What Are the Best Hydro Systems for Beginner Growers?

1. Dripper systems

Dripper systems can actually be used on soil grown plants as well as coco coir, rock wool and hydroton clay. These easy to set up systems require connecting drip lines and stakes to allow a pump sat in the reservoir to recirculate water back. How much water the plants receive, and the feeding frequency, can be decided by the grower, as this can vary at different stages of the plants' life cycle.

Skill level 
You will not need any skills or relevant experience to set up a dripper system and insert a dripper stake into each pot. In fact, many gardeners will have a similar system connected to their garden hose, making watering simple and to allow the plants to be watered at the same time each day.

Maintenance 
The only maintenance involved when growing cannabis with dripper systems is to make sure the pH and EC of your reservoir as on point, and to also change the reservoir every 5–7 days with a fresh nutrient mix.

My top tip
You must only use chemical liquid fertilizers when using dripper lines in order to prevent them from becoming blocked. Enzymes will also help break down any nutrient salts blocking pipes and allow the system to work effectively. 

2. Flood and drain tables

A flood and drain table works by causing nutrient solution to be pumped from underneath the table. Once the water rises on the table, the small sized pots which will be filled with either coco or hydroton and will sit temporarily flooded until the nutrient solution is drained back down to the reservoir underneath the flood table. Oxygen replaces the nutrient solution, and this process can occur 5–8 times per day in some scenarios. 

Skill level 
I would say that flood and drain tables are highly rewarding once you can get them working in your favour. In the event that you are using 100% hydroton clay balls in 3.5 litre pots, then overwatering your plants will be much harder, making flood and drain tables with hydroton a good choice set up for a beginner.

Maintenance 
All you have to do is set your timer to decide when you want the table to be flooded. During the flowering period, feeding the plants 5-6 times a day is quite common and can result in massive yields from such small pots. Make sure you keep on top of pH and EC levels and be sure to change the reservoir with fresh nutrients every 5–7 days.

My top tip
I have seen many growers do very well with a flood and drain set up with coco coir, however my tip is to go all out and use only clay hydroton. Make sure that you clean the hydroton thoroughly before you and remove any orange dust and sandy residue.

3. Deep water culture (DWC)

From my experience, deep water culture buckets are the most productive out of all the systems when it comes to yields, however are also the most demanding. DWC buckets basically allow a cannabis plant’s roots to hang down into an oxygen rich nutrient solution. DWC requires an air pump to produce dissolved oxygen, which is one of the reasons plants can become enormous.

Skill level 
I would only recommend deep water culture and reverse deep water culture (RDWC) to experienced growers who are familiar with hydroponics. The reason being, there is a higher risk of something going wrong that demands instant attention.

Maintenance 
Changing the reservoir over can be a bit of a logistical nightmare if you do not have a second bucket ready to drop the roots and plant into. You may also find that DWC buckets use more nutrients and take higher E.C levels than other systems, which can increase the cost of nutrients over time. 

My top tip
The temperature of the nutrient solution should be warm enough, so the nutrients can dissolve without any cloudiness appearing. Using an aquarium fish tank heater set to 18 degrees Celsius and making sure the pH levels are between 5.5–6.5 for optimal nutrient uptake. 

4. Aeroponics

Aeroponic systems are similar to DWC buckets, and will use a pump and sprinkler nozzle at the tops, sides and bottom to spray the suspended roots. The mix of air and nutrient solution is the perfect combination to promote vigorous root growth and an abundance of root hairs. Cannabis plants will grow very quickly and tall in aeroponic systems, producing large yields. 

Skill level 
Once the plants are hanging in place and the roots are inside the grow chamber, you will not need to do much. It is worth bearing in mind that during the flowering period, plants can become so tall and bushy that plant training may be required. 

Maintenance 
Change the nutrient solution of the reservoir every 5–7 days and make sure that the pH is between 5.5–6.5. Feeding times will typically be 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off when the grow lights are turned on. 

My top tip
To avoid oversized cannabis plants that will need a tremendous amount of support, keep the vegetative phase of 18/6 down to a maximum of 10 days. Working with cannabis clones will also help save time and keep plants to a normal height.

5. Nutrient film technique (NFT)

NFT systems that are used in the cannabis industry will be based on a tank and top tray set up with a pump dripping water to the sloping level where the roots of the plant are set. NFT systems can be grown with rock wool or hydroton and due to the roots being permanently sat in a light stream of nutrient solution 24 hours a day, yields from nutrient film technique hydro systems can be on the same level as DWC.

Skill level 
I love using NFT tables as they are so easy to set up, and you only need to set the pump up, let a small flow of water drip down and make sure the top table is well covered, and the roots are lightproof. I definitely recommend using them if you are a beginner grower, and to use the small models available to buy for cupboard and small tent sized projects.

Maintenance 
To change the reservoir, you just need to connect a pump and hose and drain away the old nutrient solution. This should be done every 5–7 days and the pH level should always remain between 5.5–6.5

My top tip
The roots of a cannabis plant grown using nutrient film technique tables can become so massive, they grow down to where the pump is and can block the pump. This can most likely occur when plants are large sized, so always check your pump is free from roots.