Let’s begin with a brief understanding on what hydroponics is before we delve into hydroponic drip systems. Hydroponics is a from of growing plants in a controlled indoors environment with no soil and the aid of artificial lights. Soil is not necessary as the plants are grown in a solutuion rich in nutrients. The artificial lights are necessary to help promote growth, otherwise the plant will not thrive. This allows you to grow whatever you want no matter what season is in. hydroponic drip systems are by far the most widely used hydroponic system through the the world. The layout and operation is relatively simple. A timer controlled pump is submerged in the solution. The pump utilises the timer to drip feed the solution to the plants at a specific rate. If you use a recovery drip system, any unused solution will be recycled back into the reservoir, where it can be re-used. Unless you have a recovery unit on your drip system, the excess solution will accumulate at the plants base. A recovery system is much more efficient as it makes use of the solution more effectively, as a result, a cheaper pump can be used as getting the drip rates dead on is not necessary. Word of caution though, unless you have a recovery unit installed, be aware of the exact amount of solution the plant requires, so you can set your timer accordingly, or they will not grow at their optimum rate. hydroponic drip systems with Recovery units tend to requires more maintenance time than non-recovery systems. The reason being, to maintain a flat level of nutrients and pH balance, the solution will have to be regularly check as a build up can occur due to the recycling process. To ensure your garden grows at it’s healthiest levels, monitor these levels and adjust them when required.

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