THIS

BOOK MAKES HYDROPONICS ACCESSIBLE to gardeners of any experience level. You'll learn both the science
of hydroponics and its practical applications and see that DIY hydroponics is not just a way to avoid
purchasing expensive hydroponic systems; it's also a way to create a beautiful garden better suited to your
needs. Offering build guides for hydroponic gardens that range from simple to complex, this book shows
systems suitable for nearly any environment or application. The build guides include many options for
customizing the design so you can create a garden catered to your space, crop selection, and budget.
Additionally, this book offers invaluable seed variety recommendations that can save new hydroponic
gardeners time and money that could have easily been wasted on poorly suited crop selections. Learn from
Farmer Tyler's vast experience and avoid the costly mistakes commonly made by new hydroponic growers.
The more you know, the better you grow!
Put simply, hydroponics is growing plants without soil. Most people assume that soil is indispensable for
plant growth, but if you have this book, you probably already know that isn't so. The various functions of
soil can be recreated using other materials. Soil provides support for the plant because it creates a physical
structure for the roots to grasp. Tall trees would be unable to hold themselves upright on a windy day
without a firm grip in the soil. In a hydroponic system, the physical support provided by soil can be
replicated with a variety of materials and trellis structures.
Soil also provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These same nutrients can be supplied using
alternative methods, however. Hydroponic systems dispense water-soluble nutrients derived from both
organic and conventional sources. Soil can also provide a home for essential microbial populations that
create beneficial relationships with plant roots. These same microbes can live and thrive in a hydroponic
environment. So, if hydroponics is simply recreating the role of soil, why not just use soil?

1 Doesn't require quality soil

Gardening is often thought of as an activity limited to those fortunate enough to have a lawn.
Hydroponics greatly increases gardening options for those in homes without lawns or those with lawns
that have soil poorly suited for edible crops. Hydroponics combined with indoor growing techniques gives
gardeners even more options by expanding the potential garden space to nearly anywhere in the home.
2 Potential for faster crop growth
Plants rarely maximize their full growth potential in soil. There is almost always some limiting factor
slowing down their growth. In soil, the plant roots need to search for nutrients that are often unevenly
distributed and possibly inaccessible because they are bound to various soil particles. Some nutrients are
inaccessible because the microbes in the soil have yet to break down the nutrient source (for example,
manure) into a form that is available to the plant's roots. It is also possible for the plant growth to be
constrained by a lack of water or too much water. Too much water can reduce the amount of oxygen
available to the roots and inhibit biological processes necessary for the roots to uptake nutrients and
water. Hydroponics bathes the roots in a precise blend of essential nutrients with a balance of water and
oxygen. Many of the constraints on a plant's potential growth can be eliminated or reduced using
hydroponics and indoor growing techniques.

3 Requires less space

A plant must spread its roots far and wide in the process of searching for water and nutrients. By
eliminating the need for the plant roots to find water and nutrients, the spacing of plants is only limited
by the area needed for the plant canopy.

4 Less constraint on growing season

Obviously, growing indoors permits gardeners to extend the growing season. Less obviously, hydroponics
specifically can extend the growing season even when placed outdoors. Often the temperature of a
plant's roots is more critical to its health than the leaf temperature. It is possible to grow winter crops in
100°F if the root temperature is kept in an optimal range closer to 65° to 75°F. It is also possible to grow
crops that prefer warm temperatures in cold climates by increasing the root zone temperature.
Hydroponics increases the ability to precisely adjust the root zone temperature. Through use of heaters,
chillers, or simple practices like burying a hydroponic reservoir, a hydroponic gardener can increase or
decrease water temperature and improve crop growth.

5 Can be used in any location Hydroponics allows gardeners to grow in areas that do not possess
quality soil. Hydroponics also allows gardeners to grow in locations that would be unsuited for crops due
to inhospitable climate or limited water access. One of the biggest opportunities for hydroponics is
growing in deserts. Deserts often have a wonderful climate for growing crops, with lots of light and little
pest presence, but they are limited in access to water. Hydroponics uses substantially less water than
traditional methods and can make farming in deserts a viable option. Hydroponics is also the primary
method used to grow plants in space. Many crops, including lettuce, have been grown in space using
hydroponic methods.
6 Uses less water
Hydroponics uses less water because you may reuse any irrigation water not directly taken up by the
crop. In soil, much of the water is lost to evaporation and drainage. In hydroponics, evaporation can be
reduced or eliminated by covering the water reservoir, and all drainage water is collected to be reused.
7 No weeding and no herbicides
No weeding. It may seem like a small point at first, but after a season of pulling garden weeds, most
traditional soil gardeners would love to have spent that time doing something more fun, like preparing
dishes from their harvest. Hydroponic growers also have no need to purchase herbicides. Furthermore,
hydroponic growers never have to face the potential crop damage of herbicide drift when a breeze
accidentally blows herbicide onto your garden and injures or kills your precious plants.
8 Can reduce or eliminate need for pesticides
Hydroponic gardens, especially those outdoors and in greenhouses, are rarely pest free, but hydroponics
does have the potential to reduce pest pressure. Hydroponic gardens present fewer hiding places for
pests that will burrow into soil or hide in decaying plant debris. When hydroponics is combined with
indoor growing techniques it is possible to have a completely pest-free garden if the gardener practices
preventive pest control techniques. Preventive pest control techniques are covered in the Equipment for
Growing Indoors section of the Equipment chapter.

9 Can reduce or eliminate agricultural runoff

It is difficult to manage runoff in a traditional garden. The gardener may fertilize the garden and the next
week a rainstorm washes away much of the nutrients. It is also possible that the nutrients will be carried
away by normal irrigation. Using advanced hydroponic techniques it is possible to have zero runoff. This
is a practice best suited for professional hydroponic growers as it involves advanced water testing,
chemistry, and an extensive knowledge of a crop's specific nutrient requirements. For home hydroponic
gardeners, it is common to flush or dump out the nutrient solution in the hydroponic system every few
weeks to avoid potential nutrient disorders in the crop created by an imbalance in nutrients. Plants do
not consume all nutrients at the same rate, so over time some accumulate and some become deficient.
Periodic flushes, or changes of the nutrient solution, help reset the system and ensure the crop has
access to the correct balance of nutrients. This wastewater does not have to be simply flushed down,
though; most hydroponic gardeners use this water for their outdoor garden or potted plants. A traditional
soil-based garden is a great companion to a hydroponic garden.
10 Ability to manipulate nutrient content
One of the most common misconceptions surrounding hydroponics is that hydroponic produce has a
lower nutrient density than soil-grown produce because hydroponic crops are grown in water. There have
been many studies comparing the nutrient density of hydroponic and soil-grown produce and the results
 are evenly mixed. There are so many factors that affect the nutrient density of a crop, and although
fertilizer does play a role in which nutrients are present, the environment has a huge role in which
nutrients the plant actually uptakes. Light intensity and specific colors of light can affect antioxidant
content. Stress due to irrigation practices can affect antioxidant content. Temperature can affect sugar
concentration. There is a long list of factors that affect the nutrients present in a crop but, overall, these
vegetables are nutritious. The differences are very minute and it is difficult to go wrong when eating a
vegetable. Nearly all plants will show visible signs of nutrient deficiency if their nutrient density is
significantly off from normal levels, so if the plant looks good it more than likely is going to have a
nutrient profile comparable to a similar-looking plant regardless of the environment in which it was
grown.
That said, there are some unique methods that hydroponic growers are using to manipulate their crop.
Many commercial hydroponic tomato growers purposely stress their plants with high nutrient levels at
key stages in their development to induce an increase in sugar content in the tomatoes. The growers can
spike the nutrients to induce the sugar increase and then reduce the nutrients to a normal level to
maintain healthy growth. For lettuce, the Oizumi Yasaikobo Co., Ltd., in Chichibu City, Japan, has
developed a method for growing low-potassium lettuce using hydroponic methods. The farm grows these
specialty lettuces for customers suffering from kidney disease who are getting treated with dialysis and
are restricted from consuming vegetables with a high potassium content. This effort to grow produce
with a custom nutrient content is one of many similar projects being developed around the world as
growers gain the ability to precisely control every aspect of a crop's growing environment.

11 Increased ability to direct crop growth for specific characteristics

Not only can nutrient content be manipulated, but other characteristics, such as leaf size, leaf color, root
size, and plant height, can also be manipulated when hydroponics is combined with indoor growing.
Indoor gardeners can use various colors of light to induce specific characteristics. A popular practice is
the use of blue light to grow more compact plants indoors to reduce the vertical space required for a
crop.

12 Clean and low mess

Soil gardening can be messy. This is not bad, but not always ideal. The most extreme example is the
International Space Station. A floating cloud of soil would be a disaster around that sensitive equipment.
For those of us not growing plants in space, the benefit of soilless growing is a cleaner crop. Crops grown
hydroponically often require little or no washing. Hydroponic gardens can be a great way to expose kids
to plants in a classroom or home without bringing in the potential of a big muddy mess. One of my
favorite kid-friendly systems is the hydroponic fairy garden described in the Media Beds section of the
Hydroponic Growing Systems chapter.
13 Can be easier and less work than growing in soil
Easy to use fertilizers, easy to automate, and no weeding are just a few of the reasons hydroponic
gardening can be far simpler than traditional methods. Hydroponics may seem intimidating to beginners,
but after a crop or two most hydroponic gardeners are hooked.

14 Easy to master and replicate results

Hydroponic crops grow quickly, allowing growers to get more experience in a shorter period of time. The
best teacher is experience, and faster-growing crops allow hydroponic growers to learn quickly. Once a
grower figures out the right recipe for that environment and selected crop, it is easy to replicate the
process. Hydroponics gives the grower the power to replicate the exact nutrients available and irrigation
frequency. When hydroponics is paired with indoor growing techniques, growers increase their control
even further. Indoor gardeners can replicate light intensity, light duration, temperature, humidity, carbon
dioxide levels, and airflow to grow consistent crops year-round without the seasonal and yearly
fluctuations experienced by traditional gardeners.

15 Increases ability to manage soilborne pathogens like root rots and bacterial wilts
Some of the most aggressive plant pathogens are soilborne. Any grower who has battled root rot or
bacterial wilt in a traditional garden knows that is it very difficult to eradicate the problem. Many of
these pathogens hide in the soil until the conditions are right, and then they spring into action. In
hydroponics, the gardener can completely clean out the hydroponic system if there is a case of a
soilborne pathogen. This allows the gardener to quickly remove the old crop, clean and sterilize the
system, and then start up a new crop.

16 Reduces potential of contaminating crops

Several of the national foodborne disease outbreaks have been traced back to manure. Animal manure,
one of the primary nutrient inputs on traditional farms, is a potential source of harmful pathogens,
including E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, if not properly prepared before application. The problem is
that not all manures present in agricultural fields are applied by the farmer. In 2011, an E. coli outbreak
in Oregon was believed to be due to deer feces found on the suspected farm. It is rare to see any manure-
derived fertilizers in hydroponics, and contamination from wildlife is very uncommon, as most hydroponic
farms are in controlled environments that exclude wildlife. Another potential source of contamination is
heavy metals present in soil or irrigation sources. Hydroponic growers can easily filter their water source
to reduce heavy metals, but removing heavy metals from soil can be very difficult. There is research
indicating that edible crops can uptake heavy metals that could lead to slow heavy metal poisoning if
they are grown using contaminated soil or contaminated water sources.

Hydroponic systems are quite simple. To create one, you will need some kind of waterproof reservoir to
contain the nutrient solution and, in some cases, the plants themselves. You'll also need a growing area,
which is the place the plants will live. The size and type of growing area defines the kinds of plants you can
grow and how much they will yield. You will also need, in most cases, lighting and ventilation systems.
Finally, growing medium is needed to store and release nutrients to the plant roots.

Most hydroponic systems have a reservoir that is filled with a nutrient solution, a mix of fertilizer and water.
There are many options for nutrient sources in hydroponic gardens. Most nutrient solutions can be used for
a wide variety of plants or they can be catered to specific crops. Feeding plants in a hydroponic garden is as
easy as making iced tea from concentrate. Simply mix in the powder or liquid concentrate, stir, and done!
Reservoirs can be created by repurposing common household items like storage totes; they can be
constructed with wood and a plastic liner; or they can be purchased. Reservoirs can be as simple as a
plastic or glass bottle.
The growing area in a hydroponic garden can be adjusted to grow nearly any plant. By adjusting irrigation
frequency, pot/tray size, substrate, and environment, hydroponic gardeners can create optimal growing
conditions for any crop they desire. Some crops are more practical than others; for example, hydroponic
wheat and corn are possible but they often require large areas for proper pollination, and the economic
value of their yield is low and difficult to justify with a capital-intensive growing method. Most hydroponic
gardeners, however, find many advantages over traditional growing methods when they devote their
growing area to vegetables and flowers. The growing area design is the biggest difference between the
various hydroponic growing methods covered in this book. Recirculating hydroponic systems, like those
described in this book, have a growing area that drains back into the reservoir. The reuse of irrigation
water in hydroponics can greatly reduce the water required to grow a crop compared to the water use
required in traditional growing methods.
Plants grown in hydroponic systems can grow faster and yield more. Hydroponics eliminates the need for
herbicides and can reduce or eliminate the need for pesticides when combined with indoor growing
methods. With reduced sprays and no dirt, hydroponic produce is often cleaner than produce grown with
traditional methods. Many people know that hydroponics can reduce water use during the growing cycle,
but it is less commonly known that some produce, like lettuce, often uses more water for washing than the
entire water requirement to grow the crop.
Hydroponics is a popular growing technique indoors because it is clean and very productive. When
gardeners decide to grow indoors they often want to maximize the yield in their limited growing area, and
this goal is generally accomplished with hydroponic growing techniques. The primary equipment required
to grow indoors is a grow light. There are many options for indoor lighting and each option has its
advantages. Depending on light intensity, duration, and color, a grow light can stimulate a wide range of
desirable plant traits, including enhanced flavor, increased nutrient content, increased plant pigmentation,
reduced or increased plant height, earlier or delayed flowering, and increased yield. Nearly all the systems
in this book can be used indoors when paired with an appropriate grow light.
Soil gardening and soilless hydroponic gardening are not enemies; each has its strengths and weaknesses.
Blindly stating that one is better than the other may be tempting for those deeply invested in one method or
the other, but doing so ignores the fact that both of these methods are very diverse.
The fertilizers used for hydroponics are usually very different from those used by soil gardeners.
Hydroponic fertilizers need to provide everything required for healthy plant growth, whereas fertilizers
intended for use in soil will just focus on a few of the major nutrients because it is assumed most of the
other nutrients will already be present in the soil. Hydroponic fertilizers will work in soil, but fertilizers
intended for use in soil will rarely work in hydroponic gardens. Not only would the fertilizer intended for
soil not have all the required nutrients, but the nutrients are usually derived from sources that can foul the
water in a hydroponic garden. For example, manure is commonly used for soil-based gardening but is
almost never used in hydroponics. Most animal-derived fertilizer sources like manure, blood meal, bone
meal, fish meal, and feather meal will create horrible odors when used in a hydroponic garden. One of the
major advantages of soil gardening is the ability to use these animal-derived fertilizers, which are generally
by-products of the meat industry. Soil gardening provides a great opportunity to use these by-products for a
great purpose (growing plants) instead of going straight to a landfill.
Most hydroponic fertilizers, and fertilizers in general, are created using mined minerals and products
from energy-intensive methods, such as the Haber-Bosch process, which converts atmospheric nitrogen gas
(N2) into ammonia (NH3). This ammonia is used to create fertilizers like urea (CO(NH2)2) and ammonium
nitrate (NH4NO3). Modern agriculture heavily relies on mined and synthetic fertilizers. It is estimated that
half of the nitrogen fertilizer applied to crops comes from chemical sources. These fertilizers are growing
crops that feed billions of humans.
The pros and cons of synthetic versus natural fertilizers are incredibly nuanced. When focusing on one
attribute, it can appear that one fertilizer source is far superior to another, but the whole picture is far more
complicated. For example, the manufacturing of synthetic fertilizers has a significant carbon footprint.
Synthetic fertilizers, however, are far more concentrated than natural fertilizers and can be shipped more
efficiently. Synthetic fertilizers are very clean and precise, which is great for hydroponics. The use of
synthetic fertilizers makes it possible for some farms to never dump any wastewater, resulting in huge
water savings compared to traditional soil farming. The back and forth of advantages and disadvantages
proves to me that no one has it perfect yet. There is plenty of opportunity to learn from other growing
methods and pool their advantages to create increasingly sustainable methods of farming.
THE EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED FOR a hydroponic growing system depends, of course, on what kind of system
you want to create. Except for the most basic systems, hydroponics usually includes a pump to recirculate
the mixture of water and fertilizer. The recirculating water is important because it is through movement,
and in some cases an airstone with tubing, that oxygen from the ambient air is supplied to the liquid and
then to the plants. These pumps, along with the tubing and joining connectors, are the heart of the system
and probably the most important equipment you will buy.

Irrigation is just a fancy word for watering, but when you are talking about a hydroponic growing system,
defining it can get tricky. Whether you think of irrigation as providing nourishment or providing an
infrastructure, the equipment you need to create the irrigation function really boils down to a couple basic
items: a pump (with or without a filter) to propel and circulate the water through the system, and a series of
tubes to convey the liquid.
The major factors to consider when selecting a water pump are delivery height, target flow rate, and output
tube size. Most systems simply need a pump powerful enough to deliver water to a specific height. For
example, a grower selecting a pump for a flood and drain system can primarily focus on whether that pump
has a maximum delivery height greater than the distance from pump outlet to flood tray. Some systems
perform best when water is delivered at a target flow rate. A couple systems that depend on target flow
rates are NFT and aeroponics. For these systems it is important to consider how delivery height will impact
flow rate. A pump that delivers 600 gallons per hour (GPH) at 4 feet high only delivers 200 GPH at 10 feet
high. The number of emitters will also impact flow rate. It is generally better to select a pump that may be
slightly overpowered than a pump that could be underpowered. It is possible to reduce flow using valves,
but it is not possible to increase flow.

Air pumps are primarily used to aerate but they can also be effective for keeping nutrients evenly mixed in
a reservoir. Aerating the nutrient solution can increase the dissolved oxygen. Although plants produce
oxygen, they also use oxygen to perform a variety of tasks. One of these tasks is moving water through a
filtration process in the roots. If a plant does not have adequate oxygen around its roots, then the plant will
begin to wilt because it cannot perform the task of moving water through the filtration process and up to
the leaves. Increasing oxygen in the root zone often increases crop yield and improves plant health.
Air pumps are rated by airflow measured in liters per minute (L/min). The target liters per minute for
each hydroponic system depends on many factors, including reservoir size, water temperature, crop, and
crop age. In my experience, 1 L/min per 5 gallons is generally sufficient for most applications.
Air pumps deliver air through air stones, which come
in a variety of shapes and sizes. Air stone
preferences vary greatly by grower. I personally
prefer flexible air stones and round air stones with
bottom suctions. There are other ways to aerate a
nutrient solution besides air pumps with air stones
or water pumps with venturi attachments. Cascades
or waterfalls are often the sole method of aerating nutrient solutions in NFT systems. Other more advanced
methods include ozone generation and liquid oxygen injections.
Not all irrigation tubing is the same. Traditional irrigation tubing used in landscaping is often very stiff and
difficult to use in most hydroponic applications. Black vinyl tubing is generally the standard choice for
hydroponic irrigation because it is flexible, is strong, and easily connects to the standard fittings used in
hydroponic gardens. The most common sizes for black vinyl tubing are 1/4, 5/16, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch.
 Clear tubing is not recommended for irrigation lines. There is always the potential for algae growth when
the nutrient solution is exposed to light. Clear tubing can be a hot spot for algae and is difficult to clean
once algae develops. Clear tubing is popular in aquariums because it is nearly invisible and is more
aesthetically pleasing. If aesthetics are not a major concern, 1/4-inch black tubing will work just as well as
1/4-inch clear tubing.

Flood and drain fittings allow DIY gardeners to create their own flood trays from household materials
like plastic storage totes. Generally, these fittings come in a set that includes a 1/2-inch fill fitting, a 3/4-inch
drain fitting, extensions, and two screen fittings.
 Grommets are one of the most useful irrigation fittings in DIY hydroponics. Grommets create a
watertight seal around irrigation fittings. They can transform PVC pipes, plastic totes, buckets, and more
into hydroponic growing areas or reservoirs. Commonly available in 1/2 or 3/4 inch.
 Tubing connectors function and look very much like the plumbing connectors that anyone with
experience doing home plumbing is accustomed to using (except, of course, that they are much smaller).
 Net pots can be square or circular and generally range from 2 to 10 inches wide. This book focuses on
uses for 2- and 3-inch net pots, the most commonly used net pot sizes in DIY hydroponic systems.
Circular plastic pots are generally the easiest to find.
 Square plastic pots can help maximize the space in a hydroponic garden by removing all gaps between
pots. Square pots are a popular option in grow trays because they can be packed in tightly.

Grow bags have been used in commercial farms for a long time and are starting to make their way into
home gardens. They can be difficult to reuse, but they are definitely one of the cheapest options for a pot.
The side walls of grow bags can be rolled down to adjust the volume of the pot. Although the bag may look
square when empty, it fills out to be a cylinder.

