How to Build a Hydroponic Garden – Step by Step Instructions to Building a Hydroponic Garden

In today’s society, more and more people are taking up hydroponics gardening as a hobby. If you want to build a hydroponic garden, there are many plans and designs available. This type of gardening does not require the amount of space that backyard gardening does.

The First Steps-the Aggregate System
The first step to build a hydroponic garden is to decide the kind of hydroponic system that you want to use.  For beginners, the aggregate system is the easiest system to build and maintain. Aggregate are substances such as gravel or sand that you can place your plants in to give them extra support. This type of system consists of a plant tank and a nutrient tank, with hoses that run between the two. The plants are fed by opening the nutrient tank so that it floods the plant tank. Then the solution is drained immediately, leaving valuable nutrients and water clinging to the plant roots that will keep them fed until the next flooding. The draining process serves to aerate the solution so that outside aerating sources such as air pumps are not necessary.

If you decide to build a hydroponic system using an aggregate system, you will first need to build a container. Your container measurements will be determined by the amount of space that you have available as well as the type of plants that you wish to grow. Low-lying plants will need less space than plants that grow on vines. So you need to adjust the height of your container accordingly.

You also need to have a separate nutrient container, which can be a fifty gallon drum for larger areas or five gallon buckets for smaller ones. You will need to hook up hoses and an air compressor system that will allow you to run the nutrients from the source container to the plant tank.

This type of hydroponic system will also need a lighting device. For specific instructions, as to how to build a hydroponic garden using the aggregate system, you can contact your local gardening store.

The First Steps-the Water Culture Hydroponic System
Simply put, the water culture system is defined as a system where the plants are put directly in a nutrient solution. The first step to build a hydroponic garden using a water culture system is to construct a container that is waterproof. You need to make sure that the container will not leak out the nutrients that are vital to keeping your plans healthy. You will also need to have a built-in drainage system as the nutrient solution will need to be drained every week for younger plants and every two weeks for more mature plants.

To build a hydroponic garden using this system, you will also need to install an air pump system. The nutrient solution needs to be continually aerated, so you will need an air pump that runs nonstop. Depending on the maturity of the plants in the container, a gently running air pump system may be your best bet.

The First Steps-the Aeroponics System
If you want to build a hydroponics garden, the aeroponics hydroponics system is the most advanced and the most difficult to build. You will need to build a container that will allow no light to reach your plants. You will also need to build in spray nozzles that will continually spray your plants with a mist of nutrient solution. The humidity level inside your container should be almost 100% at all times. Due to the amount of nutrient solution that you will need to use, you will probably want to use a fifty five gallon drum.  A low-powered air compressor will also need to be used with this type of hydroponics system.

The Expense
If you are interested in how to build a hydroponic garden, be advised. The materials needed for this type of gardening can be very expensive. For more information, you can contact your garden supply center.