Hydroponics refers to a growing system where water-based mineral nutrient solutions are used as the growing medium (instead of the good old soil).
Both hobby and commercial cannabis growers love indoor growing. Farming cannabis in water-based solutions has numerous advantages.
A hydroponic system allows cannabis plants to grow at a much faster rate as compared to other growing mediums. Additionally, the plant yields are more significant.
With hydroponics, nutrients hang about the water and are thus readily available to plants. The roots just suck up the nutrients, and this arrangement speeds up results.
When growing cannabis in a hydroponic setup, the cannabis plants are less likely to attract pests; cannabis flower is potent, and you control the growing environment.
You need an outstanding hydroponic system kit for your plants to be able to access with ease nutrients, fresh air, and water.
Looking for quality hydroponic systems?
Active and Passive Hydroponics
Hydroponics can either be active or passive and each type has its pros and cons. Active hydroponics incorporate electric pumps for moving nutrients and air stones for oxygenation.
Passive hydroponic growing systems usually have a simple design and functionality, so that capillary action, rather than electric pumps, is relied on for moving nutrients.
Active hydroponics incorporates various technologies to support nutrient movement and maintain other essential factors of the growing system.
Some common tools in an active hydroponic growing system include electric air pumps and air stones. Active hydroponics allows the grower to automate various processes.
Active hydroponics are usually favored by commercial large-scale growers as they are easy to automate, water efficient, and make for the highest yields.
Passive hydroponics is simple and cheaper than active hydroponics. Passive hydroponics is easy to set up, uses minimal electricity, and isn’t expensive.
Generally, passive hydroponics is ideal for newbies as compared to active hydroponics.
Materials Needed to Create Cannabis Hydroponics Grow System
The following are some of the critical supplies and gear that you’ll require to establish your hydroponics grow system to cultivate your cannabis plants.
1. Grow Lights
With indoor growing, the sunlight cannot reach your plants, and so, you need to install an artificial source of light namely grow lights.
Quality lights make for optimum crop yield and health.
Common grow lights include fluorescent lights, HPS grow lights, and LED grow lights. Each of these lighting systems has its pros and cons.
Fluorescents may have a weak light output, but they are cheap, and ideal for tiny grow rooms. HPS lamps are efficient, but they also produce a lot of heat.
LED lamps are the most efficient as they have a complete spectrum, emit high quality and focused light, and their heat emission is low.
2. Grow Tents
Grow tents are collapsible tents that create the perfect environment for growing your cannabis plants. Quality grow tents are typically built of robust exterior fabric.
The robust exterior fabric ensures that the light doesn’t leak, thus allowing the plants to thrive and achieve outstanding yield.
Quality grow tents also have reflective interior walls, and these walls help with increasing the light intensity within the grow room, thus boosting the photosynthetic capacity of cannabis plants.
Quality grow tents need to have good ventilation systems to ensure the plants receive a steady supply of fresh air, and the stale, hot air is moved out.
Quality grow tents are typically used over numerous grow cycles.
3. Light Hangers
Light is an essential factor in growing cannabis plants. Light supports photosynthesis and promotes plant development.
But then some grow rooms have an uneven build, and by installing average grow lights, all the plants might not receive sufficient light.
And so, light hangers help with positioning the lights properly, to ensure that the light is uniform, and this leads to higher yields.
Quality light hangers need to be powerful and durable, and also easy to use.
4. Seeds
It doesn’t matter whether you have a great hydroponic setup, but if you plant low-quality cannabis seeds, you’ll reap low-quality cannabis. Make sure to go for superior seeds.
5. Hydroponic Tanks & Reservoirs
Hydroponic tanks help with holding and circulating water as well as the hydroponic nutrient solution. Hydroponic tanks also support pumps and air stones.
6. Growing Medium
The growing medium is the substance that will provide an anchor to the stems and roots, and enhance nutrient absorption. Some of the common hydroponic growing media include coco coir, perlite, and clay pebbles.
7. Nutrients
Your plants will require various nutrients to achieve optimum yield and health. Some of the essential hydroponic nutrients include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
8. Thermometer/Hygrometer
These help with determining the temperature and humidity within the grow room. If the wrong temperature or humidity is prolonged, it could lead to terrible results.
