for beginners due to its simplicity to set up and maintain. A small number of moving parts. Accelerated growth due to uptake of nutrients and oxygen. Easily accessible parts.
Cons
❌ The air pump must be run constantly, and this can cause issues with rising and regulating temperatures. The roots can drown in a low oxygen solution if the electricity or pump fails.
NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)
Nutrient solution added to a large reservoir. The solution is then pumped into sloped channels that pass by and nourish the roots of the growing plants. Any excess nutrient solution is drained from the channels back into the reservoir and recirculated.
Pros
✅ Easily adjustable and scalable, and it can be scaled to suit larger amounts of plants. One of the most reliable systems.
Cons
❌ Not as suitable for larger plants as the root systems are too big to soak up the running solution.
Ebb and Flow (flood and drain)
Plants are placed in a grow bed with a growing medium such as perlite or rockwool. The grow bed is flooded with a nutrient rich solution using a water pump set up with a timer. The pump releases just enough water not to flood the beds. The level of the solution is regulated so it doesn’t rise higher than 1-2 inches below the top of the growing medium.
Pros
✅ Great for most small to mid-sized plants such as root vegetables like radishes and carrots.
Cons
❌ This setup requires more space for growing medium and nutrient solution, so it’s not a good system for larger plants. Also, the pump system can break down under its taxing workload, resulting in failed yields.
Wick system
Unlike the DWC system, which uses air stones and diffusers, plants are instead placed into absorbent substances such as perlite or vermiculite. Nylon wicks are added, so they surround plants. Plants dipped into the nutrient solution.
Pros
✅ Possibly the simplest to set up and run, and doesn’t require aerators, pumps or any form of electricity. Great for smaller plants and herbs.
Cons
❌ It doesn’t allow the release of a significant amount of nutrients, so it isn’t the best choice for larger plants.
Drip systems
With this type of system, plants can be placed in varying arrangements. The nutrient solution is delivered to the base of the plant via a tube, and drip emitters are attached at each tube opening to control the release of the solution.
Pros
✅ Great system for beginners. Easy to adjust to the desired arrangement or pattern. The imagination is the limit, big or small, tall or short, circulating or not. Different plants can run on one system as all that needs adjusting is the emitters.
Cons
❌ When using a recirculating system, pH levels will need to be maintained as they fluctuate when reusing old nutrient solutions.
Aeroponics
Plants are suspended in the air over a water reservoir. Mist nozzles are connected to a water pump positioned below the plants and sprays the nutrient solution directly at the root system as it builds up pressure. The excess solution falls back into the reservoir and is recirculated.
Pros
✅ Almost any plant can be grown using this method. Aeroponics is very water efficient.
Cons
❌ Requires a higher difficulty level of build due to the suspension aspect. A deeper reservoir is required to grow large plants as the mist nozzles must be under the plan to spray the roots. Aeroponics parts can be costly, and the pump can become blocked, which takes time to correct and restart.
Things To Consider Before Setting up a Hydroponic System
Before setting up or even going ahead and purchasing a hydroponics system, a few things should be considered. A successful hydroponics system requires 6 main elements to produce an optimal yield.
Within these 6 elements are some questions that should be answered to understand better what makes a successful setup.
The Main 6 requirements for hydroponics:
Water
The type of water that you use within your hydroponics system is very important. Your plants will feed on the minerals found in your water source. It’s not recommended to use normal water straight from the tap, and it can contain contaminants that can harm your growing plants.
Although if you run the tap water through a reverse osmosis filtration system or something similar, the water can become clean of most impurities. Otherwise, distilled water is the preferred option.
The amount of water required will depend on the type of system and the medium that could be used within that system, the type of plant and the size of the plant. There is no single answer to cover water use within every hydroponics system in general. They are usually set up to spray several times per day, and again, many factors decide the actual amount and frequency.
pH levels of a hydroponic system are equally as important. If the pH is too high (basic), it can cause iron deficiency, which can stunt the plant’s growth. Comparatively, if the pH is too low(acidic), the plant can become deficient in other minerals, which as a result, stunts root growth and discolors and even causes death to the plant.
The levels can be adjusted by using pH up or down. Alternatively, you can use some household items like white vinegar or citric acid to lower the pH, while baking soda can be used to raise it. These are more short-term fixes, though. The commercial products will help long term.
