How To Start Growing With Hydroponics For Beginners

If you’d like to know how to build your own hydroponic garden and get started with indoor growing then this article will show you how!

Think of this as the “ultimate” hydroponics guide for beginners because we’re not going to bog you down with too many details or confuse you with a ton of jargon …

On this page you’ll just find the simple, 30,000ft view of how it all works and how you can get started as quickly as possible growing your own hydroponic plants!

What Is Hydroponics?

Before we get started, let’s actually define what we are talking about here …

What is hydroponic farming anyways?

Wikipedia actually has the perfect definition because it’s so simple:

“Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral solution only, or in an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel. The nutrients in hydroponics can be from fish waste, normal nutrients, or duck manure.”

So basically, we’re looking to grow plants without actually having to plant them in the ground. That means we can grow them indoors if we choose!

Eljay from the YouTube series “How To Hydro” has a great explanation for why we want to do indoor gardening. He says, “Indoor growing is all about creating perfect Sundays, every day, for all your plants”:

Why Would You Want To Start Growing With Hydroponics?

A hydroponics vs. soil comparison for Holland Hybrid tomatoes showing taller plants from hydroponics.

There are many reasons why people want to get into hydro plant growing, but we’ll cover some of the most important and popular reasons here…

• Faster Growth! Plants grow faster with hydroponics because it’s a more efficient way to grow them. For example, most experts agree that plants will grow at least 20% faster with hydroponics vs soil. That’s a huge time saver!

• Bigger Yields! Scientists have lots of theories as to why this is the case, but the fact of the matter is that experts also agree you can expect at least 20-25% more yields with hydro as compared to growing in soil. That truly adds up!

• No soil! This can be a benefit because you may live in an area where there is no good soil to grow plants outside. Or perhaps you don’t have any outside area because you live in an urban area. With a hydro grow you can still grow plants, even if you don’t have soil!

• Space Saving! Because your plants don’t need to spread their roots out into lots of soil to get the nutrients they need (because they’re surrounded by oxygenated nutrient-rich water solution)–you can pack more plants closer together. This saves a TON of space and one of the amazing features about indoor grows is how many plants can be put together and grown in a small space. Again, this is perfect for urban dwellers who want to grow a lot of plants with little space.

• Water Saving! Because you are using reservoirs that are covered (to prevent evaporation) and no water seeps out of the bottom (because they’re sealed)–the plants take up the exact amount of water they need at any one time and the rest remains in the reservoir to be used later. Compare this to soil gardening where you have to water your plants daily and most of the water is wasted. It’s easy to see how the same amount of water used to water a plant in soil for a day can water a plant in a simple hydroponic system for multiple days or even a week at a time! In short, you can save about 90% of your water by switching to hydro growing.

• No Weeds! One of the most tedious, time-consuming and frustrating activities for many gardeners is cleaning their gardens and pulling out weeds. With hydroponics growing there are no weeds to pull!

• Less Diseases & Pests! Because you’re not using soil, you also get rid of a lot of soil-borne diseases and pests that can normally wreak havoc on your plants and make gardening a pain.

A graph showing bigger circumference (size) plants from hydroponics. From A hydroponics vs. soil comparison for Holland Hybrid tomatoes.

Why NOW Is A Great Time To Start Your Own Hydro Farm

The truth is that Hydroponics gardening has never been more popular than right now!

The Different Types of Hydroponics and How They Are Different

When it comes to hydroponics systems, there are six main types to choose from. These are:

1. Deep Water Culture (DWC)

2. Ebb and Flow (Flood and Drain)

3. Wicking

4. Drip

5. Aeroponic

6. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

Now, there are actually multiple variations of each of these different types of hydro systems, but these are the “high level” overviews and categories of basic designs.

Here’s the important thing to remember:

ALL these systems are hydroponics because they don’t use soil, and because you’re feeding the plants a nutrient-rich water solution instead of planting them in soil. The only difference between each type is HOW they deliver the water, oxygen and nutrients that you’re feeding the plants.



The EASIEST Type of Hydroponics System To Setup

 Without a doubt, most hydroponics experts would agree that a Deep Water Culture (DWC) hydroponics system is the easiest type of hydro system to use for indoor growing because it requires the LEAST amount of materials, supplies, and know-how to get started:

The Deep Water Culture (DWC) hydro system is the easiest for beginners to use.

In a DWC hydro system, you simply fill up a reservoir with your nutrient solution. You then suspend your plant’s roots in that solution so they receive the steady, continuous supply of water, oxygen, and nutrients.

Then a continuous oxygen supply is added to the water. The most common way that growers oxygenate the nutrient solution reservoir is with an air pump and airstone to pump bubbles into it. This keeps your plant’s roots from “drowning” which — while it sounds weird — is a real concern because your plants will suck the oxygen they need out of the water.

