Hydroponic is a method of growing plants indoors using the soil less farming technology. It is one of the most effective methods to grow plants, especially marijuana. Along with supplying the essential nutrients, the most important thing you need to do in a hydroponic growing system is to make sure that the plants have enough access to Oxygen.

Cannabis hydroponic can be categorized as passive and active. In passive hydroponic, you have to use a wick system to draw plant nutrients from the nutrient reservoir and supply those nutrients to the growing medium to be absorbed by the roots. Growing mediums like perlite is usually added as an additive to improve aeration. Since absorbent growing mediums such as vermiculite or peat moss can retain much of the nutrient rich solution, they are perfect for passive cannabis hydroponic system. On the other hand, in active hydroponics, essential nutrients are moved to the roots in an active way. Cannabis growers recover, recycle and reuse nutrient solution by using this method. This is one of the preferred methods as it doesn’t require disposing nutrients into the sewer system.

The three popular methods in active hydroponics systems which are commonly used by cannabis growers are: ebb and flow, top feed, and nutrient film technique i.e. NFT.

Ebb and Flow: The ebb and flow method of hydroponics is one of the most popular methods of growing marijuana known for its effectiveness and simple design. In this system, individual plants in pots or rockwool cubes are set on a growing bed that can hold one to four inches of nutrient solution. The nutrient solution is then pumped from a reservoir below the table through a submersible pump up to the growing bed. Once the water level gets to the desired level, the nutrients slowly drain back down into the nutrient reservoir by supplying oxygen-rich air to the roots.

Top Feed: The top feed system is very simple to use, even an inexperienced person can use this system to grow marijuana. Top feed allows the grower to have greater flexibility with larger configurations and less water. It can be run on a unique operating principle with a very low maintenance cost. The system is equipped with a two-inch drain module to handle high volumes of water. You can be assured of no drain back-ups or overflows.

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT): In this method, the plants grow through light-proof plastic films placed over shallow, gently sloping channels. The nutrient is introduced at the high end of the channel and allowed to flow over the roots after which it drains into a nutrient reservoir. It is then re-pumped back into the channel to repeat the watering process. Regular feeding and associated flushing prevents localized salt build-up in the root zone and maintains uniform root zone pH and conductivity. This technique provides a continuous flow of nutrient, water and oxygen to the plants roots.