The interesting realm of alternative farming is gaining more and more momentum these days. People from different walks of life, from engineering to teaching, are increasingly experimenting with hydroponics.
While some individuals utilize hydroponics as a business and quit their jobs to focus only on farming, this is not required. The majority of hydroponic systems are quite scalable. With similar effectiveness, they may be used to cultivate a few plants in your garden or hundreds of crops for commercial sales.
The Fundamental Science behind Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants in which they are engrossed in a nutrient-rich water solution. The roots of plants come into direct contact with the nutrient-rich fluid instead of soil to grow them. Additionally, the plants will have access to a significant amount of oxygen, which will aid in their growth.
Nutrient Film Technique, Deep Water Culture, Wick Hydroponics, Dutch Bucket Hydroponics, and the Ebb and Flow System are all examples of hydroponic systems. The type of crops that will be cultivated and where they will be grown will decide which one you choose.
Dutch Bucket Hydroponics
The simplest hydroponic system to construct is a Dutch bucket setup, also known as a Bato bucket setup. It's a spin-off of the media bed technique. The media bed system is divided into smaller buckets. Because all of these buckets are interconnected by the same irrigation and drainage pipes, this system saves a lot of water.
Working Principle of Dutch Bucket Hydroponic Setup
The three primary elements of Dutch bucket hydroponics are circulation, drainage, and timing.
The flow of the system begins with a reservoir into which you will put enough nutrients and water to supply each bucket in the system. A pump placed in the reservoir pushes water to an irrigation line.
This irrigation line has small drip emitters that let the water reach the growth media in each bucket. There is adequate water for each plant, and any surplus drains through a single, common drainage line. As a result, the extra water rushes back to the reservoir where it began.
Water may be recirculated due to a combined irrigation and drainage system. This makes this approach far more efficient than traditional ways of irrigation.
Build a Dutch bucket Hydroponic set up at home
Let's assume you want to design a simple eight-bucket system for the sake of clarity. Here's how you should approach it.
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First and foremost, you must pick where you want to install your Dutch bucket system. It might be placed on a table or a platform. If you don't have access to these, a location on the floor will suffice.
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Cut an 8-feet length of 2-inch-wide PVC pipe and put it down in the designated area. This will be the drainage pipe for the system.
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Place eight buckets, four on each side of the drainage system. While a foot or so apart works for most systems, the precise distance depends on the plant you're cultivating. Remember to note the location of the buckets on the drainpipe.
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Drill holes into the top of the drainage pipe in which the above markings are present.
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Connect one end of your drainpipe to a PVC elbow. This will link the pipe to the reservoir positioned beneath it.
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Drill tiny holes into the sides of each bucket to allow excess water to escape to the drainage pipe. To conceal the sharp edges, insert a rubber grommet into these holes. Cut small pieces of 1-inch wide pipe and sand them down so that the elbows may readily attach to them. Each piece should be around 6 inches long.
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Put one piece in each container. Attach PVC elbows to these in such a manner that they point down.
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Now is the time to locate your Dutch buckets and attach the elbows that link the buckets to your main drainage pipe. The drainage system is done, and we're almost there!
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Now we'll put the growing medium into buckets. It is best to place them in a paint strainer bag rather than directly into the bucket. Otherwise, the growth media may drain into the reservoir, causing your pump to fail. To build the irrigation line, wrap a half-inch wide poly tube over the tops of your buckets.
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Drill 8 holes in it and attach drip emitters into each one to provide a continuous flow of water.
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Use a hose clamp to secure a pump at the beginning of the irrigation line. And then insert this pump into the reservoir.
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Fill your reservoir with water. And there you have it: your system is now ready!
It works well with practically any plant, but it is most suited for tall and vining fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, squashes, peppers, cucumbers, and beans.
So, what are you waiting out for? Begin today, and you'll soon be able to enjoy market-fresh homegrown vegetables.