Using the DWC system, you’ll find it’s extremely simple to setup (once you understand how it all works) and extremely low-maintenance (again, once you understand how it works) making it perfect for hydroponics beginners.

What About Lighting For Your Plants?

 The fact is that your plants need light to grow.

The simple answer is that if you can locate your hydroponics system where your plants can get at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, that is the best. Sunlight provides all the lighting that your plants need to grow correctly.

If you can’t locate your plants in direct sunlight, then you will have to provide artificial lighting using your own indoor grow lights. The truth is that a complete discussion of the proper indoor grow lights is beyond the scope of this article, but you will need to select the proper lighting system with the correct spectrum of light, intensity, power and that covers enough “footprint” to work with your garden. For more information on choosing the right hydroponic grow lights, click here.

Big Tip: Start Your Plants From Clones

If you’re just getting started growing hydroponically, you want to make it easier on yourself. The best way to do that is to eliminate all the things that might go wrong.

That’s why we recommend starting from a live plant instead of trying to use seeds for your first grow. This is called “cloning” and more tips on how to do this can be found here.

To use herbs as an example, simply acquire an herb seedling and gently remove it from the soil and potting container it came in and wash away all the dirt from the roots of the plant. You don’t want to contaminate your water.

Once you have rinsed the plant’s roots with water, then you can simply add it into your net pot in the lid of your bucket. If the seedling already has roots that you can pull through the net pot into the water, that’s even better and going to make your job easier. Then you simply cover the root system with your growing media and let the system do the rest of the work!

How To Make Sure Your Water Doesn’t KILL Your Plants!

 If possible, you want to use Reverse Osmosis (RO) water for your nutrient solution because if you don’t you could seriously harm your plants. See our article “Why all hydroponics growers should use reverse osmosis water systems” for complete details.

Also, if you are using RO water and especially if you are using tap water, you need to know that pH is an important factor. Most tap water is in the 7.0-8.0 pH range. The recommended herbs in this guide thrive in water that’s a little lower pH than this, around the “sweet spot” of 5.5-6.3

How do you know? You’ll need to buy a pH testing kit to test your water. And if your pH is off then you will need to add pH-Up or pH-Down to adjust your pH levels.

Why is this so important? Because when the pH of your hydroponic system gets out of balance—which can happen quickly if some kind of stabilizing agent or mechanism is not put in place—the ability of your plants to absorb macro, secondary, and micronutrients, as well as vitamins, carbohydrates, and other beneficial sources, is limited.

The truth is that dealing with pH issues can be a real hassle. That’s the bad news. The good news is that, if you use the right products, you can completely eliminate all your pH issues and you will never have to worry about this!

The Best Nutrients For Beginners Are From Advanced Nutrients

 The fact of the matter is that, no matter what you’re growing, the nutrients from Advanced Nutrients are the best nutrients for beginners (They’re also the best nutrients for professional growers too, but for different reasons that are beyond the scope of this article!).

How can we make such a bold statement?

Quite simply, it’s because all of Advanced Nutrients products are specifically designed for hydroponics growing. And they are the only nutrients to utilize scientific breakthroughs like pH Perfect Technology.

The fact is that Advanced Nutrients has spent many thousands of man-hours developing a technology that automatically balances your pH for you — putting it in the “sweet spot” and holds it there for weeks.

You can see more about pH Perfect Technology when you click here but the point is that for a beginner, again, the less variables the better. And utilizing the best nutrients in the world will only make your job easier.

Specifically, for the types of herbs we’re recommending on this page for beginners, we recommend using pH Perfect Sensi Grow A & B because you don’t actually want the herbs to bloom (because that could make them bitter).

By Advanced Nutrients | December 15, 2016

Hydroponic Nutrient Solution Basics

All plants need fertilizer to live. In traditional gardening and farming, plants get their nutrients from soil and additive such as compost, manure, and chemical fertilizers. In hydroponics, plants are not grown in soil so nutrients must be delivered directly through the solution they are watered with.

These nutrients are divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are those that plants need in large amounts, including carbon, phosphorous, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Micronutrients are needed in tiny amounts but are essential. These include zinc, nickel, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, boron, and chlorine.

Without these essential elements, plants are unable to build molecules, undergo enzymatic reactions, and complete the life cycle. For hydroponic gardeners, this means that without proper nutrients they cannot produce fruit or vegetables or that what they do produce would be sub-par.

Plant Needs

PH is also an essential element to consider. The pH value of a nutrient solution has a huge impact on the amount of nutrition a plant can absorb. It is essential to check pH levels on a regular basis, preferably daily, even if you are careful about measuring and mixing your nutrient solution correctly.

