Choosing a hydroponics grow box
June 25, 2011 by admin4469
Filed under Hydroponic Systems
How to purchase a hydroponics grow box
Purchasing your first hydroponics grow box can be a big decision. We have written this article to make it easier for you to purchase a hydroponics grow box that is going to be right for you. There are many things to consider before you buy your first grow box. Usually the grow box you want is best based on as much money you are comfortable spending on a grow box. Once you have a number in your mind, be prepared to spend at least this or maybe a little bit more to get a grow box that’s going to last for many years. Try to think about expandability in mind. Get the best grow box you can afford at the time as it will serve you well into the future. Based on the price you have some idea as far as the features that you are looking for, or rather to say can afford.
Usually the more expensive the grow box is, the more plants you can grow, the more room you have to use as the plants grow fast, the more powerful the lighting system will be, and overall more technologies usually involved in the manufacture of that particular hydroponics grow. The cheaper or less-expensive grow box systems are often smaller than their larger counterparts and even use less light. For instance you may have an air cooled reflector on your higher end grow boxes versus the non-air cooled reflector on your lower end entry level grow boxes.
You simply get what you pay for. Usually the less-expensive grow boxes are minimal in terms of equipment included and will give you everything you need to grow and not much more. These boxes will usually start with a 400 watt high pressure sodium light, have the simple DWC hydroponic system, an air pump and a simple carbon filter to get you started. A more expensive grow box will usually have a higher wattage light closer to 600 watt high pressure sodium or metal halide lights, and some of the higher-end grow boxes will even include fluorescent lights on the side areas, these lights help to start seedlings and clones. Usually the midrange and high-end grow boxes will have a feature that is vertically mounted T5 fluorescent lights which some grow boxes will not have. The T5 lights make it a lot easier to start your seedlings and clones. Remember you need blue light during the vegetating stage and red light during the flowering stage. Personally I would not recommend purchasing any grow box that does not have vertically mounted T5 fluorescent lights. You really need these to grow small plant in the beginning stages, and there are no exceptions to not having these fluorescent lights on the sides of your grow box.
Often in the more expensive and middle to the road to high end hydroponics grow box systems will usually a more robust carbon scrubber. Usually you’ll get a 265 CFM squirrel cage blower fan or a high-powered centrifugal fan to keep your hydroponics grow box cool. All of this air is going to be passed to a carbon scrubber to get rid of the odor. This is standard equipment on most midrange and high-end grow boxes. However somebody entry-level starter grow box systems will simply contain an axial fan with a simple carbon filter, which still works good to regulate the heat and also to get rid of the odor, but simply will not work as well as one of its larger counterparts with a much larger fan and a much more powerful carbon scrubber. Be sure to purchase a grow box with as many fans as possible. A lot of manufacturers out there will try to cheat you by offering minimal fans. Some high-end grow boxes are known to have as much as nine fans keeping cool. You’re looking to purchase from a reputable manufacturer that spends more on fans to keep your system cool. Running a hot hydroponics grow box will kill the results over the long run your plants, you will never grow properly in a hotbox. Get a grow box with a sufficient number of fans, which are as powerful as you can get. Look for grow boxes that have as many powerful fans as possible. Some of the higher end machines will have between four and 10 fans, which is actually fantastic. Try to get a grow box with at least three fans if possible. The more the better. Avoid grow box manufacturers that have a history of running hot.
Some other differences you might see between a low-end starter hydroponics grow box and a mid-range hydroponics grow box is going to be in the material that it is made out of. Often the beginner level hydroponics grow box systems will be made out of plastic, or a combination of plastic and metal. The higher-end grow boxes on the other hand will often be made of metal and contain lockable doors and powder coated paint. On the entry-level systems locks are something that could be added, but on the midrange and high-end hydroponics grow boxes locks and a dual set of keys is always included.
The metal units tend to be more durable, and stand up well to the test of time. But regardless of whether your grow boxes of metal or plastic, the plants growing inside will grow exceptionally well. When purchasing a grow box try to buy the best one you can. Take a look at the light wattages usually the higher the better. Take a look of it’s an air cooled reflector, often you’ll want one of these to keep temperatures down. Take a look at the number of fans on the system that will be a good indicator of how cool a grow box unit runs. Try to always buy a hydroponics grow box from a reputable vendor.
