Find answers to common questions and learn more about hydroponics on this page. Contact Origin Hydro if you have more questions and we will help!
What is Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is growing plants without soil - soilless culture of plants. In traditional gardening, plants pull water and nutrients out of the soil using their roots. In a hydroponic system, instead of soil, plant roots sit directly in a water-based nutrient solution.
What are the different types of hydroponic systems?
There are six standard types of hydroponic systems. They all deliver water, nutrients, and oxygen to plant roots, but they use different structural methods to do it. These are: Deep Water Culture (DWC), Wick System, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Ebb & Flow (same as Flood & Drain), Drip System and Aeroponics.
What is pH?
In hydroponics, pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of the nutrient solution on a scale of 0 to 14, directly dictating a plant's ability to absorb vital minerals. A pH of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. Most hydroponic crops thrive in a slightly acidic zone between 5.5 and 6.8. If the pH drifts too high or too low, minerals like iron or calcium bind together, causing nutrient lock-out. Growers must regularly monitor pH levels using digital meters or test drops and adjust them using specialised pH Up or pH Down solutions.
What is conductivity?
Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Conductivity Factor (CF) measure the total concentration of dissolved salts in your hydroponic nutrient solution. While EC is the universal standard expressed in milliSiemens per centimetre (mS/cm), CF is simply a direct metric conversion where 1.0 EC equals 10 CF. Conductivity can also be expressed as ppm (parts per million). Monitoring EC prevents under-feeding & over-feeding. EC should be tested daily using a digital meter for best accuracy.
What are hydroponic nutrients made from?
Hydroponic nutrients are made from pure, highly refined mineral salts that are completely water solubility. High purity soluble straight fertilisers are blended into liquid or dry powder forms, ensuring the essential macronutrients & trace minerals dissociate immediately into plant-absorbent ions when mixed with water. These nutrients are cleaner and more pure than the common slow-release fertilisers used in soil farming.
Can town tap water be used for hydroponics?
Yes, municipal tap water can be used for hydroponics, provided its baseline concentration of dissolved minerals is below 150 parts per million (PPM). While convenient and cost-effective, raw tap water can contain often background minerals which can react unpredictably with concentrated nutrients. First test your water's EC (or total dissolved solids) with a digital meter. If the EC is within range, let it sit out for 24 hours to gas off free chlorine or use aquarium dechlorinating drops if there's chloramines. Tap water is usually alkaline (pH above 7) so test the pH and adjust it downward as needed by the target crop.
What are some popular plants grown in hydroponics?
The most popular crops in hydroponics span leafy greens, fresh herbs, and high-yielding fruiting plants due to their rapid growth cycles and excellent adaptation to soil-free environments. Lettuce, spinach, and kale serve as the ultimate beginner choices because their shallow root systems thrive in simple water setups, yielding crisp harvests in as little as three to four weeks. Basil, mint, and cilantro (coriander) are equally dominant. For more advanced setups, fruiting crops like tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, and bell peppers (capsicum) are highly popular choices.
Do plants grow faster & produce more in hydroponics?
Yes, hydroponic crops usually grow up to 30% faster than in soil and yeilds can be up to 25% higher. This is due to a perfectly balanced, pre-dissolved stream of essential nutrients and oxygen delivered directly, completely eliminating the energy-draining effort required to search through dense soil matrices for food. Plants remain in a constant state of optimal metabolic uptake, allowing them to redirect their biological energy away from extensive root development and entirely toward explosive vegetative growth and heavy fruit production.
Please contact us if you have any other questions or need further clarification, we will be happy to assist!