Another issue that you may stumble upon is your nutrient solution needing to be disinfected. This may be necessary due to the recirculation of water and solution, which can introduce pathogens such as Pythium.
A few options are UV radiation disinfection, ozone treatment, slow sand filtration/biological disinfection, heat, chemical disinfection or surfactant, to name a few. These methods require a bit of research if you’re serious about keeping any nasties away.
Light
Hydroponics systems don’t require sunlight as the whole point of these methods is to replicate all growing conditions. This means that even the sun is re-created by using grow lights for light and heat.
You can take advantage of the sunlight, though, if possible. You could have your set up somewhere where the sunlight can assist with growing, which could allow you to save on long-term expenditure.
Nutrients
To grow plants within a hydroponics system without nutrients is impossible. The nutrients are their source of food to help them reach optimal yield. There are 5 key nutrients that a plant needs to satisfy requirements.
These nutrients include Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. Different plants require more or less of each nutrient to satisfy their growing needs.
The amounts of these nutrients and frequencies of adding them to a reservoir will have varying factors. These include the type of system you are using and the type of plants needing them. In general, it’s sufficient to add nutrients every 2 weeks and flush your whole system once a month.
This is still something that should be carefully planned, though. Nutrient solutions can last from 7-10 days. This is, of course, if you maintain your system by draining, cleaning and remixing your nutrients, and topping off the system with water daily.
Furthermore, the more plants use, the more diluted the solution will become. You can use a TDS/PPM or EC meter to check the strength of your nutrient solution.
Temperature
Regardless of the type of hydroponic system, the temperature of the nutrient solution filled water is critical to its success. The optimal water temperature for any setup is between 65 and 80 degrees F. (18-26 C.) This factor influences some important variables, including oxygen solubility and plant metabolic processes.
For example, the higher the temperature reaches, so does the rate of metabolic reactions occurring in the plants. This can have drastic effects on the plants’ ability to grow!
Some simple methods of keeping your water reservoir cool are adding a Chiller, Paint Your Reservoir, installing the reservoir in the shade, or even burying it underground.
Oxygen
Plants need a reliable source of oxygen which can be dissolved in the water because their roots are plunged into that water. It’s the only way they can get oxygen otherwise. Oxygen assists with aerobic respiration, an essential process that releases the energy required for healthy root growth and an overall healthy plant.
It is possible to oxygenate the water by using air stones. It’s a stone connected to an air pump that pushes air out through the stone, producing oxygen. Keep in mind that too much oxygen can cause some nasty root rot.
Structure and Support
Depending on the type and size of plant being grown, some added support can help the plant avoid any overloading issues. Some larger, more robust plants can require a trellis to grow to support their weight.
It is also possible to use hook systems along a roof where stems can be carefully tied off to ensure that they don’t crush themselves due to the weight of their fruit or flowers. This factor is experimental and may require creativity depending on the area in where the plant is grown.
How to Set Up Hydronic System At Home (2022 Version)
I have personally set up hydroponic system at my house, and also helped many friends as well. Here I will be providing guides on how to set up hydroponic system (all the types) at home in budget. So whether you wanna install DWC or NFT or something else, this guide will help you all.
