NFT Nutrients - Special Considerations When Growing With the Nutrient Film Technique

In the nutrient film technique, the roots of hydroponically grown plants are submerged in a thin "film" of flowing water. The relative simplicity of the nutrient film technique makes it one of the best options for beginners. All that is really required to start up your own hydroponic garden is a small, quality NFT system and a few good NFT nutrients. But that does not make it necessarily perfect and there are a few issues that should be addressed before diving head first in the nutrient film technique.

Here are the most important things to consider when growing with NFT nutrients.

Aeration - One of the biggest concerns with the nutrient film technique is keeping the NFT nutrient solution properly aerated. Stagnant water, which has very little oxygen, can actually harm your roots. With no oxygen in the solution itself, the constant stream of water can actually cause root rot, and eventually harm the progress of your plants. There are two main solutions to this issue. The simplest way is to add some hydrogen peroxide to your nutrient solution. While this does oxygenate your nutrient solution, it kills off any organic life, which can be a problem if you are using any beneficial bacteria or fungi products. A better way is to just use an air pump that steadily pumps oxygen into the nutrient solution. It requires you to purchase one more piece of equipment, but it takes care of the problem with ease.

A Little Support - The plants themselves have little that allow them to support themselves and keep upright, so you are going to have to find some way to ensure that your plants don't topple over. This can be especially problematic, as your plants grow very large and yielding. You may, in fact, have to use nets, strings, or other methods of support in order to prevent your larger plants from falling over. Be sure to plan ahead, so that you don't walk into your grow room one day to discover one more of your plants have tumbled out of your grow tray.

Prone to Disease - Since the roots are constantly submerged in water, plants growing using NFT nutrients are a little more prone to diseases like pythium. The only real way counteract this is try and make your plants as healthy as possible. Use high quality NFT nutrients to ensure that your plants have strong immune systems that can fight off bacterial infections. You might also consider adding in a hydroponics supplement that contains beneficial bacteria. With the presence of beneficial bacteria, it makes it much less likely for harmful bacteria to take hold in your reservoir.

Pump buildup/clogging - As with any hydroponics system, you need to always make sure that your pump is working properly. If salts for the NFT nutrients build up in your pump, it can possibly pinch off your plant's supply of nutrients and moisture. Keep a close eye on this to ensure that every part of your system is operating properly.

As I mentioned before, the NFT technique of hydroponics gardening is easy to set up, simple to maintain and gives you beautiful plants at minimum cost. Plus you can grow and dine on fresh herbs, vegetables or fruits year round and brighten your rooms with fragrant flowers every season without spending much money!

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