hydrocentre.com.au
Nerang Hydroponic Centre, Shop 17, 39 Lawrence Drive Nerang Qld 4211AUSTRALIA
 Phone (07) 5527 4155   Fax (07) 5527 4154 email info@hydrocentre.com.au 

Welcome to the hydrocentre.com.au
click here to go to the hydrocentre homepage for more information and products

There are two main methods used for hydroponics.

1. Passive. No Electricity. 
In this method we usually hand water pots or boxes just like soil gardening, but with soil substitutes. This can be very easy and eliminates soil diseases, knowing whether a plant needs fertiliser or what kind of fertiliser. You add the nutrients to tap water and "water" the plants until moist.

To make it automatic, we can also use self watering pots, tanks of nutrients with an automatic valve, or wick systems.

Above: Using a tank and valve
 
Above: using a wick to draw water and nutrient from the tank below

2. Recirculating or pump driven systems
We can use irrigation systems that are amazing. They allow for tremendous growth rates as they maximise a plants potential.

Common methods are:-

Trickle irrigation - trickling nutrients over the roots then allowing them time to use the nutrients before irrigating them again)

roses trickle fed in expanded clay balls

 Flood and Drain - flooding the roots then draining them

a tray filled with clay balls is flooded every 2 hours for 15 minutes

 Nutrient film technique  -growing in pipes/channels

Plants are placed in a shallow (1mm or less) moving stream of nutrients 

Aeroponics - spraying roots suspended in the air

roots hang in a chamber and sprayers spray nutrients onto them, 
usually for 15 mins, then off for 15 mins