How Do You Set up a Cheap and Easy DWC Hydroponic system at Home
| DWC Hydroponic Materials List |
|---|
| Containers/tubs/buckets/totes to hold water (reservoir) – minimum 5 gallons (19-20 liters) *Make sure they are rated as food safe (PP5 symbol for indoor growing or HDPE2, LPDE4 for outdoor growing) |
| 3 inch net cups (approximately 4 per container X 5 containers = 20 net cups) |
| Drill (including 1.5-2cm drill bit) |
| 3-inch hole saw drill bit |
| Small aquarium air pump with airstones |
| Water supply (to fill containers) – warm water helps dissolve nutrients. |
| Food scale to measure nutrients |
| Nutrients weighed exact (2.4 grams master blend, 1.2 grams epsom salt, 2.4 grams calcium nitrate PER GALLON OF WATER) |
| Some 1-gallon milk containers to assist in mixing nutrient solution |
| pH up and pH down |
| Seeds of choice |
| Rockwool and clay pebbles |
| 6500K Full Spectrum Fluorescent grow light |
| Full Spectrum LED |
| Power source with multiple outlets |
| *Note* Lighting will vary depending on where your system is set up. With extra daylight, the need for more light will be reduced. |
| Setting Up Cheap DWC Hydroponic System |
|---|
| Container Sourcing – Depending on the overall size of your system, individual 5-gallon containers are a great size to start with. It’s really up to you what you can find; buckets or food-safe containers/totes are fine. Make sure they have a safe food stamp on them. Look for the PP5 symbol if you want to grow indoors or HDPE2 and LPDE4 for outdoor growing. |
| Lid Preparation – You can usually get 4 holes in the lid of each container. Evenly space the holes from the edges and each other by flipping the net pots upside and sitting them on the lid. You will be able to get a good idea of placement as they are sitting there. Draw a ring around them, so you have their placement marked out. Drill them out using the hole saw. Add a net pot to each hole by pushing them the right way up. |
| Adding the pump – Drill 1 hole at the top corner of each container (high enough so the water can almost be filled to the top. Low enough so the lid can be closed). You can drill a second hole IF you want to add both air stones to one container. |
| Mix Nutrient Solution into the water – This part needs to be precise. Use your kitchen scales to measure the nutrients added to the water. Use 2.4 grams master blend, 1.2 grams epsom salt, and 2.4 grams calcium nitrate PER GALLON OF WATER. I usually use the 1-gallon milk containers and mix 5 separate batches to make up the 5 gallons needed per container. Add mixed solution and water to each container. |
| Test pH – Us the testing kit to check the pH level and adjust using either pH up or down so that the pH is around 5.5-6.5. If it’s too low, use it up. If it’s too high, use it down. Give it 5 or so minutes and test again after each adjustment. |
| Connect the pump – push the tubes through the hole(s) you drilled earlier. Attach the air stone(s) to the tubes inside the container. Make sure the pump is sitting somewhere safe higher than the water level. Turn on the pump. |
| Add growing media and seed – Add a rockwool square to each pot surrounding it with some clay pebbles. The clay will help keep light from beaming on the water, which causes algae buildup. Place a seed in the rockwool. |
| Set up lights – Set/hang the Fluro above the grow area, and the LED to the side. Both are close enough to give the plants ample light/heat. |
| Sit and wait – You have now set up a simple DWC; now play the waiting game… |
Pros
✅ Easy Set up.
✅ Fast Growing.
✅ Low maintenance and start-up cost.
✅ Reliable.
✅ Scalable.
Cons
❌ Fluctuating pH levels.
❌ Water temperature is tricky to maintain.
❌ A power outage causes the air pump to shut down the whole process.
❌ Calibrating nutrients tougher with smaller systems.
How to Set up an Ebb and Flow Hydroponic System (Flood and Drain)
| Ebb and Flow Hydroponic Materials List | |
| Growing media (grow stone/clay pebbles to fill up the bed and rockwool to sit plants in) | |
| 20 – 25 gallon MainReservoir + 4 or 5 5 gallon buckets/totes | |
| Digital timer | |
| Water pump | |
| Plastic tubing (PVC + parts) | |
| Plants | |
| Nutrients |
| Setting Up Ebb and Flow Hydroponic System | |
| Decide on the layout – There are multiple ways to set up an ebb and flow system. The simplest is just one straight tube from the reservoir pump into a bucket/tote. Of course, you can use multiple buckets. For the sake of this article, we’ll focus on one, and you can scale at will. You may need to build a table-like structure so the reservoir sits lower than the buckets/totes. This will allow for the nutrient solution to drain out naturally via gravity. | |
| Fix pump position/attach timer – Setup pump at the base of the main reservoir. Make sure it’s at the lowest possible position to pump up as much of the nutrient water as possible. Attach the timer to the pump so it is ready to go when the build is complete. | |
| Measure, cut and assemble PVC tubing and parts – Cut a length of PVC tubing that is long enough to go from the pump to the bucket/tote. Drill 2 holes in the bucket. One 2-3 inches from the base of the bucket. This will be where the water comes in. Drill the other hole on the opposite side of the bucket about 1 inch off the bottom. This will be where the water comes out. Use whatever parts that suit your setup to get there. It could be a few bends and some sealable inlets/outlets. | |
| Final build adjustments – Attach the PVC pipe to the pump and make sure all the rest of the pipes are sealed. You can test them by running some water before adding the solution. | |
| Add plants – Add your plants which should be pre-installed in the rockwool, into the buckets. Fill the space around the rockwool with grow stones/clay pebbles. | |
| Add Nutrient Water – Mix the nutrients per instructions and add them to the water reservoir. | |
| Turn on the pump and set up the timer – The last thing you can do is set up your timer to whatever is required for the type of plant and its growing stage that you aim to grow. Turn on the pump and enjoy your masterpiece. |
Pros
✅ Easy setup.
