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When growing cannabis there are two options to go for, hydroponic or soil grow. Hydroponics has become a popular way of cultivating cannabis plants. It can appear quite intimidating and complicated but growing cannabis in hydroponics can be very rewarding.  

    

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is a soilless method of cultivating plants using water as the primary medium. 

The cannabis plants are planted in soil less growing medium and supplied with nutrient-rich solution, oxygen and water. Plants grown in hydroponic systems grow much healthier and produce higher quality yields. To grow hydroponically you need a hydroponic system. These systems work by allowing you to create the optimal growing environment by controlling the environmental conditions such as temperature, pH balance and exposure to nutrients and water. A hydroponic system allows you to give the plant exactly what they need for optimal growth. In this customised and controlled environment plants are free to grow strong, healthy, and rapidly.

     

What Are the Benefits of Growing with Hydroponics?

In hydroponics, plants are grown in a soilless medium and perfectly balanced pH adjusted nutrient solution which is delivered straight to the roots. The plant is able to absorb these nutrients with little effort compared to soil where the roots would need to search for the nutrients. The energy the plant would need to use in this process is better spent on growth and flower production.

Rapid, healthier growth and bigger yields are just some of the many reasons why hydroponics is becoming increasingly popular for growing cannabis. Here are some more benefits to growing cannabis using hydroponics.

 

1. Control

Probably the most significant advantage of growing in a hydroponic system is that you get much more control over what happens to your plants. You are in control of the growing medium, the nutrients and oxygen getting to your roots. If you are growing indoors then you even have control of the light and temperature.

 

2. Faster and bigger yields

If the hydroponic system is used correctly, you can achieve larger and faster yields from your plants. This is because hydroponics allows you to deliver the perfect mix and amount of nutrients right to your plant’s roots. A good hydroponic system also gives the roots plenty of oxygen and will use the ideal PH. All these factors add up to the perfect environment for big crops.

 

3. Pests

By using a hydroponic system, you have greater control of your environment, which means you can usually reduce the risk of insects and other pests.

 

4. All year long

Using a hydroponic system will allow you to grow all year long. If you are growing indoors, you can keep your system going all year round and if you are growing outdoors, you can just move your setup indoors when it gets very cold and dark during the winter months.

 

5. Healthy inputs

When growing in hydroponics, you know exactly what is going into your plants. This includes what they are planted into the nutrients they receive as they grow. Hydroponics ensures you are not growing in any unhealthy, contaminated soil.

 

6. Water efficiency

This may sound contradictory, but hydroponics uses less water than growing plants in soil. When you water your plants in the ground, a lot of water runs off into the soil that doesn't feed your plants roots. When you water your plants in pots a lot of water seeps through the soil and drains out the bottom. But with a hydroponics setup, you're delivering water straight to the plant.

 

Types of Hydroponic Systems 

There are a few different hydroponic systems available. All systems are similar in that they make use of a nutrient rich water solution. However, the setup can vary widely depending on factors such as water exposure and circulation.

 

Deep water culture (DWC)

Deep water culture is the simplest of all the hydroponic systems and the best place to start with for beginners. This system consists of an air pump which supplies air to the air stone that bubbles the nutrient solution and supplies the oxygen rich solution to the plants roots which are suspended above the solution in net pots. These net pots are usually filled with LECA (Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate), or Rockwool.

    

Wick System

The wick system is another simple hydroponic system. The wick system utilizes a simple method of transferring mineral rich water from the reservoir to the soilless medium. This can be referred to as a passive system and requires minimal moving parts. The nutrients move up the wick or string from a reservoir and into the plant's root systems through capillary movement. 

The ideal growing medium is a mixture of Perlite, Vermiculite and Coco Peat/Coir. For the wick system to be functional, the medium used must be able to retain moisture, therefore using a mixture of Vermiculite and Coco Peat/Coir will show the best results.

    

Ebb & Flow (Flood and Drain)

The Ebb and Flow or flood drain system works by flooding the grow area with nutrient solution and then draining it back into a reservoir. The reservoir contains a pump connected to a timer. When the timer turns the pump on the nutrient solution is pumped through tubing from the reservoir into the growing tray. When the timer turns the pump off the nutrient solution is then drained back into the reservoir.

A variety of growing mediums can be used in this system. The entire grow bed can be filled with LECA (Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate), or Rockwool. Some growers use individual pots filled with the growing medium, making it easier to move plants around if needed.

Plants in an Ebb and Flow system are vulnerable to interruptions caused by power outages as well as pump or timer failures. This interruption in the flow of nutrient solution will cause the roots to dry out rapidly. Using a soilless medium that is good at retaining water such as Vermiculite or Coco Peat/Coir can somewhat help ensure your plants survive any mechanical complication.

    

NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)

When thinking of hydroponics most people tend to think of an NFT system. NFT or Nutrient Film Technique is popular among growers due to its simple yet effective design. In an NFT system nutrient rich solution is constantly recirculated. The nutrient solution is pumped from a reservoir into hollow channels, usually a tube, and flows over the roots of the plant allowing it to absorb the nutrients it needs. The solution is then drained back into the reservoir. Because of this constant flow of nutrient solution, there is no need to use a timer for the submersible pump.

Usually the cannabis plant is supported in a small plastic basket called a net pot, filled with growing medium such as LECA (Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate) or Rockwool to hold the plants in place, with the roots suspended in the nutrient solution.

Plants in an NFT system are very sensitive to interruptions caused by power outages and pump failures. This interruption in the flow of nutrient solution will cause the roots to dry out rapidly. 

   

Drip System

The drip system is one of the most used systems in hydroponics. This system consists of a large tray filled with growing medium, such as clay pebbles. Cannabis plants are placed directly into the medium, and each has its own drip pipe close by. An external water tank with a pump and air stones supplies a constant drip feed of water over each plant. The roots receive timer-controlled nutrients from this submerged pump and excess nutrients that are not absorbed by the cannabis plants, drips down the medium and back into the tank for re-use.

     

Aeroponic

The Aeroponic system is seen as the most technical type of hydroponic system. This type of system uses air as its main growing medium. The plant is suspended by small baskets filled with LECA (Light-Weight Expanded Clay Aggregate) or Rockwool that compress around the plant's stem and holds it in place.

The plant's roots hang down in the air and are misted every few minutes with a nutrient solution. Just like other types of hydroponic systems, a timer controls the nutrient pump. The timer however needs to be on a shorter cycle, running the pump for a few seconds every few minutes.

   

Some Final Notes on Growing Cannabis in Hydroponics

Hydroponics can seem scary and complicated, all the different parts, systems and methods make it seem quite complex, but in fact it is much easier than it seems. Growing in a hydroponic setup is very rewarding and your hard work can pay off with rapid growth times and large yield.

While hydroponics gives you all sorts of ways to grow cannabis, it is not automatically the best for every grower. Many growers see amazing results from growing cannabis outdoors in the sun, soil, and fresh air. In the end it is up to you and what you are looking for out of your cannabis growing experience.

 

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