Some other things to look for when purchasing a hydroponics grow box is the manufacturer itself. Take a look at the options they offer. Some high-end manufacturers will include stuff like air conditioning, green LED lights, ultrasonic foggers, and even total automation systems to keep the units running automatically. This is a sign that the manufacturer has their act together and is building the best possible grow boxes. These features make it so easy to use it becomes only child’s play. Some manufacturers will try to rip you off by offering you a minimal amount of features and a minimal amount of upgrades. Look at the manufacturers that are willing to work with you to build a system that will work best for your needs. The more you can customize your grow box for your specific needs the better.
One last thing to mention is before purchasing any new hydroponics equipment we highly recommend you viewing as many video tutorials as possible and reading as many articles as you possibly can on purchasing a new hydroponics grow box before you jump right in and make that the decision. It should be a machine that’s going to last you for many years and you want to choose wisely when purchasing your first hydroponics grow. When purchasing a grow box really break it down into its individual parts and see which ones offer the most value for the money. A lot of manufacturers of grow boxes that look very similar to the casual viewer, you really want to look beyond it at the actual features that you’re getting such as the pumps, the velocity of the fans, the amount of lights offered in the grow box system. Also pay close attention to the wiring in the overall professionalism of the units built it. You are not looking for something that looks like it’s been built in a shed or garage. You should purchase a midrange to high-end, professionally manufactured grow box for best results.
Some other things to look for in a reputable manufacturer of hydroponics grow boxes is how they ship their products. Many on in unreputable manufacturers will simply ship your hydroponics grow box with just bubble wrapping or light cardboard. This does not protect your unit during shipping. What you really need is to have a wood crate built around your grow box unit to ensure its safety during shipping. The freight companies are known to be very rough with freight and your grow box can get damaged easily. Try to find the manufacturers that will ship out the units in wood crates to ensure that your unit will be delivered in the same shape as it was originally built.
Just educate yourself properly before purchasing a grow box and watch as many hydroponic videos as you can. Good manufacturers will always have plenty of videos on their website so you really know the product you are getting. Be sure to stay away from manufacturers that only show you a few images of their products, as they can often be inaccurate or misleading. Videos are best. If the manufacturers only have short videos or images of their grow boxes, they most likely have something to hide, and maybe should not be trusted. Educate yourself on the company’s product line thoroughly before making any big purchase a hydroponics grow box.
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New Hydroponic Systems
April 9, 2011 by admin4469
Filed under Hydroponic Systems
The Water Culture System
Perhaps the simplest of all hydroponic systems is the Water Culture system. It is economical to use, and can even be made using an old aquarium or any water tight container. There is a Styrofoam platform involved, that holds the plant and floats atop the water mixed nutrient solution. Additionally, there is also an air pump used to supply oxygen to the roots of the plants.
The water culture system, with all its features, is best for plants like leaf lettuce that grow fast with water. However, this particular hydroponic system is not adequate for growing larger plants, and this proves to be its biggest disadvantage!
The Wick System
Yet another simple hydroponic system, the wick system is different from the water culture system because it is a passive system, which implies that no moving parts are involved in it. A wick is used to draw the nutrient solution into the growing medium from the reservoir. It may be noted that several growing media can be used with the wick system, like Vermiculite, Perlite, Pro-mix, and Coconut fiber.
The biggest disadvantage of the wick system is its inability to supply water fast enough to those plants that are large and use large quantities of water, and use the up the nutrient solution rather quickly!
The Ebb and Flow System
Also known as the Flood and Drain System, the Ebb and Flow hydroponic system periodically floods the grow tray with the nutrient solution and then drains it back into the reservoir. It is rather a dynamic hydroponicsystem that is compatible with several different growing media like Grow Rocks, gravel, and granular Rockwool.
The operation of the Ebb and Flow system involves a submerged pumped that is connected to a timer. This timer can be controlled, so that when it is turned on, the nutrient solution is flooded into the grow tray, and when it is shut off, the solution drains back into the reservoir. Controlling the operation of the timer depends on the size and kind of plants, the environmental temperature and humidity, as well as the growing media that is used.