✅ Easy use and maintenance.
✅ Extremely efficient (minimal water, nutrients and electricity).
Cons
❌ Risky due to the nature of the process (moving parts not functioning and shutting the whole system down).
❌ Toxicity and deficiency of nutrients.
❌ pH can be a little unstable.
How to Set up a Wick Hydroponic System (Flood and Drain)
| Wick Hydroponic Materials List | |
| 5 liter bucket/tote (reservoir) | |
| Aluminium foil | |
| Plain 8 oz styrofoam cups | |
| Micro Microfiber cloth (wick) | |
| Stanley knife | |
| Scissors | |
| A mix of fine and coarse coco coir (well-draining potting mix with perlite works also) | |
| Rooted plant cutting | |
| Nutrient solution |
| Setting Up Wick Hydroponic System | |
| Prepare buckets/totes – Drill/cut out holes in the lid of the bucket/tote to allow the styrofoam cups to sit in each hole without falling through. Wrap the top with aluminum foil and cut the same holes out again. This will stop light from reaching your water which causes issues with algae. It will also help reflect light from the lamps upwards. | |
| Prepare the cups and wicks – Using a knife, cut 3 slots out of the bottom of each styrofoam cup. This will allow the roots to grow out when they can. Also, cut a hole in the middle of the cup’s base to allow the wick to pass through. Cut the microfiber cloth into ½ – ¾ inch strips. The length of each wick will need to reach the bottom of each cup to the bottom of the reservoir. Tie a knot at one end of the wick to ensure it stays at the bottom without sliding out of the cup. Pull the other end, so it hangs out the bottom of the cup. | |
| Potting mix and plant – Add coco coir/potting mix into each cup, then carefully push the plant with its roots snugly into the mix. Pack some extra growing medium around the base of the stem, so it sits upright and stable. Add tap water to each cup to moisten it on first use. | |
| Nutrient Solution – Fill the reservoir with the correct amount of nutrient solution, according to instructions. | |
| Add cups to the reservoir – Simply add each newly homed plant into the reservoir lid. Make sure they sit tight and straight. |
Pros
✅ Extremely simple to make.
✅ Low cost.
Cons
❌ Only really suitable for smaller plants and herbs.
❌ The growing process is slower than in some other systems.
How Do You Set up a Drip Hydroponic System?
| Drip Hydroponic Materials List | |
| 20 – 30 gallon reservoir with lid | |
| Grow tray | |
| Drill and drill bits | |
| Drain filter so water can go back to the reservoir | |
| Thicker tubing with connectors for spaghetti tubing (mainline) | |
| Spaghetti tubing ⅛ inch (dripline) | |
| Nipple joints | |
| Dripper stakes (allow 2 dripper stakes per plant in case of blockages) | |
| Extra parts (Eg: elbow joints, T joint, etc.) | |
| Rockwool block | |
| Pots | |
| Plants | |
| A submersible pump (158 gallons per hour GPH) | |
| Timer |
| Setting Up Drip Hydroponic System | |
| Positioning – Set the grow tray up, so it’s above the reservoir. On top of a table is a good idea. The reservoir can sit on the floor below. | |
| Add pump and tube out of reservoir – Lower pump into the bottom of the reservoir. Run some flexible tubing from the pump upwards to just over the top edge of the grow tray. | |
| Drip system circuit – Add an elbow joint and then an extra piece of the tubing, so the pipe reaches over and into the top of the edge of the grow tray. Connect a T joint and some more tubing to each side of the T piece. Add an elbow joint to each end, and this will be the beginning of your circuit. Add some longer lengths of tubing and elbow joints at the opposite side to create a full ring around your plant area. Attach 2 nipple joints to the area where each plant will sit. Add 2 smaller dripline tubes to the nipples. Add 2 dripper stakes to each set of dripline tubes. Continue with the circuit to each pot area. Circuit complete! | |
| Pot setup – Add rockwool to the pots, then plant your desired plant, making sure it sits upright. | |
| Staking – Push in the 2 dripper stakes per pot. Add them to opposite sides of the pot. Angle them toward the center and push them deep to allow the roots direct access to the solution. | |
| Add solution to the reservoir – Mix up the solution according to the instructions and add it to the reservoir. | |
| Measure Solution – Measure the amount of nutrient solution delivered to your plants via the system. Pull out one stake and let it sit in a 4-5 liter measuring jug/bowl. Turn the pump on and see how much drips out in 1 minute. Eg: 200 ml in 60 seconds = 10 drippers X 200ml = 2000 ml per minute (0.53 gallons) | |
| Adjust drippers with a timer – Using the process in step 6, check the amount of solution runoff in certain time intervals. 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, etc. Write it down. Use these amounts and times to help set up your timer. E.g., If too much runoff flows into the pots, they will soak the medium. So set the timer up for less frequency. There will be a little trial and era in the beginning. |
Pros
✅ Extremely efficient.