Different plants have slightly different requirements for pH value and nutrient concentration. If you are going to be growing a large variety of plants in your system, make sure to research the requirements for each so that you can group them in terms of their needs.

Temperature

A single plant’s needs may also change under different environmental conditions, such as weather, season, and temperature. This isn’t an issue for indoor setups that have a controlled environment, but it is something to consider if your system is located outside.

The nutrient solution must be kept at a steady temperature. The ideal is at room temperature, between 70 to 78 F. This is more of a concern for outdoor systems that are exposed to the weather. For winter, you can buy miniature water heaters that go inside your reservoir to keep the nutrient solution warm. For summer, keeping the ​reservoir in a shaded area and periodically topping it off with cool water is generally sufficient to keep it from getting too hot.​​​

Pre-Made vs. Homemade

You can either buy a pre-made nutrient solution, or you can formulate your own. Small farms and hobbyists generally purchase pre-mixed liquid or powder concentrates that are added to water. Large-scale farms generally mix their own to the specific needs of whatever they are growing, using bulk concentrates of the individual chemical compounds.

Pre-mixed concentrates usually come in two separate bottles, one for macronutrients and one for micronutrients. They are separated because some elements are incompatible with each other when concentrated and cause precipitation when they are combined. Once diluted, they do not form precipitates and can be used together without issue. Some manufacturers have managed to hold the incompatible nutrients in a chemical complex so that they do not mix—these are sold in a single pack.

For hydroponics, twin or triple pack solutions are usually the best options. They are simple to mix and only require a few materials: a container to mix them in, a dedicated measuring cup, and a stirrer. If your mixing container has a lid, you don’t even need a stirrer, as you can just shake it up. The measurement is usually 3.5 mL of each concentrate per liter. Make sure to double-check the mixing instructions on the bottle, though.

Depending on the size of your system, for example, with a large scale Ebb and Flow setup, you may want to mix your nutrient solution in very large quantities. Drums that are 55 gallons make ideal mixing buckets for large systems and can store enough nutrient solution to replenish your reservoir for weeks. For smaller systems, or if you do not have space for a large mixing container, it is perfectly okay to mix your solution on an as-needed basis.

After mixing your solution, let it sit for a few minutes and settle, then check the pH and adjust as necessary. Starting off with a perfect pH will make it easier to maintain. You can even measure the number of drops of pH Up or pH Down needed every time you mix your solution, and just add that amount to the water before mixing in your concentrate.

By Christina D’Anna | the Spruce | Oct 14, 2019

Hydroponic Nutrient Management: What Every Grower Should Know

Monica Mansfield | December 10, 2018

Takeaway: When you choose to grow hydroponically, it becomes your responsibility to ensure your plants are receiving what they need to be healthy and productive. Follow Monica Mansfield’s tips and your plants will think Mother Nature is working her magic.

One of the keys to a successful hydroponic garden is having a solid nutrient management plan. Plants grown hydroponically are much more sensitive to the nutrients you give them simply because they don’t have the soil to buffer any mistakes you may make. You are taking on nature’s role and are responsible for putting together the correct nutrients, in the right amounts, with the right pH, at the right time. You must also manage your water’s quality more strictly and be aware of any chemical incompatibilities that could hurt your plants.

Essential Hydroponic Nutrients

First things first, you must understand the importance of the nutrients you are feeding your plants. They can be broken down into three categories: primary, secondary, and micronutrients. In hydroponics, instead of receiving these nutrients from the soil, plants get these nutrients from the nutrient solution they grow in.

Primary nutrients include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. These are needed in large quantities for plants to thrive. The secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. They are needed in smaller quantities than the primary nutrients, but in much larger amounts than the micronutrients. Micronutrients include iron, molybdenum, boron, copper, manganese, sodium, zinc, nickel, chlorine, cobalt, aluminum, silicon, vanadium, and selenium. Plants also need carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, however, they receive these from the air and water.

If a plant takes in too much or too little of these nutrients, they will suffer from deficiencies or toxicities. Plants will show signs to help you figure out what they need. For example, a nitrogen deficiency will cause yellowing of the older leaves and slowed growth. Too much nitrogen can cause extremely green leaves, excessive vegetative growth, and reduced fruiting.

Understanding Hydroponic Ratios and Formulas

When you go into a hydroponic shop, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the hundreds of fertilizers lining the shelves. There are many different formulas and ratios to choose from.

There will be three numbers on the front of the fertilizer bottles. This is the NPK, which stands for nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, respectively. These numbers represent the percentage of each nutrient in the bottle. A 7-9-5 fertilizer will have seven percent nitrogen, nine percent phosphorous, and five percent potassium in that bottle. The back label will tell you the percentage of other nutrients in the fertilizer.

