DIY Hydroponic Systems To Implement In Your Indoor Garden
As things stand today, DIY hydroponic systems is the best way to solve food shortage especially in the prevailing hard economic times. If we are to achieve self-food sufficiency, the best alternative is to embrace hydroponic System farming. In this post we shall take you through simple things to consider when setting up DIY Hydroponic Systems at home. Assembling a homemade hydroponic system Learning how to grow your own plants in a soil-less system is a very crucial and advantageous thing especially for those living in urban areas and around unproductive lands. Here are some easy to follow steps on how you can set up a DIY hydroponic system in your home. 1. Get a suitable Location Determine a favorable area to locate your hydroponic system, should be a well-enclosed structure, most likely a greenhouse or the basement of a house. An outdoor patio or deck could also make a wonderful site. Level out the floor of the area to ensure there is equal distribution of water and nutrients. If you plan on placing the system outdoors, ensure that you provide secure protection from winds and too much sun. These plants have weak roots so if exposed to winds they will be easily uprooted. Similarly, they depend so much on water, if exposed to the sun; evaporation will take place easily leading to high water losses. Also ensure that the site you are placing the hydroponic has enough sunlight, if not, supply glow lights to provide the required lighting for plant growth. 2. Assembling the Hydroponic System A standard hydroponic system consists of about 6 growing tubes of six inch PVC pipes, a PVC stand and trellis, 50-gallon nutrients tank, a manifold and a pump. The tank should be placed under the table of the growing tubes while the pump is placed inside the tank to ensure the nutrients are supplied to all the plants through the manifold of small tubs and PVC pipes. The growing pipes should have a drain pipe that flows back to the tank; this is to recycle the nutrients not used up by the plants. The small tubes have small holes strategically placed beside each plant; they shoot out nutrients and spray it to the plants roots. 3. Mixing the nutrients and Water You should fill the 50-gallon nutrients tank with water, add 2 cups of nutrients or as recommended in the label. Turn the pump on and then let the system run without disturbance for about 30 minutes; this is to get the nutrients thoroughly mixed. 4. Planting The easiest way of planting in a DIY hydroponic system is by the use of already germinated seedlings. This saves time of growing the seeds in a separate site. You will also get to choose the healthiest seedlings unlike when you germinate them yourself. There are various types of crops you could opt to grow in a hydroponic system including potatoes, tomatoes, different types of vegetables and commercial crops. For a start, go for simple vegetables … Read more
