Hydroponic Systems
Many growers use the NFT system to achieve bumper yields. This is possible because the roots have a constant supply of oxygen. The system is also easy to set up and maintain. It’s these benefits that make NFT one of the most popular systems on the market.This was the original pioneering hydroponics technique. Although dated, it is still very popular among indoor horticulturists, mainly due to the inexpensive cost of setting up a NFT system, but also its simplicity.
The principle is very easy to grasp. The plants are grown in a constant flow of nutrient enriched water. The water is spread out so as to flow in approximately 1-3mm of depth over a flat surface. This creates a film of water, which flows over the root system of the plant. This is not a rapid flow but enough of a flow that the water is in constant motion. Water is fed to the table via a submersible pump from the top end of the table.
As the water is pumped in at one end of the table, it slowly makes its way to the bottom of the table where it then returns back to the reservoir in which the pump is submerged. So you get constant exchange of the water in the reservoir being pumped from one end of the table then returning to the reservoir via the other end of the table. The film of nutrient should always be maintained at around 1 to 3mm of water. The roots of the plant should grow below and above the water’s surface and that is why the film should be constant, allowing the water roots to develop below the water’s surface, and also allowing the air roots to grow above the water’s surface.
NFT systems are very productive and are an excellent inexpensive teaching aid to the principle of hydroponics. Also with this beautiful innovation the world of hydroponics might not be with us as this technique was the first adopted and used by many growers all over the planet, paving the way for our very own hydroponics revolution.
The maindown side is the nft pump can get clogged but these are cheap to replace. Heavy yielding plants also need to be supported by string or other devices.
Wilma Multi pot Drip Irrigation Systems
The Dutch who grow everything using this system, have mastered this technique. Nor do they just grow everything, they grow on an unprecedented scale compared to any other nation. The plants are propagated in a rockwool cube then grown on in a rockwool slab. The plants are individually fed using drippers. These drip emitters are designed to deliver at a set rate at a pre-set volume of water per hour.
Each dripper is wired to an infrastructure of tubes and delivery pipes, which are fed by one master pump. Most commercial systems are what are known as high-pressure drip systems and most domestic systems are known as a low-pressure drip system. These commercial high pressure drip systems are typically run to waste systems. This is when the nutrient is bled off and after dripping through the rockwool slab then simply allowed to run down the drain i.e. to waste. This ensures these plants get the exact maximum nutritional value from the nutrient solution and also cuts back on the possibility of bacteria or fungal problems like pythium. Most low-pressure drip systems are recycling or re-circulating systems where the nutrient returns to the tank then gets pumped back to the plants, then to the tank, so on and so forth.
These systems are relatively cheap compared to others and easily built once you get your head round the spaghetti of pipes, tubes and fittings. Drip systems are also very versatile and can be made in many shapes and formats allowing you a more modular design for your grow rooms.
Wilma Hydroponic Systems are here - and they're pretty awesome. This website favours wima systems. As the first recirculating, drip based system that allows you to use any medium you like, you can expect fantastic results whether you're a grower who prefers pebbles, rockwool, soil or coco. They are even supplied with all the different drip stakes you need - so if after a few grows you fancy changing the growing media, you quite simply can! Including moveable pots and handy pot location pins on the top tray, the Wilma System provides complete flexibility enabling you to quickly and easily reposition plants to help keep crop growth very uniform. With all these great features and typical Nutriculture build quality it's not hard to see why the Wilma has been taking mainland Europe by storm!
Some times you will have less plants than other sytems but plants and yields will be huge using a kit with a wilma system.
Wilma Systems are available in 4different sizes, the 4, 8 and 16 plant versions using 11 Litre pots and the 10 and 20 plant versions using 6.5 Litre pots. You may need to buy a mechanical timer to regulate watering times. 4 pot systems measure 70cm long x 60cm wide x 45cm tall (including pots), 8 and 10 pot systems measure 119cm long x 60cm wide x 45cm tall (including pots).
Hydroponic Indoor Mediums
Rockwool
Rockwool (mineral wool) is probably the most widely used medium in hydroponics. Rock Wool is an inert substrate for both 'free drainage' and recirculating systems. It is produced by aerosolization of molten mineral compounds, resulting in a fibrous medium accessible to capillary action that is not degraded by microbiological activity.
Canna Coco coconut Husk Noir
Coco peat, also known as Coir or coco, is the leftover material after the fibres have been removed from the outermost shell (bolster) of the coconut. Coir is a 100% natural grow and flowering medium. Coco has become very popular in recent years. The quality of produce is excellent, the yields are good and it is something everybody can relate to - growing a plant in a pot! Made from the refined husks of coconuts, Canna Coco provides an airy and light rooting environment, perfect for encouraging vigorous and healthy root growth. Some inferior brands of coco can contain extremely high levels of salt but we have never had any problems with this range. Coco medium is organic and green, you will notice that taste when you consume your harvest.
Hydroponic Indoor Growlamps
All our grow lamps com complete with Bulb + Ballast + Reflector
High Pressure Sodium
HPS Lamps are favoured by indoor-growers for general growing because of the wide colour-temperature spectrum produced and the relatively efficient cost of running the lights. This is the lighting choice of many a Cannabis Cultivator. These lights come in all shapes and sizes and we have stock 400watts - 600watts. These lights are in the perfect spectrum for growing Indoor and come highly recommended. Metal halide are not stocked as they are more suited for vegitative growth rather than flowering.HPS is suitable for both and better for flowing and fruiting. Our lamps average 36000 lumens (400w) to 45000 (600w), we don't stock 1000w lamps due to less efficiency and heat build up. Remember to change your bulb every 8 months as it is it will save you money in the long run.
LED Grow lights and CFL Environlights
Nutrients
The most common problem with beginners is nutrient burn. Try growing your plant at 50% strength of what it says on the packet it will save you money and may increase yield. More doesn't alway mean better yield you will save money as well!
Ionic nutrient Solution
A good one-part nutrient with an additional Boost component. Ionic gets our recommendation for yield and ease of use. For best results buy Ionic Grow, Bloom & Boost. Use Ionic Grow during the growth phase and then for the flowering/fruiting phase switch to Ionic Bloom adding in Ionic Boost as well halfway through flowering/fruiting.
Canna Nutrient Solution
Canna Coco is a 2 part nutrient specifically designed for use with 'Canna Coco Coir' growing media.
Coconut,'Canna Coir' has a great natural buffer capacity which is an advantage because it makes cultivation user friendly, on the other hand it makes it difficult to balance the right combination and amounts of nutrient.
Canna Coco liquid nutrient has been adjusted to the properties of the coconut substrate, it also contains natural compounds, humus-acids and fulvinic-acids through which the plant can optimally absorb all nutrients.
Carbon Fans and Filters
Having a good healthy growing environment for your plants is of paramount importance. Good air circulation is an important factor in any growing environment. An extractor fan is required to bring fresh air from the outside, into the growroom and another extractor fan is needed to remove the stale air. On some occasions, only the one extractor might be used to extract stale air from the grow room and the fresh air is replenished through vents in doors, windows and walls.
An adequate supply of CO2 in the growing environment is probably the main reason why an extractor is a requirement. Plants will quickly use all available CO2 in an enclosed environment, which could lead to slow growth of plants. Our range of extractor fans and environmental control equipment will ensure that you get the best results everytime. Some times this can be over come by opening up your tent every day, but I would recommend a kit with one of these heavy duty German made fans. They are very quiet too!