Hydroponic is a method for growing plants and weeds that do not require soil. The plants are grown in a nutrient-rich liquid to provide them all they need to grow and develop properly and faster. You can find different types of hydroponic weed system for growing cannabis. Keep in mind, hydroponic systems are not the only thing you need to grow cannabis – you also need best grow tent, grow lights, and other accessories.
We have listed and described for you some of the popular types of hydroponic weed system here.
DWC – Deep Water Culture
DWC is one of the cheapest and simplest methods. All you need is a large bucket filled with nutrient rich solution required by the plant. Then you need a smaller basket filled with peat for the roots to grow and a submerged air stone to provide oxygen to the roots.
For every plant or weed, you need a separate set up with the basket. In case you need to grow multiple plants, you can connect all these baskets with a reservoir using irrigation tubes. The reservoir will provide and circulate fresh water and nutrients between these plants.
Pros
- More than one plant can be grown by this technique
- Simple to set up
Cons
- Difficult to keep the temperature of the reservoir within the range of suitable temperature
- Pump failure can kill the crops
Drip Hydroponics
The drip hydroponic system does not immerse the roots in a solution. Instead, through a network of different tubes, the nutrient-rich solution drips on to the roots and is sprayed on them. the plant absorbs some of these nutrients whereas; the pump recycles the rest of the solution back to the reservoir for reuse.
Pros
- Less wastage of water
- Recommended for areas where water is short
Cons
- Pump to circulate the water can break down
- Not suitable for organic growing
Ebb & Flow
The ebb and flow method immerses the roots in the nutrient-rich water periodically. When the pump switches on, the water flows from the reservoir to the roots and soaks them fully. When the pump switches off, the water drains back into the reservoir via tubes. At this time, the exposed roots absorb oxygen for the air for respiration.
Pros:
- No requirement of air stones
- Periods between the flooding of roots prevent fungal growth
Cons
- Water needs replacement every few days
- High maintenance cost
Aeroponics
The Aeroponic method exposes the roots to the atmosphere which is similar to that of a rainforest. The plants hang from baskets with their exposed roots on which the nutrient-rich water is misted on. This results in the formation of a fog of nutrients which makes the plant grow very rapidly.
Pros
- The use of water is very efficient
- Plants grow very rapidly
Cons
- Not suitable for beginners
- Close monitoring of environmental factors such as temperature required
Last Thoughts
To sum it up, there are many different types of hydroponic system for growing cannabis which make use of different techniques. According to us, the best one is the Aeroponic with misting technique due to many reasons.
Firstly, compared to other systems, Aeroponics technique uses water very efficiently and effectively. Secondly, there is a very little chance of some parasite or fungus. Thus, places facing scarcity of water can benefit from this technique and grow cannabis very rapidly.