Fabric pots are great for hydroponics because they are quick draining but don't have large holes that
can possibly let out substrate. They are perfect for flood and drain systems because it is easy for the water
to soak into the substrate and then drain quickly. Fabric pots are easy to reuse too! Simply empty out the
substrate, turn the bag inside out, let it dry, and brush off any remaining debris. They can even be put in a
washing machine for a deep clean.
 Terracotta pots are not commonly seen in hydroponics, but that doesn't mean they can't be used.
Terracotta pots used in gardens are porous, allowing air and water to pass through the walls, traits similar
to a fabric pot. Unlike a fabric pot, terracotta is heavy and fragile.
Hydroponic gardeners have a choice between high risk with fast growth and low risk with slower growth.
The decision is primarily based on the porosity of the substrate and the ability of the roots to breathe. One
of the most common mistakes made by new gardeners is overwatering. In a heavy soil or a poor-draining
pot, an excess of water can drown the plant. Even though plants create oxygen, they also require oxygen.
The roots especially need oxygen to perform a critical step in the uptake of water and nutrients. Without
oxygen in the root zone, the plant cannot uptake water and the top of the plant starts to wilt. It is very
counterintuitive to see a plant wilting when sitting in water. Excess water can also increase the chance of
root disease.
Hydroponic gardeners can select substrates that hold very little water to increase the oxygen available to
the roots, but this requires frequent or continuous irrigation. Some gardeners prefer to reduce the number
of irrigation cycles required by using a substrate that holds more water. A substrate that holds more water
adds some safety from power outages, pump failures, and other potential sources of delays in irrigation. A
plant grown in a very porous substrate like clay pellets may be damaged or die after a couple of hours of no
irrigation when grown in a warm, sunny environment. That same plant grown in coco coir, a substrate that
holds a lot more water, may be able to go a couple of days without irrigation. Usually the trade-off for this
increase in safety is slightly slower growth.

This book focuses on stone wool and polymer bound plugs made from peat moss and coco coir. There are
many other options for start substrates, but these are two of the most beginner-friendly options because
they have a good water-holding capacity yet are difficult to overwater.
Stone Wool Commonly called rock wool in the United States, stone wool is made by melting basaltic
rocks and spinning the “rock lava” into fibers… similar to cotton candy but far less tasty. Disclaimer: Do not
eat stone wool! Stone wool is one of the most popular hydroponic substrates in both commercial and hobby
hydroponics. It has a nice balance of water retention and porosity, which makes it great for new hydroponic
gardeners, who often tend to overwater plants. Some substrates are not very forgiving to overwatering, but
stone wool in general will still function when overwatered—it might not have the best growth, but it usually
won't kill the crop. Stone wool is available in blocks, slabs, and loose.
 Coconut Coir Also called “coco” coir, coconut coir is a growing substrate made from the husks of
coconuts. It is a popular substrate for both conventional and organic hydroponic growers. If coco is not
properly washed during processing it can have high levels of salt, which may damage salt-sensitive crops. It
is a good practice to wash any coco before using in a hydroponic garden to remove any remaining salts and
wash out any tannins that may stain the reservoir or growing area.
 Coco Peat A very fine coco, sometimes called coco pith or coco dust, coco peat can hold a lot of water. It
is often used as a substitute for or mixed with peat moss. Coco peat, unlike peat moss, has a starting pH
that is acceptable to most vegetables without needing to add lime. Coco peat, like peat moss, is often mixed
with perlite or another porous substrate to lighten the mix and improve drainage.

Coco Chips A chunky coco, sometimes called coco croutons, coco chips have a good balance of water
retention and drainage. They can be used as a standalone substrate or incorporated into a mix. When used
as a standalone substrate, coco chips may need to be irrigated frequently, similar to growing in expanded
clay pellets.
 Perlite Perlite is made by heating volcanic rock until it pops like popcorn. This expanded rock is very
lightweight and has many commercial applications, primarily in construction. Perlite is used in horticulture
because it is cheap, organic, lightweight, and great for aerating heavy substrates like coco and peat. It
comes in many sizes, from very fine to chunky, and can be used as a standalone hydroponic substrate.

Peat Often called sphagnum peat or sphagnum peat moss, peat is partially decayed plant matter
harvested from bogs. It has the ability to hold a lot of water yet is lightweight when dry, perfect for
shipping. Peat generally has a very low pH around 4. It is often mixed with lime to raise the pH to a more
acceptable range for vegetables. Peat can be used as a standalone substrate but it is more commonly used
in a mix with perlite. Its availability is largely limited to North America, as the harvesting of this
nonrenewable resource is severely restricted in most of the world.
 Expanded Clay Pellets Sometimes called Hydroton after one of the original manufacturers, and also
called LECA (which stands for light expanded clay aggregate), expanded clay pellets are pH neutral, inert,
and one of the most popular substrates for both hydroponic and aquaponic media beds. The pores in the
pellets can retain some water, yet it is difficult to overwater clay pellets because they are very quick to
drain. Always rinse clay pellets before using them in a hydroponic garden.
River rocks and clay pellets can be washed and reused, but other substrates are usually difficult to reuse in
a hydroponic garden. Most hydroponic gardeners will mix used coco, peat, and perlite into their compost or
directly into a traditional soil garden to improve water retention and drainage. Some hydroponic gardeners
will also break up their used stone wool cubes and slabs into small pieces to mix into their traditional soil
garden.

Although hydroponic gardens do not need to be indoors, they are generally associated with indoor growing.
Indoor growing may sound easier because there are fewer unpredictable events like bad weather and bugs,
but indoor gardeners find there is a whole new list of challenges. Some of the most common mistakes for
beginner indoor growers are lack of adequate airflow, poor temperature control, poor humidity control, and
insufficient light. The proper equipment is essential to have a successful indoor garden.

Grow tents provide an enclosed space for environmental controls, lights, and growing systems. Sometimes
it can be difficult to create the proper growing climate indoors, or the ideal growing climate may not be the
same climate you wish to have in the rest of your indoor space. Plants may like humidity ratios around 50 to
80 percent, but people often prefer to be in a humidity outside of that range. Grow tents are a great way to
isolate the plants in an indoor environment. Besides keeping a separate climate from the rest of the indoor
space, a grow tent can keep in the bright light required for plant growth. It is sometimes advantageous to
run grow lights for 20 hours or more per day, but I imagine people living in a small studio apartment might
not be too happy having a bright light on for 20 hours a day when they're trying to sleep. Grow tents can
also allow gardeners to contain their pest-management strategies, whether that is spraying or releasing
beneficial predator insects to protect the crop. Grow tents are perfect for renters who do not have the
ability to modify a room for growing. I have lost a couple of security deposits through the years due to my
excitement to create a grow room without considering that all the modifications I was making to the room
might not make the landlord very happy. A grow tent can pay for itself when you consider the possible loss
of a security deposit.

Depending on the climate outside of a grow tent, a gardener may be able to control the inside climate with
inline fans. Inline fans can be placed on the inside or outside of the grow tent. There are advantages to both
of these setups. An exhaust fan placed inside a grow tent is great for containing crop odors because it
makes sure any air leaving the grow tent passes through a carbon filter, which traps all odors. This setup is
sometimes called a negative pressure grow room. Air passively flows into the grow room from ducting ports
as the exhaust fan pushes air out.
Intake Fans An intake fan placed on the outside can save valuable grow space in the grow tent. In this
setup, air is pushed into the grow tent and the exhaust passively escapes from ducting ports. This positive
pressure grow room is great for pest management because the exhausting air makes it difficult for pests to
get into the grow tent. A negative pressure grow tent can sometimes suck in pests near any possible
openings, but a positive pressure grow tent will create an outward airflow that makes it difficult for pests to
enter the grow tent from anywhere but the intake fan. There are many heavy-duty air intake filters, like the
HEPA filter shown at left, that can prevent insects, bacteria, fungi, and pollen from entering a grow room.
 Note: Grow lights can generate a lot of heat and it may be difficult to manage that heat with just
ventilation fans. Air-conditioning units dedicated solely to the grow room are sometimes necessary for
indoor gardeners using very powerful lights, using multiple lights, growing in warm climates, or growing
temperature-sensitive crops.

Inadequate airflow is one of the most common mistakes made by beginner indoor gardeners. Luckily, it is
one of the easiest to remedy. Inadequate airflow may result in spindly, lanky plants, weak stems, tip burn,
and an increased likelihood of fungal issues in the crop (i.e., powdery mildew). An easy trick to check
whether a grow room has sufficient airflow is to look closely at the leaves to see if they are visibly moving.
Visibly moving leaves is a sign that there should be sufficient airflow in that location, but there is always the
potential for “dead air” spots in a grow room. Oscillating fans can help reduce the potential of these dead
air spots.
Use of artificial light to grow plants can be traced back to the 1800s. Grow lights were not always a
practical option, but in the past few decades there have been advances in lighting technology that have
made the use of grow lights accessible to hobby gardeners with gardens of any size. There are many
lighting options, but not all are well suited for your specific growing area; please review the many options
before purchasing a grow light to avoid a potentially costly mistake.
Fluorescent These are probably the most beginner-friendly grow lights. They are also widely available
and relatively cheap compared to other grow lights. They consume minimal electricity and are available in
several spectrums, so you can grow a wide range of crops. They may not be ideal for crops that require
intense light, such as peppers. Because they emit only small amounts of heat, they can be placed very close
to the crop—within a couple of inches—which makes them great for seedlings and young plants.

High Pressure Sodium (HPS) These are one of the cheapest options for high-intensity lighting. HPS
lights can generate a lot of heat, which is good in cold environments but difficult to manage indoors without
proper ventilation and/or air-conditioning. They often are used for flowering crops indoors and are great for
providing supplemental light in greenhouses. Usually they are positioned a few feet above a crop.
 Metal Halide (MH) and Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) MH and CMH are high-intensity lighting
options often used for vegetative stages but are also capable of growing flowering crops. Light from MH
bulbs appears blue and many gardeners find it pleasant to work under. The blue dominant light is also good
for encouraging compact growth. Most grow light manufacturers are focusing production on the newer,
more efficient CMH bulbs instead of the traditional MH bulbs.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) LEDs are very efficient, using minimal electricity to generate a lot of
light. They produce very little heat relative to their light output and are available in many different
configurations, some suitable for mounting high above the crop and some suitable for placing very close to
the crop. LEDs come in many different colors, which can greatly affect plant growth. The white LEDs are
less efficient but more pleasant to work under than red and blue LEDS, which cast a purple light that is
great for growing plants but some growers find aesthetically displeasing.
 Additional Light Options Other options include induction lights, plasma lights, and lasers, as well as
many other lighting technologies besides the ones listed above. Some of these newer lighting options can
be very expensive and may not be well suited for the beginning hydroponic gardener. Lighting technology
advances quickly, however, and many of these options may soon be the standard, just as LED lighting is
quickly moving to the forefront among the traditional HPS, MH, and fluorescent lighting options.

Hangers Lights can be hung with rope, cable, or chain or mounted directly to a crossbeam or the ceiling.
Rope ratchets are very popular with indoor gardeners because they make moving lights up and down very
easy.
 Grow Room Glasses Some gardeners find it unpleasant to work under the orange light of HPS or the
purple light of LED grow lights. Glasses with tinted lenses designed specifically for these light sources are a
great way to make it more pleasant to work with these grow lights.

Hydroponics can have some impact on pest pressure but the bigger factor on pest pressure is environment.
Hydroponic systems are often used in controlled environments like greenhouses or indoors. Growing in a
controlled environment gives the gardener the potential to completely exclude pests from the crop, but
achieving this can be very difficult. Generally, there are some pests that get into the garden and once they
get in they can quickly multiply. A controlled environment garden is great for both plants and pests. When a
bug gets into an indoor garden it finds itself in an environment with perfect weather and no predators…
pretty much pest heaven. There are several tactics for controlling pests, but often the best defense is
prevention. Most of the methods for pest management can be used in a controlled environment or outdoors.

Preventive methods include pest-exclusion techniques like positive pressure grow rooms and HEPA intake
filters, described earlier in the Equipment for Growing Indoors section. Another exclusion practice is
wearing clean clothes before entering an indoor grow room to avoid carrying in pests from outside.
Preventive methods also include selecting plant varieties that are appropriate for the growing environment
and have disease resistance, and giving these plants the water and nutrients they need to be healthy
enough to resist diseases.
Physical If preventive practices don't keep pests out and a pest is found in the garden, physical pest-
management practices are a great, nontoxic method for controlling pests. My favorite physical pest-
management technique is using a vacuum to remove any bugs I spot. Additional physical pest-management
techniques are removing entire plants and using sticky traps. Sticky traps are also used for monitoring pest
levels.
Biological Biological pest management involves the use of predators, parasites, and diseases to control
pest populations. One of the most popular biological pest-management strategies for gardeners is the
release of ladybugs. Biological pest-management may not completely eradicate a pest population, but it
usually can keep the pest population in check.
 Organic Pesticides Organic pesticides are generally considered less toxic than conventional/synthetic
pesticides, but they still should be used cautiously. Always check the label on pesticides, even organic ones,
to see whether there is any recommended personal protection equipment like gloves, goggles, or a
respirator. Most farms are able to completely manage pests using only organic pesticides.
Conventional Pesticides Conventional, or synthetic, pesticides are rarely required by home gardeners.
Even commercial farms that are not certified organic will very often solely use organic pesticides because
they are very effective. Most of the conventional pesticides available to gardeners are just as safe as
organic pesticides when used properly.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of pest-management tools, just a few of my favorite methods for
managing pests in my garden.
Vacuum This is a pesticide-free method of removing insects.
Sticky Traps Yellow sticky traps are generally used to trap and monitor aphids, whiteflies, and fungus
gnats. Blue sticky traps are generally used to trap and monitor thrips.
Beneficial Insects Successfully managing pests with natural predators can be tricky. There are many
beneficial insect options; the following are a few of the most commonly used predators in home hydroponic
gardens. Grow room climate and the presence of spray residues can impact the effectiveness of beneficial
insects.
• Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea): Primarily used to control aphids but also may be effective for controlling
whiteflies and thrips.
• Ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata): Used to control aphids.
• Praying mantis (Tenodera sinensis): Eats a wide range of insects, including aphids.
• Predatory mite (Neoseiulus cucumeris): Used to control thrips and spider mites.
• Swirski mite (Amblyseius swirskii): Used to control thrips.

Essential Oils Essential oils can be very effective for killing or repelling pests like mites, thrips, and
aphids. A few of the more commonly used essential oils are garlic, clove, mint, thyme, rosemary, and
cinnamon.
 Neem Oil An organic pesticide derived from the neem tree, this oil can repel insects and potentially kill
them if applied directly onto the pest.
Azadirachtin An extract made from Neem seeds that concentrates one of the most potent insecticidal
compounds found in Neem oil. Azadirachtin repels insects similar to Neem oil, but it also disrupts the
molting process in many pests. Azadirachtin keeps pests in their juvenile stage, preventing them from
reaching adulthood and reproducing.

Organic Pyrethrins An organic pesticide derived from the chrysanthemum flower. One of the most
powerful organic pesticides, it is capable of quickly killing most insects when applied at a strong
concentration. Pyrethrins may potentially kill beneficial insects too.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) A beneficial microbe primarily used to manage caterpillars.
Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti) A subspecies of Bt that can provide some
biological control of fungus gnats.

Soap Insecticidal soaps, or even dish soap, can be very effective for controlling whiteflies and aphids.
 Spinosad An organic pesticide derived from the bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa. Effective for
controlling thrips and caterpillars.
Streptomyces lydicus A beneficial microbe effective against root rot and foliar fungi.
Potassium Bicarbonate A very effective organic fungicide capable of quickly knocking down powdery
mildew issues. May also be used to raise pH in hydroponic systems.
Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) Very similar to potassium bicarbonate in effectiveness against
powdery mildew. Plants can tolerate some sodium, but they will show nutrient toxicity or deficiency
symptoms when exposed to excessive amounts. Many gardeners are able to use sodium bicarbonate to
effectively control powdery mildew and other foliar fungi.

A variety of meters are employed in most hydroponic systems to monitor and help regulate the growing
environment. The meters measure levels such as nutrient concentration and balance, pH balance,
temperature, and light intensity. Some work automatically and others require the hydroponic gardener to
create and uphold a regular monitoring program.

EC meters are used to estimate the fertilizer concentration in a nutrient solution. EC meters are not critical
for growing hydroponically but they are definitely one of the most helpful tools. They are available in many
shapes from many companies and in many price ranges. There are some very low-cost options available that
I've seen work for growers and hold up for years. I personally am not always the most gentle with my
equipment and prefer a robust meter that can tolerate some abuse. A truncheon EC meter is currently my
go-to choice because it does not require calibration, is waterproof, and can handle abuse.

Although pH meters are not critical for growing hydroponically, they are great for helping hydroponic
gardeners understand the state of their nutrient solution. Understanding the pH of the nutrient solution is
also useful when trying to diagnose potential nutrient deficiencies. However, pH meters are a bit more
temperamental than EC meters and should be handled with care and well maintained or they can quickly
become inaccurate or simply break. Always read the instructions on a pH probe to ensure you correctly
calibrate it and perform the regular maintenance required to keep the probe accurate. There is a lot of
variation between pH probes on the market and they are not all equal. I've tested many pH meters and
currently my favorite is the Bluelab pH Pen.
The pH can also be tested with an indicator solution. These indicator solutions often come as part of a pH
control kit that includes pH up and pH down solutions. A pH indicator solution can give an approximate pH
but it will never be as accurate as a pH meter. Many new hydroponic growers start with a pH control kit
with a pH indicator solution because it is an affordable option that can get the job done.
Guessing light intensity is incredibly difficult, if not impossible. There are many meters available to help
gardeners monitor their light levels to determine whether they are sufficient, adequate, or too intense for
their specific crop.
Lux Meter Lux meters are generally the most affordable meter for measuring light intensity but not the
most ideal. Lux meters measure light on a scale specific to how light is perceived by the human eye. The
human eye is most sensitive to green and yellow, whereas plants are most sensitive to blue and red. Most of
the light level recommendations for crops are not based on lux; they instead use photosynthetic photon flux
density (PPFD), which is measured by photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) meters.

PAR Meter PAR is an acronym for photosynthetically active radiation. PAR light falls within a wavelength
range that is visible to plants and that plants can use to power photosynthesis. PPFD is an acronym for
photosynthetic photon flux density. PPFD measures how many photosynthetically active photons, measured
in μmol, are landing in a square meter (m2) each second (s); the unit used is μmol/m2/s. PAR meters are the
preferred meter for measuring light intensity in a horticultural environment but they tend to be more
expensive than lux meters.
Daily Light Integral (DLI) Meter A PPFD measurement shows light intensity per square meter per
second. A DLI measurement shows the light intensity delivered per square meter per day. DLI is a total of
all the PPFD readings for each second throughout the day. The unit used is mol/m2/d. DLI does not use
μmol because the number would be huge: 1 mol is 1,000,000 μmol. DLI is useful because it measures the
light a plant has access to throughout the day, not just at a single moment. Indoors it is fairly easy to
calculate the DLI with a single PPFD measurement because the light levels do not fluctuate throughout the
day as they do outdoors. For example, a PPFD reading indoors of 100 μmol/m2/s is converted to DLI with
the following steps:

1 Multiply PPFD by 60 seconds to get total μmol per m2 per minute. Example: 100 μmol/m2/s × 60
seconds = 6000 μmol/m2/minute
2 Multiply this number by 60 minutes to get μmol per m2 per hour. Example: 6000 μmol/m2/minute × 60
minutes = 360,000 μmol/m2/hour
3 Multiply this number by the number of hours the lights are on; in this example, the lights are on for 20
hours a day. Example: 360,000 μmol/m2/hour × 20 hours = 7,200,000 μmol/m2/day
4 Lastly, divide by 1,000,000 to convert μmol to mol. Example: 7,200,000/1,000,000 = 7.2 mol/m2/day
 Outdoors a DLI can be measured using a DLI meter. A DLI meter is designed to total the PPFD
measurements throughout the day to generate a DLI reading in mol/m2/day.
The reference chart below is based on personal observations and should only be considered a general
recommendation.

A simple aquarium thermometer is often sufficient for monitoring temperature in a hydroponic reservoir.
The target water temperature for most hydroponic crops is 65° to 70°F but it is definitely possible to grow
healthy crops outside of this range. Most pH and EC meters also measure water temperature. Water
temperature affects the EC and pH readings, so these meters must factor in the water temperature before
giving an accurate reading.
A thermometer with a hygrometer that records daily high and low points is great for monitoring
conditions in a greenhouse or grow room. Gardeners may spend a lot of time with their plants, but they
can't be there all the time; a thermometer/hygrometer that monitors the high and low points enables
gardeners to make adjustments to day or night temperatures that they might not see when they're in the
garden.
DIY HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS ARE A great way to create a custom garden catered to your location, crop, and
desired aesthetics. Many beginning hydroponic growers decide to build their own systems because of the
cost of retail systems, but from personal experience, I have found building DIY systems may not always be
the cheapest option, especially if there are mistakes in the system design. I love creating original systems
built for specific locations, but creating original systems can often involve a lot of expensive mistakes. I've
purchased items that don't fit, or wouldn't hold after I glued them into place, or broke, or didn't provide
enough light, or didn't provide enough drainage …
In the end, I learned a lot from my mistakes and I'm thankful for that, but I also spent a lot of money
learning and making those mistakes. The following systems pull from my experience, and my mistakes, to
save you time and money.
Choosing which hydroponic system to install in your home requires you to take many variables into account
and to decide which matters most to you. Among them are crop selection, preferred location of the
hydroponic garden, maintenance demands, ease of use, and the amount of maintenance and upkeep each
requires. Initial cost is important too, of course, as is the cost for energy consumption, inputs, and other
ongoing maintenance expenses.

Knowing what you want to grow should be the first consideration when choosing a hydroponic system.
There are systems that can grow a wide range of crops (i.e., flood and drain) and there are some systems
that work best for crops with specific growth habits. One of the first systems in this chapter is a hydroponic
bottle garden. This system works great for leafy green crops like lettuce and basil, but is horrible for larger
crops like tomatoes. You should also consider the diversity of crops you want to grow. Do you want to grow
crops with a wide range of nutrient requirements and desired pH ranges? The best option sometimes is to
have multiple systems. The best part about growing plants is that they are generally easy to replace!
Experiment with new crops and learn from experience. I offer a lot of guidelines in this chapter and useful
crop selection notes in the appendix, but these guidelines are not meant to prevent you from
experimenting. Many crops will grow in conditions outside of their ideal range. Plants are far more tolerant
than we give them credit for. Don't be afraid to fail; there are always more seeds to plant!