The biggest drawback of the Ebb and Flow system is that the pump and timer that are used in the system’s operation may be susceptible to functioning failures, or power outages. Such a disruption can cause the plants roots to dry out or wither. It is advisable therefore, in using the Ebb and Flow system, to use growing media that retain more water, such as Rockwool, Vermiculite, or Coconut Fiber.
Drip Systems
Owing to its simplicity of operation, the Drip Hydroponic System is perhaps the most commonly used around the world. This system also involved timer that controls a submerged pump by turning it on so that the nutrient solution is provided to the plant base through a small drip line.
There are two types of Drip Systems that are used in Hydroponics, the Recovery Drip System and the Non-Recovery Drip System. In the former, the extra nutrient solution water that runs off is collected back into the reservoir and can be re-used, whereas in the latter, this is not the case.
Given the fact that in the Recovery Drip System, the extra nutrient solution is collected in the reservoir and can be reused, it is a more cost effective and efficient system. The non-recovery drip system on the other hand does not require a lot of periodic maintenance, given the fact that the extra nutrient solution is not collected back into the reservoir.
Nutrient Film Technique
The operation of the Nutrient Film Technique Hydroponic System entails a continuous flow of the nutrient solution to the plants through a tube like growing tray. The solution flows over the plant roots and then drains back into the reservoir. The NFT system is also rather economical, since no growing media other than air is required. The plant is usually contained and supported in a plastic basket, and its roots remain hanging in the nutrient solution.
Like the Ebb and Flow system, the N.F.Tsystem is also vulnerable to electricity outages and pump operation failures, for if the plant roots do not receive the flow of the nutrient solution continuously, they may dry out rather quickly!
The Aeroponic System
The Aeroponic Hydroponic System is perhaps the most technical of all the other systems, and it uses air as the main growing medium in its operation. A timer is used to control a pump that moistens the plants roots, dangling in the air, every few minutes. If the periodic moistening of the roots is interrupted, they would dry out rapidly!
More Simple Hydroponic Systems Articles
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New Hydroponic Systems
April 9, 2011 by admin4469
Filed under Hydroponic Systems
The Water Culture System
Perhaps the simplest of all hydroponic systems is the Water Culture system. It is economical to use, and can even be made using an old aquarium or any water tight container. There is a Styrofoam platform involved, that holds the plant and floats atop the water mixed nutrient solution. Additionally, there is also an air pump used to supply oxygen to the roots of the plants.
The water culture system, with all its features, is best for plants like leaf lettuce that grow fast with water. However, this particular hydroponic system is not adequate for growing larger plants, and this proves to be its biggest disadvantage!
The Wick System
Yet another simple hydroponic system, the wick system is different from the water culture system because it is a passive system, which implies that no moving parts are involved in it. A wick is used to draw the nutrient solution into the growing medium from the reservoir. It may be noted that several growing media can be used with the wick system, like Vermiculite, Perlite, Pro-mix, and Coconut fiber.
The biggest disadvantage of the wick system is its inability to supply water fast enough to those plants that are large and use large quantities of water, and use the up the nutrient solution rather quickly!
The Ebb and Flow System
Also known as the Flood and Drain System, the Ebb and Flow hydroponic system periodically floods the grow tray with the nutrient solution and then drains it back into the reservoir. It is rather a dynamic hydroponicsystem that is compatible with several different growing media like Grow Rocks, gravel, and granular Rockwool.
The operation of the Ebb and Flow system involves a submerged pumped that is connected to a timer. This timer can be controlled, so that when it is turned on, the nutrient solution is flooded into the grow tray, and when it is shut off, the solution drains back into the reservoir. Controlling the operation of the timer depends on the size and kind of plants, the environmental temperature and humidity, as well as the growing media that is used.
The biggest drawback of the Ebb and Flow system is that the pump and timer that are used in the system’s operation may be susceptible to functioning failures, or power outages. Such a disruption can cause the plants roots to dry out or wither. It is advisable therefore, in using the Ebb and Flow system, to use growing media that retain more water, such as Rockwool, Vermiculite, or Coconut Fiber.
