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| Home > Hydroponics Gardening > Types of Hydroponic System
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| | Types of Hydroponic System in Gardening
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 When most people think of hydroponics, they think of plants grown with their roots suspended directly into water with no growing medium. This is just one type of hydroponic gardening, known as N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique). There are several variations of N.F.T. used around the world and it is a very popular method of growing hydroponically. What most people don`t realize is that there are literally hundreds of methods of hydroponic gardening. We explain the most common basic methods and the pro`s and con`s of each particular type below, along with a lot of great general information about hydroponics.
There are 6 basic types of hydroponic systems; Wick, Water Culture, Ebb and Flow (Flood & Drain), Drip (recovery or non-recovery), N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) and Aeroponic. There are hundreds of variations on these basic types of systems, but all hydroponic methods are a variation (or combination) of these six. Scroll down this page (or click on the system names) to see drawings and a description of each type of hydroponic system.
The Wick system is by far the simplest type of hydroponic system. This is a passive system, which means there are no moving parts. The nutrient solution is drawn into the growing medium from the reservoir with a wick. Free plans for a simple wick system are available (click here for plans).
This system can use a variety of growing medium. Perlite, Vermiculite, Pro-Mix and Coconut Fiber are among the most popular.
The biggest draw back of this system is that plants that are large or use large amounts of water may use up the nutrient solution faster than the wick(s) can supply it.
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