There are hydroponic systems for growing lettuce in space! No matter your location, there is potential to
grow plants hydroponically. I even have a hydroponic garden in my RV. For each of the systems listed in this
chapter I give location suggestions. Many of these systems can be modified for indoors, outdoors, small
spaces, or large ones.
The ratio of plants to volume of water is generally the biggest factor for estimating maintenance
requirements. A system with a small reservoir and a lot of plants will need frequent maintenance because
the grower will need to add water and amend the reservoir with fertilizer as the plants quickly reduce the
water level in the reservoir. Systems with a high plant-to-water ratio also tend to accumulate an imbalanced
ratio of nutrients and require frequent full system flushes. Another factor that will influence maintenance
requirement is crop selection. Crops like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers may require trellising and
pruning depending on variety. Some crops grow very quickly and need to be replaced often, like
microgreens, and they'll require a lot of work because they need to be seeded and harvested weekly.

Although I would never stop someone from starting with an advanced hydroponic system, I am aware that
many gardeners want to succeed from the start. Difficult-to-use systems may have a learning curve. I love
learning! You might too. But you also might value simplicity and using a hydroponic system that has
minimal moving parts and few opportunities for failure.
Bottle Hydroponics, Floating Rafts, and Wicking Beds are great beginner-friendly systems that don’t
require electricity. Media Beds and Flood and Drain are also beginner friendly, but they have some moving
parts that require electricity. Nutrient Film Technique, Top Drip, Aeroponics, and Vertical Gardens are not
terribly difficult, but they might not be the best option for a first-time hydroponic gardener. The difficulty of
using a system is a personal opinion and it’s possible you might find some of the less beginner-friendly
systems easiest to use… The only way to find out is to build them all!
A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH OF “bottle hydroponics” will reveal the many ways to use bottles in hydroponics.
Unfortunately, most of these are either complicated, ugly, or both. These simple hydroponic bottles are easy
to build, low cost, low maintenance, require no electricity, and look great.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Small
• Growing Media: Stone wool
• Electrical: Not required
• Crops: Leafy greens and herbs

The Kratky method is the easiest hydroponic growing technique. No pumps, no complex irrigation
systems… just plants sitting in water. Most of the early hydroponic research focused on static water
systems like the Kratky method. These systems worked, but, as scientists tend to do, they kept
experimenting and eventually found there was an increase in plant growth rate when the nutrient solution
was aerated. This discovery spurred the development of circulating hydroponic systems with increased
aeration, like nutrient film technique (NFT) and top drip irrigation. Now most of the hydroponic research is
focused on these circulating systems, but there are still horticulturists experimenting with static
noncirculating hydroponics. One of the most vocal proponents of noncirculating hydroponics is Dr. Bernard
Kratky of the University of Hawaii. He has done so much to continue the development of noncirculating
hydroponics that his name has become synonymous with the technique… the Kratky method.

The Kratky method has been successfully used to grow a wide range of crops, from leafy greens like lettuce
to flowering crops like tomatoes and potatoes. Most hydroponic gardeners prefer to grow leafy greens and
herbs with the Kratky method because the larger crops may struggle with inadequate oxygen levels in their
root zone. The root zone oxygen demand for crops like lettuce is far less than it is for tomatoes.
The crops that are best for bottle hydroponics stay short or grow upright to mitigate the possibility of the
system getting too top-heavy and falling over. Basil, kale, Swiss chard, and lettuce are my favorites for
bottle hydroponics, but I've also had success with cilantro, dill, and other herbs.
The Kratky method can be used outdoors, indoors, or in a greenhouse. It may be difficult to use a Kratky-
style garden outdoors in areas with heavy rainfall because the nutrient solution may be quickly diluted or
washed away. Kratky-style gardens are great for off-grid gardens that do not have access to electricity.
The appropriate locations for bottle hydroponics are more limited. The black paint used in this build
could lead to excessive heat buildup in the root zone. If you want to use bottle hydroponics outdoors you'll
want to use a light-colored paint for areas with warm climates. My favorite way to use bottle hydroponic
systems outdoors is with a wall-mounted bottle holder on a porch. This keeps the bottles in a semi-shaded
area and it looks awesome. Indoors, bottle hydroponics can be placed nearly anywhere—a kitchen counter,
desk, windowsill, or even wall mounted in a hallway with a grow light above… the only limiting factor when
placing a bottle hydroponic system indoors is access to light.
This hydroponic bottle is the easiest hydroponic garden in this book and a great first step into hydroponics.
I love building this system with kids from ages 8 to 18 when I do school visits. There are so many ways to
customize the bottle with different paints and decorations, so it is easy to make this garden your own. To
simplify the assembly of this system, you may wish to find a bottle with an opaque exterior to skip the
painting process.

The bottle selection is the most critical decision in this build. The ideal bottle has a short neck so the plug
can quickly access the main body of the bottle. If possible, select a wide bottle. Wide bottles maintain their
water level longer, giving the roots more opportunity to grow into the nutrient solution before the water
level drops due to evapotranspiration. The following steps are for clear bottles, so please skip to the next
section if using a nontransparent bottle.
1 Remove any labels from the bottle.
2 Add a strip of tape along the side. This will be removed later to create a viewing window for the roots.
Fold the end of the tape strip on the bottom of the bottle to make removal easier after painting.
3 My preferred method for painting bottles is putting them on a stake, but I've also had success dipping
bottles in paint. Make sure there are enough coats of paint that light will not penetrate inside the bottle.
 4 Remove the tape strip once the paint dries.

5 It is best to do any chalk art at this point before filling the bottle with water.

Either select a plug that fits snugly in the neck of the bottle or select a bottle with an opening suitable to
your plugs. It is possible to cut a stone wool plug to fit a smaller bottle but this can potentially damage the
seedling's roots.
6 The plug should be wide enough to hold itself firmly in the opening of the bottle.

7 Growing more seedlings than needed allows you greater options to select only the best seedlings for
your hydroponic bottle.

It is important to use a fertilizer designed for hydroponic gardens. In this garden I used FloraNova Grow,
but there are many other options. Check out the Plant Nutrition chapter to learn more about hydroponic
fertilizer options.

8 Mix fertilizer with water using the recommended rates listed on the fertilizer bottle or bag. Mix the
water and fertilizer in a separate container to make it easy to check if the fertilizer has fully dissolved.
Extra nutrient solution may be saved for a couple weeks if stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool
environment.
 9 Fully fill the bottle with nutrient solution. There is potential for some overflow when the seedling is
inserted, but this is preferable to too little water.

10 If you do not plan on using a wicking strip (see next page), the seedling can now be transplanted into
the bottle. The bottom of the plug should be sitting in nutrient solution; if needed, add more nutrient
solution to make sure the plug is fully saturated. Make sure the bottle is completely full if you are not
using a wicking strip because the plug will need access to the nutrient solution for several days until it
can grow roots deep into the nutrient solution. The plug should not be placed too deep into the neck of
the bottle. You will need to remove the plug to refill the bottle, so keep enough of the plug outside of the
bottle to make removal easy in the future.
11 Check to see if the plug is dry during the first week. Depending on crop selection and environment, you
may need to add more nutrient solution in the first few days to give your plant a chance to grow roots
long enough to pull up water from the bottle. A wicking strip is not necessary, but it will help reduce the
potential of your seedling drying out in the first week.

A wicking strip is useful in bottles that are tall and skinny or with crops that grow slowly. The following
steps use a clear bottle for demonstration purposes, but using a clear bottle for growing a crop is not
recommended because it will encourage algae growth.
12 Cut burlap or cloth into a strip long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle and approximately as wide
as the seedling plug (usually 1" to 2" wide).

13 String the wicking strip through the bottle opening.

14 Use the seedling plug to hold the wicking strip in place.

15 Leave enough stone wool exposed to make removal easy when refilling the bottle with nutrient solution.
16 A funnel can make it possible to refill the bottle without fully removing the stone wool plug. This can
help reduce the potential of damaging roots when removing and reinserting a plug with a developed root
system.
17 If not using a funnel, very carefully lift the plug out of the bottle.

18 Fill the bottle with nutrient solution. For young plants with poorly developed roots, it is best to fill to
nearly the top of the bottle. For older plants with larger root systems, it is best to fill to three-fourths full
so the roots have access to a balance of air and nutrient solution.

Very carefully reinsert the plug back into the bottle after refilling. Make sure the roots are submerged in
the nutrient solution.

Most of the crops that are appropriate for hydroponic bottles are fast growing and may not require a lot of
maintenance during their growth cycle. It is possible to grow longer-term crops that have multiple harvests,
such as basil, as long as the bottle is kept over half full with nutrient solution. It is a good practice to clean
out the bottle and refill with fresh nutrient solution every month to avoid nutrient imbalances in the
solution.
Decorations Besides chalk art, I like to decorate my hydroponic bottles with name tags and burlap scarfs.
Covering the neck of the bottle with a scarf can help hide any potential algae growth on the surface of the
seedling plug. I use a hot glue gun to secure burlap on the neck of the bottle.
Lighting Hydroponic bottle gardens are best suited for indoors. They can be placed on a windowsill and
receive natural light or placed under a grow light. Hydroponic bottles under a small grow light are a great
addition to a work desk.

Plants are wilting

• Check water level and add additional nutrient solution if water level is low.
• Water temperature or air temperature may be too high.
• Try adding wicking strip if roots are not reaching nutrient solution.
Plug is falling into bottle
• Try wrapping plug in cloth or burlap to create a snugger fit into neck of bottle.
• Place plug so more stone wool is exposed above bottle opening.
Plant is growing slowly or poorly
• The crop selection may not be appropriate for hydroponic bottle garden.
• Crop may not be receiving enough light.
• Use a fertilizer designed for hydroponics.
Floating raft hydroponics is a subtype of deep water culture (DWC) hydroponics. Most traditional DWC
systems hold the plant at a set height and the nutrient solution is refilled to maintain contact with the roots.
Floating raft hydroponics allows the plant to remain in contact with the nutrient solution even as the water
level drops. Floating raft systems require very little labor and maintenance. It is common to not perform
any maintenance on the system, not even adding water, from transplant to harvest when growing leafy
greens.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Small to large
• Growing Media: Stone wool seedling cubes
• Electrical: Optional
• Crops: Leafy greens and herbs

Floating raft hydroponics has been used for large flowering crops like tomatoes but it is most appropriate
for shorter crops with lower oxygen requirements in their root zone. Traditional DWC systems are great for
these larger flowering crops because they create space for the roots to access air and they often use air
pumps to heavily aerate the nutrient solution.
I've trialed hundreds of crops in floating rafts and I'm amazed at the versatility of this growing method.
The sidebar on the next page lists some crops that can be grown in floating rafts.
Floating raft gardens can be placed indoors, outdoors, or in a greenhouse. Outdoors they may have
problems if not protected from rain. The rainwater will dilute the nutrient solution and wash away the
nutrients. Floating raft systems often hold a lot of water, and this might not be ideal indoors. If the system
is not properly placed or built there could be potential for leaks and flooding indoors. Water is very heavy
too, so floating raft systems should not be installed on floors with weight limitations.
Floating raft systems benefit from aeration. but for most crops it is not necessary. I've grown beautiful
heads of lettuce and basil in floating raft gardens with no aeration in 90°F weather. These crops will benefit
from aeration, often with faster growth and reduced potential for root diseases and nutrient issues, but
floating raft gardens can thrive without electricity. There are affordable options for solar-powered air
pumps if you wish to keep your floating raft garden off-grid yet receive the benefits of aeration.

Floating raft systems can be designed for countertops or large fields. Very small floating rafts have the
potential of getting unstable when supporting large, top-heavy crops, but they are great for leafy greens.
Large rafts are capable of holding more weight, but they should be handled with care when they are
holding heavy mature crops because they can break under the weight when lifted out of the reservoir. Most
rafts are made from 2 × 4-foot foam boards or 4 × 8-foot foam boards cut in half. Most floating raft gardens
are thus rectangular with widths in increments of 2 feet and lengths in increments of 4 feet. Don't feel
limited to rectangles, though; these foam boards can be cut to any shape. I've seen circular kiddie pools
transformed into floating raft gardens with foam boards cut to size.
This design can be used as a model for smaller or larger floating raft gardens. No matter the size there are
several steps that will remain the same, including adding a liner and building rafts. You may wish to use an
existing container, like a kiddie pool, as your reservoir instead of building one, in which case you can simply
skip ahead to building the raft. This design worked great for me but there are many ways to add your own
spin to it. I painted this garden white because it is in a greenhouse that can get very hot and I wanted to do
everything possible to prevent the nutrient solution from getting extremely hot (over 95°F). You may wish
to use a darker color if your garden will be placed indoors or in a cooler environment.
There are many ways to make reservoir assembly easier. Most stores that sell lumber offer to cut the
lumber to specific dimensions if requested. Request the dimensions listed in the steps below to skip the
work of cutting the lumber and reduce the number of tools required. It is possible to buy prefabricated
reservoirs for floating rafts; check out the Pots and Trays section in the Equipment chapter to see some of
the options.
1 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, cut the four 2 × 12" × 8' boards into the following lengths:
One board into 4'4" and 2'4" segments
Another board into 4'4" and 2'4" segments
One board into 2'1", 2'4", and 2'4" segments
One board into 2'1" and 2'4" segments
Cut a 4'1" and a 2'4" segment from each of the two 1 × 2" × 8' furring strips. Final lengths and quantities
of cut lumber:
2 2 × 12" × 4'4" boards
5 2 × 12" × 2'4" boards
2 2 × 12" × 2'1" boards
2 1 × 2" × 4'1" strips
2 1 × 2" × 2'4" strips
The lumber can be painted before or after assembly.
2 Lay the five 2 × 12" × 2'4" boards on a flat level surface. These boards will be the base of the system. It
is possible to build the reservoir frame without a base, but a solid wood bottom can add a lot of strength
to the structure. A base also helps reduce the chance of tears to the reservoir liner. Foam boards are also
commonly used as a base to protect the liner from the ground.
3 Set up one of the 2 × 12" × 4'4" boards on its side running along the long side of the base and one of the
2 × 12" × 2'1" boards on its side running along the short side of the base. The 4'4" board should cover
the end of the 2'1" board. See 3 and 5 for proper placement. Make sure they are square and level. Use
two 21/2" screws to fasten the boards together.

4 Place the other 2 × 12" × 4'4" board along the other long side of the base and fasten to the outside end
of the 2'1" board from step 3 using two 21/2" screws.
5 Place the remaining 2 × 12" × 2'1" board on the last open side of the base between the two 4'4" boards.
Fasten into place with two 21/2" screws on each end.
6 Flip over the frame and place the five 2 × 12" × 2'4" baseboards back into position. Fasten the base to
the frame with two 21/2" screws on each end of the 2'4" boards.

7 Flip the frame back over.

8 Adding the liner is one of the most difficult steps in assembling the reservoir. It is always best to have
excess liner inside the reservoir instead of making the liner very taut. A very taut liner may be stressed
by the weight of the water and could rip, creating leaks. For this reservoir, I used two layers of 6 mil.
plastic to add some leak security. Fold the liner at the reservoir corners to get the liner flush with the
frame. Once the plastic is in place, staple it to the rim of the reservoir frame.
9 Cut away excess liner with scissors or a razor blade knife.
10 The furring strips are fastened along the rim of the reservoir to hide the ends of the plastic liner and to
hold the liner securely in place. The furring strips are not completely necessary for the functionality of
the reservoir but they add a lot aesthetically. Fasten the furring strips into place with 11/4" screws.

Building a DIY raft is very easy. There are prefabricated rafts available, but they can be expensive. Many of
the prefabricated rafts have holes created for specific seedling plug sizes and eliminate the need for net
pots. It is possible to create a DIY raft with holes specific to your plug size, making net pots unnecessary,
but for this floating raft garden I'm using net pots because they make the process far easier. The
prefabricated rafts have a few other design features, like raised plug holders, that make them really nice to
use, but for most applications a DIY raft is more than sufficient.

11 Cut a 2 × 4' section from the 1" × 4 × 8' foam board using a razor blade knife. Brush away any loose
foam pieces from the cut edge.

12 Place the 2 × 4' section of foam board on sawhorses and fasten into place with clamps.
13 Most leafy greens are grown with 6" spacing in hydroponic systems. A 2 × 4' raft with 6" spacing holds
18 plants (3 rows of 6). Some greens, such as romaine and basil, grow upright and can be grown at a
density of 36 plants per 2 × 4' raft. Some growers go even higher density (72 plants or more per 2 × 4'
raft) to grow crops like baby kale, baby lettuce, spring mixes, and some herbs. Measure and mark the
plant site positions on the raft and drill 2" holes with the 2" hole drill bit.
14 Some hydroponic growers leave the reflective surface on their DIY foam boards, but I prefer the look of
clean white boards in my clean white reservoir.
15 Test to see if the raft fits in the reservoir. Make any additional adjustments to the raft size so it
comfortably fits inside the reservoir. Too much exposed reservoir surface can encourage algae growth,
but too snug of a fit makes it difficult for the raft to move downward as the water level drops over time.

16 Place the 2" net pots into the 2" holes in the raft.

Fill the reservoir with water to 11/4-inch below the start of the furring strip. This will be about 10-inch deep
of water, approximately 50 gallons.
Use a hydroponic fertilizer at the recommended rate on the fertilizer bottle or bag. Mix the fertilizer into
the water thoroughly until fully dissolved. See the System Maintenance chapter for nutrient solution
management strategies, including target EC and pH ranges.
Optional: Adding an air pump can improve plant growth and reduce the risk of root rot. The air pump to
the right of the reservoir is a four-outlet 15 liter/minute pump that is connected to four 4-inch round air
stones spaced evenly in the reservoir. This air pump provides great aeration. The smaller air pump placed
on the top rim of the reservoir is connected to a small solar panel. This small pump has one outlet and
provides at most one-fourth the output of the larger air pump, and only in optimal conditions with full sun.
A solar-powered air pump is more expensive but it has the ability to provide the benefits of aeration without
an electric bill, and the system can be placed anywhere with sunlight.
Float the raft in the reservoir and transplant your seedlings. Stone wool seedlings work great in this
system but nearly any hydroponic substrate will work in a floating raft garden. Substrates that hold a lot of
water like coco or peat plugs will require more attention because they may have overwatering issues when
the plant is young with a small root system. Some growers even use seedlings started in soil in their
floating rafts. Soil-started seedlings can be messy and may require more frequent cleaning of the garden,
but they are an option.
Most leafy greens can be grown in this system from transplant to harvest without any maintenance of the
system. For longer-term crops, see the nutrient solution management strategies detailed in the System
Maintenance chapter.
This floating raft garden is used as a reservoir in the DIY nutrient film technique (NFT) system later in this
chapter. For this NFT add-on, a frame was constructed to hold PVC pipes above the raft garden. This frame
also supports a 4-foot six-tube T5 grow light that acts as a supplemental light source in additional to natural
sunlight present in the greenhouse. If this system were placed indoors, this same 4-foot six-tube T5 grow
light would be capable of providing all the light required by these crops.

Roots are growing poorly or are brown and mushy

• Water may be too warm.
• The pH may be out of target range. Test and adjust based on target pH for your crop (see the appendix for
target pHs).
• May have root diseases present and susceptible crops. Flush and completely sanitize reservoir, raft, and
net pots before replanting garden.

Plants are growing slowly

• Check EC to make sure it is in target range.
• Garden may not be receiving enough light.
• Water may be too cold. Temperatures less than 65°F can slow growth on some crops. Try painting the
reservoir black, adding a water heater, and/or selecting different crops that are more tolerant of cold
conditions.
Water level is dropping fast
• May have a leak in the liner. Check for water around the reservoir. If the reservoir is leaking, remove
existing liner, check for any objects that may have caused a puncture in the liner, and insert a new liner. If
leaks persist, try adding foam boards on side walls and the bottom of the reservoir before adding new
liner.
WICKING BED GARDENS ARE VERY versatile and can be modified for a variety of substrates, fertilizers, and
crops. Similar to the previous hydroponic gardens in this chapter, the wicking bed garden requires no
electricity. The design is incredibly simple.
Wicking beds take advantage of capillary action, a natural phenomenon by which water can flow upward
against gravity by using its surface tension and adhesion. A common example is a paper towel wicking
water upward from a cup. In a wicking bed garden, the “cup” is the frame of a raised bed garden and the
“paper towel” is a fine-textured substrate like coco, peat, or soil.
The frame of a wicking bed is lined with a waterproof layer, like 6 mil. painter's plastic, to prevent leaks
and to protect the wood frame from rotting. The bottom of the bed is filled with a quick-draining substrate
like clay pellets, river rock, or washed gravel. The bottom of the bed holds water or a nutrient solution that
is wicked up to the fine-textured substrate above. A fabric barrier like burlap or cloth prevents the
substrate from dropping into the water reservoir space. An inlet pipe makes filling the reservoir easy and
an overflow pipe prevents overwatering.

• Suitable Locations: Outdoors or greenhouse; can be modified for indoors

• Size: Small to large
• Growing Media: Expanded clay pellets and coco coir chips
• Electrical: Not required
• Crops: Leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, and short flowering crops
Crops that are tolerant of wet conditions are great for wicking bed gardens. This system may not be
appropriate for cacti. It is possible to design wicking beds with several layers of different-textured substrate
to create drier conditions while maintaining enough moisture for roots, but it may involve some tinkering to
figure out the best mix for your specific environment, crop selection, and garden size.
Often it is the size of a wicking bed garden that limits crop selection. A wicking bed garden like the one
described in the step-by-step guide could grow a large flowering crop like a tomato or cucumber, but the
limited size of the garden would likely restrict it to just one plant.

Wicking bed gardens are typically used outdoors or in greenhouses. By adding a collection bottle to capture
overflow water or directing overflow to a sink drain, a wicking bed garden could be used indoors without
creating a huge mess. The design that follows does not direct the overflow into a container and would not
be appropriate indoors unless modified.
The wicking bed design is very versatile and is seen in both hydroponic and traditional gardens. The design
in the step-by-step guide can be modified to use traditional potting mixes and fertilizers that would not be
suitable in other hydroponic garden designs. Below are a few optional modifications you can make to the
wicking bed design to make it your own.

