Ebb and Flow Hydroponics

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by: RonaldRobust
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Word Count: 378
Date: Mon, 9 May 2011 Time: 12:06 PM

Ebb and flow hydroponics is a very popular method growers use to grow hydroponically indoors. This method, which is also referred to as the flood and drain system is popular because it is fairly easy to use and maintain, and still offers the high yields expected with all hydroponics systems. Ebb and flow hydroponics systems are very easy to set up and get started, which makes them popular with beginners or growers new to hydroponics. One thing to account for when considering ebb and flow hydroponics is that they are not typically used for large-scale operations, and are most commonly used to grow a garden of small plants, or when rooting cuttings, germinating seedlings, and vegetating young plants to maturity.

 As with most hydroponics systems, with ebb and flow hydroponics, plants are placed into net pots filled with grow medium. Many different grow mediums can be used with ebb and flow hydroponics systems so it is up to the grower to decide which to use. Rockwool and hydroton are popular with ebb and flow hydroponics, but take note that rockwool holds water much longer than hydroton, so adjust watering schedules accordingly. Ebb and flow hydroponics systems use flood tables, basically large basins that hold the plants and nutrient solution, so it is typically used to grow many small plants rather than larger plants. Obviously the more plants, and the larger the plants, the grower wishes to grow, then the bigger the flood table has to be.

It’s important to determine a proper flood schedule for the type of plants that are being grown in ebb and flow hydroponics. When watering, or flooding the system, the water level should be about half-way up the grow medium, and the nutrient solution is wicked up the rest of the way by the grow medium. As a rule of thumb, don’t let plant roots sit in the nutrient solution for more than 30 minutes or they could be harmed in the oxygen-depleted solution. This is why proper flood schedules must be used when growing with ebb and flow hydroponics. The nutrient solution should ebb (flood) and flow (drain) regularly so the roots are exposed to oxygen which supports growth.

About the Author

hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by using mineral and nutrient solutions in water. Plants may be grown with their roots in the Ebb and Flow Hydroponics solution only or in a medium.

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