These ratios will vary a little by brand, what kind of formula it is, and what stage of growth it is meant for. Fertilizers formulated for the growth stage of plant development will have more nitrogen, while the bloom stage formulas will have less nitrogen and more phosphorous.

You will also see one-part, two-part, and three-part formulas. One-part formulas have one bottle for the growth stage and one bottle for the bloom stage of growth. While they contain all the nutrients needed, they likely have smaller amounts of calcium to keep the formula stable and will need to be supplemented. One-part formulas are ideal for beginners who don’t yet understand how to adjust recipes for their plant’s specific needs.

Two-part formulas have an A and B formula for growth, and an A and B formula for bloom. By separating some of the chemicals, the manufacturer has created a more stable and complete formula that can be mixed at different rates throughout the growth cycle. Specifically, higher amounts of calcium and phosphorous can be included in the base nutrients by separating them instead of putting them together in one bottle.

Three-part formulas include a separate grow, bloom, and micro formula that will be mixed together at different ratios throughout a plant’s life. This allows for much more flexibility so that the grower can tailor nutrient recipes to their plant’s specific needs and fix deficiencies more quickly.

Water

One of the most important things to consider in a hydroponic nutrient management program is your water. It is essential to test your water before designing your program. You will want to test for alkalinity, electrical conductivity (EC), and contaminants.

Alkalinity is measured from near zero to more than 300 parts per million (PPM). If your water’s alkalinity is high, then the pH will tend to rise in your nutrient solution. Ideally, you want your alkalinity as close to zero as possible, as it is in reverse osmosis treated water. It is important to note that alkalinity is not the same as pH. While pH can be measured at a certain point in time, alkalinity is a measure of your water’s longer-lasting pH effect. Knowing your water’s alkalinity can help you choose the proper fertilizer program. For example, you may want to use a fertilizer with greater amounts of acidic nitrogen to counter the pH rise.

Your water's EC can be a rough measurement of your water’s purity. Electrical conductivity measures the total dissolved salts in your water. If your EC is high, then you will want to use a drain-to-waste hydroponic system. Electrical conductivity should be low, ideally less than 0.25 mS/cm for closed systems. You can also filter your water using reverse osmosis if you would like to use a closed system but have a high EC.

Your lab analysis should tell you what other elements or contaminants are already present in your water. This is helpful when designing your fertilizer program. For example, if your water already has calcium or magnesium then you will not have to add as much to your nutrient solution. If your water has high levels of sodium or chloride, you know that you may need to purify your water or flush your soil more often to prevent salt build-up.

pH

Monitoring and maintaining a proper pH is crucial in a hydroponics nutrient management system. The solution’s pH measures how acidic or basic it is. The scale ranges from zero to 14, with 7.0 being neutral. Different nutrients are available at different pH levels. In general, nutrient solutions for hydroponics should have a pH between 5.0 and 6.0, which will create a pH in the root environment of between 6.0 and 6.5. In this range, more nutrients are readily available to plants.

You can measure pH with either pH strips or a pH meter. If you use a meter, be sure to calibrate it on a regular basis, about once every week or two.

Depending on your hydroponic system and your plant’s stage of growth, you may need to adjust your pH often. A drain-to-waste system does not reuse water, so you will adjust your pH when you mix it initially. However, recirculating systems will need more frequent adjustments. As roots respire, the pH will decrease as carbon dioxide reacts with water to create carbonic acid. This will happen much more towards harvest when roots are their largest.

To adjust your pH, you will add acids and bases to your nutrient solution. Add a little at a time and measure with your meter as you go. Common acids used to decrease pH include sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and nitric acid. To increase your pH, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide are commonly used. It is important to consider which acids and bases you use to adjust your pH, as they will add nutrients to your solution. For example, nitric acid will add nitrogen and phosphoric acid will add phosphorous.

PPM/EC

When mixing your nutrient solution, you have the option of creating your own program from scratch or following a pre-designed program from a fertilizer company. Commercial operations usually design their program from scratch so that they can adjust their solution as needed. To save money, many commercial operations use recirculating systems and lab-test their nutrient solution regularly so they can add only the elements that have been depleted. For the hobby grower, however, it is much easier to follow a feeding plan that has been designed by a fertilizer company. Most companies have feeding schedules available to go with their products.

Although you can simply follow the measurements on the bottle, your solution will be more precise if you mix it using a PPM or EC meter. Parts per million and EC both measure the total dissolved salts in your solution. While this measurement will not tell you exactly how much nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium is in your solution, it will give you an idea of the overall nutrient concentration. You can use this number to add nutrients to a recirculating system in between reservoir changes. Most feeding schedules will tell you what the PPM or EC should be at each week’s stage of growth.

If you are a hydro grower, follow these principles to create an effective nutrient management plan for a successful harvest.

(For more on plant nutrients, check out The Essential Plant Nutrients.)