Optional Modifications
• The inlet and overflow pipe can be made from PVC instead of vinyl tubing.
• The frame could be a metal trough or plastic tote instead of wood with a liner.
• A pond liner could be used instead of painter's plastic.
• The outside could be painted instead of using decorative wood.
• A wood trellis could be built on to support larger crops.
• A raised crossbeam could be installed above the growing bed to support a grow light.
The wicking bed shown in this chapter is purely hydroponic but do not feel limited to these substrates. Try
your own modifications; worst-case scenario, you take out the substrate and try again.
There are several ways to make frame assembly easier. Most stores that sell lumber offer to cut lumber to
specific dimensions if requested. Request the dimensions listed in the steps below to skip the work of
cutting the lumber and reduce the number of tools required. The weathered hardwood is used purely for
aesthetics and could be skipped to make assembly easier.
1 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, cut the two 1 × 8" × 8' boards into the following lengths:

• One board into four 18" segments and one 141/2" segment
• The other board into one 141/2" segment and one 191/2" segment

2 Cut the five 1/2 × 4" × 4' weathered hardwood boards into the following lengths:
• Two 191/2" segments and one 81/4" segment from each of four 4' boards
• Four 81/4" segments from the other 4' board
Final lengths and quantities of cut lumber:
4 1 × 8" × 18" boards
2 1 × 8" × 141/2" boards
1 1 × 8" × 191/2" board
8 1/2 × 4" × 191/2" weathered hardwood boards

8 1/2 × 4" × 81/4" weathered hardwood boards

3 The top rim of the raised bed frame can be painted before or after assembly with chalkboard paint. This
is purely an aesthetic addition and this step is not necessary for the functionality of the garden. If
painting the rim before assembly, paint the wide edge of two 1 × 8" × 18" boards and the end of both 1 ×
8" × 141/2" boards.
4 Making sure the boards are square and level, fasten the end of one 1 × 8" × 141/2" board to the 1 × 8" ×
191/2" board using two 11/4" screws. The 191/2" board is the base of the frame.
5 Fasten a 1 × 8" × 18" board to the 1 × 8" × 141/2" board using two 11/4" screws.
6 Fasten another 1 × 8" × 18" board to the 1 × 8" × 141/2" board to complete another side wall.

7 Repeat steps 5 and 6 to assemble the other side wall.

8 Fasten the remaining 1 × 8" × 141/2" board to complete the last wall of the frame.

9 Measure and mark a hole with a center 6" above the bottom of the frame and 3" from the side wall. Use
the 13/8" hole saw drill bit to create the hole.
10 Use the step drill bit to create a slope around the hole on the outside of the frame. This slope is
necessary to securely attach the fill/drain fitting.

11 Line the inside of the frame with 6 mil. plastic. Fold the plastic sheet at the corners to shape it to the
frame.

12 Staple the plastic liner along the inside upper rim of the frame to hold it in place.
13 Cut away the excess plastic sheeting with scissors.
14 Assemble the drainage pipe. Attach a 3" piece of 3/4" vinyl tubing to the fill/drain fitting. Unscrew the
fastener but keep the rubber gasket on the fitting.

15 Create a small hole in the plastic liner in the middle of the drainage hole. The hole in the liner should fit
tight around the fitting.
16 Attach the drainage pipe to the frame. Tightly screw on the fastener to make the fitting watertight.

17 Test the drainage pipe before proceeding! Make sure there are no leaks. If leaks are found around the
fitting, adjust the liner and tighten the fasten. If leaks are found elsewhere, remove and replace the liner.
Do not proceed with leaks; water should only drain from the drain pipe.

Adding the weathered hardwood exterior is optional. This system would also look great painted. During the
assembly of the hardwood exterior I accidentally cut the side panels 1 inch short. I improvised a solution by
adding long skinny pieces of hardwood to patch in the corners. The dimensions used in these instructions
have been corrected so you won't make the same mistake… or creative flair… lots of ways to looks at
mistakes in DIY!
18 Use the 2" hole saw drill bit to create a hole in one of the 191/2" segments of weathered wood. The
center of the hole should be 3" from the end of the board.
19 Attach the weathered hardwood to the frame.
Option 1: Use quick-set clear epoxy and hold boards in place with clamps while epoxy dries.
Option 2: Use 3/4" wood screws to secure boards to frame.

20 Assemble the inlet pipe. Attach an 18" piece of 3/4" vinyl tubing to the 3/4" tee.

21 Prepare the substrate.

22 Rinse the expanded clay to wash off fine clay particles.

23 Soak the coco chip block to expand it.

24 Position the tee end of the inlet pipe on the side opposite the drainage pipe. The irrigation water will
enter the inlet pipe and then flow across the bottom of the bed and drain from the drain pipe at the
opposite end. Fill the bottom of the bed with clay pellets while positioning the inlet pipe to hold it in
place.

25 Fill the bed with clay pellets until the drainage pipe is partially covered. Do not bury the drainage pipe
too deep or the system will drain before the upper level of substrate has access to water.

26 Cut a section of burlap large enough to cover the growing bed. This will be the fabric divider between
the lower reservoir and the upper substrate. With very porous fabrics like burlap it is helpful to use
multiple layers to prevent the upper substrate from entering the lower reservoir.
27 Push the burlap divider into the growing bed so it makes contact with the clay pellets.

28 Fill the growing bed with expanded coco chips. Fill to 1/4" from the top of the liner.

29 Cut a section of burlap that covers the growing bed.

30 Use a couple staples to hold the burlap in place.

31 Cut an opening for the inlet pipe and cut away any excess burlap covering the rim of the bed.

32 Cut openings for transplants.

33 Transplant and label seedlings using chalk.
34 Immediately water the garden from above after transplanting to make sure seedling roots make contact
with the substrate.

35 For the first 2 weeks, water the garden from above every couple of days. Do not use the inlet pipe until
the plants have the chance to send roots deep into the substrate to access water on their own. After a
couple of weeks, the plants should be able to access the reservoir below and may not require waterings
for a week or more depending on the environment.
36 This garden does not use a substrate that has an initial fertilizer charge, so all nutrients will need to be
provided through water-soluble fertilizers during waterings. Watering with a hydroponic nutrient solution
once a week is often sufficient to meet nutrient requirements of crops in this system. When adding water
to this system, do not stop watering until the system is visibly draining.
Nutrient film technique (NFT) is a circulating hydroponic growing style that irrigates plants with a shallow
stream of nutrient solution in growing channels. NFT is one of the most popular techniques for
commercially growing leafy greens. One of the biggest advantages is the ability to grow a lot of plants on a
small reservoir. NFT is very popular with rooftop growers because they can cover the entire roof in NFT
channels using a small reservoir that won't exceed the load-carrying capacity of the roof. A gallon of water
weighs 8.34 pounds… that means 240 gallons weighs over a ton! The weight of water can quickly add up.
Many home gardeners may also be worried about heavy reservoirs, especially indoors.
NFT is a very popular DIY hydroponic technique because it can be customized in so many ways. I've seen
NFT channels arranged in cascading patterns on walls, in A-frame pyramids, and in spiraling coils. Some
DIY NFT systems are more successful than others—it can be easy to let creative design take over and forget
about the fundamentals that make an NFT garden successful. I encourage everyone to experiment, but first
learn the potential limitations and nuances of NFT gardens so you can avoid costly mistakes. The success of
your NFT garden will depend on crop selection, growing environment, channel length, channel slope,
channel shape, and flow rate.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Medium to large
• Growing Media: Stone wool
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries

The most popular crops for NFT are leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries. At maturity, these crops have a
decent root system but generally not enough roots to restrict flow in the NFT channel. Roots clogging the
channels can be an issue when growing larger crops like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Some DIY
gardeners use large PVC pipes (4 inches or more) or very wide gutters to accommodate the roots of these
larger crops. Feel free to experiment but, in general, NFT is not the ideal system for growing large crops.
The ability to irrigate many channels on a small reservoir, without the weight of hundreds of gallons, makes
NFT popular for indoor gardens. NFT is a great choice for rooftops, classrooms, balconies, and apartments.
NFT gardens generally have a nice flat canopy, which is great for grow lights. It is sometimes tricky to grow
plants of various heights under a grow light because some may receive a lot of light while blocking the light
for other crops, but this is rarely an issue with indoor NFT gardens.

The channels in this build are made from 2-inch PVC pipe with 2-inch net pots. Other popular DIY options
are 3-inch PVC pipe, rain gutters, and vinyl fence posts. If using gutters, it is best to create a gutter cover
to avoid algae growth in the channel. Flat-bottom channels like gutters and fence posts sometimes direct
water to the sides of the channel instead of directly down the middle. This diversion of the water to the
sides makes it difficult to get good contact between the seedling and the irrigation stream. Gutters with
grooves on the bottom sometimes mitigate this issue by spreading the stream evenly along the bottom of
the channel.
The length of the channel is a very important consideration. Most commercial NFT channels range from 4
to 15 feet. Longer channels sometimes have issues with sagging and must be supported at several points. A
sagging channel creates areas of stagnant water flow, which can lead to decreased oxygen available to the
roots, a rise in water temperature, and an increase in the chance of root diseases.
Long channels are not recommended in warm climates because they often have issues with heat buildup.
The water will spend a long time in a long channel before returning to the reservoir, and this increased time
in the channel leads to increased temperatures in the nutrient solution. Gardeners in warm climates should
focus on channels 8 feet and shorter, unless using a water chiller or another method for cooling the nutrient
solution.
The slope of an NFT channel is also important for limiting heat buildup in the nutrient solution and
avoiding stagnation of the nutrient solution within channels. A slope of 1 to 4 percent is acceptable; 2 to 3
percent is generally the slope used in commercial systems. The system built in this chapter targets a 1-inch
drop over a 4-foot (48-inch) channel to create a 2-percent slope.

Most NFT gardens target a flow rate of 1/2 to 1 liter per channel per minute. I've found improvements in
plant growth with flow rates up to 21/2 liters per channel per minute. To measure the flow rate per channel,
remove the irrigation line to that channel and redirect it to a measuring cup. Either measure exactly how
much water flows from that line in one minute or find how long it takes to fill 1 liter and use that number to
calculate the flow rate per minute. The Irrigation section in the Equipment chapter details the process for
calculating minimum pump output to meet the flow rate requirements in a hydroponic garden. But because
it is such important information, I am repeating it here.
The major factors to consider when selecting a water pump are delivery height, target flow rate, and
output tube size. Most systems simply need a pump powerful enough to deliver water to a specific height.
For example, a grower selecting a pump for a flood and drain system can primarily focus on whether that
pump has a maximum delivery height greater than the distance from pump outlet to flood tray. Some
systems perform best when water is delivered at a target flow rate. A couple systems that depend on target
flow rates are NFT and aeroponics. For these systems, it is important to consider how delivery height will
impact flow rate. A pump that delivers 600 gallons per hour (GPH) at 4 feet high only delivers 200 GPH at
10 feet high. The number of emitters will also impact flow rate. It is generally better to select a pump that
may be slightly overpowered than a pump that could be underpowered. It is possible to reduce flow using
valves, but it is not possible to increase flow.
Example: An NFT system has a target flow rate of 15 GPH per channel. The system has 20 channels. This
means the pump must be able to deliver 15 GPH to 20 channels, so 15 GPH × 20 channels for a total of 300
GPH. Additionally, the channels are 2 feet above the pump outlet.
Note: This system uses the floating raft garden detailed earlier in this chapter as a reservoir (see here).
It is not necessary to build the floating raft garden to build this NFT garden. A prefabricated reservoir
can be purchased or a reservoir can be made from a variety of repurposed materials, such as an opaque
plastic tote. If growing in a warm environment, it is often advantageous to bury the reservoir to keep the
nutrient solution cool.
Most stores that sell lumber offer to cut the lumber to specific dimensions if requested. Some home
improvement stores will cut PVC too. Request the dimensions listed in the steps below to skip the work of
cutting the lumber and/or PVC to reduce the amount of labor and tools required.

1 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, cut the two 2 × 6" × 8' boards into the following lengths:
• One board into two 4' segments
• One board into two 2'63/4" segments

2 Cut the two 2 × 4" × 8' boards into four 4' segments. Final lengths and quantities of cut lumber:
2 2 × 6" × 4' boards
2 2 × 6" × 2'63/4" boards
4 2 × 4" × 4' boards
 3 Paint the lumber before assembly.

4 Cut the 2" PVC to make the following lengths. Clean the edges of the cuts with a deburring tool.
4 3'7" segments
3 21/4" segments
1 4" segment
1 3" segment
3/4" grommets

The manifold will collect the drainage from the NFT channels. Before gluing any of the components
together, check that the total length of the manifold is less than 271/2 inches. If it is longer, the 3-inch PVC
segment can be trimmed down to 21/4 inches. The center of the tees should be 5 inches apart. Channels can
be spaced closer or further than 5 inches apart, but this spacing works great for lettuce and basil. The end
of the manifold with the 4-inch PVC segment will be used for a 3/4-inch drainage line. A 3/4-inch elbow will
be inserted into the PVC and another 3/4-inch elbow will direct the flow to the reservoir. Check that there is
enough space to fit elbows before gluing.
Some PVC tees and caps are longer or shorter than others, so there may be some adjustments specific to
your materials. Only proceed once the manifold assembled without glue is less than 271/2 inches long, the
tees have 5-inch spacing at their centers, and there is sufficient space on the 4-inch PVC segment to fit the
3/4-inch elbows.
5 The four 2" PVC tees are connected by the 21/4" PVC segments. Glue the tees so they all lay flat on a
surface.
6 One end cap connects to the tees using the 4" PVC segment and the other cap connects using the 3" PVC
segment.
7 The end of the manifold with the 4" PVC segment will be used for the 3/4" drainage line. A 3/4" elbow will
be inserted into the PVC and another 3/4" elbow will direct the flow to the reservoir. Check that there is
enough space to fit these before drilling. Slowly drill the PVC and check periodically to see if the hole is
large enough to hold the grommet. Most 3/4" grommets fit in a 15/16" to 1" hole.
8 Fit the grommet snugly into the hole in the PVC manifold and insert one of the 3/4" elbows.

9 Place the manifold on one of the 2 × 6" × 2'63/4" boards. There should be at least 11/2" of space from the
end caps to the 6" edges of the board. The manifold should be 1/2" from one of the 2'63/4" edges and 21/2"
from the other 2'63/4" edge. With a marker, trace the ends of the 2" tees.
10 Repeat step 9 on the other 2 × 6" × 2'63/4" board. Be sure to trace the 2" tees near the 2'63/4" edge of
the board. It is the positioning of these circles that will determine the slope of the NFT channels.
11 Use the 23/4" hole drill bit to create holes at the traced locations in the 2'63/4" boards. Clean off any
sawdust from the boards.

12 Position these 2'63/4" boards on top of the reservoir. Position the 2 × 6" × 4' boards on top of these,
running the length of the reservoir. These will be used to guide the positioning of the support legs.
13 Use the square and level when fastening the support legs to the reservoir. It is very important that these
legs are straight upright and not leaning. Use two 21/2" screws to secure the legs into position.

14 Fasten the 2 × 6" × 4' boards to the support legs. The top edge of the 4' boards should be flush with the
top of the legs.
15 Mark the position for the 2'63/4" crossbeams. The high end of the NFT channels will go through a
crossbeam 51/4" from the end of the 4' boards and the low end of the NFT channels will go through a
crossbeam 61/4" from the other end of the 4' boards.
16 Arrange the 2'63/4" crossbeams so one side has the drilled holes toward the bottom and the other side
has the drilled holes toward the top. Fasten the crossbeams with only one screw near the top of the
frame. It will be important to have the ability to adjust the angle of this board when inserting the PVC
channels. Later they will be secured into place with a second screw.

17 Insert the 3'7" PVC segments into the crossbeams. These will be the growing channels.
18 Attach the manifold to the 3'7" PVC channels. The 3/4" drainage elbow should be on the lower side of the
manifold. Do not glue it yet.
19 Mark the placement of the net pots in the channels. The net pots in this design are 6" apart within the
channel and are arranged in a checkerboard pattern to create additional space between plants from
neighboring channels.
20 Take down the channels from the frame. Use a sawhorse with clamps to hold the channels in place while
drilling holes for the net pots. Use the 2" hole drill bit. Be sure to keep the drill straight and position the
bit in the middle of the PVC pipe. If the drill is off center or at an angle it can cut into the side wall of the
PVC pipe.

21 Use the deburring tool to clean the drilled holes.

22 Glue the drilled channels to the manifold. Keep the holes upright!

23 Insert the channels with attached manifold back into the crossbeams.

24 Position the end caps on the channels but do not glue them into place.
25 Mark positions for the 1/4" water delivery lines.
26 Drill a small hole in the marked positions and use the deburring tool to open up the hole until it is wide
enough for a 1/4" vinyl tube. The 1/4" tube should be held tightly in place when inserted. It may be easier
to remove the channels and manifold from the frame to drill the holes.
27 The main water delivery line to the channels is a 3/4" vinyl tube attached to a submersible pump in the
reservoir. The 3/4" delivery line can be run up to the channels along one of the support legs. Use an elbow
to direct the tube across the crossbeam. End the line going across the crossbeam with a 3/4" elbow. This
elbow attaches to a short 4" segment of 3/4" tube that is held tightly folded in half with a zip tie. This zip
tie can be removed to clean out the irrigation line during system cleanouts. The elbow at the end allows
the gardener to direct the water away from the system during a cleanout. Fasten the 3/4" water delivery
line in place with 3/4" EMT straps and 11/4" screws.
28 Use the irrigation line hole punch to create four holes in the top of the horizontal 3/4" tube. Insert the
1/4" double barbed connectors into these holes.
29 With scissors, cut four 8" segments of 1/4" black vinyl tubing. Attach one end of the tubes to the 1/4"
double barbed connectors and insert the other end into the PVC channel. The tube should be positioned
in the channel so the flow is directed down the channel.

30 Place the end caps on the channels. These end caps should not be glued into place; it is best to have the
ability to remove them in the future to facilitate cleaning and make troubleshooting potential problems
easier.
31 Create the 3/4" drainage line by connecting the elbow in the manifold to another 3/4" elbow using a small
section of 3/4" tubing. This will direct the drainage downward. It also makes it easy to run the 3/4"
drainage line along one of the support legs. The drainage line should reach the bottom of the reservoir.
The submersible pump and drainage line are positioned at corners diagonal to each other so the water
will flow across the reservoir when water circulates through the channels.
32 Modify the 2" net pots by cutting out the bottom. This will ensure the seedlings have contact with the
nutrient solution and it makes removing the plants from the pots easier during harvest. Insert the net
pots into the channels.
33 Add the second screw to the crossbeams to securely fasten them to the 2 × 6" × 4' boards.
34 If this NFT garden is built over the floating raft garden, adding a grow light for the floating raft garden
can be a huge help. It is possible to grow plants in the raft system without adding a grow light, but
growth may be slow and stretched. This design uses a 4' six-tube T5 light.
35 Seedlings should have roots visibly emerging from the bottom of the plug before being transplanted into
an NFT channel.
36 Some crops, like basil and other herbs, can be harvested multiple times. This is great and generally not
a problem, but sometimes the roots of these plants can grow so massive that they will start to restrict the
flow within the channels.
37 Many NFT gardeners like to harvest living plants. The whole plant with roots attached can be stored
indoors in a cup of water and the leaves are pulled off as needed. This is a great way to share your
harvest with friends while keeping the produce fresh.

38 Net pots can be reused. Remove roots to be composted and save the pots. The pots can washed, rinsed,
and reused.

Clogged channel
• Check to see if roots are clogging channel. Harvest crops if needed to open up channel.
• Check to see if an expanded clay pellet or other substrate is clogging drainage line.
Clogged irrigation lines
• If using ball valves (shutoff valves), close off flow to all 1/4" irrigation lines except the clogged line. If
pressure does not remove clog, unfold a paper clip and push it down irrigation line to loosen any debris
clogging line. If line is still clogged, replace the line with new 1/4" tube. If line is still clogged, replace the
1/4" double barbed connector.
TOP DRIP IS A HYDROPONIC technique that includes a wide range of garden designs, all with one similar
feature: Irrigation lines deliver water to the top of the substrate. Sometimes the irrigation lines are
attached to flow rate regulators that create a slow drip, thus top drip. One of the more popular variations of
top drip is Dutch buckets. Dutch buckets are closed-bottom pots with a single drainage site. This drainage
site is slightly raised from the bottom of the bucket so it can be set up to drain into a collection pipe that
directs the used nutrient solution back to the reservoir to be recirculated.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Medium to large
• Growing Media: Perlite or clay pellets
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Leafy greens and large flowering crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers

Dutch buckets are commonly used for large flowering crops like hops, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and
eggplant. Many of these large crops can be grown for a year or more in a Dutch bucket. Leafy greens and
herbs can be grown in Dutch buckets, but most hydroponic gardeners prefer to take full advantage of their
buckets by growing large flowering crops.

Dutch bucket gardens are typically outdoors or in greenhouses because the crops can get huge. Many
gardeners using Dutch buckets install a trellis system next to the buckets so plant growth can be directed
upward and managed in a space-efficient manner. Using Dutch buckets indoors is an option, but the growth
needs to be managed in a way that makes efficient use of grow lights. Some grow lights can be installed
vertically to light a vertically trellised crop. Most indoor gardeners set up a horizontal trellis and weave the
plant growth horizontally to create an even height canopy. A nice level canopy is great for grow lights
because it creates minimal shading of other plants and maximizes the use of light.
This build guide only shows one top drip bucket, but this bucket design, irrigation delivery system, and
drainage setup could be expanded to accommodate many buckets.
Bucket selection is very important. The ideal bucket is square and there should be at least a 2-inch gap
between the buckets when stacked into each other. The buckets in this garden were obtained for free from
the bakery section of a grocery store. Many bakeries receive their raw ingredients in large square buckets.
There are many ways to make frame assembly easier. Most stores that sell lumber offer to cut the lumber
to specific dimensions if requested. Request the dimensions listed in the steps below to skip the work of
cutting the lumber and to reduce the number of tools required.
The frame should slope toward the reservoir. Some growers prefer to use cinder blocks as supports for
the buckets, or a mix of cinder blocks and wood. Top drip buckets can get heavy, so make sure the frame is
capable of supporting a lot of weight.
1 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, cut the 2 × 12" × 8' board into the following lengths:
2 × 12" × 16"
2 × 12" × 161/4"
2 × 12" × 2'
2 Remove any labels from the buckets.

