Drip System Hydroponics
In a drip system, the nutrient solution is pumped to the root system of plants using drip irrigation. This is very water-efficient, avoiding waste due to evaporation by providing moisture via slow drip at the base of the plants.
A hydroponic drip system will slowly and steadily provide moisture and nutrients exactly when and where it’s needed.
You can create a hydroponic drip system that automatically turns on to provide enough solution to saturate the growing medium in the root zone of your plants and then turns off to allow any unused solution to drain away.
How Does Drip System Hydroponics Work?
A pump in the nutrient solution reservoir pumps the nutrient through drip systems that deliver the nutrient solution to the roots of plants via drip emitters. The pump can be connected to a timer that automates the irrigation schedule or left on for a constant drip.
The nutrient solution will trickle down through the growing medium, and when it reaches the bottom, and that hasn’t been taken up by plant roots along the way will be either returned to the reservoir for reuse or discarded.
Two Types Of Drip System Hydroponics
There are two distinct types of drip system hydroponics: recovery systems and non-recovery systems.
Recovery Systems
A recovery system is one in which the nutrient solution is recovered and recycled through the system multiple times.
While recycling your solution may offer savings in the cost of nutrients, it requires that you carefully monitor the pH and nutrient levels of your solution, since they will change as the plants consume what they need during each cycle through the system. You will need to adjust the pH level as needed as well as periodically emptying the nutrient solution reservoir and replacing it with a fresh batch of solution.
Non-Recovery Systems
Non-recovery systems can be more resource-efficient than recovery systems and are therefore the preferred technique for commercial drip system hydroponics growers. A drip system that is set to drip individualizes every plant, the growing medium around each plant can be moistened just enough that the plant will have the water and nutrients it needs, and very little, if any, of the solution goes unused.
Since you’re not recycling solution through the system, non-recovery systems simply require that you refill your reservoir as necessary with fresh nutrient solution, meaning there’s no need to monitor the reservoir for pH levels.
With less precise irrigation systems, you may need to flush the growing medium periodically with clean water to remove any buildup of nutrients.
Why Choose Drip System Hydroponics?
Drip system hydroponics has several advantages over other types of hydroponics. Here are a few of the reasons why you might consider choosing this type of system:
Simplicity
You can build one with inexpensive equipment. You don’t need to be concerned about the precision tuning of the system. Or worry that the plant roots will suffer from dryness if there’s a disruption of the watering cycle.
Efficiency
It allows you to have control over the drip locations, watering schedule, and nutrient amounts, drip system hydroponics can be automated and very resource-efficient.
Versatility
Drip system hydroponics is very versatile. This system can be built for small gardens or large commercial operations. And is appropriate for a variety of plants. Larger plants such as tomatoes, melons, and squash that other hydroponic systems can’t support work well in these systems.
You can design a hydroponic drip system as simple or as sophisticated as you like. This means it’s a great system for beginners to start. For example, you could put together a very simple drip system using lengths of drip line and a basic timer.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Drip System Hydroponics?
As with any type of hydroponics, there are a few downsides to consider when thinking about using drip system hydroponics to grow your plants.
Emitter Clogging
The biggest disadvantage to drip system hydroponics is that the drip emitters tend to become clogged.
There are, however, a few things you can do to avoid emitter clogging:
Monitor the pH level of the nutrient solution in the reservoir to help ensure that the nutrients are fully dissolved. Check the drip emitters regularly, tapping them with your finger to loosen any sediment that may have accumulated there.
Clean your entire system well between growing cycles to prevent the buildup of algae and bacteria. This should involve both rinsings then sanitizing your growing medium.
Other Possible Downsides
There are several other downsides associated with drip system hydroponics:
Dependence on electricity as compared to passive systems that don’t require any moving parts
Hassle of dealing with pH and nutrient fluctuations in recovery systems
Requires high-accuracy cycle timers for precision solution delivery
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