Just what is hydroponics? Simply put, it involves growing plants in a liquefied nutrient solution, instead of in soil. As a kid, I recall viewing the Sci-fi series “Space 1999″ and hearing mention of the “Hydroponics Lab”, and never really putting it together what that meant. In truth, I thought of this as science fiction gobbledygook. Obviously it was not, as with many things in science fiction. Hydroponics is out there.

So without needing soil, how can you grow plants?

For a plant to develop, you will need several things. Light, water, soil (as a general rule) and some type of nutrients. However, there is a lot more necessary elements for a plant to grow except for the basics just talked about.

Without soil, hydroponics really can grow plants. For the solution and medium utilized in hydroponics, there are two main types.

Solution Culture
There exists a nutrient solution in a pot where plants are grown. A tank system is usually used for bigger procedures but then the container will always differ. You’ll be able to grow plants this in a container as small as a Mason jar. Solution culture is divided into 3 kinds, static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture and aeroponics.

Static Solution Culture
Roots are actually dangling in the solution and is gently oxygenated at times in this type of solution culture. And in order for the roots to get oxygenation, the solution have to be low enough to reveal some section of the roots just incase the solution is not aerated.

Continuous Flow Solution Culture
The same as what the label suggests, there exists a continuous flow of nutrient solution past the roots with this particular type of hydroponics. One can automate this form simpler than the static solution, and control the amount of nutrients being delivered to the root system.

Aeroponics
This kind of hydroponic requires the roots suspended in an air chamber where it is introduced with nutrient solution in fine mist. The benefit here is the fantastic oxygenation the plant will get by not having its roots suspended in the solution.

Medium Culture
In medium culture, the plants are grown in various medium as opposed to soil. This may be peat moss, to vermiculite, wool, or gravel.
It has been discovered that rock wool is one of the ideal mediums to be used for this type of hydroponics. The medium does quite nicely at holding water, and enabling water flow as well. It is made by melting rock, and spinning it right down to a fiber matting.

Hydroponics systems will often be found in a greenhouse environment, as a controlled situation is important to promote growth. But then Salmonella and other forms of germs may develop because of the technique itself which definitely is a disadvantage to hydroponics. On the other hand, the yield advantaged outweigh these problems, and a thorough hydroponics farmer is always on the lookout for this.