Hydroponic System Types

Hydroponics is essentially all about growing your plants in water and providing easy nutrition, instead of relying on soil. But there is a little more to the set up. We go through a lot of this in our video and it may help you to see these set up and in action as well!

Let’s review the main types of systems you can grow in.

One of the cheapest systems to set up, a wick system requires only a few pieces, most of which you probably have sitting around your home.

As with all they systems below, you will need a large opaque container with a lid to hold your water and nutrient solution while keeping algae growth at bay, a cup with holes for the roots to grow out while suspended from a hole in the large container lid, and growth medium to support the structure of the plant.

For this system, you also need a wick that extends from the middle of the growth medium down into the water/nutrient solution. This wick can even be made from something as simple as a cotton wash rag cut into 1 inch wide slivers, or a piece of cotton rope.

Basically, this works via the wick pulling the water/nutrients up to the growth medium and giving the roots all they need right there. This system is definitely the quietest, but make sure you have it well lit and protect the temperatures according to what your plant type needs.

Plants that Love the Wick System:

1. Herbs—rosemary, chives, basil, thyme, lavender, mint, parsley, oregano, cilantro

2. Light, quick growing lettuces—green leaf, romaine, arugula, cabbages

3. Strawberries, small peppers, green onions, sunflowers

Items Needed For This System:

• Tub/Bucket/Container
• Wick
• Net Pot
• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready.
• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Newbie Hydroponics Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!
• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.
• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

A deep water culture system is very similar to a wick system, but we are bringing in a little technology to aid the process.

Rather than using a wick to transport the water/nutrient solution, we will now give the roots direct access by partially submerging them. However, roots need to absorb oxygen also, so an air stone will keep the liquid oxygenated and healthier for your plant.

An air stone and a pump to run it are both inexpensive usually and this small purchase could make a huge difference in your harvest results.

Plants that Love the DWC System:

1. Herbs—rosemary, chives, basil, thyme, dill

2. Lettuces—green leaf, romaine, arugula, chard, spinach

3. Peppers, radishes, carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, sunflowers

4. Vining plants—beans, cucumbers, eggplants and squashes, vine tomatoes, okra

Items Needed For This System:

• Tub/Bucket/Container

• Net Pot

• Airstone—6”, 2x2” cylinder, 4x1” circular

• Air tube

• Air Pump

• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready.

• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Hydroponic Newbie Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!

• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.

• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

You will see many more complicated versions of this set up, but aeroponics is in many ways most similar to the deep culture or even the wick system, in that the technology and hardware here is still pretty simple and cost effective, but we are now adding a misting pump.

Essentially, your plant roots will dangle free above the water/nutrient solution, and the pump will spray a mist of the liquid on to the roots at all times.

This method is often used with vertical tower set ups that may house 18-36 plants each, with just one mister tube running down the middle spraying all of the roots at once. But it can also be used in a horizontal NFT or Kratky-type tub.

Make sure you get a pump that will put out the appropriate pressure for your system size!

Plants that Love the Aeroponic System:

1. Lettuces, cabbages, chards, spinach, kale, other greens, strawberries, peppers, carrots, radishes, blueberries, ginger

2. Vining plants—beans, cucumbers, eggplants and squashes, tomatoes, okra

Items Needed For This System:

• Tub/Bucket/Container

• Tubing

• Misters

• Water Pump—On this set up, you want to let the pump run continuously.

• Net Pot

• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready

• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Hydroponic Newbie Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!

• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.

• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

We have full aeroponic kits in store that we are not currently shipping—message, email, or call us for more information or to pickup in store!

The drip system is going to introduce a new hardware piece to you by adding a hose or pipe that extends from your liquids tank to above your plants. The pump is kept at a low-ish level so that it runs a small but consistent amount to the top and it drips on to your plant or roots consistently, and even just for a certain time cycle, rather than drowning the plant with no end in sight.

Make sure you get a pump that will run the appropriate height for your system!

Plants that Love the Drip System:

1. Herbs—rosemary, basil, thyme, lavender, mint, parsley, oregano, cilantro

2. Lettuces, cabbages, chards, strawberries

Items Needed For This System:

• Tub/Bucket/Container
• Tubing

• PVC—needed for vertical tower versions

• Water Pump

• Pump Timer

• Net Pot

• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready

• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Hydroponic Newbie Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!

• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.

• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

Find a full kit here!

We also have full vertical tower kits in store that we are not currently shipping—message, email, or call us for more information or to pickup in store!

The nutrient film technique, or NFT as it is commonly referred to, separates the base water/nutrient tank from the plants. The liquid solution is then piped constantly from the base tank into the plant tank, at a medium pace so that the plant tank holds enough water/nutrient solution to wet the end of the roots, while not fully submerging them. It is named such because it keeps a constant film of nutrients surrounding your plant roots

The liquid then drains out back into the base tank where it is recycled through the pipe again.

Plants that Love the NFT System:

1. Herbs—rosemary, chives, basil, thyme, lavender, mint, parsley, oregano, cilantro

2. Lettuces, cabbages, chards, spinach, kale, other greens, strawberries,

Items Needed For This System:

• Tub for reservoir—We recommend a large tub from a hardware store such as a Lowes 27 gallon.

• PVC, end caps, and tube connection hardware

• Tubing

• Water Pump

• Pump Timer

• Net Pot

• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready

• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Hydroponic Newbie Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!

• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.

• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

We are currently selling NFT systems on a custom basis so we can design one to fit your space and needs. Message, email, or call us for more information!

Lastly, we have the ebb & flow. Though it uses the most technology, the system is still not the least too complicated for a beginner.

The only changes from the NFT system are the addition of a timer which sends the water to the plant tank in occasional increments, quickly flooding the tank and submersing the plant roots, and then quickly draining and allowing the roots time to dry back out.

Plants that Love the Ebb & Flow System:

1. Lettuces, cabbages, chards, spinach, kale, other greens, strawberries, peppers, carrots, radishes, blueberries, ginger, tomatoes, sunflowers

Items Needed For This System:

• Medium or Large Basin

• Bucket/Container for reservoir—We recommend a large tub from a hardware store such as a Lowes 27 gallon.

• Ebb & Flow hardware kit 

• Tubing

• Water Pump

• Pump Timer

• Net Pot

• Growth Medium—Start your seeds in peat plugs or rock wool, and then plant them in Hydroton in your net cup when ready

• Nutrients—Not sure which to get? Check out the Hydroponic Newbie Cheat Sheet for tips to help you choose according to what you want to grow!

• Light—If you are doing this indoors you will need a light appropriately sized for the system.

• Light timer—not needed if you grow outdoors

If you have any questions about this content or how to get started with your own system, please don't hesitate to contact and ask us!