To a beginner grower, the flurry of hydroponic terms that are used on our blog can be overwhelming. While we try to explain most of the terms that we use, this blog serves as a summary of the most important hydroponic terms you’ll encounter when working with hydroponics.
We’ll cover everything from the different techniques used for hydroponic cultivation, explain how you can clone hydroponic crops, and discuss grow media and water filtration systems, providing you with a solid foundation to start building your hydroponic knowledge from.
We’ll include hyperlinks in each section towards relevant blogs we’ve written about the topic, allowing you to dive deeper on topics that interest you.
The 6 Hydroponic Terms You Need to Know
1. Nutrient Film Technique
The most common technique for commercial hydroponic production is the nutrient film technique.
The nutrient film technique is an active hydroponic system that uses pumps to circulate a thin film of nutrient solution through shallow channels, where plant roots can dip to receive nutrients. The result is an incredibly efficient system that can dramatically reduce water usage.
It’s a great technique for automation, but it’s more vulnerable to challenges like pump failure and temperature changes due to the reduced water flow, so the system needs to be monitored closely to fix issues when they arrive.
2. Deep Flow Technique
The deep flow technique is the second hydroponic term that we’ll highlight. This hydroponic technique has some similarities, but a few key differences when compared to the nutrient film technique. While this method is less efficient due to the increased size requirements, it makes up for it with
Similarities with the Nutrient Film Technique:
- Both use nutrient solution and grow crops in grow media instead of soil.
- Both have increased water savings, as much as 90% less water when compared to traditional agriculture.
- Both can benefit from climate-controlled agriculture.
- Both grow crops in stacked layers, with grow lights shining down on each level.
Differences from the Nutrient Film Technique:
- DFT systems have deeper grow trays when compared to NFT systems.
- DFT systems use significantly more water than NFT systems.
- DFT systems are easier to operate and clean.
- Because there’s less water available for crops in an NFT system, DFT systems are less susceptible to temperature changes as the water acts as a barrier to changing climate conditions.
- DFT systems are more susceptible to challenges with oxygenation, with more water volume when compared to NFT systems due to their deeper grow trays.
3. Propagation
Hydroponic propagation, also known as cloning is a crucial hydroponic term for growers to understand. While used in traditional agriculture, propagation isn’t used as often as it is in hydroponics.
Plants can reproduce in two ways: sexual and asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction involves flowering, pollination and seed formation. These seeds then germinate into new plants. Because crops are generally produced for consumption, this method is used less frequently than asexual reproduction, which works through the process of cloning.
Seeds are individualized, and have minor differences when compared with plant clones, also called cuttings. This means that cloned plants are more like the original plant than a plant that was grown from the seeds of that crop.
Cloning enables growers to create duplicates of their best-performing crops, allowing them to select the ideal crops that will work in their system. Learning about plant propagation gives you an ability to preserve crops with desirable traits, which pairs well with the climate control available through hydroponic container farms and other CEA systems.
4. Nutrient Solution
If you want to be a successful hydroponic grower, nutrient solution is a key component that’s necessary to understand and master. Nutrient solution is made of two main ingredients: water that’s been purified with a reverse osmosis system and a nutrient mix, which is added to the water in the system’s reservoir and dissolved.
Plants need both macro and micronutrients to develop from seedlings to mature crops, and the most important of these nutrients is a mixture known as NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but hydrogen, sulfur, magnesium, carbon (macronutrients), zinc, nickel, boron, copper and chlorine (micronutrients) are also required for development, but in lesser amounts than NPK nutrients.
A common problem that growers can encounter when dealing with nutrient solution is the damaging effects of nutrient burn. Giving plants too much or too little nutrients will negatively impact their development. When you give a plant more nutrients than it can handle, you’ll notice your plants’ crispy, autumn-colored leaves. This condition is called nutrient burn.
Unfortunately, it will require a full cleaning and reset of your indoor farm. On the other hand, if you aren’t providing enough nutrients for your crops, they will be smaller, have yellow leaves and may fail to fruit.
Learning about how different nutrients interact with your crops is key to developing your skills as a hydroponic grower.
5. Grow Media
If you ask people what they think of when they think of agriculture, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t mention soil. Grow media flips that idea on its head. Instead of soil, hydroponic crops grow in a substance that roots can grow through and extract water and nutrients. Not a very precise definition, eh? In fact, that definition even includes soil!
Typical examples of hydroponic grow media include peat moss, a spongy type of moss, or Coco Coir, a growing material that’s made from a fiber extracted from coconut husks. In addition to these, there are several grow mediums that can be beneficial in special circumstances:
- Oasis cubes
- Perlite
- Rice hulls: Not that these must be sterilized before use.
- Mineral wool
- Gravel (Pea Gravel)
- Vermiculite
6. Reverse Osmosis System
A hydroponic system’s reverse osmosis unit is a key component that ensures the purity of the system’s water, allowing growers to add nutrients to their water without having to worry about dissolved solids that may otherwise upset the delicate balance of nutrient levels.
The first stage sends water through a pleated, cleanable sediment pre-filter. It can filter out particles as small as 5 microns, taking the largest impurities out of the water. Next, the water will flow through the carbon filter, which is a carbon block made using coconut shell Greencarbon.
Finally, the flow enters the last stage of the reverse osmosis process. The membrane is a semipermeable barrier that selectively allows certain molecules, ions, and particles to pass through while blocking others.
The RO process results in two streams: purified water and brine (concentrate or reject water).
Reverse osmosis removes up to 99% of chlorine, up to 100% of heavy metals and salts, and removes sediment, inorganic salts, microorganisms and organic material from source water, making these systems a crucial component for your hydroponic operation.
Summary
In conclusion, understanding these fundamental hydroponic terms and techniques is essential for any beginner grower looking to succeed in the hydroponic field. By familiarizing yourself with the various methods, such as the Nutrient Film Technique and Deep Flow Technique and mastering the use of nutrient solutions and grow media, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle the challenges of hydroponic farming. Remember, the key to success lies in continuous learning and adaptation, so don’t hesitate to explore the additional resources linked throughout this blog.
Curious about learning more about how we manufacture our hydroponic container farms? Contact us today, and we can address your questions and provide you with quotes for single systems, split systems, or large enterprise systems.