3 Paint the lumber before assembly. The outer buckets can be painted too, if desired. The inner bucket in
the double Dutch bucket does not need to be painted.
4 Measure and mark drainage holes in the inner bucket and drill the holes using the 3/16" drill bit. The top
bucket should be quick draining.
5 Build the frame using the 16" and 161/4" boards as legs. The shorter support leg is closest to the
reservoir to create a slope toward the reservoir and is positioned 71/2" from the edge of the 2 × 12" × 2'
board to create an overhang. Use the level and square to assemble the frame with the 21/2" screws.
 6 Keeping the lid of the top bucket is optional. A lid on the top bucket can help reduce algae buildup.
Create holes in the lid larger than the size of the transplants. Most Dutch buckets are capable of growing
at least two plants.

This irrigation design can be modified to add more buckets to the garden. To expand this garden, increase
the length of the frame, the 11/2" PVC line, and the 3/4" vinyl tubing, and add additional 1/4" lines coming off
the 3/4" vinyl tubing for the additional buckets.

7 Cut the PVC into a 25" segment and a 10" segment.

8 Check the positioning of the bucket and PVC pipe. There should be enough space on either side of the
PVC pipe to fasten an EMT strap.

9 Cap the end of the 25" PVC pipe with the 11/2" rubber cap. Tighten the clamp on the cap.

10 Attach the 11/2" rubber elbow to the other end of the 2'1" PVC pipe.

11 Fasten the 25" PVC pipe to the frame with the two 11/2" EMT straps.
12 Drill a 1" hole for the 3/4" drainage elbow from the bucket.

13 Use the deburring tool to clean the drilled hole. The deburring tool can also be used to widen the hole.
14 Position the 3/4" elbow from the lower bucket into the PVC pipe.
15 Drill a 2" hole into the reservoir lid to fit the 11/2" PVC drainage line. Position the hole in the reservoir so
there will be minimal bend in the rubber elbow.
16 Attach the 10" PVC pipe section to the 2'1" PVC pipe section with the rubber elbow.
17 Drill a 1" hole in the reservoir lid for the 3/4" black vinyl tubing.

18 Connect the 3/4" black vinyl tubing to the submersible pump placed inside the reservoir.
19 Position the 3/4" black vinyl tubing along the edge of the 2 × 12" × 2' board. Fasten into position using
the 3/4" EMT straps.

20 Leave 6" of vinyl tubing after the last EMT strap. Cut off the excess.
21 Use a zip tie to kink the end of the 3/4" tube. This zip tie can be removed to rinse out the irrigation line
or to expand the system.

22 Create a small hole in the 3/4" tube for the 1/4" double barbed connector. The hole can be made with an
irrigation line hole punch or the tip of a screw. Start with a very small hole to avoid the possibility of
making the hole too large. If the hole is too large, the 3/4" tube will need to be replaced. Insert the 1/4"
double barbed connector into the small hole, and then repeat to add a second 1/4" double barbed
connector. This is similar to the NFT irrigation design, starting here.

23 Fill the bucket with pre-rinsed expanded clay pellets.

24 Remove the reservoir and hand water the bucket to rinse out any plastic shavings or remaining clay dust
on the pellets.

25 Place the reservoir back in place and partially fill with water.

26 Cut two 2' segments of 1/4" black vinyl tubing. Connect these 1/4" tubes to the 1/4" double barbed
connectors in the 3/4" black vinyl tubing.
27 Plug in the pump to test the irrigation. Check for leaks in the 3/4" tube. If leaks are detected at the 1/4"
double barbed connectors, replace the 3/4" tube. If leaks are detected at the end of the 3/4" tube, tighten
and/or replace the zip tie.
28 In this top drip design, I used ball valves (shutoff valves) and irrigation stakes. This is not required, but
it is helpful. Ball valves are great for controlling flow when connecting many buckets to one pump. The
flow can be restricted at buckets near the pump to even out the flow among all the buckets.

29 Fully fill the reservoir, amend with fertilizer, and adjust the pH if needed. Attach the pump to a timer.
This system has operated great with 15 minutes on and then 30 minutes off, cycling 24 hours a day. This
irrigation frequency works in my specific environment, which is very sunny and hot. Indoors or in cooler
environments it may be beneficial to increase the off time between irrigation cycles. This system uses
clay pellets that drain very quickly, so fortunately it is difficult to overwater plants in this top drip design.
Media beds are a fairly simple hydroponic garden design. A grow bed is periodically flooded and drained
using nutrient solution from a reservoir that is generally placed directly under the grow bed. This setup is
very similar to the flood and drain garden design covered in the next section, the major difference being the
placement of the substrate. Media bed gardens simply load the substrate into the grow bed, eliminating the
need for pots.

• Easy to grow a wide range of crops

• Great for aquaponics, provides a lot of surface area for beneficial bacteria

• Limited to just a few substrate options for filling the grow bed, difficult to use fine-textured substrates
• Difficult to clean

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Small to large
• Growing Media: Expanded clay pellets
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, and other short crops

Media beds are great for long-term crops. When a plant is removed from a media bed it is very difficult to
completely remove the roots. Often some of these roots will break off and these can quickly accumulate in a
media bed if using fast-growing crops like lettuce. Herbs that can be cut and regrow are great options
because they can be harvested without removing the plant and damaging the root system. The media bed in
the following guide is too small for flowering crops like tomatoes and cucumbers, but some aquaponics
media beds are much larger and can easily handle large flowering crops.
Media beds can be designed for any location. The media bed in the following guide is great for indoors but
could also be placed outdoors or in a greenhouse. Media beds placed outdoors may have some issues if
there is a lot of rain—the reservoir may flood and the nutrients washed away—but the reservoir can easily
be amended with fertilizer to return the EC to a target range.

Expanded clay pellets, expanded shale, river stone, lava rock, aquarium gravel, and drainage gravel are just
some of the substrate options in a media bed. Be sure to use substrate made from large particles that are
pH neutral (avoid limestone). Always prewash any substrate used in a media bed. It is possible to use a very
coarse coco coir (coco croutons), but it is not ideal. Coco holds more water than traditional media bed
substrates, so the irrigation frequency will likely need to be reduced. Coco will trap more roots from
harvest plants and cleanings may need to be more frequent. Coco also decomposes, so eventually it will
need to be completely replaced.

The traditional method for irrigating a media bed is with fill and drain fittings. Both of the fittings are
secured in the bottom of the grow bed. The fill fitting is flush, or nearly flush, with the bottom of the grow
bed and the drain fitting is elevated to just slightly below the surface of the grow bed. During an irrigation
cycle the water enters the grow bed through the fill fitting and nutrient solution drains back into the
reservoir through the drain fitting. The drain fitting prevents the grow bed from overflowing. When the
irrigation cycle ends, the nutrient solution drains from the media bed by flowing back into the reservoir
through the fill fitting. There are a couple of other popular ways to irrigate a media bed, including bell
siphons and U-siphons, but for beginners I'd recommend sticking to traditional fill and drain fittings.
Picking a grow bed and reservoir that fit well together is critical. The bottom of the grow bed should fit
inside the reservoir and the lip of the grow bed should hang over the edge of the reservoir.

1 Add a strip of tape on the side of the reservoir. Fold the end of the tape under the bottom. This tape will
be removed after painting to create a viewing window into the reservoir to check water height.
2 Spray paint the grow bed and reservoir. Make sure they are fully opaque so light does not enter the
reservoir, leading to algae growth. I used two layers of spray paint on this garden.

3 Remove the tape once the spray paint dries to create a viewing window.
4 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, drill 13/8" holes in opposite corners of the grow bed.

5 Use a deburring tool to smooth the holes.

6 Connect the fill and drain fittings to the grow bed. The drain fitting has a 3/4" connector. Use one riser on
the drain fitting.

7 Cut a piece of 1/2" black vinyl tubing long enough to reach the fill fitting while connected to the pump
positioned at the bottom of the reservoir. It is better to have this tube be a little too long rather than too
short.
8 Connect one end of 1/2" vinyl tubing to the fill fitting and the other to the submersible pump.

9 Fill the reservoir with water.

10 Position the pump at the bottom of the reservoir and place the grow bed over the reservoir.

11 Plug in the pump to test the irrigation system. Check that the grow bed does not overflow and the drain
fitting is working properly.
12 Fill the grow bed with pre-rinsed expanded clay pellets. The water should not flood higher than the
surface of the grow bed, so the clay pellets should cover the screen of the drain fitting. This grow bed
was shallower than I originally thought, so I ended up removing the riser on the drain fitting so the drain
fitting would be submerged under the clay pellets.

13 At this point the media bed is operational. Simply amend the reservoir with fertilizer and plant. The
following additions are purely for aesthetics and are not required for this garden to function properly.

Most of the decorations in this fairy garden are Legos and small toys. The only decoration that involved any
major adjustment to the garden was the waterwheel. The following steps detail how to add a water line
from the main irrigation line to power a waterwheel.
14 Use the irrigation hole punch to create a small hole in the 1/2" vinyl tubing.

15 Insert a 1/4" double barbed connector into the 1/2" vinyl tubing.

16 Connect the 1/4" black vinyl tubing to the 1/4" double barbed connector.
17 Drill a 1/4" hole in the funnel of the waterwheel using the step drill bit.

18 Remove the clay pellets from the grow bed so the base of the waterwheel is set on the bottom of the
grow bed. Place the waterwheel in the middle of the grow bed.
19 String the 1/4" black vinyl tubing to the waterwheel. Insert the shutoff valve.

20 Secure the 1/4" black vinyl tubing to the legs of the waterwheel with a zip tie.
21 Connect the remaining 1/4" vinyl tubing to the shutoff valve and string it through the 1/4" hole in the
waterwheel funnel. Cut off the excess tubing.
22 Turn on the pump to test the waterwheel. Adjust the shutoff valve until water flows to the waterwheel.
Make sure the pump intake is set to fully open for maximum flow.
THE FLOOD AND DRAIN TECHNIQUE goes by many names, including “ebb and flow” and “ebb and flood.” These
names all describe the irrigation method used in this garden design. A nutrient solution is pumped to flood
a grow tray and then it drains. This is similar to the media bed design covered in the previous section, but
flood and drain gardens do not fill the grow bed with substrate. Flood and drain gardens generally use pots
filled with a hydroponic substrate or stone wool blocks.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Small to large
• Growing Media: Perlite, expanded clay pellets, stone wool, or coco coir
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Any crop depending on pot size

The flood and drain garden shown in the guide below can easily be modified for anything from microgreens
to large flowering crops. A flood and drain garden can grow nearly any crop with a few adjustments to
irrigation frequency, pot size, substrate selection, and flood height (drain height).

Suitable for any location. This garden will have similar issues as other garden designs if placed outdoors
and exposed to heavy rain, the primary issue being the washing away and dilution of the nutrient solution.
The build guide shows several flood and drain variations. Here are just a few ways to modify this garden
design:
• Change pot size. Larger pots are great for large flowering crops. Many small pots might be more
manageable for leafy greens and herbs.
• Change pot material. Plastic pots are great but they can sometimes lose substrate through drainage holes.
This loose substrate can then clog irrigation lines. Fabric pots are perfect for flood and drain gardens
because they make it nearly impossible to lose substrate. The fabric allows the nutrient solution to quickly
reach the plant, and then it drains quickly, giving the roots access to air and preventing overwatering.
• Change substrate. Expanded clay pellets are great because they are difficult to overwater and are
reusable. Coco is another great option; it holds more water, so irrigation frequency should be adjusted
accordingly. Other popular options include perlite, peat, and stone wool. Fine-textured substrates like
coco, peat, and small perlite are often best in fabric pots to avoid losing substrate from the pots' drainage
holes.
• Change grow bed size. Prefabricated flood and drain trays come in many sizes, generally ranging from 1
to 4 feet wide and 2 to 12 feet long. DIY grow beds can be as big or as small as you want. A grow bed can
be constructed from concrete mixing trays, intermediate bulk containers (IBC totes), plastic storage totes,
dish tubs, or even wood with a plastic liner (similar to the wicking bed design). Whatever is chosen, make
sure the tray can be modified to include a fill fitting that is flush, or nearly flush, with the bottom of the
tray and a drainage fitting that is elevated above the surface. Most flood and drain designs place the
drainage fitting about one-third the height of the selected pots.
* This garden can be modified to fit a wide variety of pots. See the planting options before deciding on pot selection.
Picking a grow bed and reservoir that fit well together is critical. The bottom of the grow bed should fit
inside the reservoir and the lip of the grow bed should hang over the edge of the reservoir.

1 Add a strip of tape on the side of the reservoir. Fold the end of the tape under the bottom. This tape will
be removed after painting to create a viewing window into the reservoir to check water height.

2 Spray paint the grow bed, grow bed lid, and reservoir. Make sure they are fully opaque so light does not
enter the reservoir. If light enters the reservoir it can lead to algae growth. I used two layers of
chalkboard spray paint on this garden.
3 Remove the tape once the spray paint dries to create a viewing window.

4 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, drill a 5/8" and a 3/8" hole in the grow bed.
5 Insert the 11" segment of the 5/16" black vinyl tubing into the 3/8" hole in the grow bed. Use the hot glue
gun to fasten the 5/16" tube in place. The 5/16" tube should be flush with the surface of the grow bed.
6 Insert the 4" segment of 1/2" black vinyl tubing into the 5/8" hole in the grow bed. It does not need to be
glued into position. The height of the 1/2" tube will be adjusted based on substrate and pot selection.

7 Connect the 5/16" tube to the submersible pump.

8 Fill the reservoir with water.

9 Position the pump on the bottom of the reservoir and place the grow bed on top of the reservoir.
10 Turn on the pump. Water should fill the grow bed and drain from the 1/2" tube.
11 Turn the pump off and water should drain back into the reservoir through the pump.
12 Prepare the stone wool by rinsing it in nutrient solution.

13 Remove plugs as needed for the stone wool sheet to fit the grow bed.
14 See the Microgreen Crop Chart in the appendix for recommended seeding rates. Some microgreen seed
packets will provide a recommended seeding density.
15 Gently mist the microgreen seeds. Misting the seeds twice daily for the first 3 to 5 days will help
germination.

16 Most microgreens are ready to harvest after 10 to 15 days. Some varieties are slower growing and
require 3 to 4 weeks before they are ready to harvest.
17 Many microgreen varieties can be harvested multiple times. Cut the young plants above their lowermost
leaves to give them an opportunity to regrow.
Aeroponics is a very exciting hydroponic technique. It offers the potential for very fast growth and huge
yields while using very little water. There are two major categories within aeroponics: high pressure and
low pressure.
High Pressure The build guide below shows how to build a high-pressure aeroponic garden. Most
hydroponic growers think of high-pressure designs when they hear the term aeroponics. A pump is attached
to a main irrigation line, often PVC, and misters are inserted into the PVC line. The pump creates pressure
in the PVC pipe, which helps generate a fine mist. High-pressure aeroponic designs are very popular for
rooting cuttings or “clones.” The fine nutrient solution mist creates a great environment for new root
growth.
Low Pressure Low-pressure aeroponic gardens do not use misters. The aeroponic “mist” is often created
by passing the nutrient solution through perforated disks and/or creating splashes near the plant roots.
Low-pressure aeroponic systems generally have fewer moving parts and are less prone to clogging.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Small to large
• Growing Media: Perlite or clay pellets
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, and other short crops

Nearly any crop can be grown aeroponically. I've seen papayas grown in aeroponic systems! The most
common crops for aeroponic systems are leafy greens and herbs, but do not feel limited to these options. If
growing larger flowering crops, be sure to consider how the plant will be supported. Plants grown in pots
can support themselves (to a certain extent) by securing their roots to the substrate. Without a substrate,
the plant roots do not have much physical support and a top-heavy plant could lean or fall over if not
provided with support, such as a vertical or horizontal trellis. Long-term crops also have a greater chance
of facing a power outage or an equipment failure that could quickly damage roots or kill plants that may
have required many months of care.

Aeroponics is suitable for any location. Aeroponic gardens can be small and fit on kitchen counters or be
massive vertical towers stretching over 15 feet tall. DIY aeroponic gardens can sometimes have issues with
leaks and they should be tested before being placed in a leak-sensitive location.
The reservoir selection is very important! It should have a tight-sealing lid. When the aeroponic irrigation
turns on, there is a lot of spraying, so make sure the lid fits tightly to prevent leaks. Five-gallon buckets also
work great and come with a tight-fitting lid.
1 Spray paint the reservoir if it is not already opaque. Make sure light does not reach the nutrient solution,
because it can encourage algae development.
2 The lid can be modified to fit a variety of net pot sizes or foam inserts. Foam inserts are very popular for
rooting cuttings, and 2" or 3" net pots are great for growing herbs and leafy greens.
3 Aeroponic systems designed for rooting cuttings can fit many sites for foam inserts. These sites are
sometimes spaced 21/2" apart. This aeroponic system will be using net pots spaced 3" apart, which is
suitable for a variety of herbs, baby green mixes, and some miniature romaine lettuce varieties. Space
the net pots 6" apart to grow full-size lettuce. Mark the lid with the location of the plant sites.
4 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, use a 2" hole drill bit to create holes for the net pots.
5 Clean the edges of the drilled holes with the deburring tool.
 6 Create a very small flap on the side of the lid. This will be used for the pump's power cord. Sometimes
this flap can be a source of leaks, so another option is drilling a hole in the lid for the cord to pass
through and using a foam insert around the cord to cork the drilled hole.

This irrigation design (pictured above) can be modified for a variety of reservoir sizes by adjusting the
length of the PVC segments and moving the placement of the 360-degree misters.
7 The exact lengths of the PVC segments will depend on the reservoir and specific 3/4" elbows and tees
used. Do not glue any of the components together until the entire irrigation system has been test-fitted.
Only glue the components together once they fit well without glue.
8 Build the center part of the irrigation manifold first. It will need to be compact enough to fit within the
width of the reservoir but there should be enough space between the tees so an aeroponic mister can be
installed.

9 Cut four PVC segments of equal length and attach them to the center manifold. The segments in this
design are 41/2" long.
10 Connect the four elbows to the manifold.
11 Place a PVC pipe between the elbows and mark the pipe at the appropriate length for it to connect the
elbows. Cut two segments of this length to connect both sides.
12 The length of the final PVC segment that will connect the manifold to the pump will depend on the
height of the reservoir. It should be long enough to place the top of the manifold within 5" to 7" of the lid
once it is attached to the pump. The PVC manifold should fit snugly to the 3/4" fitting of the pump. If it
does not fit snugly, try another fitting that came with the pump or use PVC glue to fasten PVC pipe to the
fitting on the pump.

13 Mark the placement of the 360° misters. This system uses a 400 GPH pump. The misters each have a
flow rate of 31.4 GPH. So, 400 GPH divided by 31.4 GPH equals 12.73. To ensure good pressure, I only
used 10 misters in this system. This pump has a valve to adjust flow rate, so I added fewer misters than
its maximum to ensure good flow. The flow rate can always be reduced on the pump if there is too much
pressure.
14 Drill holes at the marked spots with the 11/64" drill bit. Twist the 360° misters into the drilled holes.
15 Place the fully assembled irrigation manifold and pump in the center of the reservoir. Fill the reservoir
with water. Do not fill over the height of the misters.
16 Place the lid on the reservoir and plug in the pump. Check the distribution of the misters to make sure
all plant sites receive water.
17 Plug the pump into a timer. This garden was set to water for 10 seconds every 5 minutes. The irrigation
frequency will depend on the age of the crop, the environment, the size of the pots, and the timer
selection. Many aeroponic systems operate well when on for 15 minutes and then off for 15 to 45
minutes.
18 Add the net pots.

