Choosing a system - A buyers guide for the beginner |
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| A brief guide to the factors a new grower needs to consider when selecting an indoor growing system. |
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Choosing a system - A buyers guide for the beginner
Introduction
Nowadays there’s so much choice available when searching for a main growing system that it’s not always clear what will satisfy your needs most effectively. Finding the right parts for your system has become increasingly challenging – especially if you’re a first time buyer – so we’ve highlighted the key factors to consider and recommended the best options open to different growers.
The three main components of a grow room are the light system, air exchange system and growing system (i.e. NFT, Flood & Drain, Pot-ponics etc) – this article focuses on the latter. Every method of growing has good points and bad points, the balance of which tends to be indicated by price. It goes without saying that the top end products are those that support and encourage maximum plant growth, more than justifying the extra costs incurred.
Here are a few things you may want to consider first:
Will it fit into my grow room?
The dimensions of all our systems are listed in the GroWell Catalogue and on the relevant product pages of this web site (simply click a link to find out more). Alternatively, you can always call our Technical Team for help on 0845 345 5176.
When determining what size of system is suitable for your grow room remember that you’ll probably want to leave some space free for getting around your tank(s) and for accessing your equipment and plants. Big plants often hang over the sides of systems so you should also be prepared to accommodate any unanticipated growth (within reason).
If you’re thinking about growing in a loft then we suggest looking at our range of NFT Gro-Tanks. All of these will fit through a loft hatch and sit low on the ground – an important attribute if your roof limits the growing height of plants. A self-contained EcoSystem is the easiest unit to plan around because plants grow within the structure. Once you’ve found an appropriate (admittedly large) location for it there’s no chance of the plants invading areas they’re not supposed to.
Is a hydro-system quicker?
In a word, yes! Any hydro-system (hydro meaning water-based instead of soil) will certainly get your plants through the vegetative stage quite a bit quicker than non-hydro alternatives, usually with better growth too! This is especially true in environments where there’s a high level of light and a ready supply of water and oxygen – the perfect example being Amazon Aeroponic Systems. Younger plants in particular are able to control their body temperature and transpiration rate more comfortably, allowing them to focus all energy on vigorous, healthy growth. Compared to a hand watered pot system, the results produced by any of our hydro systems will astound you!
Do these hydro systems make much noise?
The main source of noise from a growing system is the pump. Small water pumps are used in our smaller systems to deliver nutrients and water to plants at the optimum rate – these generate a very low level of noise whilst operating. In larger systems more powerful pumps drive the water-flow so it’s understandable that these will be slightly louder.
The degree of noise won’t be your only consideration – pump ‘on time’ is also important. For example, you might be able to run a quite loud system when nobody is around or for brief amounts of time each day. NFT Systems should have the pump going 24 hours a day or as close to this duration as possible, whereas Flood & Drain Systems only need to function for a few minutes every couple of hours. The best way to judge how loud/quiet systems are is by visiting one of our stores for a demonstration.
Budget!
If cost is an issue then you’ll struggle to find a cheaper option than Pot-ponics. With this method you grow each of your plants in a pot using Bio-Bizz All-Mix (organics), Cellmax Growing Cubes (hydroponics) or Canna Coco (hydro-organics). It’s just like traditional gardening – only turbo-charged! We recommend this as a starting point for new growers who only want to try a few plants first.
The natural step-up from Pot-ponics that also suits those on a budget are Wilma Systems. These still involve growing plants in pots with whatever medium you like, the main difference being that feeds are distributed via drip stakes. Wilma's are flexible in what and how they let you grow and also enable you to leave your plants for days at a time if required.
One of the most popular ranges of system also happens to be among the best value. Several of the smaller NFT Gro-Tanks offer beginners a chance to master the basics of hydroponics for a very attractive price. These are so good that you’ll probably not want to change system until you’re ready to grow a greater number of plants!
Do the Hydro-systems use much electric?
Most hydroponic systems use an electric water pump that generally consumes no more than a few Watts of energy for a few pence per day. A Nutrient Heater is usually needed in the winter months and requires around 200/300 Watt, but this will only have to be switched on for short periods of time. You should also consider the running costs of your lighting systems if you are going to grow under HID lights (recommended). For a rough guide to the costs involved, take a look at our Grow Room Running Costs article in the Learn section.
If I have a hydroponic system can I leave it for a few days at a time?
