Hydroponic gardening, Supplies, and systems

Welcome to Bchydroponics.com. Our site is dedicated to gathering and disseminating information about hydroponic gardening and methods. Bchydroponics.com is purely informational and does not promote or endorse any particular product or method.

Our site is designed to educate about different types of hydroponic systems and care for them.

Usually when we think of gardening we picture a gardener bent over on all fours tilling the soil. However, another form of gardening called hydroponic gardening also exists. In this type of gardening plants are grown using mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil. Plants may be grown with roots in the solution or in a medium such as gravel, mineral wool, or perlite.

Hydroponic gardening was discovered by researchers in the 19th century who found that plants absorb mineral nutrients in water. In nature the soil acts as a reservoir for nutrients, but these scientists realized that soil itself was not essential. We now know that almost any plants will grow hydroponically although some grow better than others under these conditions.

Hydroponic gardening is very easy. It is a popular hobby and is used in the classroom for biology. In addition, young children partake in hydroponic gardening with simple systems and plants that are easy to grow such as watercress.

There are several popular growing media for hydroponic gardening. These include:

· Expanded clay. Clay pellets have been baked in a very hot oven causing them to expand. After this they are porous.
· Gravel. You can use any type of gravel. However, since gravel can add minerals to nutrients you need to make sure that the gravel was clean.
· Pete moss. This is partially decomposed carbonized and compressed vegetable matter.
· Oasis. You have probably seen this phone-based material used as an arrangement base for flowers in the floral industry. It is usually green and porous.
· Pumice. This glassy material comes from volcanic activity. It is lightweight because the expulsion of water vapor at a high temperature from lava caused a large number of cavities.

As you prepare for hydroponic gardening you will need to understand the different kinds of hydroponic systems. Hydroponic systems refer to the equipment used in hydroponic gardening. There are two main divisions between systems: active and passive. Active hydroponic systems use pumps, timers, and other gadgets to make your hydroponic gardening successful. Passive hydroponic systems sometimes use gadgets as well, but they do not use pumps. Many rely on a waiting agent to bring nutrients to the roots. Note also the distinction between a media-based hydroponic system and a water culture system. Media-based hydroponic systems utilize a growing medium and the water culture system can work without this media.

It is also important to understand the role of hydroponic nutrients in a hydroponic gardening system. Because the plants are not grown in soil they require a nutrient solution instead of plain water. You can find hydroponic nutrients – sometimes called just "nutrient"– at any hydroponic store on the Internet. You can also look in the Yellow Pages to see if there is a hydroponic gardening center near you. Ask the salesperson what nutrient mixes are right for your plants as well as the growth cycle your plants is in.

It is best to use distilled water when preparing nutrient for hydroponic gardening. Also, be careful with disposal of excess hydroponic nutrients. Because they contain concentrated ingredients not normally found in nature they can disrupt an aquatic ecosystem. If you do not live near a river stream or lake you can use the solution on plants or your lawn. If a water system is within 1,000 feet of your home do not dispose of the nutrient outdoors. Instead, it is fine to use it on indoor houseplants.

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