19 Amend the reservoir with a hydroponic fertilizer (do not use an organic hydroponic fertilizer).
Transplant!
VERTICAL GARDENS COME IN ALL shapes and sizes using both soil and hydroponic growing techniques. Vertical
gardens are popular for gardeners with limited space because they can maximize the available growing
area in a given footprint. Vertical gardens are also popular as living art installments. It is increasingly
common to go to a bar, restaurant, office, or school and see a vertical garden used as an edible art
installation.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind when choosing a vertical garden. First, not all crops are
well suited for this production method. Large, top-heavy crops like tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers may
not have the support they require if grown in a vertical garden. Most vertical hydroponic systems are best
suited for leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries. The second major consideration is the light requirement of
the chosen crop. Vertical gardens are notorious for having light issues if poorly designed or positioned.
Sometimes vertical systems cast shade on lower crops. Insufficient light for lower crops may not be an issue
during summer when there is a lot of light, but in lower light conditions this can be a problem.
Although this book focuses on hydroponics, hydroponics is not the only option when selecting a vertical
garden design. The garden shown in the following project could easily be modified to use a potting mix and
receive hand waterings. I personally find that putting in the initial effort of building a hydroponic system
pays off in the long run because I don't have to remember to water my plants, but to each his or her own—
this is DIY! Here are some of the common vertical hydroponic garden setups.
Aeroponic systems can be either low or high pressure. A high-pressure aeroponic vertical garden will
generally have a main irrigation line in the middle of a large tube or square. This main irrigation line will
have evenly spaced foggers or misters that emit a fine mist for the plant roots positioned on the inside of
the outer tube or square. These systems require a decent amount of pressure and can be prone to clogging.
An irrigation system that uses misters or foggers requires the use of a high-quality fertilizer that will not
precipitate. The grower must also be cautious of leaves and roots falling into the system, because these may
break down and clog emitters.
A low-pressure aeroponic vertical garden will also have a main irrigation in the middle of a large tube or
square but it will only release the nutrient solution at the top of the garden. The nutrient solution then falls
through a series of disks that disperse the water. Tower Garden is a very popular low-pressure vertical
aeroponic system. DIY versions of this system are possible, but it sometimes is advantageous to simply
purchase a complete system.
Drip towers also come in many shapes and sizes. They almost all consist of either a vertical post or bag full
of an inert substrate like perlite, coco, or stone wool. The ZipGrow tower is a vertical drip tower that has
gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. It uses a plastic matrix and a capillary mat in the middle of
a square post.
Flood and drain grow racks are a common vertical system in commercial farms. Shown below is an image of
a vertical flood and drain system by Growtainer. Many growers create their own versions of these systems.
Most of these are constructed out of metal storage shelves, flood tables, and lights. When designing your
own flood and drain grow rack, it is important to include shutoff valves for each level. These valves will help
you adjust the flow to each level so they all fill in roughly the same amount of time. The height between
levels and placement of lights is also important. Most of these grow racks have 18 to 24 inches between
levels. I suggest using T5 fluorescent or LED bars for lighting. The most common problems I see with grow
racks are insufficient light and poor airflow. One of the best indicators that light levels are low is spindly,
stretchy growth in seedlings. The seedlings are reaching out for more light. Often, it is better to remove
spindly seedlings and start over. Airflow can also help strengthen seedlings. A small clip-on fan can gently
shake the seedlings, encouraging them to develop stronger stems and better-established roots. With crops
like head lettuce, poor airflow will sometimes result in tip burn.
Rotating hydroponic systems are very cool looking, but generally not practical. Gardens like the Omega
Garden are fun to look at but the growers using these systems seem to quickly lose interest. Difficulty
viewing and accessing the crop, issues with airflow, water dripping onto leaves, high price, high
maintenance… these are just a few of the reasons growers abandon rotary hydroponic systems. That said,
I've had a lot of fun building Ferris wheel hydroponic systems. These systems are not designed to optimize
production, increase yield, or reduce labor; they are designed to simply be aesthetically pleasing. Ferris
wheel planters can be found at some garden shops and a search through online vendors will generally
result in several options. I've tried building a couple of Ferris wheel systems and have learned a few lessons
in the process. First, moving the Ferris wheel with a motor so the plants can be dipped into a nutrient
solution can be a headache. Second, gravity and the weight of water are great for moving plants in a Ferris
wheel. Third, use pots that drain quickly. Generally, stone wool and/or perlite are good options for these
systems.
An NFT A-frame system consists of NFT channels arranged in an A shape. These systems have pros and
cons. The pro is the ability to increase the number of plant sites in a given footprint. The cons are an
uneven distribution of light and possible flow rate issues. If you plan on building an A-frame NFT system,
follow the same guidelines for slope and flow rate as mentioned in the NFT project. Additionally, use 1/4-
inch shutoff valves for each channel to balance flow among all levels. The use of 1/4-inch shutoff valves is
further described in the project for the rain gutter garden.

These are one of my favorite and are fun to build and customize. See next page.
This system is one of the more complicated systems in this book, but that is because I was focused on the
aesthetics of the final system. I personally like a system that looks so nice that a visitor to my garden would
not immediately think it is a DIY project. To simplify the assembly of this system, you can skip the paint job,
use vinyl tubing to connect troughs, and reduce the number of levels. Alternatively, this system can be
thought of as a model for a much larger system. I cut my channels to 33 inches wide, but this system could
easily be modified to have 10-inch-wide channels. It could be many levels taller too. When adding more
vertical levels, it is important to consider pump size. I prefer to oversize a pump and use shutoff valves to
control flow for each level. Oversized pumps also help reduce the potential of debris clogging the irrigation
lines.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Size: Medium to large
• Growing Media: Perlite, clay pellets, and other fast-draining materials
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, and other short crops
Choose a reservoir before building the frame. The width of the frame needs to be wider than the reservoir
so the reservoir can easily fit between the vertical supports.

1 Move the 2 × 10" × 8' board onto the sawhorses and fasten with clamps. Measure and mark two 30"
segments to be used as the base of the frame.
2 Draw square cutting lines for each segment of the 2 × 10.
3 Wearing work gloves and eye protection, cut the 2 × 10" × 8' board into two 30" segments with the
circular saw.
4 Move the two 2 × 4" × 8' boards onto the sawhorses and fasten with clamps.

5 Measure and mark a 5' segment in both boards. Placing the boards on top of each other can help make
sure they are cut to the exact same length.
6 Cut the two 2 × 4" × 8' boards along the marked lines to create two 5' segments and two 3' segments.
7 Measure, mark, and cut a 30" segment using one of the 3'2" × 4” segments from step 6.

8 Move the 30" 2 × 4" segment onto the sawhorses, fasten with clamps, and mark the center.
9 Use the 2" hole saw drill bit to create a 2" hole in the marked center of the 30" 2 × 4" segment.
10 Attach the two 5' 2 × 4" segments to one of the 30" 2 × 10" bases. Use two screws on each side.
11 Attach the other side of the two 5' 2 × 4" segments to the 30" 2 × 4" segment. Use two screws on each
side.
12 To build the support legs for the frame, cut two small 2 × 4" segments from the remaining 2 x 4" wood.
Place the segments in the angles between the base and vertical 2 × 4" supports. Mark the small
segments so the cuts will be a perfect match.
13 Cut the angle support legs.
14 Secure the support legs to the base using two screws. Secure the support legs to the vertical supports
with one screw.

15 Set up the frame in a level area. Check that the base and top crossbeam are level and square.

16 Position the reservoir in the frame.

17 Level the reservoir by moving the second 30" 2 × 10" board under the front of the reservoir.
Build the frame before assembling the troughs. The troughs need to be at least 3" wider than the frame to
allow the gutter end caps to fit securely.

20 Measure and mark three 33" segments in the 10' vinyl gutter.
21 Cut the three 33" segments using a hacksaw and/or heavy-duty scissors.
22 Use the deburring tool to remove any burrs from the ends of the gutters.
23 Stack the three 33" gutter segments and fasten onto sawhorses with clamps. Measure and mark the
center of the gutters at 161/2".
24 Use a step bit to create a 3/4" hole in the marked center of the gutters. The placement of this hole is very
important! It should be placed closer to the curved edge of the gutter. The center of the hole is
approximately 2" from the flat back of the gutter. Deburr the hole but make sure not to widen the hole
too much.
25 Insert the 1/2" grommet into the hole. If the hole is too small, use the deburring tool to widen the hole.
26 Repeat steps 24–25 for each of the three 33" gutter segments.
27 Insert a 1/2" elbow into the 1/2" grommet in each gutter section.
28 Cut three 4" segments of 1/2" tubing. Attach to the elbows.
The troughs in this design are 18" apart starting 3" from the top beam. This gives 18" of space below the
lowest trough for the 11"-tall reservoir.
29 On each of the vertical 5' 2 × 4" segments, mark 3", 21", and 39" from the top beam.
30 Screw in the gutter hangers into the marked areas on the vertical 5' 2 × 4" segments.
31 Slide the gutters into the hangers.
32 Add the end caps.

The irrigation design in this system uses one main PVC pipe both for drainage and to conceal the tubing
used for water delivery. The assembly of the irrigation could be simplified by removing the PVC pipe and
using 1/2” vinyl tubing to connect all the drains and by running the water delivery tubing in the open (not
concealed in a PVC pipe). I chose a more complicated irrigation design because it looks cleaner and avoids
a potentially unsightly web of tubing.
33 Insert the 6' 11/2" PVC pipe through the guide hole in the top crossbeam. Mark the approximate
intersection of the 11/2" PVC pipe and the 1/2" drainage tube coming from each gutter level.
34 Make a second set of marks approximately 1/2" above each gutter level. It will be important to
distinguish between the marks made in the previous step and this step.

35 Remove the 11/2" PVC pipe and fasten to the sawhorses using clamps. Using the step bit, drill a 5/8" hole
into each of the three marks made in step 33. This will be used for the 1/2" drainage tube.
36 Using the 1/4" drill bit, drill a hole into each of the three marks created in step 34. This will be used for
the 1/4" water delivery line.
37 On the bottom end of the 11/2" PVC pipe (the end closer to the 1/2" hole), drill four 13/8" drain holes. This
pipe will be resting on the bottom of the reservoir and drainage water will pass through these holes into
the reservoir. Use the deburring tool to clean all edges.
38 The 11/2" PVC couplings will be placed above the 1/4" hole for the lower two levels and between the 1/4"
and 5/8" hole for the top level. Make a mark 2" above the two 1/4" holes for the lower two levels. Make a
mark 2" below the 1/4" hole for the top level. Make sure the coupling will not cover the 1/4" holes when
the coupling is put in place.
39 Cut the 11/2" PVC pipe at the marks made in step 38.

40 Connect the cut PVC segments with couplings.

41 Move the assembled PVC main line back into the system with the top coming out of the guide hole in the
2 × 4" wood crossbeam.

42 Check to see if 1/2" drainage tubes from all three levels can be inserted into the PVC main line. If not,
shorten segments in the main PVC line until all 1/2" drainage tubes match with their corresponding holes
in the PVC main line. The PVC couplings can create gaps (sometimes big ones) that increase the total
length of the pipe, throwing off the previous measurements.

43 Mark the top of the 2 × 4" wood crossbeam on the 11/2" PVC pipe.

44 Remove the top PVC pipe segment and cut along the mark made in step 43. This is to prevent the PVC
pipe from sticking out high above the top wood crossbeam.

45 Move the PVC mainline to a flat service. Gather the 1/4" vinyl tubing, 1/2" vinyl tubing, 1/2" stopper, 1/4"
double-barbed connectors, 1/4" shutoff valves, irrigation line hole punch, and scissors.

46 Cut three 10" segments and three 2" segments of the 1/4" vinyl tubing.
47 Place the 1/2" vinyl tubing next to the PVC main line. It may be helpful to use clamps to hold the line
straight.

48 Insert the 1/2" stopper into the end of the 1/2" vinyl tube near the top of the PVC main line.

49 Begin poking holes into the 1/2" vinyl tubing with the irrigation line hole punch. Place holes adjacent to
the 1/4" holes drilled into the PVC main line.
50 Insert 1/4" double-barbed connectors into the three holes in the 1/2" vinyl tubing created in step 49.
51 Connect the 2" segments and 10" segments of 1/4" tubing using the 1/4" shutoff valves.

52 Disconnect the PVC mainline at the 11/2" couplings.

53 Insert the assembled 1/4" tubes from step 51 into the 1/4" holes in the PVC main line. Insert the 10"
segment into the PVC so the 1/4" shutoff valve remains outside of the PVC mainline.

54 Starting from the top of the PVC main line, connect the 10" segment of the 1/4" vinyl tubing to the 1/4"
double-barbed connector in the 1/2" vinyl tubing.
55 Slide the 1/2" vinyl tubing down the PVC main line and continue connecting the 10" segments of the 1/4"
vinyl tubing to the 1/4" double-barbed connectors in the 1/2" vinyl tubing.
56 Reconnect the PVC main line segments.
57 Slide the bottom end of the 1/2" vinyl tubing through one of the drain holes created in step 37.
58 Place the assembled PVC main line back into the vertical system with the top held in place by the guide
hole in the 2 × 4" wood crossbeam.

59 Insert the 1/2" drain lines coming out of each gutter into their corresponding 5/8" hole in the PVC main
line.
60 Connect the bottom end of the 1/2" vinyl tubing to a pump in the reservoir.

Test the irrigation system before planting. Fill the reservoir with enough water to cover the pump, turn on
the pump, and check that each level is receiving water. Adjust the flow to each level by adjusting the shutoff
valves. This irrigation test will also help clean out the irrigation lines and catch any loose plastic particles
left over from the assembly. Dump the test water.
61 Place the Active Aqua screen fittings over the 1/2" drain grommets before filling each trough.
62 Pre-rinse the perlite in a bucket. This will help keep the system clean. Fill each trough with perlite.
63 The amount of space you leave at the top of each trough will depend on the amount of plants you plan to
add. The seedling plugs will take up space in the trough, so filling the trough to the top before
transplanting is not recommended.

64 Fill the reservoir with clean water and prepare a nutrient solution specific to the crop you plan on
planting (see System Maintenance chapter).

65 Turn on the pump and check to see that each level is receiving nutrient solution.

66 Transplant the seedlings.

Reservoirs There are many alternative reservoirs that could be used with this rain gutter system. A
nontranslucent plastic storage tote, a 5-gallon bucket, or even a small pond would work as a reservoir. It is
important to cover the reservoir to reduce the development of algae, which can attract fungus gnats that
can potentially damage plant roots. If growing in a warm climate, it may be beneficial to bury the reservoir
to keep the nutrient solution cool.
Lighting This system can be modified for use indoors by adding grow lights. I added two 2-foot
fluorescent lights for the lower two levels to supplement light in the greenhouse. LED light bars are another
option. LED light bars are often more powerful than fluorescent lights and may be better suited for
gardeners planning on using the rain gutter system indoors. If using this system indoors, you may want to
build a fourth level to support a grow light for the top trough.
Trough is leaking from end caps
• Drain reservoir and let system dry.
• Use PVC cement to attach and seal end caps.
No water coming out of multiple levels
• Check power to pump.
• Check pump for materials clogging intake.
• Make sure pump intake valve is in fully open position.
• Make sure shutoff valves are open for all levels.
No water coming out of one level
• Reduce flow from other levels to direct more pressure to dry level.
• Completely shut off flow to other levels to force out any debris clogging line.
• Loosen any potential debris by pushing an unfolded paper clip down clogged 1/4" line.
• Disassemble and reassemble irrigation for that level. It may be helpful to shorten 1/4" irrigation line too.
GROWING A HEALTHY, ROBUST SEEDLING or root cutting is often one of the biggest challenges for new
hydroponic gardeners. The ideal conditions for germination or root establishment are dependent on crop
selection. Refer to the crop selection charts in the appendix to find recommended germination
temperatures for various crops. Do not be discouraged if you struggle to grow healthy seedlings or rooted
cuttings on your first try; it may take a few attempts to understand the proper practices for your
environment. Worst case, you can transplant traditional soil seedlings purchased from a garden center into
a hydroponic system using the steps listed in the final section of this chapter.
1 Place the stone wool seedling sheet into the 10 × 20" mesh bottom tray. Rinse and prepare the stone
wool with a half-strength nutrient solution.

2 Let any excess nutrient solution run off the seedling sheet through the mesh bottom tray.

3 Place the mesh bottom tray into the solid bottom tray. The stone wool should be damp to the touch but
not sitting in water.
4 Place the solid bottom tray on the seedling heat mat.

5 Seed that sheet.

6 Pelleted seeds should be seeded one per plug.

7 Basil often yields more when three to eight seeds are used per plug. Basil will often germinate great
even when not placed directly in a dibbled hole.
8 Lettuce mixes using raw seed (not pelleted) yield more and look better when three to five seeds are used
per plug.
9 Plants like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant should be seeded two per plug if possible. Once
the seedlings emerge, identify the smaller plant in the plug and remove it by pinching and pulling. Using
two seeds per plug and removing one later increases the chances of having successful seedlings in every
plug. If one seed doesn't germinate, then there is a backup.

10 Label your varieties. Use plant markers or make a note on a sheet of paper; either way, it is important to
keep track of what varieties you plant.

11 Misting the seeds can help ensure they have good contact with the stone wool and have enough
moisture to germinate. Misting is very helpful with pelleted seeds because sometimes they struggle to
absorb enough moisture by simply making contact with the stone wool.
 12 Plug in the heat mat to the heat mat controller. Weave the controller's thermometer through one of the
humidity dome vents and insert it into the stone wool.

13 Secure the humidity dome on the tray and pull any excess slack on the thermometer cord.

14 Set the heat mat controller to a desired minimum temperature. Various target germination temperatures
can be found in the appendix in the Crop Selection Charts.

15 For the first few days, there should be no need to touch the seedling tray. The initial stone wool
rinsing/soaking will provide enough moisture for several days.

16 Remove the humidity dome once 50 percent of the seedlings have germinated. For most vegetable crops
this will be after 3 to 5 days. Leaving the humidity dome on too long can increase the chance of fungal
diseases and seedling death.
17 Stone wool will feel heavy when it is wet and it is noticeably lighter when in need of irrigation. It is best
to develop a sense of how much water is in your seedling sheet by lifting up the tray to gauge the weight.
Irrigate with a nutrient solution when the tray feels light; often this is every 2 to 4 days indoors
depending on air temperature and crop age. Depending on the environment, it may not be necessary to
irrigate the seedlings at all, because they may be ready to transplant into your hydroponic garden within
1 to 2 weeks before an irrigation would be necessary.
There are many different ways to root a cutting and there are many variations in technique within these methods. This
tutorial covers a few of these variations; please experiment and see what works best for you, your crop, and your unique
cloning environment.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors or greenhouse with shade

• Growing Media: Stone wool
• Electrical: Required indoors, not required outdoors
• Crops: Basil, mint, sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potato, and many more
1 Rinse and prepare the stone wool with half-strength nutrient solution. Place it in the solid bottom tray.
With sharp pruners, collect cuttings (see the Collecting Cuttings guide).
2 Shorten the cuttings to 4" to 7", making a 45-degree cut below an internode.

(Optional) Some growers prefer to make a horizontal cut and then split the bottom of the stem, some
growers prefer just a 45-degree cut, and some growers prefer to do both a 45-degree cut and split the
stem.
(Optional) Some growers remove a thin layer from one side of the cutting to expose more cambium, a
white layer inside the stem from which new roots emerge.
(Optional) Rooting hormone can be very helpful when rooting challenging crops. Some gardeners use
honey instead of a rooting gel.
3 Always wear gloves when working with rooting hormone.
4 Pour some of the rooting solution into a separate container to avoid potentially contaminating the entire
bottle.
5 Dip the end of the cutting into the rooting hormone, and let any excess rooting solution drip off before
moving the cutting to the cube.
6 The cutting can be positioned in the cube in several ways:

A. The standard method is to insert the cutting into the cube about 1" deep through the pre-dibbled hole.
B. Another option is creating a smaller dibble hole so the cutting fits more snugly into the hole. This is beneficial when
using thin cuttings because it increases the amount of contact between the stem and the stone wool.
C. Another option is to insert the cutting into the bottom of the stone wool cube. This has similar benefits to the previous
option plus it has a wider bottom, making it possible to place individual cubes in a tray without a holder.
7 Try to avoid leaves touching, which can create areas of excessive moisture and increase risk of fungus.
8 Snugly place the humidity dome onto the tray and place under a low-intensity light. I turned off two
bulbs in this four-bulb light to reduce the potential of stressing out my cuttings before they have a
chance to establish roots.

9 If your cuttings are drying out before establishing roots, try removing more leaves to reduce
transpiration, decreasing light intensity, adding water to the bottom of the tray to increase humidity,
adjusting the humidity dome vent to keep in more humidity, or adjusting the heat mat temperature. If
adding water to the bottom of the tray, do not add so much that the cubes are sitting in water.
10 A heat mat with a controller is great for speeding up the rooting process. Most gardeners target 70° to
80°F.

11 Cuttings should be slowly acclimated to normal humidity levels by incrementally opening up the dome
vents.
12 Some plants root very quickly from cuttings, in less than a week, but most will require a couple of weeks
or more until they have enough roots to be transplanted into a hydroponic garden. Cuttings can be
transplanted when roots emerge from the stone wool cube.

• Suitable Locations: Indoors, outdoors, or greenhouse

• Growing Media: Just water
• Electrical: Required
• Crops: Basil, mint, sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potato, strawberries, and
any other plant that can be rooted from a cutting
1 With sharp pruners, collect cuttings (see the Collecting Cuttings guide shown here). The cutting should
be long enough to have at least 1" of stem submerged in the nutrient solution. I generally aim for 6"
cuttings so I can have a couple of inches of stem submerged in the nutrient solution.
2 Assemble the cloning system and place under the grow light if using indoors.

3 Fill with half-strength nutrient solution or use a hydroponic fertilizer specifically for rooting cuttings
(sometimes called a “clone solution”).
4 Plug in the air pump and water pump.
5 Use a soft collar to hold the cuttings in place. Make sure no leaves are stuck in the collar.
6 Evenly space cuttings in the cloner and cover any unused holes with a collar.

7 After 4 to 7 days, most cuttings show evidence of roots. Some plants root more slowly than others and
may need to stay in the system longer.
8 Plants with established roots are ready to be transplanted into a hydroponic garden. Simply remove the
collar and your new plant is ready to go.
1 If possible, prune off all the fruit and some of the vegetation from the plant. Less fruit and vegetation
means less need for water uptake and less demand on the root system. It is important to reduce the
demand on the root system because it might be damaged in the rinsing process and unable to deliver the
water and nutrients required for the full-size plant.

2 Pour off any loose soil from the top of the transplant.

3 Remove the plant from its pot.

4 Gently dunk the root system into a bucket of water.
5 Gently shake the plant to wash off soil from the roots.
6 Use your fingers to loosen up the roots to expose soil clumps trapped deep within.

7 It may be necessary to dump and refill the bucket multiple times to get all the soil off the roots. A
watering wand with a gentle flow can help speed the process.
8 Pick out as much soil and debris as possible without ripping up the roots.
9 Clear some space for the transplant.
10 Insert the transplant and cover the root system.