Drip Systems
Owing to its simplicity of operation, the Drip Hydroponic System is perhaps the most commonly used around the world. This system also involved timer that controls a submerged pump by turning it on so that the nutrient solution is provided to the plant base through a small drip line.
There are two types of Drip Systems that are used in Hydroponics, the Recovery Drip System and the Non-Recovery Drip System. In the former, the extra nutrient solution water that runs off is collected back into the reservoir and can be re-used, whereas in the latter, this is not the case.
Given the fact that in the Recovery Drip System, the extra nutrient solution is collected in the reservoir and can be reused, it is a more cost effective and efficient system. The non-recovery drip system on the other hand does not require a lot of periodic maintenance, given the fact that the extra nutrient solution is not collected back into the reservoir.
Nutrient Film Technique
The operation of the Nutrient Film Technique Hydroponic System entails a continuous flow of the nutrient solution to the plants through a tube like growing tray. The solution flows over the plant roots and then drains back into the reservoir. The NFT system is also rather economical, since no growing media other than air is required. The plant is usually contained and supported in a plastic basket, and its roots remain hanging in the nutrient solution.
Like the Ebb and Flow system, the N.F.Tsystem is also vulnerable to electricity outages and pump operation failures, for if the plant roots do not receive the flow of the nutrient solution continuously, they may dry out rather quickly!
The Aeroponic System
The Aeroponic Hydroponic System is perhaps the most technical of all the other systems, and it uses air as the main growing medium in its operation. A timer is used to control a pump that moistens the plants roots, dangling in the air, every few minutes. If the periodic moistening of the roots is interrupted, they would dry out rapidly!
More Simple Hydroponic Systems Articles
Related Reading:
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Adding Biology - For Soil and Hydroponic Systems"Adding Biology for Soil and Hydroponic Systems" by Elaine R. Ingham, Ph.D., and Carole Ann Rollins (doctoral student) focuses on adding biology deriv... Read More >
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Hydroponic Gardening – Basic Requirements That You Need to Know
April 1, 2011 by admin4469
Filed under Hydroponic Systems
When you plan to build your own hydroponic system or purchase a starter’s kit, you are not only just getting a container or a tray, putting your plants in it and supplying the plants with water and nutrients. It is important to bear in mind that there are basically two primary objectives that you need to achieve in hydroponic gardening.
1. The hydroponic system structure must be able to support the root system without soil.
2. You need to have an efficient method of supplying air, light, and nutrient to your plants.
When these two requirements are fully satisfied, you can then begin experimenting a more complicated and automatic system.
To meet the first requirement which can be quite easy with the help from good beginner’s guides. All you need is a simple hydroponic unit that consists of a waterproof container filled with a growing medium or aggregate for root support. You place seeds or young plants into the aggregate. Then you pour a nutrient solution over the aggregate to feed the plants, and that’s it, you have your own hydroponic garden!
Unfortunately, most of the times, when the hydroponic system is in operation, beginners encountered several problems. This is mainly because the second requirement is not well planned. No matters what kind of system you select, air, light and more importantly, nutrients are vital to your success. Therefore, while you are planning for a hydroponic system, it is always a good idea to get a few good hydroponic gardening guides and put a bit of extra efforts in studying about nutrients. You won’t regret.
One of the important considerations for the second requirement is the type of nutrient you want to use. When selecting a nutrient to use, keep in mind that the nutrient must be designed specifically for hydroponic application. Using common fertilizer is not advisable as these products are designed for use as a supplement to soil gardens and may not contain sufficient essential elements to suit the hydroponic condition. Of course, there are also many commercially available hydroponic nutrients that make it easy to get started in hydroponic gardening for those prefer not to make their own nutrients. However, again, these commercially ready hydroponic nutrients are usually designed to satisfy the widest range of plants, lighting conditions and stages of growth.
Hydroponic nutrients come in all flavors, powers and liquids, single part, two part, three part or even more. Selecting the best one for the plants may not be easy for beginners. Majority of the experienced growers prefer a system that is simple to use, inexpensive to own and effective at growing a wide variety of crops to their fullest potential without additional supplements. In general, two part and three part nutrient formulas are always better than the single part or general purpose formulas because they allow you to custom blend your nutrient solution for each crop and stage of growth for better performance.
