Hydroponics System – Nutrient Film Technique (N.F.T.)

Hydroponic unlike the usual gardening technique involves no soil and dirt – which means the only way for the plant to get nutrient is through the nutrient solution, a major requirement for hydroponics gardening.

Apart from just the nutrient solution the thing that plays an indispensable role is the hydroponic grow system and there are a number of options available for the gardeners to choose from. However, one that always remains the choice for a majority of people is the Nutrient Film Technique (N.F.T.).

Here’s all the information you need –

N.F.T. systems have a constant flow of the available nutrient and a timer is recommended, for example 30 minutes on and 15 minutes off because a grower doesn’t want to drown the roots and they want to expose them to more air. The pump need not be kept running 24 hours per day most especially when the lights are off.

The nutrient solution is pumped into the growing tray (usually a tube) and flows over the roots of the plants, and then drains back into the reservoir.

The good thing here is that there is usually no growing medium used other than air, which means the expense of replacing the growing medium at every step is now saved. Normally, the plant in this system is supported in rockwool cubes.

Hydroponic gardeners who are interested in using N.F.T. System, here are the things you need to have to establish a system of your own –

· Container to hold the nutrient solution (a reservoir)

· Submersible fountain/pond pump

· Tubing to distribute water from the pump to the N.F.T. growing tubes

· Growing tubes for the plants to grow in (also called a gully/channel)

· Starter cubes, or small baskets and growing media to start seedlings in

· Return system (tubing, channels) to guide the used nutrient solution back to the reservoir

The Operation System of N.F.T. Hydroponic System

To begin with, the nutrient solution is pumped up from the reservoir, usually to something that can easily connect the larger tubings to the number of smaller ones. Each one of these smaller tubes runs nutrient solution to one side of each one of the growing channels/gully's with the plants in it. A thin layer (film) of the nutrient solution flows through each of the channel's with the plants in it to the other side, passing by each plant and wetting the roots on the bottom of the channel as it does. The nutrient solution flows from one side to the other because the channel is sloped slightly so the water flows down hill.

Making the system at home isn’t at all difficult, provided you have all the required accessories available with you. Therefore, before you begin planning your own garden make sure you’ve done enough to have research on how the things should be started in the first place and you have the necessary equipments what so ever needed.

Apart from nutrient film technique, if you are looking for an extensive range of hydroponic systems in UK, you can log on to Hyjo. At Hyjo there are plentiful options available at really affordable prices and that is exactly what most gardeners are looking for.