How Much Water Do I Put in a Hydroponic Garden?

Deep Water Culture

• A deep water culture hydroponic system is one where the plants float in a raft or are suspended above a pool of oxygenated water. How deep the water is depends on the type of container that is holding the DWC hydroponic garden. The general rule for adding water to this type of system is that it must be added to the fill line indicated on the container, or to within about an inch of the top of the barrel or tub.

Ebb and Flow

• A hydroponic ebb and flow system is a closed system that recirculates the water in the system indefinitely. Most ebb and flow systems suggest that the hydroponic nutrient solution --- the water plus the plant nutrients --- be completely changed every two to three weeks. The water in this type of system should be checked every few days and kept up to the fill line in the holding tank. If there is no fill line, the minimum amount that should be in the system is enough to fill the first plant pot to within an inch of the top.

Bucket

• The bucket hydroponic garden is a very simple type of system that requires the use of a single bucket, pot or other container to hold the water needed for the growth of a single plant. A bucket garden requires that the container be filled nearly to the top with water. The plant grows through a hole in the lid of the bucket, and the water must always be high enough that the plant's roots can reach it. The water level in the bucket should be checked at least once a week, and more often if the weather is hot.

Manual

• A manual hydroponic garden consists of one or more pots, each holding a single plant. The pots may be any size. Each container is filled with an inert growing medium, such as perlite, with a plant growing in it. This system requires that a person fill the pot about three times per day with nutrient-laden water, which then is allowed to drain out and is either captured for future use or allowed to run off into the soil. Larger pots should be filled to within an inch of the top of the growth medium, and smaller pots to within about half an inch of the top.