Page not found – Hydroponic Gardening Center https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com Your Source For Hydroponic Gardening Equipment Sun, 23 Dec 2018 08:16:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.5 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Page not found – Hydroponic Gardening Center https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com 32 32 Deepwater Culture Hydroponic Systems – Benefits & DIY Guide to build your own https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/what-are-deepwater-culture-hydroponic-systems/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/what-are-deepwater-culture-hydroponic-systems/#respond Fri, 07 Dec 2018 07:21:33 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=219 What is a Deepwater Culture System (DWC)? Deepwater Culture, also known as DWC is one of the easiest hydroponic and aquaponic methods of growing.  DWC consists of growing plants in a suspended state over oxygenated,  nutrient rich water.  It is a very popular method for good reason. It is easy to get started with and …

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What is a Deepwater Culture System (DWC)?

Deepwater Culture, also known as DWC is one of the easiest hydroponic and aquaponic methods of growing.  DWC consists of growing plants in a suspended state over oxygenated,  nutrient rich water.  It is a very popular method for good reason. It is easy to get started with and very little to maintain.  Also, the speed of plant growth is way faster using deepwater culture hydroponics over traditional growing and the plant yields tend to be much higher as well.

How does deep water culture systems work?

Deepwater culture systems basically consist of 3 things: a container, pump, and net pot.  The plant is grown in the net pot.  The net pot is suspended above the nutrient rich water where the roots of the plant will grown down into the water.  The pump is used to aerate the water to make sure the oxygen levels in the water stay good.

The plant roots are allowed to grow down into the nutrient rich water.  This allows the plants to get food directly from the water and in turn promotes faster and better growth of the plant.

Types of DWC systems:

  • Single Deepwater Culture
  • Recirculating Deep Water Culture
  • Bubbleponics

A typical system can be built as a stand alone system.  This would consist of just a container, pump and net pot.  It is possible to create a modular type system where you would have multiple containers.  You would then have just one water reservoir that circulates between all of the containers.  These types of systems are called Recirculating Deepwater Culture systems.  Bubbleponics is another variation on DWC systems.  It is basically a DWC system but has a water pump and drip lines added to the system.  This lines feed to the top of the plants and drip the nutrient rich water onto the roots.  This type of system helps speed up the germination and seed phase of the plant by directly feeding it rather than waiting for the roots to grow.

Benefits of DWC:

  • Extremely fast plant growth
  • Easy to setup and build
  • Low maintenance
  • Expandable so you can start with one and easily add more to the system.

Downsides of DWC systems:

  • pH levels can fluctuate greatly in small systems
  • Air pump failure can result in low oxygen water killing the plants
  • It can be difficult to maintain a constant water temperature in your buckets

What type of plants are good to grown with a DWC system?

There are many types of plants that are easy to grown with a DWC system.  Some plants that are great to grow with this type of hydroponic system are:

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Cucumbers
  • Squash
  • Beans

How to build a DWC system:

Building a simple DWC system is very easy.  This is a perfect project for a beginner getting into hydroponic growing.  There are many plans available on how to build one of these simple systems but here are the basics of what you need.

5 Gallon Bucket Part List:

  • 5 gallon bucket with lid (ie.  Home Depot bucket)
  • Aquarium air pump
  • Air stone
  • Net pot
  • Growing media

Other things for growing:

  • Nutrients for water
  • Ph measuring stick

DWC Assembly Instructions:

Assembly is very simple.  Connect the air pump to the tubing.  Connect the tubing to the airstone.  You will then fill up your bucket with your nutrient rich water.  At first, fill the bucket up to the base of your net pots so your plants will get have a good supply of food.  Once your plants start to germinate and roots begin to grow, you can lower the level of water in the bucket.

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Infographic: The Art Of Hydroponic Gardening https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/infographic-the-art-of-hydroponic-gardening/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/infographic-the-art-of-hydroponic-gardening/#respond Mon, 10 Sep 2018 06:18:19 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=215 When it comes to growing indoors, some plants are easier with hydroponics. GreenandVibrant.com put together this great infographic going over the advantages of hydroponics and also talking about what fruits and vegetables are easy to grow indoors along with what they would recommend you start with. Source: Green and Vibrant Gardening Blog

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When it comes to growing indoors, some plants are easier with hydroponics. GreenandVibrant.com put together this great infographic going over the advantages of hydroponics and also talking about what fruits and vegetables are easy to grow indoors along with what they would recommend you start with.


Source: Green and Vibrant Gardening Blog

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What Is pH And How Do I Test pH? https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/what-is-ph-and-how-do-i-test-ph/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/what-is-ph-and-how-do-i-test-ph/#respond Fri, 25 May 2018 03:36:40 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=58 What is pH? PH is the measurement of acid or base in a solution.  The pH scale is a logarithmic from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral.  Scores from 1 to 6.9 are considered acidic and scores from 7.1 to 14 are considered to be base (or alkaline).  Remember logarithmic scales increase by a …

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What is pH?