Unlike pot plants – which for the best part of their lives require watering every other day – those grown in hydro systems can be left unattended for much longer spells. Exactly how long depends on how large your nutrient reservoir is compared to how many plants you have and how big they are. If you have a wide array of big plants in your system growing under a lot of light then you should go for the largest reservoir possible – since they will drink heavily and at frequent intervals. On the flip side, smaller numbers of plants obviously then require smaller reservoirs. To set-up your system so that it turns on and off while you are away, you will need a reliable Timer.
In general your system solution will require changing every two weeks and toping up regularly in between - as often as every 4 days. pH adjustment can also be done at the same time.
Ongoing costs in time and manpower
The difference in time and effort required for growing in pots and growing in a hydroponic system is minimal, though the results you’ll get strongly favour the hydro method. Whichever system you decide to choose, a certain level of regular attention is necessary – whether it be transplanting into organic pots and watering every 2 or 3 days or changing your nutrient solution for a fresh batch every 2 weeks.
Will a hydroponic system give me more yield?
Without a doubt! Not only do you get bigger yields, you get healthier plants too – especially where there’s lots of light. And for most species and varieties of plant, you can also expect better quality! It’s Win-Win!
So what makes pots so popular?
Growing in pots has always been very popular, even more so now with the advent of so many good feeds and media. For example, the yields and quality of fruit obtainable from plants grown in pots containing coco is quite remarkable. Pot-based systems also give you the ability to treat each plant as an individual. This is especially useful to the hobby gardener who may have a small selection of plants which consist of different varieties, requiring differing feed strengths growing at different rates to different sizes. All it takes to create your own Pot-ponics system is enough Hydroponic Pots to house each of your plants, Work Trays for them to sit on and a growing medium for them to grow in. Easy!
System height
This can be an issue when using a High Output Light, as in addition to producing a lot of light they generate unwanted heat. Even with an Extractor/Air Exchange System in place, you need to make your grow room as tall as possible. If your grow room is height restricted (less than 180cm (6 feet)) you may wish to avoid tall systems and opt for NFT Gro-Tanks or Flood & Drain Systems, which will give your plants extra breathing room. You could also consider using a Light Rail to increase the size of your growing area, spread light further and avoid heat build up problems in the summer.
Your plants
Several systems have been designed with very specific purposes in mind. If you want to keep a mother plant or grow a small number of high yielders, the compact, oxygen rich environment of an AquaFarm or WaterFarm would be perfect. Similarly, serious indoor gardeners limited by a lack of floor space could contemplate adopting the vertical growing EcoSystem. Although this system restricts your plants to a small size - meaning less yields per plant than they would have otherwise been capable of – because you can fit so many into such a tight area the overall yield is much larger.
Here are a few growing system options:
Pot-ponics
Pot-ponics Hydro:
Use Cellmax rockwool in your pots and hand feed through the top with hydroponic pH adjusted nutrient solution at every watering. This system has all the advantages of using hydroponic solutions and all the flexibility of using pots, and it’s nice and low level. The cost of setting up a hydroponic pot system is relatively cheap. Things you might need include several Hydroponic Pots and Saucers, a bag of Cellmax Growing Cubes, Hydroponic Nutrient, a pH Test Kit and pH Adjustment Liquids. The only disadvantage to this system is that it doesn’t yield as much as an active hydroponic system.
Pot-ponics Organic:
Use Bio-Bizz Organic Compost in your pots and hand feed plants with Bio-Bizz Nutrient solutions for a natural growing experience. This method is popular – especially with beginners on a budget – as it is a great introduction to growing that’s cheap, easy (with no pH adjustment) and capable of producing strong, healthy plants. We also sell complete Pot-ponics Bio-Bizz Organic Kits, which come with everything you need to get growing.
Pot-ponics Coco:
Growing in coco is becoming increasingly popular as it offers excellent yields and high quality produce. Part of the reason behind its success is that it has very good structure, drainage and air content. When totally saturated it still holds a lot of air and consequently enhances growth rates over some of the other choices of media. The down side of this is that the pots may dry a bit quicker than other media resulting in the need for more frequent hand watering. Although itself organic, the coco is essentially a hydroponic medium in as much as it has no real feed in it and no biological components. Therefore it needs both parts of a hydroponic or Coco Nutrient package. We also sell complete Pot-ponics Coco Kits, which come with everything you need to get growing.