So, while you are working on your hydroponic nutrients, it is always good to learn to mix your own nutrients in different concentration and combinations to tailor for the specific growth requirements of your crops. Good hydroponic gardening guides usually recommend their own recipes of self-made nutrients that have been proven successfully numerous times by the experienced authors/growers. So beginners can always start with these recipes and slowly experiment them to get the best growth from your plants by adjusting the amount of ingredients.
Related Simple Hydroponic Systems Articles
Related Reading:
Aquaponic Gardening: A Step-By-Step Guide to Raising Vegetables and Fish TogetherAquaponics is a revolutionary system for growing plants by fertilizing them with the waste water from fish in a sustainable closed system. A combinati... Read More >
Hydroponic Gardening: The Beginner's GuideHere's what you'll learn in "Hydroponic Gardening: The Beginner's Guide" --- The advantages of hydroponic gardening over outdoor gardening... Read More >
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Adding Biology - For Soil and Hydroponic Systems"Adding Biology for Soil and Hydroponic Systems" by Elaine R. Ingham, Ph.D., and Carole Ann Rollins (doctoral student) focuses on adding biology deriv... Read More >
Hydroponic Gardening – Basic Requirements That You Need to Know
April 1, 2011 by admin4469
Filed under Hydroponic Systems
When you plan to build your own hydroponic system or purchase a starter’s kit, you are not only just getting a container or a tray, putting your plants in it and supplying the plants with water and nutrients. It is important to bear in mind that there are basically two primary objectives that you need to achieve in hydroponic gardening.
1. The hydroponic system structure must be able to support the root system without soil.
2. You need to have an efficient method of supplying air, light, and nutrient to your plants.
When these two requirements are fully satisfied, you can then begin experimenting a more complicated and automatic system.
To meet the first requirement which can be quite easy with the help from good beginner’s guides. All you need is a simple hydroponic unit that consists of a waterproof container filled with a growing medium or aggregate for root support. You place seeds or young plants into the aggregate. Then you pour a nutrient solution over the aggregate to feed the plants, and that’s it, you have your own hydroponic garden!
Unfortunately, most of the times, when the hydroponic system is in operation, beginners encountered several problems. This is mainly because the second requirement is not well planned. No matters what kind of system you select, air, light and more importantly, nutrients are vital to your success. Therefore, while you are planning for a hydroponic system, it is always a good idea to get a few good hydroponic gardening guides and put a bit of extra efforts in studying about nutrients. You won’t regret.
One of the important considerations for the second requirement is the type of nutrient you want to use. When selecting a nutrient to use, keep in mind that the nutrient must be designed specifically for hydroponic application. Using common fertilizer is not advisable as these products are designed for use as a supplement to soil gardens and may not contain sufficient essential elements to suit the hydroponic condition. Of course, there are also many commercially available hydroponic nutrients that make it easy to get started in hydroponic gardening for those prefer not to make their own nutrients. However, again, these commercially ready hydroponic nutrients are usually designed to satisfy the widest range of plants, lighting conditions and stages of growth.
Hydroponic nutrients come in all flavors, powers and liquids, single part, two part, three part or even more. Selecting the best one for the plants may not be easy for beginners. Majority of the experienced growers prefer a system that is simple to use, inexpensive to own and effective at growing a wide variety of crops to their fullest potential without additional supplements. In general, two part and three part nutrient formulas are always better than the single part or general purpose formulas because they allow you to custom blend your nutrient solution for each crop and stage of growth for better performance.
So, while you are working on your hydroponic nutrients, it is always good to learn to mix your own nutrients in different concentration and combinations to tailor for the specific growth requirements of your crops. Good hydroponic gardening guides usually recommend their own recipes of self-made nutrients that have been proven successfully numerous times by the experienced authors/growers. So beginners can always start with these recipes and slowly experiment them to get the best growth from your plants by adjusting the amount of ingredients.
Zen has reviewed a good beginner’s guide ebook as well as some basic information on Hydroponic Gardening, you can visit the website at
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