PH is the measurement of acid or base in a solution.  The pH scale is a logarithmic from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral.  Scores from 1 to 6.9 are considered acidic and scores from 7.1 to 14 are considered to be base (or alkaline).  Remember logarithmic scales increase by a factor of 10 for each number away from the start.  So moving from 7.0 to 6.0 means the solution is 10 times more acidic and moving from 6.0 to 5.0 is 100 times more acidic.  This is important to remember when adjusting levels.  An example of a neutral pH solution is pure water.  If you tested your bottled water in the refrigerator it should score a 7.

Why is pH important in hydroponics?

Maintaining a proper pH level ensures your plants can absorb the essential nutrients for optimal growth.  One of the most pH sensitive and impactful nutrients on your plants is iron.  Iron precipitates out (leaves the water and sticks to the sides of your reservoir) above 7.3. While below 6.0, iron becomes so available to your plant it could be toxic. The ideal pH range varies slightly by plant but a good rule of thumb that works for the majority of plants is maintaining a range of 6.0 to 7.0.

How do you test pH levels?

Testing pH levels of your hydroponic system is very easy with some basic equipment.  Today you have 3 options to test your pH:

Litmus paper:  Provides rapid readings as you just dip a pretreated testing strip into the solution.  However, this is not recommended for hydroponics as they only provide very crude results to the nearest whole number and can be difficult to even interrupt the color charts. Remember the scale is logarithmic so the difference between 6.0 and 6.5 is 50 times more acidity!

Liquid pH testing kits: These are most popular for the new hydroponic hobbyist as they are better then litmus paper but a cheaper alternative to pH meters.  Testing with kits should keep you from killing your plants but you may not achieve maximum yields without a more accurate pH meter.  Using a liquid testing kit is easy.  Most all kits use these basic steps.

  • Fill test vial ½ way with your nutrient solution
  • Add a few drops of pH test indicator
  • Tap the side of the vial to mix
  • Match the color to the color chart provided in the kit

pH Meters:  Meters use a probe and a microprocessor to achieve fast and very accurate results.  They are simple and easy to use but have 3 downsides: cost, the probes must be replaced approximately once a year and you must take special care to calibrate and store the equipment between uses.

How often and when do you test your solution’s pH?

You should test your solution daily when you first set it up or make any significant changes.  Once your system settles into a ‘steady state’ you can start testing every few days.  You should also add your fertilizer to your nutrient solution prior to testing as the fertilizer typically lowers the pH of your water.

How do you adjust pH levels?

Once you know your pH levels you will likely need to adjust them either higher or lower.  The most common way to decrease the pH is to add phosphoric acid and the most common way to increase pH is to add potassium hydroxide.  If you are a hobbyist or just starting out, you should seek an adjustment kit that uses diluted phosphoric acid and potassium hydroxide.  The concentrated forms can cause huge pH swings in small hydroponic systems.

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Are LED Grow Lights The Best Choice ? https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/are-led-grow-lights-the-best-choice/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/are-led-grow-lights-the-best-choice/#respond Fri, 25 May 2018 03:35:05 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=56 LED (Light Emitting Diodes) grow lights are the hottest thing on the market right now and they’re still evolving, are they worth the cost? and the better choice? What makes LED’s the best grow lights? Check out our led grow light reviews for a more in-depth look at the best lights to use.The world of hydroponic …

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LED (Light Emitting Diodes) grow lights are the hottest thing on the market right now and they’re still evolving, are they worth the cost? and the better choice? What makes LED’s the best grow lights? Check out our led grow light reviews for a more in-depth look at the best lights to use.The world of hydroponic lighting can get pretty complicated rather quickly. Involving wavelengths, color spectrum’s, a  variety of plants needs, growth cycles, placement distance from the plants, and heat out-put.  With all the hype and marketing surrounding them, let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages.

What exactly is an LED?

They’re made from semi-conductors, similar to a circuit board,  instead of running electricity through a  filament like the old fashioned hundred year old light bulbs, which is very inefficient, diodes generate the light  They were first discovered in 1927 and first patented by Texas Instruments back in the early sixties, so LED’s have been around a while, but they’ve always been too expensive for consumer use  and it wasn’t until researchers were able to produce white light out of them, that they started to be considered a lighting alternative for domestic use.

As grow lights for plants, they were introduced in the early part of the 21st century, but again the cost was very prohibitive to the average consumer.