✅ Low maintenance.
✅ Value for money.
Cons
❌ Salt build-up over time in drippers.
❌ Power outages can shut down the whole process.
❌ Parts can be a bit fiddly.
How Do You Set up an Aeroponic Hydroponic System
| Aeroponic Hydroponic Materials List | |
| Reservoir for nutrient solution | |
| Grow tray | |
| Reservoir for misting plants | |
| PVC piping plus joints | |
| Rockwool cubes/clay pebbles | |
| Net pots | |
| Nutrients | |
| Plants | |
| Heavy duty pump (80-100 PSI) | |
| Short Cycle Timer | |
| Quality brass misters (30-50 microns optimal size) |
| Setting Up Aeroponic Hydroponic System | |
| Reservoir one setup – Connect timer to pump and lay in the base of the nutrient reservoir. | |
| Reservoir two setup – Drill 2 holes on the same side of the upper reservoir (misting chamber). The first hole is half an inch off the base. The second is around 4-5 inches above the first. | |
| Build PVC – Use PVC piping to build from the pump upwards. Add an elbow bend and pipe to enter the misting chamber’s upper hole. Add another pipe from the bottom hole out with an elbow bend downwards. This is the runoff pipe that will run back into the nutrient reservoir. | |
| Add Misters – Attach the misters to the pipe that entered the top hole of the misting chamber. Make sure they are facing upwards towards your plant’s roots. | |
| Arrange plants – Set plants up in rockwool/clay pebbles in the net pots. Lower each net pot into the grow tray. | |
| Nutrients – Mix nutrients with water in the bottom reservoir according to the instructions. | |
| Pump and Timer – Turn the pump on and make sure everything is running as it should. Adjust the timer to allow 1 minute of misting every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day. Take note after the first day and adjust accordingly. |
Pros
✅ Faster nutrient uptake.
✅ Faster growth.
✅ Larger yields.
✅ Great for smaller plants such as herbs.
Cons
❌ Expensive to set up with good quality equipment.
❌ Misters can clog due to large root systems laying on them.
❌ Power outages will kill the plants very fast.
How to Set up a Nutrient Film Hydroponic System
Nutrient Film Hydroponic Materials List
| General Materials | |
| Reservoir | |
| Nutrients | |
| Net pot | |
| Rockwool | |
| Plants |
| A length of PVC piping for growing tubes and joints | |
| 5 X 3ft pieces of 3“ UPVC pipe | |
| 7 X 3’’ PVC end caps | |
| 5 X 3‘’ PVC Tee Joints (with recessed holes that fit 40mm PVC) | |
| 3” PVC U pipe clips | |
| A length of 40mm PVC pipe for the pump/drain | |
| Tank connector piece with seal | |
| 2 x 40mm elbow joins | |
| A length of 25 mm PVC pipe for the stand | |
| 9 X 16” long | |
| 6 X 1.5 Ft long | |
| 5 X 3 Ft long | |
| Connector fittings (4 X 3 way, 6 X 4 way, 2 X cross) |
| Irrigation items | |
| Roll of 16mm black vinyl tubing | |
| 4mm black vinyl tubing | |
| 3 X 16mm elbow joints | |
| 5 X 4mm barbed connector | |
| 1 X 16mm end cap | |
| Hole puncher | |
| Cable Ties | |
| 45 W water pump with 16mm outlet | |
| PVC glue or thread seal tape | |
| Marker pen | |
| Ruler | |
| Drill | |
| Drill bits (10-15mm) | |
| 55 mm Hole Saw (2”) | |
| Screws |
