It is not difficult to set up your hydroponic system. Most hydroponic gardening guides, especially those aimed at beginners, include a section on hydroponic systems that you can build yourself. They provide a parts list, a list of tools, and simple step-by-step instructions on how to build your own hydroponic system.
However, once the hydroponic unit is up and running, quite often beginners will discover problems, some of which may not be easily resolved once the system has already been built. Therefore, while planning your hydroponic system, it is always good to know the problems that beginners often encounter. They can influence your requirements or ultimately the design of your hydroponic system.
The following are some of the examples.
problem #1
There is a concern about the amount of nutrients that will be poured onto the aggregate. Because for those hydroponic systems that use a “lightproof” container concept, you won’t be able to see through the containers or down through the aggregate. Therefore, it is very difficult to measure the amount or level of nutrient solution. Without this visibility, plants are likely to die from underfilling or overfilling.
Workable solutions can be a visual indicator showing the level of the nutrient solution or water sensors for the automatic system.
problem #2
The second issue is how often to pour nutrients onto the aggregate. If you only follow the interval of your normal houseplants in soil, say three to five times a week, you will probably kill your hydroponic plants. For hydroponics, due to the larger air space in the aggregate compared to the soil, the nutrient solution will tend to evaporate from the aggregate much faster than the water in the soil. So, in general, you would need to supply your plants with nutrients at least once a day.
The simpler the system, the more frequently you will have to be present to add the nutrient solution. The interval can be from one to four times a day, depending on several factors, such as light, temperature, humidity, type and size of plants, and size of the pot. This means you can’t even go away for a weekend or your hydroponic plants would start to suffer.
Solutions to this problem are to have someone “feed” the plants for you whenever you are gone for more than a day, or to automate your hydroponic system.
problem #3
A third problem involves adequate aeration (or supply of air or oxygen) for plant roots. This area is generally not a concern for backyard soil gardening because earthworms perform this function. In some hydroponic systems, particularly those using PVC pipe with holes drilled for plants, too often roots clog waterways and aeration in the root zone can become a problem.
Different systems will have different ways of providing adequate aeration, for example using pumps, raised platforms or specific aggregates suitable for hydroponics.
Simple problems?
For some people, these problems seem to be a matter of common sense. However, if you are new to this concept of soilless gardening and haven’t gone through the actual exercise once, you are likely to discover many trivial problems like the ones mentioned if you don’t plan well.
Read more before implementing
So, before building your own hydroponic system, it’s always a good idea to start by reading beginner’s guides to hydroponics. Please take the time to read and fully understand the concept, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of the different types of hydroponic systems. I personally recommend reading at least three books because different books focus on different aspects of hydroponics based on the experiences of the authors.
In addition to reading guides, you can also get valuable information by visiting hydroponic gardening-related discussion forums on the Internet.
Once you have enough information and more importantly understand your own needs or requirements, you can start building your own hydroponic gardening system and having fun with it.