Bad Rap

LED’s have gotten a bad rapt from growers which is probably well deserved. The market was flooded with useless LED grow lights that were much more expensive than the much friendlier priced HPS (High Pressure Sodium) and MH(Metal Halide) lights. HPS and MH lights have also been around and performed well for years as a tried and true light source.

The technology for LED’s is changing fast, though, and as with any industry, the quality manufactures will rise to the top and better technology at cheaper prices will be available. Manufactures are already producing bigger wattage LED’s with new types of lenses.

The Benefits of LED’s Energy Savings

Being able to produce the same amount of light using a lower watt bulb, or in this case, diode.   It’s a major consideration because constantly trying replicate the sun indoors with High Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH)  lights can be very expensive, especially when plants need light up to 12 or 14 hrs a day.

Color Flexibility

LED manufactures are able to manipulate the color spectrum of the diodes to match different requirements for a variety of plants and also change the color spectrum during the growth cycle. Some of the higher end LED’s come with a dial to zero in on the color spectrum the plant will thrive at any given time, more red for when the plants are in a  blooming cycle for instance.

Durability

Because they’re a solid state technology, there’s not much that can wear out on them and they’ll last for years. There’s also nothing to break compared to a traditional HPS or MH lights.

Less Heat

Heat production is a major factor with with HPS and MH grow lights. The extra heat requires a greater attention to ventilation or it can cause rapid die off. LED’s produce very little heat in comparison.

Easy Set-up

They don’t require ducting and as much ventilation. This relates back to less heat. LED’s usually have built in fans so there’s not as much need to ventilate the extra heat generated by HPS or MH lights.  Just plug in and go.

So what’s the Bad Part?

Less Heat

This can also be a disadvantage. HPS and MH lights also acted as a heat source. If the grow room is too cold, there needs to be a heat source going. Almost all plants thrive in a warm environment so providing heat is going to add to cost.

Limited Spectrum

If you buy LED’s make sure you’re getting a full spectrum diode with at least a 3w  output.  Some manufactures sell just a blue or red producing light source so make sure there’s a well balanced spectrum between red, blue and white.  If the price is cheaper than other brands, a limited spectrum and low output, such as 1w,  may be the reason why.

Expensive

Expensive but getting cheaper.  As the technology in grow light manufacturers progresses the cost will come down.

Results Have Varied

Read the forums and you’ll realize results with LED’s are still controversial, with some growers using a hybrid lighting system of LED’s and HPS’s or CFL’s, rather than just straight LED’s.  As LED’s become more powerful, results should get better, and commercial growers are starting to document more studies like this one here. Compare Manufacturers and then read the Growers Forums.

A LED Manufacturers job is to sell stuff, nothing new there, so check out some of the most popular Led grow light manufactures like Kind, Blackdog, and Californialightworks websites. Read about there spec’s and you’ll be able to start making some comparisons. Then go to the Indoor Grow forums and get the real life users opinions. In my opinion LED’s are the future but do your research before spending the cash.

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Learning The Basics Of Hydroponic Gardening https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/learning-the-basics-of-hydroponic-gardening/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/learning-the-basics-of-hydroponic-gardening/#respond Fri, 25 May 2018 03:34:15 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=54 In the process of finding the love for gardening, you might also want to consider hydroponic gardening or indoor gardening. This is one of the new things that today’s time has to offer and all gardening enthusiasts should consider learning at the same time. It posts benefits and disadvantages just like any other service or …

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In the process of finding the love for gardening, you might also want to consider hydroponic gardening or indoor gardening. This is one of the new things that today’s time has to offer and all gardening enthusiasts should consider learning at the same time. It posts benefits and disadvantages just like any other service or option you were to take and consider.

The benefits being that of not having to worry about the rain or too much heat to do the gardening as this will be conveniently located in your home. It would be something most would appreciate especially those who are often too busy to check on their outdoor gardens or those that do not have space to grow a garden like those who stays in a condominium or pad.

If you were to learn indoor gardening, there are certain things that you need to consider like the basics of it. First understand what hydroponics is. Hydroponic gardening is growing plants using a nutrient medium instead of soil. Hydroponics has several branches which include aeroponics or the use of air to grow plants and aquaponics and more.

How interesting can planting be, who would have known that there will be so many ways? It’s something worth learning, an art and craft that you can enjoy along with the individuals who have now ventured out into adapting to this gardening strategy. To get started you should first purchase a hydroponic kit. An entire kit may cost some cash but it would be worth it knowing that these are especially designed for the sole purpose of growing your indoor garden and provide for your gardening needs. Make sure that the kit you choose includes everything that you need like the CN axial muffin fan filter guard.

Here are eleven steps that you can consider.