11 Water in the new transplant to improve root contact with the substrate.
PLANTS CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE between natural and synthetic fertilizers. Plants have specialized
pathways that only allow them to uptake a very short list of ions and simple molecules. In traditional soil-
based gardening, these ions and molecules are often derived from manure or decaying plant matter broken
down by a series of biological processes. For example, nitrogen is primarily only available to plants when
present as ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate (NO3-). In manure, nitrogen can be present in a wide variety of
forms, including organic nitrogen (Org-N), ammonia (NH3), ammonium (NH4+), hydrazine (N2H2),
hydroxylamine (NH2OH), nitrogen gas (N2), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO), nitrous acid (HNO2),
nitrite (NO2-), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric acid (HNO3), and nitrate (NO3-). Bacteria present in the soil
can transform these forms of nitrogen into the specific plant-available forms of nitrogen. The process of
breaking down a raw nutrient source like manure into simple molecules and ions available to the plant is
dependent on many factors, including bacterial populations, soil temperature, and water content. In
traditional hydroponic fertilizers, nitrogen is applied in its plant-available forms (ammonium and nitrate)
and there is no need for bacteria to process the fertilizer into plant-available forms.
Plants grown in soil are constantly searching for nutrients. Their roots are on a scavenger hunt for
nutrients spread through the soil. The roots generally find nutrients dissolved in water in the soil, often
called the soil solution, which can then be picked up by the roots. The availability of nutrients in the soil is
dependent on not only the presence of nutrients, but also the moisture in the soil, pH of the soil,
distribution of nutrients in the soil, the cation exchange capacity of the soil, and more.
On the other hand, plants grown in hydroponic systems can have constant access to nutrients. The
nutrients are evenly dissolved in water to create a nutrient solution, similar to a soil solution. Any time the
plant needs water or nutrients, they're available. This allows a plant to reach its full potential without
needing to expend energy searching for nutrients or being stunted by the inability to find essential
nutrients.
Fertilizers can be a very difficult topic. It is one of the most common issues I deal with when working with
commercial hydroponic growers. Decades ago, almost all growers had to blend more than ten ingredients to
create a hydroponic fertilizer recipe that met all their crop's nutrient requirements. This involved a lot of
chemistry, lab tests, and spreadsheets! Today many commercial growers still create custom fertilizer blends
using many ingredients but there is an increasing use of pre-blended fertilizers. These pre-blended fertilizer
mixes allow growers to simply purchase two or three different fertilizer bags to create a recipe that meets
all their crop's nutrient requirements. The manufacturers of hobby hydroponic fertilizers have further
simplified the process by creating one-part fertilizer options. One-part fertilizers are as easy as making fruit
punch from concentrate. Just add the fertilizer powder or liquid concentrate to a specific volume of water
using the rate on the fertilizer bag or bottle.
Organic hydroponics is possible, but I would not recommend it for new growers. It is important to have
some experience with hydroponics and understand how plants should perform under normal conditions
before venturing into organic hydroponics. One of the most beginner-friendly choices for a new hydroponic
grower looking to grow organically is aquaponics. Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics and
aquaculture, or fish farming. In an aquaponic system, the fish waste is broken down in a series of biological
processes to create nutrients that are available to the plants.
You may be tempted to experiment with an organic fertilizer created for traditional gardening but this
often results in a foul-smelling mess. Many organic fertilizers are made from animal manure or byproducts
from the meat industry. These fertilizers can quickly turn rancid in a hydroponic system. The nutrient
solution will begin to smell foul and the system will get covered in goop, requiring the gardener to
frequently flush and clean the system. Most successful organic hydroponic fertilizers use nutrients derived
from plant sources like sugarcane. I've managed several successful organic hydroponic systems using a
molasses-based fertilizer called Pre-Empt.

Within conventional fertilizers there are several categories. The first decision most hydroponic gardeners
make is between liquid or dry fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers are often easier to use because they are easy to
measure and don't require much mixing, but liquid fertilizers are often more expensive than dry fertilizers.
Most liquid hydroponic fertilizers are simply a dry fertilizer mixed with water and then sold in a bottle.
Liquid fertilizers are often less concentrated than dry fertilizers and more expensive due to the increased
costs of shipping a liquid.

Many hydroponic fertilizer companies try to create a product line with many add-on products, but these
add-ons are often unnecessary for healthy plant growth. Many new hydroponic gardeners get carried away
with fertilizer amendments and cause more harm than benefit. It is surprisingly easy to love a plant to
death. New hydroponic gardeners want to give their plants every flashy product they see, but too much love
will quickly kill your crop.
One-part fertilizers like those listed below are able to grow healthy crops 99 percent of the time without
any amendments. Most of the one-part fertilizers are formulated for either vegetative growth, like lettuce
and young plants, or reproductive growth, like mature tomato plants developing fruit or any other flowering
crop.
Many fertilizers come in two or three parts. These multipart fertilizers are very different from add-on
products, and they come in two or three parts because certain nutrients have a tendency to bind to each
other when mixed in high concentration. This binding is called precipitation. The usual culprits are calcium
with phosphate or calcium with sulfate. When these nutrients bind, they create a precipitate that looks like
sand. This sand will fall to the bottom of the reservoir and becomes unavailable to the crop. Many
companies sell their fertilizer in two parts: one part containing calcium (along with other nutrients) and the
other part containing phosphorus and sulfur (along with other nutrients). Sometimes one-part liquid
fertilizers have a poor shelf life because the nutrients begin to create precipitates that gather at the bottom
of the bottle. It is always a good idea to shake a one-part liquid fertilizer bottle before purchasing to check
if there is a solid chunk of fertilizer precipitate at the bottom.
Another benefit of two- and three-part fertilizers is the ability to adjust the ratio of nutrients. Many of the
fertilizers created for the hobby hydroponic gardener have suggested ratios of each of the ingredients for
various stages of growth.
Large commercial hydroponic growers and universities create fertilizers from many parts. Each of these
additions generally contains one or two of the thirteen essential nutrients for plant growth. These fertilizer
recipes often involve ten or more different ingredients. If you get very excited about stoichiometry and want
to learn about advanced hydroponic fertilizers, a great place to start is researching the Hoagland solution.
The Hoagland solution and the many versions of modified Hoagland solutions are based on the original
hydroponic nutrient recipes developed at the University of California in the 1930s.
There are several ways to measure fertilizer concentration in a hydroponic nutrient solution. The preferred
unit of measurement varies by country and application.

Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of a material's ability to transport an electrical current. Water's
ability to conduct electricity is the reason swimming during a thunderstorm or using an electrical appliance
near a bathtub is incredibly dangerous. Surprisingly, pure distilled water with no mineral content is actually
a very poor conductor. Pure distilled water is not common, and virtually all water sources have some degree
of conductivity due to their mineral content. In hydroponics, growers increase the mineral content of the
water by adding fertilizers. These fertilizers increase the water's ability to conduct electricity in a
predictable pattern. For this reason, EC is a great way to estimate the fertilizer concentration in a
hydroponic nutrient solution. EC is commonly measured in millisiemens per centimeter (mS/cm). Some
countries, primarily Australia and New Zealand, may use conductivity factor (CF) instead of EC. The
conversion chart shown here compares the EC, CF, and ppm.

Parts per million (ppm) refers to the mass of a nutrient in a specific volume of water, typically measured in
milligrams per liter. Ppm is generally associated with total dissolved solids (TDS) meters. The conversion
chart has a couple of different ppm columns because ppm can be interpreted in several ways, depending on
the manufacturer of the ppm meter/probe. This can be a great source of confusion for new hydroponic
growers trying to target a recommended ppm because they might be unsure whether their meter is
measuring ppm using the same interpretation as the recommended ppm. To avoid this confusion, I
recommend using an EC meter. That said, the reason there are so many different ppm interpretations is
very interesting. As mentioned previously, EC measures how well a nutrient solution conducts electricity
and EC increases as fertilizer is added to a solution, but all fertilizers do not increase the EC equally. Some
nutrients have little impact on EC while others have a very significant impact. For example, an EC reading
of 1 mS/cm could mean there is 400 ppm calcium or it could mean there is 620 ppm phosphorus. Nutrients
are present in the nutrient solution as ions and some ions are better conductors of electricity. Almost all
ppm meters measure a solution's EC and then convert that number into ppm by multiplying the EC by a
conversion factor that the manufacturer suggests as an approximation for ppm. This means the
manufacturer has to predict which nutrients will be used in the nutrient solution in order to determine how
their meter should convert the original EC reading into ppm. Again, to avoid this confusion, please use an
EC meter if given an option between EC and ppm.
AT SOME POINT, EVEN THE most basic hydroponic gardens will require some upkeep. Hydroponic system
maintenance includes everything from monitoring and adjusting nutrient concentrations to regularly
flushing the system, and even the occasional scrubbing of pots and reservoirs.

There are several ways to manage a hydroponic nutrient solution. Choosing the management strategy for
your hydroponic garden will depend on crop selection, reservoir size, garden design, and personal
preference. I often choose the option that requires the least amount of time even if that might slightly affect
growth rate or crop quality, but you may wish to manage your nutrients more closely to optimize growth.
The following management techniques are organized by the effort they require.

Build the reservoir with the recommended fertilizer rate per gallon listed on the fertilizer bag/bottle. Adjust
the pH if it is far outside of the target range, or don't. Allow the crop to grow until it is ready to harvest or
until the water level is too low for plants to access the nutrient solution. This method can work great for
leafy greens in floating raft systems and may work in other systems if they have a large enough reservoir
relative to the number of plants growing. I've grown a surprising number of wonderful-looking crops using
this minimal effort strategy. This management style can have issues when used with crops that have long
growth cycles, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other flowering crops. If you wish to use
minimal effort and grow crops that have a longer time until maturity, try the top off method.
This method is similar to set and forget, but as the water level drops the grower simply adds water to
maintain the original level. Over time this method will dilute the nutrient concentration in the reservoir and
nutrient deficiencies may appear on the crop. This method can work for fast-growing crops with low
nutrient demands like microgreens, leafy greens, and some herbs. This method sometimes works for some
larger crops depending on the system, but there is some risk of overdiluting the nutrient solution, especially
when using a small reservoir.

The most common method for maintaining a nutrient solution in a hydroponic garden is to top off the
reservoir as mentioned in the previous method, then add more fertilizer to the reservoir to maintain a
target EC. Please see the appendix for example target ECs for common hydroponic crops. After adding
fertilizer to reach the target EC, the grower adjusts the pH of the nutrient solution using either an acid (pH
down) or base (pH up). There are many easy-to-use pH down and pH up products available in grow stores,
and there are DIY options that are often less optimal but definitely usable. For pH down, some hydroponic
gardeners use vinegar or lemon juice and for pH up some use baking soda.
To top off and amend the solution in your system, you will need an EC meter, hydroponic fertilizer, a
measuring cup, a pH meter, pH down and pH up amendments, and a pipette (eyedropper).
EC is a great general reference for nutrient content in a hydroponic reservoir, but unfortunately it does not
tell the whole story. Not all nutrients are taken up by plants at the same rate. Over time, some nutrients will
accumulate and others will be rapidly depleted, resulting in an imbalanced nutrient solution. Large
commercial hydroponic farms send out water samples to testing facilities to get exact quantities of each
nutrient in the reservoir and the grower then adjusts the fertilizer inputs accordingly. To perform these
fertilizer adjustments requires complex chemistry and a deep understanding of a crop's specific nutrient
requirements. The far-easier alternative is to periodically flush a hydroponic system. Flushing is the process
of removing the existing nutrient solution and refilling the system with fresh water and then adding new
fertilizer. The frequency of flushing is dependent on many factors, including crop, environment, system,
fertilizer, and water quality. Most gardeners find success using the following rule of thumb to figure out
flush frequency: “Flush a reservoir when the quantity of water added to top off a reservoir is equivalent to
the size of the reservoir.”
Example: A 40-gallon reservoir loses 5 gallons a day to evapotranspiration (plant transpiration and
reservoir evaporation). The grower adds 5 gallons to the reservoir daily to top off the reservoir for water
loss. After 8 days the grower adds a total of 40 gallons (8 days × 5 gallons = 40 gallons), the same volume
of water as the original reservoir size. The grower should flush the reservoir every 8 days.
This rule of thumb is very conservative and many growers can flush less frequently when using
traditional hydroponic fertilizers. This rule is useful, however, for getting a general guideline. The water
flushed from a hydroponic system does not need to be put down the drain. Many gardeners use the old
nutrient solution to water their potted plants, raised beds, lawn, or trees. A traditional garden is a great
companion to a hydroponic garden, and it can be a home for old nutrient solutions, composted plants, and
substrates.

Hydroponic growers can use a variety of products to sanitize their gardens. The safest and easiest option is
usually dish soap. Some additional options available to hobby hydroponic growers include household bleach
(use 1/2 to 1 ounce per gallon of water), isopropyl alcohol (70 percent or stronger), and hydrogen peroxide
(3 percent is generally sufficient; stronger concentrations are available but they must be handled with care,
so read and follow product labels).
NOW THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED to be a system builder, an indoor gardener, and a maintenance worker, it is
time to learn to be a doctor. Here is a brief primer on how to diagnose and troubleshoot your hydroponic
growing system.

Traditional nutrient deficiency and toxicity identification guides show a single leaf with symptoms, but
these can easily lead a gardener to overcorrect a problem or correct a problem incorrectly. Very often a
nutrient toxicity or deficiency is due to nutrient solution/substrate pH, environmental conditions, crop age,
or the presence of a pathogen. Before assuming the problem is nutrient related, check to see if:
• All plants of the same variety show similar symptoms.
• The pH is in the target range for the crop and not low (below 5.0) or high (above 6.5).
• The EC is in the target range for the crop.
• The air temperature is within the target range for the crop.
• The water temperature is within an ideal range for the crop, not below 55°F or above 85°F.
• The entire crop is receiving decent airflow. The leaves should be visibly moving.
• The crop is pest free.
• The light levels are within target range.
• The nutrient solution is created using a fertilizer designed for hydroponic gardens.
 If the answer is yes to all these conditions, it is likely the problem is nutrient related. Often, nutrient-
related issues can be remedied by dumping out the nutrient solution and restarting the system.

Chlorosis is the loss of the chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Chlorosis can be used to describe leaf
yellowing from many causes, including nutrient deficiencies or pest damage. Necrosis is plant tissue death.
Plant diseases or nutrient deficiencies often start with signs of chlorosis that lead to necrosis.
Interveinal chlorosis on new growth often indicates an iron deficiency or another micronutrient deficiency.
Most hydroponic fertilizers provide plenty of iron, so the problem is rarely the presence of iron. Iron
deficiencies generally occur because the pH is too high. Some crops are “iron-inefficient” and struggle to
uptake iron. Basil is one of the common examples for an iron-inefficient plant. If basil is grown in a nutrient
solution with a high pH, sometimes just over 6, it can show interveinal chlorosis on new growth indicative
of an iron deficiency. The leaves showing this type of interveinal chlorosis will not recover but future growth
can return to normal if the pH is adjusted and/or iron is supplemented to the nutrient solution.
Chlorosis on older leaves can be the result of a few different scenarios:
Nitrogen deficiency Nitrogen is a major component of chlorophyll, the green pigment in leaves. Plants
are able to take the nitrogen from chlorophyll and move it throughout the plant as needed. When the plant
detects a nitrogen deficiency, it will relocate the nitrogen in its older leaves to its new growth. Nitrogen
deficiencies can appear when crops are grown at a low EC. New aquaponic gardens will sometimes have
issues with nitrogen deficiencies.
Natural senescence Senescence is the natural dying of leaves due to old age. In mature plants, it is not
uncommon to see some lower leaves die from natural senescence. If the hydroponic garden has both young
and old plants, check to see if only the older plants are showing chlorosis on older leaves; this would
indicate natural senescence.
Magnesium deficiency This looks similar to a nitrogen deficiency with older leaves showing chlorosis,
but a magnesium deficiency will have interveinal chlorosis with necrotic spots and/or necrotic leaf edges.
Most magnesium deficiencies can be remedied with magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) at a rate of 1/2 to 1
teaspoon per gallon.
Tip burn is technically a calcium deficiency, but very often it appears even when there is calcium present in
the nutrient solution. Calcium is critical for the formation of plant cell walls. The plant's calcium uptake can
sometimes struggle to keep up with the formation of new cells when a plant is growing fast in an
environment with intense light and warm conditions. There are several ways to remedy this issue.
• Try a different variety. Some varieties are very sensitive to tip burn while others may grow fine in the
existing conditions.
• Increase airflow on the crop to increase transpiration and speed up calcium uptake.
• Use a fertilizer with less nitrogen to slow down growth.
• Give the crop less light by adding shade or moving a grow light to slow down growth.
• Increase calcium. Sometimes this helps, but most hydroponic fertilizers provide sufficient calcium.
Algae growth is usually not an issue, but it can lead to other problems. Algae will steal some nutrients from
the nutrient solution, but this is usually not a significant issue. The major concern is algae can act as a food
source for fungus gnats and shore flies. To control algae growth, minimize the exposure of sunlight to the
nutrient solution. Algae growing on the surface of seedlings is often a sign of overwatering, but it usually is
not an issue that will significantly affect plant growth.
Fungus gnats feed on fungi, algae, and plant tissue. The adult fungus gnats generally do not pose a threat,
but the larvae can damage crops. The larvae feed on plant roots, creating wounds that make the plant
susceptible to pathogens like Pythium and Fusarium. Shore flies are very similar to fungus gnats in looks
but their larvae do not feed on plant roots. Shore flies do not damage crops, but they can definitely be
annoying. Fungus gnats have a mosquito-like body shape with long legs. Shore flies look more like a fruit fly
than a mosquito. There are many ways to control fungus gnats and shore flies; the following are just a few
strategies:
• Remove algae and decaying plant matter from growing area.
• Introduce beneficial nematodes like Steinernema feltiae.
• Use pest-control products containing the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti).
• Use organic pesticides that contain azadirachtin.
• Use organic pesticides that contain pyrethrum/pyrethrin.

Aphids usually do not kill plants, but they can damage crops by distorting growth or by spreading viruses.
The most common sign of aphids is a sticky honeydew on leaves. This honeydew can attract ants or be a site
for fungus growth. Insecticidal soaps are great for controlling aphids. Products containing azadirachtin or
pyrethrum/pyrethrin are very effective.
There can be many thrips or a single thrips. The word thrips is both the singular and the plural form. Thrips
damage usually appears as spots on leaves, deformed flower growth, and/or distorted new leaf growth.
Thrips can be a difficult pest to control. It is often easiest to find crops or crop varieties that are less
attractive to thrips. A variety of biological pest-management techniques can be used, such as the
introduction of predatory insects like green lacewings, predatory mites, parasitic wasps, and minute pirate
bugs. Organic insecticides containing spinosad can be very effective on thrips. Additional options include
insecticides that contain azadirachtin or pyrethrin, or an insecticidal soap.
The most common mite found in gardens is the two-spotted spider mite. It is primarily a problem with
flowering crops, including tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, and strawberries. Early damage generally
shows as a speckled dull appearance on the top surface of leaves. This can progress to leaf chlorosis and
leaf drop. Bad infestations have visible webbing on leaves. Very often spider mites attack the upper leaves
on a plant. Spider mites like dry weather and are attracted to crops that are heavily fertilized. Predatory
insects can be very effective when used preventively. The predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis and
Amblyseius fallacis are commonly used. Insecticidal soaps and Neem oil can also help control mite
populations. When using an insecticide on mites, always do two applications about 5 to 7 days apart. Mites
in the egg stage may not be controlled as effectively by insecticides, so spacing out applications helps to
fully eradicate mites.

Growing a healthy seedling can be one of the most challenging steps in the process for new hydroponic
gardeners. Here are just a few of the reasons you may be having poor germination, seedling death, or poor
seedling quality.
• Substrate is too wet and rotting the young seedlings (common with fine coco and heavy soil).
• Substrate is too dry.
• Seedlings have long, weak stems due to low light levels.
• Some seeds naturally have low germination rates.
• Some seeds are very sensitive to temperature.
It is possible to overwater in some hydroponic systems. Letting the root zone dry out between irrigation
cycles is beneficial to most crops. There are many techniques for determining when to water a crop,
including the finger test, lift checks, and meters. The finger test is simply putting a finger through the
surface of the substrate to check for moisture. Finger tests are less useful on large pots that can retain a lot
of moisture deeper than a finger can test. A list test is more effective for large potted plants. Simply lift the
pot to see if it is heavy with water weight. Water is very heavy and it will be noticeable when the pot is light
and in need of water. There are a variety of moisture meters that can help too, but often a finger test and/or
lift check is sufficient.
Mushy brown roots are dead roots. The following are a few possible causes of root death:
• Low oxygen in the root zone due to overwatering in a heavy substrate, no aeration, and/or high water
temperatures.
• Damage from very high EC or nutrient deficiency.
• Damage from very high or very low pH.
• Very warm water temperatures, often seen in hydroponic systems over 90°F.
• Damage from sanitizers used to clean system that were not fully rinsed before replanting.
• Root rot pathogens. There are many pathogens that are all clumped together under the same general
name of root rot.