Drip Systems
Wilma Systems take the principles of Pot-ponics and improve upon them by using drippers to feed your potted plants - removing the hassle of having to remember to do so yourself each day. Popular amongst growers for being inexpensive, flexible and perfect for use with Pebbles, Rockwool, soil or coco.
If you’ve successfully grown using drippers before (maybe with a Wilma System for instance) and want to take it to the next level – look no further than the Dutch Dripper System. A combination of top quality irrigation components and a trusty Timer ensure your plants receive equal feeds according to a customizable, automated cycle. And by growing your plants in Slabs very little of the nutrient solution is wasted compared to other growing media.
NFT – Nutrient Film Technique
With this method a thin film of nutrient solution is continuously pumped from a main reservoir through a channel/gulley containing plant roots and back again. The lack of medium makes for easy maintenance and a quick turn around with minimum waste between crops. The most popular models are the NFT Gro-Tanks and the bigger multi-duct NFT channels. The Gro-Tanks are low level, low maintenance and low cost with high growth rates and high yields. These tanks also work well in very demanding ‘high light’ environments providing plenty of oxygen and water to the root zone. Whether you're a beginner or professional hobbyist, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get great returns straight from the off!
Root zones are quite exposed to the elements in NFT systems but this isn't normally a major problem. If your plants show any ongoing signs of being adversely affected by cold temperatures you could purchase a Nutrient Heater or convert the system to accomodate extra insulative Slabs. Alternatively you could grow in one of our Flood & Drain Systems, which offer root zones more protection from temperature extremes.
Flood & Drain
Offering many of the same benefits as NFT, Flood & Drain is an equally as good albeit completely different technique. With your plants in position, the growing tray sits on top of the reservoir where it is flooded and drained off at staggered intervals. Your system may flood and drain 2-10 times a day depending on the size of the plants, amount of light and growing medium used. In the top tray you can use pots full of your favourite medium – be it Clay Pebbles, Rockwool, coco etc. Alternatively you can fill the whole top tray full of medium rather than use individual pots. Like NFT, Flood & Drain Systems are usually low level – making them suitable for areas with restricted headroom. For the best results you should only use your medium for a maximum of one crop cycle. This does mean that there is more waste to dispose of after each crop than with NFT Systems.
The IWS Flood Systems are top-of-the-range, low-level flood and drain systems with individual, moveable plant sites. According to your preferred settings, the reservoir tank will regularly pump water into the feeder tank, where it is then distributed to each of the pots in the system – flooding them in the process. After the selected amount of time, the water from the feeder tank is pumped back into the reservoir tank allowing the pots to gently drain. User-friendly controls let you manage this process with no hassle so that you can fully concentrate on getting the most from your plants. The standard system includes individual sloped pot stands to guarantee full drainage, large 10 litre pots to house extensive root mass, all irrigation fittings and the necessary piping.
A range of complete grow kits combining each of the different sized systems with lights, extraction/filtration equipment, growing media, etc is also available. These include the 12 Pot IWS Complete Grow Kit, 24 Pot IWS Complete Grow Kit and 36 Pot IWS Complete Grow Kit.
The compact AquaFarm and WaterFarm also incorporate Flood & Drain technology, only on a smaller scale. These are ideal for mother plants, high yielders and office plants.
Aeroponics
Aeroponics is a method of growing that creates impressive and healthy root systems by using sprayers and sprinklers to generate a constant aeroponic mist of nutrient solution. Roots grow at a phenomenal rate into this mist, benefiting from the massive aeration provided and the lack of a growing medium to slow root growth. The Amazon Aeroponic Systems are by far the most effective and reliable units a grower can choose when adopting the aeroponics growing method. These have been tried and tested to the brink, outlasting the competition and outdoing it in terms of the outstanding plants that develop.
Vertical Growing
One of the latest and most interesting hydroponic techniques to emerge in recent years is vertical growing. Of all the systems available, the most successful to date unquestionably has to be the EcoSystem. It lets you get significantly more yield from your light source by having your plants completely surround a long vertically positioned lamp. The plants grow horizontally, meaning you can fit many more into the available space. Each plant may yield less as a consequence of only having room to grow to a small size, but with so many able to fit around the light overall yields increase – sometimes by up to three times as much as normal from the same growing area.
The above methods and systems are some of the most popular with customers at GroWell, although we sell many other systems with different choices of medium and a large choice of good feeds. Come into the store or phone for advice on which system best suits your needs, budget and grow room.
You may also want to take a look at our article on choosing a light system which could be helpful in completing your grow room shopping list.
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