  1. Decide what you want to grow. Knowing what you want to grow in your indoor garden will make it easier for you to pick out the things that you will need.
  2. Determine how many of each plant you like to grow. You should know so as to determine if you have enough space.
  3. Estimate the space that you will need. You should know the amount of space that you need to grow the number of plants you intend to make sure you leave sufficient space for each to grow properly.
  4. Mark and space 4 inch holes for the 4 inch pots for each one of them. For the first 3 to 4 weeks and during hot climate a shade cloth will be very helpful.
  5. Make a hydroponic solution of fertilizers and water with an end Ph of 5.5 to 5.6
  6. Plant your self-raised and brought seedlings, take them out of the pot and wash off the soil.
  7. Settle the washed seedlings in the growing medium.
  8. Be keen at controlling chemical balance of nutrients to water, do a daily check, and add mostly water as water evaporates.
  9. Oversee the growing of your plants over 12 to 18 weeks. Help them and keep pests away.
  10. Harvest when needed.
  11. Clean the entire system after harvest and do not fail to sterilize with peroxide to kill bacteria and mold for the subsequent gardening you will do.

Now that you have these tips, you can now consider having your own indoor garden. Remember hydroponic gardening can be learned. It’s something worth your time as a gardening enthusiast.

For a more in depth view of hydroponics, read our comprehensive Hydroponic Gardening Guide.

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A Beginners Guide To Using Grow Lights https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/a-beginners-guide-to-using-grow-lights/ https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/a-beginners-guide-to-using-grow-lights/#respond Fri, 25 May 2018 03:33:07 +0000 https://hydroponicgardeningcenter.com/?p=52 There are many types of Grow Lights to choose from when selecting lighting for your indoor green house.  You may also be wondering how to use grow lights?  Don't worry, we'll help. The least expensive grow lights are incandescent lights. They work well for specific plants when the light is placed a minimum of 24" from the …

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There are many types of Grow Lights to choose from when selecting lighting for your indoor green house.  You may also be wondering how to use grow lights?  Don't worry, we'll help.

The least expensive grow lights are incandescent lights. They work well for specific plants when the light is placed a minimum of 24" from the plant. Incandescent lights get very hot, so they must be used carefully. Incandescent lights install easily and are good to use with one plant or a small grouping of plants. Most spot incandescent bulbs last less than 1,000 hours.

Florescent Grow Lights

Florescent grow lights are a common choice. They are fairly energy efficient and easy to install and maintain. Florescent bulbs last about 20,000 hours. Florescent light is typically on the blue end of the spectrum, which encourages bushy compact growth. This makes them perfect for seed starting. The blue light produced is cool to the touch so it is possible to place lights within just a few inches of the seedlings.

Full-Spectrum Florescent Lights

Full-spectrum florescent lights provide red spectrum light and encourage flowering/blooming. Combining these lights in a fixture makes for even, all around growth. T-5 lights have extremely high output and are energy efficient and long lasting. T-5 lights produce three times the output of normal florescent lights without increasing the wattage. Plants absorb a high percentage of T-5 lighting because the fixtures function well very close to plants. High output bulbs require a high output fixture to operate, so the bulbs and normal florescent fixtures will not work together.

High Intensity Discharge Lights (HID)

Some commercial growers use High Intensity Discharge lights (HID) because they have extremely high output and cover a wide area. HID lights hang high above plants (hanging height determined by the wattage) so the light works well for large growing areas. A ballast is required to operate HID lights in order to deliver power to the lamp and fixture for the lights. Most fixtures have a reflective hood which directs light back towards plants. HID lights run very hot, so they must be placed away from plants to avoid burning the leaves. Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) are the 2 types of HID lights.

Metal Halide vs. High Pressure Sodium

Metal Halide lights produce blue light that most closely resembles natural light. This would be the preferable light if used as the primary lighting because plant growth most closely resembles plants grown outdoors. This type of lighting is excellent for areas that do not get natural sun. The second type of HID lighting, High Pressure Sodium (HPS), is excellent for supplemental lighting in a greenhouse because the red light promotes flowering. The bulbs last much longer than Metal Halides.

Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium lights generally do not use the same fixtures, although, some fixtures are convertible. With convertible fixtures, bulbs swap easily. A simple flip of a switch converts the fixture after changing the bulb. This is a good option for serious growers who want the benefits of compact growth, blooms and energy efficiency.

LED Grow Lights

The newest type of grow lights use LED technology. The major advantages to LED grow lights are the small size and low heat output. LED grow lights are only a few inches in diameter and are easy to mount. LED grow lights may be the only practical option for some growers. Hanging most grow lights requires a strong greenhouse structure and a place to hang the lights, but since LED grow lights are very light, it’s easy to place them anywhere they’re needed. According to LED manufacturers, LED grow lights maximize blue and red light to provide an excellent balance for plants. Read our in-depth LED grow light reviews to learn more about how these types of lights can benefit you and your indoor growing.

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