Hydroponics - the gardening of crops without earth - can be achieved by a wide selection of techniques. The obstacle in each technique is to suspend the plant in place while subjecting the roots to a constant supply of water-nutrient formula. This can be done in several ways, some more effective than others. Hydroponic systems have four categories the active which utilizes a pump, the passive, the recovery which demands recirculation of the solution, and the non-recovery. Also, most systems will use some type of grow tray to hold the plants, and a reservoir which holds the solution. Here are some popular hydroponic systems you might be acquainted with.

Ebb and Flow

This is an case in point of a system that employs the recovery method which anchors plants in mediums like rockwool. A water pump on a timer periodically floods the grow tray with nutrient formula from the reservoir, then turns off and allows the solution to drain back through tubes into the reservoir to be recycled. Also known (for obvious reasons) as flood-and-drain, this system is a preferred choice for beginners.

The Drip System

This active method is similar to ebb and flow, except that rather than surging the grow tray, the pump sends the solution through a network of tubes that drip the solution straight onto the plant roots. These hydroponic systems can be either recovery or non-recovery, depending on whether you drain the solution back into the reservoir. If you want to do without the regular monitoring of the pH level then you might want to utilize the non-recovery version.

The Wick System

This system is an case in point of a passive non-recovery hydroponic system in which the solution gets to the roots through a wick. No pump is needed, and the water is not re-circulated, making it one of the simplest and least costly systems. However, the produce may not be as impressive because controlling the water flow is a problem which means that the roots are getting too much or too little solution.

Nutrient Film Technique

Also called NFT for short, this is an active recovery system in which the plant roots are dangled in a regular flow (or film) of solution. A tube is used as a grow tray and the crops are hanged on top while the roots are suspended and exposed beneath. With the pump the solution goes through one pipe and drains on the other end and into the tank. This method may be effective but it can be complicated and high-maintenance at the same time.

There are other types and variations of systems as well, but these are the most common hydroponic systems. Which hydroponic systems you select will depend mainly on your skill level and budget.