Specs for a Hydroponic Drip Table

Hydroponic Systems

• Hydroponic systems are a method used to grow plants without soil. Some systems spray roots with the nutrients they need while others supply nutrients through a growth medium other than soil. These mediums include coir, gravel, sand, shells and other porous materials. Hydroponic systems adopt one of several methods of nutrient delivery: ebb and flow, aeroponic, water culture, the wick system, drip systems and nutrient film technique, or NFT, systems. All of these systems feature a grow tray, some filled with a growing medium while others let root systems dangle freely into nutrient mist or solutions. Drip systems feature a grow tray, or trays, filled with a growing medium. In some configurations, this tray can have a table-like appearance.

Configurations

• Drip systems are composed of a growing tray or containers, an air pump, a nutrient pump, drip tubes, a drip manifold, and a reservoir tank containing nutrient solution. The air pump aerates the nutrient solution and prevents nutrients from growing stagnant. The nutrient pump propels nutrient solution through a tube leading into the drip manifold that directs the nutrient stream into numerous drip tubes, each leading to a single plant. The nutrient solution drips from the drip tube to the plants base where it travels through the growing medium. The plant's roots absorb nutrients via the growing medium and excess nutrient solution drains, via tube, back into the reservoir where it is recycled for use in the next nutrient drip.

Reservoir Tank, Tubes

• The reservoir tank's size is dependent upon the number of plants it feeds and the type of nutrient solution used. Some nutrients require more water dilution than others. Regardless of tank size, however, tubing is standard. The tube running from the pump to the manifold usually measures 1/2 inch in diameter. The tubes leading from the manifold to plant bases' measure 1/8 inch in diameter. The draining tubes can vary in size and lead back to the reservoir.

Growing Trays and Tables

• When establishing a growing table, there are several configurations that can be used and these configurations can be adapted as necessary. One configuration is using the growing tray as a table. The growing tray is elevated, via attached legs, to table height and filled with the growing medium. Site the reservoir below the grow table with tubes leading up and across the table to each individual plant. Another method, the top feed method, sites the reservoir next to the growing tray. Tubes exit the manifold along scaffolds that lead to the plants where the tubes drip water into the growing medium from above. Another method is to place plants in individual containers. These containers are full of the growing medium and are arranged on a table. The reservoir can be placed either below the table or alongside the plants. Tubes carry nutrient solution to each individual plant and excess nutrient solution drains from bottom tubes back into the reservoir.