Remove plants that have dead roots. Very often it is necessary to fully clean out a system and sanitize it
to remove the presence of pathogens. Try to remedy environmental conditions that are favorable to root rot
before replanting. Increasing the flow rate in NFT can help. Increasing aeration in a floating raft garden
can help. Burying the reservoir or adding a water chiller can also help.
Aeroponic: A hydroponic growing technique that suspends plant roots in the air and delivers nutrients in a
fine mist.
Air pump: Aerates a nutrient solution when connected to air stones.
Air stone: Diffuses air into nutrient solution when connected to an air pump. Available in many shapes,
including flat circles, cylinders, and flexible hoses.
Azadirachtin: A pesticide derived from the neem tree. Effective at disrupting insect molting for long-term
pest management.
Beneficial microbes: Fungi and bacteria that can improve a plant's nutrient uptake, increase nutrient
availability, provide protection against pests, or provide any other benefit in the growing environment.
Bloom: Often used to describe the flowering stage of growth. Bloom fertilizers are blended specifically for
flowering crops that have different nutrient demands than leafy greens.
Ceramic metal halide: A high-intensity grow light with a blue dominant spectrum great for compact
growth. Ceramic metal halides are more efficient than traditional metal halide grow lights.
CFL: See compact fluorescent light.
Clone: A rooted cutting.
CMH: See ceramic metal halide.
Coco coir: A growing substrate made from the husk of coconuts.
Compact fluorescent light: A beginner-friendly grow light that can be placed very close to plants. A
compact fluorescent light may struggle to provide enough light for flowering crops.
Cut-and-come-again: A harvesting technique that allows for multiple harvests when used on specific
crops. Plant is harvested by trimming back growth but leaving enough stem/leaves to allow the plant to
regrow.
Cutting: Removing a section of stem and leaves from a “mother” plant with the goal of asexually
reproducing a new plant.
Deep water culture: A hydroponic growing technique often associated with floating rafts or bubble
buckets. Plants are suspended over a nutrient solution and roots grow freely into the solution.
Dissolved oxygen: A measure of the amount of oxygen present in a nutrient solution, often measured in
parts per million (ppm).
DO: See dissolved oxygen.
Drain-to-waste: A hydroponic growing technique that does not recirculate the nutrient solution. The
nutrient solution makes one pass through the growing substrate and does not return to the reservoir.
Dutch bucket: A pot commonly used in top drip hydroponics. The pot has a single drainage site that
connects to a main drain line that returns nutrient solution to the reservoir.
DWC: See deep water culture.
Ebb and flow: Another name for flood and drain. See flood and drain.
EC: See electrical conductivity.
Electrical conductivity: A measure of a material's ability to transport an electrical current. The
conductivity of a nutrient solution can be used as an estimate of fertilizer concentration.
Evapotranspiration: The cumulative water loss from surface evaporation and plant transpiration.
Expanded clay pellets: A growing substrate made of clay. It is pH neutral, inert, and quick draining.
Fertigation: The delivery of water-soluble fertilizers to crop using an irrigation delivery system. Simply a
mix of fertilizing and irrigating.
Fertilizer: A broad term for anything natural or synthetic that can provide essential nutrients for plant
growth.
Floating raft: A version of the deep water culture hydroponic technique that uses rafts to support plants
floating in a nutrient solution.
Flood and drain: A hydroponic growing technique that waters plants from the bottom using periodic
“flood” events in a grow tray. After a “flood” event, the nutrient solution drains back into the reservoir.
Flood tray: A general term for a watertight growing area with raised walls. Flood trays can be used in a
variety of hydroponic growing techniques, including media beds, wicking beds, top drip, floating
rafts/DWC, and flood and drain.
Flowering crop: Any plant that is grown specifically for flowers and/or fruits. Flowering crop is often used
as a general term in hydroponics for a crop that has several growth stages and requires high light levels.
Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are some of the most common flowering crops grown in hydroponics.
Flush: Dumping out the nutrient solution from a hydroponic garden.
Germination: The beginning stage of starting a plant from seed. Seed germination is generally triggered
by moisture and warmth.
High-pressure sodium: A high-intensity grow light that produces a yellow/orange light. High-pressure
sodium lights are often used indoors for flowering crops and in greenhouses as a supplemental light
source.
HPS: See high-pressure sodium.
Kratky method: A hydroponic growing technique similar to deep water culture. The Kratky method uses
no pumps to circulate the nutrient solution; instead, it uses a static, noncirculating nutrient solution.
Leafy greens: A broad term for any crop grown for harvestable leaves. Typically used to describe lettuce,
kale, chard, and herbs.
Light meter: A broad term for a variety of tools capable of measuring light intensity.
Lux: A unit used to measure light intensity. Lux is based on light intensity as perceived by the human eye.
Media/medium: Another term for a growing substrate. See substrate.
Media bed: A hydroponic growing technique that uses a flood tray filled with a loose, quick-draining
substrate such as expanded clay pellets. Media beds use a similar irrigation design as flood and drain.
Metal halide: A high-intensity grow light with a blue dominant spectrum great for compact growth.
MH: See metal halide.
NFT: See nutrient film technique.
Nutrient film technique: A hydroponic growing technique that irrigates plants with a shallow stream of
nutrient solution flowing through a growing channel.
Nutrient solution: Fertilizer dissolved in water.
Parts per million: The unit used by total dissolved solids (TDS) meters to measure fertilizer concentration.
Peat: A growing substrate made from partially decayed plant matter harvested from bogs. Often called
sphagnum peat or sphagnum peat moss.
pH: A scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution.
Photoperiod: Day length.
Photosynthetic photon flux density: A measure of the number of photons of light, measured in
micromoles (μmol), within the 400nm–700nm wavelength range that are available per square meter (m2)
per second (s).
PPFD: See photosynthetic photon flux density.
PPM: See parts per million.
Predatory insect: An insect that feeds on other insects. Predatory insects are often used to manage pest
populations.
Pyrethrin: An organic pesticide derived from the pyrethrum chrysanthemum flower. One of the most
powerful organic pesticides, it is capable of quickly killing most insects when applied at a strong
concentration. Pyrethrins may potentially kill beneficial insects too.
Recirculating: Used to describe hydroponic systems that capture and reuse the nutrient solution after
irrigating the crop.
Rock wool: Another term for stone wool.
Solution: A liquid mixture.
Stock solution: Fertilizer dissolved in water at a highly concentrated rate, often 50x–200x the strength of
a nutrient solution.
Stone wool: A growing substrate made by melting basaltic rocks and spinning the “rock lava” into fibers.
Substrate: A material used to support plant roots. Common hydroponic substrates include stone wool, coco
coir, perlite, and expanded clay pellets.
T5 fluorescent: A skinny tube-shaped fluorescent grow light that generally comes in lengths of 1, 2, and 4
feet. A great beginner-friendly grow light.
Top drip: A hydroponic growing technique that delivers irrigation to the top of the growing substrate,
generally through 1/4-inch irrigation lines.

Vegetative: Often used to describe a stage of crop growth focused on leaf production. Vegetative fertilizers
are blended specifically for herbs, leafy greens, and early stage flowering crops. Vegetative fertilizers
can be used for flowering crops, but they may not deliver the optimal nutrient recipe to maximize
reproductive growth.
Venturi: An attachment used to aerate a nutrient solution. A venturi can connect directly to a pump or be
installed inline in a section of tubing. Venturis take advantage of a phenomenon called the Venturi effect,
which occurs when a liquid or gas flowing through a pipe moves through a constricted section, resulting
in increased velocity and decreased static pressure. The venturi pump attachments have an intake tube
positioned in the area of lower pressure. The decreased pressure creates a suction that is used to pull air
into the pipe.
Wicking bed: A hydroponic growing technique that takes advantage of capillary action to deliver a
nutrient solution to crops.
• Recommended DIY Systems: Lettuce can grow in any of the hydroponic systems mentioned in this
book.
• Germination Temperatures: Ideal germination temperature is 60–70°F, but germination will occur in
much wider temperature range.
• Water Temperatures: Ideal water temperature is 65–70°F, but healthy lettuce crops have been observed
in 55–90°F water.
• EC: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with ECs in the range of 0.7–2.8. The
exact target EC will depend on light levels, water source, environment, and crop age, but in general an EC
of 1.8–2.3 will produce a healthy crop.
• pH: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with pHs in the range of 5.2–7. Best
growth has been observed at pH of 5.5–6.0.
• Air Temperatures: Ideal air temperature is 65–75°F, but healthy lettuce has been observed growing in
temperatures 50–95°F.
Note: Basil often grows best when densely seeded. Try using five to eight seeds per plug and do not thin out
the seedlings after germination. Some of the plants will grow tall while others may stay short, creating a
dense canopy of basil.

• Recommended DIY Systems: Basil can grow in any of the hydroponic systems mentioned in this book.
• Germination Temperatures: Ideal germination temperature is 65–75°F, but germination will occur in
much wider temperature range.
• Water Temperatures: Ideal water temperature is 70–75°F, but healthy basil crops have been observed in
60–95°F water.
• EC: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with ECs in the range of 0.7–2.8. The
exact target EC will depend on light levels, water source, environment, and crop age, but in general an EC
of 1.8–2.3 will produce a healthy crop.
• pH: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with pHs in the range of 5.2–7. Best
growth has been observed at pH of 5.5–6.0.
• Air Temperatures: Ideal air temperature is 70–80°F, but healthy basil has been observed growing in
temperatures 55–100°F.

Note: Plants should generally be spaced 18 to 25 inches apart. All require high oxygen root zone
environment. Prefer to dry out between irrigations. Peppers do well with 16 hours light, 8 hours dark when
grown indoors.

• Germination Temperatures: Ideal germination temperature is 75–85°F, but germination will occur in
much wider temperature range.
• Water Temperatures: Ideal water temperature is 65–70°F, but healthy pepper crops have been observed
in 55–85°F water.
• EC: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with ECs in the range of 0.7–2.5, but
most peppers will respond well to an EC in the range of 1.4–1.8.
• pH: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with pHs in the range of 5.0–7. Best
growth has been observed at pH of 5.5–5.8.
• Air Temperatures: Ideal average air temperature over 75°F, but healthy pepper plants have been
observed growing in temperatures 55–100°F.
Most tomato varieties can be grown in hydroponics, I encourage you to try any varieties, especially if you
already have a favorite tomato variety. The varieties below are some of my favorite tomato varieties I've
tried in hydroponics.
Tomatoes are generally grown in full sun but many can grow well in partial shade.
Most seed packets will instruct gardeners to grow tomatoes at 60 to 75°F, if possible. Many of these
varieties do great at higher temperatures, especially cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes can tolerate
temperatures over 90°F.
Note: It is very important to keep the crown of a strawberry above the surface of the substrate. If the crown
gets too wet, the plant will rot and die.

• Recommended DIY Systems: Strawberries can be grown in all of the systems mentioned in this book
except bottle hydroponics.
• Germination Temperatures: Strawberries can be started from seed but it is more common to purchase
bare-root plants ready to transplant. Ideal germination temperature for seeds is around 70°F.
• Water Temperatures: 60–75°F
• EC: 0.8–1.2. Can tolerate higher ECs even up to 2.5.
• pH: 5.5–6.0
• Air Temperatures: 60–80°F
Days to harvest is 10 to 15 for microgreens, 20 to 25 for baby leaf, and 35 to 60 for mature leaves. Kale for
salads is best harvested at baby leaf or microgreen stage. Mature leaves are great for cooking. Cold
weather often improves the color and flavor of kale.
• Recommended DIY Systems: It is possible to grow spinach in any of the systems mentioned in this book
but it is almost always a difficult crop to grow hydroponically.
• Germination Temperatures: Best at 45–65°F. Germination is very sensitive to high temperatures, so
avoid germination conditions over 80°F.
• Water Temperatures: 50–70°F
• EC: Healthy crops have been observed growing in nutrient solutions with ECs in the range of 0.7–2.3.
• pH: 5.5–6.0
• Air Temperatures: 65–75°F

• Germination Temperatures: 70–80°F for most varieties

• Water Temperatures: 60–75°F
• EC: 0.7–2.5. Microgreens generally do not need much fertilizer but many of them can be grown
successfully at higher ECs.
• pH: 5.5–6.0
• Air Temperatures: 60–75°F
°F to °C: Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature reading. Then mulitply that number by 5/9. For
example, 77°F − 32 = 45. 45 × 5/9 = 25°C.
°C to °F: Multiply the Celsius temperature reading by 9/5, then add 32. For example, 25°C × 9/5 = 45. 45 +
32 = 77°F.
Brechner, Melissa, Dr., A. J. Both, and CEA Staff. Cornell Controlled Environment Agriculture Hydroponic
Lettuce Handbook. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University CEA Program.
www.cornellcea.com/attachments/Cornell%20CEA%20Lettuce%20Handbook%20.pdf

Hydroponics | The University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center.

www.ceac.arizona.edu/hydroponics.

Resh, Howard M. Hydroponic Food Production: A Definitive Guidebook for the Advanced Home Gardener
and the Commercial Hydroponic Grower. 7th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2013.

Resh, Howard M. Hobby Hydroponics. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2013.

Resh, Howard M. Hydroponics for the Home Grower. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2015.

Sweat, Michael, Richard Tyson, and Robert Hochmuth. “Building a Floating Hydroponic Garden.”
University of Florida IFAS Extension. March 15, 2016. www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs184.

Taiz, Lincoln, and Eduardo Zeiger. Plant Physiology. 5th ed. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates, 2010.
Hydrofarm: 20 (all), 21 (middle and bottom), 22 (top, all; bottom, left two), 23 (left, all), 24 (all), 25 (all),
26 (bottom right), 28, 29 (all), 30 (all), 31 (all), 33 (left, both), 34 (all), 35 (both), 36 (top), 37, 146 (bottom),
154 (all)

NASA: 9

Shutterstock: 1, 4-5, 6, 18, 26 (top left and right, bottom left), 40, 44
A
add-on fertilizer products, 153
advantages, 8
aeration, 42, 51, 57
aeroponic towers, 107, 116
aeroponics
building instructions, 108
crops for, 106
difficulty of, 107
locations for, 107
overview of, 106
agricultural runoff, 10
air pumps, 20
air stones, 21
airflow, 29
algae, 21, 56, 70, 87, 101, 109, 166
aphids, 167
aquaponic media beds, 93
aquaponics, 13
Arnon, Daniel, 13
Asian greens, 184
automation, 12
Azadirachtin, 34

B
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), 34
Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), 34
basil, 176
beneficial insects, 33
beneficial microbes, 7, 34, 93
bottle hydroponics
building instructions, 45
crops for, 43
lighting for, 49
locations for, 44
maintenance of, 48
options for, 49
overview of, 42
troubleshooting, 49
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), 34
Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), 34

C
calcium deficiency, 165
ceramic metal halide (CMH) lights, 30
channels, 70
chlorosis, 164
cleaning, system, 161
cleanliness, 11, 14
climate control equipment, 29
CMH (ceramic metal halide) lights, 30
coco chips, 26
coco peat, 26
coconut coir, 25
conventional fertilizers, 153
crops
contamination of, 12
and growing system selection, 39
growth of, 8, 11
in the hydroponic system, 14
nutrient content of, 10
for specific systems, 43, 50, 61, 70, 84, 92, 99, 106
See also specific types
cuttings, 141, 142, 146. See also transplanting

D
daily light integral (DLI), 36
daily light integral (DLI) meters, 36
deep water culture (DWC), 50
delivery height, water, 19
difficulty, level of, 41
dissolved oxygen see oxygen
DLI (daily light integral), 36
DLI (daily light integral) meters, 155
double bucket systems, 84
drain-to-waste systems, 16
drip towers, 117
dry fertilizers, 153
Dutch bucket gardens see top drip systems
DWC (deep water culture), 50

E
ebb and flow see flood and drain systems
electrical conductivity (EC), 154, 155, 158
essential nutrients, 7, 8, 153
essential oils, 33
expanded clay pellets, 27, 96

F
fairy garden, 94
Ferris wheel systems, 118
fertilizer concentration, 154
fertilizer storage, 155
fertilizers, 15, 152. See also nutrient solution
fittings, 22
floating rafts
building instructions, 52
crops for, 50
locations for, 51
maintenance of, 58
options for, 58
overview of, 50
sizing of, 51
troubleshooting, 59
flood and drain grow racks, 117
flood and drain systems
building instructions, 102
crops for, 99
locations for, 99
overview of, 99
planting options, 105
variations of, 100, 117
flood trays, 24
flow rates, 19, 71
flowering crops, 50, 177
fluorescent lights, 29
flushing, 10, 160
fungus gnats, 166

G
Gericke, William Frederick, 13
germination, 137
grow lights, 29
grow tents, 28
growing area, 14
growing media see substrates
growing season, 8
growing space, 8
growing systems, 39. See also specific systems
growth, plant, 24

H
heavy metals, 12
herbicides, 9
herbs, 174
high pressure sodium (HPS) lights, 30
history of modern hydroponics, 13
Hoagland, Dennis, 13
Hoagland solution, 10
HPS (high pressure sodium), 30
humidity monitoring equipment, 37
hydroponics methods, 16, 50
hygrometers, 37

I
indoor growing equipment, 28
infestations, 166
interveinal chlorosis, 164
irrigation equipment, 19

K
kale, 182
Kratky method, 42

L
leafy greens, 172, 182
LEDs (light emitting diodes), 31
lettuce, 172
light emitting diodes (LEDs), 31
light intensity meters, 35
light meters, 35
lighting, 15, 29, 49, 135
lighting accessories, 31
liquid fertilizers, 153
location
flexibility in, 9
and growing system selection, 40
for specific systems, 44, 51, 61, 70, 84, 93, 99, 106
lux, 35
lux meters, 36

M
magnesium deficiency, 165
maintenance, 40, 48, 157
manure, 12, 16, 151, 152
media beds
building instructions, 94
crops for, 92
irrigation methods for, 93
locations for, 93
overview of, 92
substrates for, 93
media/medium see substrates
metal halide (MH) lights, 30
meters, 35
MH (metal halide) lights, 31
microgreens, 185
multi-part fertilizers, 153
mushy brown roots, 169

N
natural fertilizers, 16
natural senescence, 165
necrosis, 164
neem oil, 33
negative pressure grow room, 29
NFT (nutrient film technique) see nutrient film technique (NFT)
nitrogen deficiency, 164
nutrient content, crop, 10
nutrient deficiencies, 163
nutrient film technique (NFT)
building instructions, 72
channels for, 70
crops for, 70
flow rates in, 71
locations for, 70
overview of, 69
transplanting in, 82
troubleshooting, 82
variations of, 119
nutrient solution, 13, 35, 152, 155, 157, 160. See also fertilizers; water
nutrient sources, 13
nutrient uptake, 151
nutrients, 151
nutrition, 151

O
one-part fertilizers, 153
organic fertilizers, 16, 152
oxygen, 8, 19, 20, 24

P
PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) meters, 36
parts per million measurement, 155
pathogens, 12
peat, 27
peppers, 177
perlite, 27
pest infestations, 10, 166
pest management, 32
pesticides, 10
pH, 35, 158, 164
pH meters, 35
photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), 36
photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) meters, 36
positive pressure grow rooms, 29
potassium bicarbonate, 34
pots, 23
power outages, 71
PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density), 36
predatory insects, 33, 167
pump failure, 71
pumps, 19
pyrethrins, 34

R
rafts, 55
rain gutter systems
building instructions, 122
options for, 134
overview of, 120
planting, 134
troubleshooting, 135
See also vertical gardens
rare plants, 181
recirculating hydroponics, 16
reservoirs
and maintenance, 40, 160
overview of, 13, 24
in specific systems, 53, 69, 72, 86, 95, 103, 109, 134
rock wool see stone wool
root death, 169
root rugs, 101
rotating/Ferris wheel systems, 118

S
sanitizer, 161
seeds, starting, 137, 168. See also transplanting
set and forget method, 157
shore flies, 166
single bucket systems, 84
soap, 34, 161, 167
sodium bicarbonate, 34
soil quality, 8
soilborne pathogens, 12
space, growing, 8
spider mites, 167
spinach, 184
Spinosad, 34
sticky traps, 33
stock solutions, 152
stone wool, 25, 137, 138
strawberries, 180
Streptomyces lydicus, 34
substrates
overview of, 15, 24
for specific systems, 57, 61, 66, 93, 100
synthetic fertilizers, 16
system features, 13

T
TDS (total dissolved solids) meters, 155
thermometers, 37
thrips, 167
tip burn, 165
tomatoes, 178
top drip systems
building instructions, 85
 crops for, 84
locations for, 84
overview of, 83
top off and amend method, 158
top off method, 158
total dissolved solids (TDS) meters, 155
toxicity, 163
transplanting, 47, 57, 148. See also cuttings; seeds, starting
trays, 24
troubleshooting, 163
true hydroponics, 16
tubing, 21

U
unusual plants, 181

V
vacuums, 33
venturi pumps, 21
vertical gardens, 115. See also rain gutter systems

W
water, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 24, 154. See also nutrient solution
water delivery height, 19
water pumps, 19, 71
water temperature, 37
wicking bed
building instructions, 62
crops for, 61
locations for, 61
overview of, 60
transplanting into, 67
variations of, 61
wicking strips, 48
wilting, 168
Tyler Baras, “Farmer Tyler,” is a well-renowned
hydroponic grower with extensive experience in both
hobby and commercial hydroponics. Besides writing
books for both home gardeners and commercial
growers, Tyler creates educational videos covering a
range of horticultural topics. His website,
www.FarmerTyler.com, offers information for
hydroponic growers of all experience levels.
Tyler graduated Cum Laude from the University of
Florida's Horticultural Sciences department
specializing in organic crop production. While
completing his bachelor of science degree, Tyler
traveled overseas to study organic agriculture in
Spain and protected agriculture (greenhouse
production) in China. After graduation, he worked as
a grower for one of the first certified organic
hydroponic farms in the United States. In 2013,
Tyler moved to Denver, Colorado, where he worked
as the hydroponic farm manager at The GrowHaus.
He managed a profitable urban farm while creating
a successful hydroponic internship program with a
90 percent job placement rate for graduates. The
hydroponic farm at The GrowHaus is currently
managed by alumni of the farm internship program
and continues to provide lettuce for Whole Foods,
Safeway, and several local markets. In 2015, Tyler
moved to Dallas, Texas, where he designed and
constructed a hydroponic demonstration facility
devised to study the productivity of various small-
scale commercial hydroponic systems. Tyler wrote a
commercial hydroponics book based on the collected
data from the demonstration facility. This book is available through the horticultural distribution company
Hort Americas. While in Texas, Tyler also designed and constructed a hydroponic demonstration facility
focused on home hydroponic systems. This facility served as a video studio for several Farmer Tyler
educational video series. Tyler and his hydroponic demonstration sites have been featured on P. Allen
Smith's Garden Home, which airs on PBS and syndicated stations nationwide. Tyler currently works as a
hydroponic consultant and has worked on several notable projects, including Central Market's Growtainer,
the first grocery store–owned and–managed on-site farm. Tyler continues to produce video content, which
can be seen on digital magazine Urban Ag News and on www.FarmerTyler.com.
© 2018 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2018 Tyler Baras

First published in 2018 by Cool Springs Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 401 Second Avenue North, Suite 310,
Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA. T (612) 344-8100 F (612) 344-8692 www.QuartoKnows.com

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Digital edition: 978-0-76036-358-4

Softcover edition: 978-0-76035-759-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Baras, Tyler, author.
Title: DIY hydroponic gardens / Tyler Baras.
Other titles: Do-it-yourself hydroponic gardens
Description: Minneapolis, MN : Cool Springs Press, 2018. | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017051567 | ISBN 9780760357590 (pb)
Subjects: LCSH: Hydroponics. | Gardening.
Classification: LCC SB126.5 .B37 2018 | DDC 631.5/85--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017051567

Acquiring Editor: Mark Johanson

Project Manager: Alyssa Bluhm
Art Director: Brad Springer
Cover Design: Percolator/Mark Reis
Interior Design and Layout: Diana Boger
Photographer: Cyrus Moshrefi