GROWING MEDIA FOR HYDROPONICS FARMING

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What is Hydroponics

Hydroponics is science of growing plant without use of soil but with use of inert material such as gravel, sand, peat, vermiculite, pumice or sawdust to which is added to nutrient solution containing all essential elements needed by the plant for growth and development.  

What are the growing media that can be used in hydroponics for the growth of plants:

The media that can be used to nature the growth of plant in case of hydroponics are mainly used for two purpose on:

  1. On the basis to support the roots of the plants 
  2. On basis of proper supply of water / oxygen/Nutrient solution
With the accessibility of so many varieties of grow media, it is pretty difficult to pick out the best one. Here Some media are listed that are the major Types of Hydroponic used Media:

Coconut Coir

Coco Peat or ultra-peat, Coconut coir is highly organic, highly inert and have great water holding capacity. Being the most efficient growing media for hydroponic, it also has great water retention and aeration property and it is Eco-friendly. 




Perlite 

A form of volcanic glass, perlite is formed under strong and rapid heat. It is one of the most preferred methods to add aeration to media mixes as having air retention and inexpensive. However, having a neutral pH, Light weighted so it is very easy to flow and thus, it is rarely used alone. 


  

Vermiculite 

Vermiculite is a form of hydrated laminar minerals which is processed by exposing the material to extreme heat to enlarge them into clean, odorless pellets. It is light in weight and has light amount of minerals (Ca, Mg &iron) for enriching the mix it is neutral in reaction as it is non-toxic, sterile, moist-resistant so it can hold water and nutrient fairly.


Rock-wool 

Rock-wool is extensively used largely on commercial farms as it is sterile, porous medium. It is an ideal growing media as it has microbial immunity, good air flow and water retention capacity. 


Expanded Clay Pellets

Expanded Clay Pellets or hydro ton are small round balls which are formed by heating and expanding clays. They are light-weighted but can provide strong support for the plants. They are sustainable in use as well as costing , having effective air retention capacity.

Oasis cubes 

Oasis cubes are made from floral foam and contain a good amount of nutrients and air. They are more advanced and sophisticated kind of growing cubes.They are easy to maintain as they having a neutral pH, its cells absorb water and air for long duration. They are economically viable in small hydroponics setups.


 Quality Certificate for Media
We should aware about the Quality of media we are selecting. For quality assessments we can check the EC & pH of Media for soil-less culture the media should have neutral pH & EC should be less than 1000 μS/cm. 

Conclusion:
Using these Soil Less Hydroponic Media, we should not have worries about the threat of soil borne diseases and pests. As we are working with advanced technology i.e. hydroponics so we should provide what exactly the plant needs and thus, a plant will focus more on growing upstairs instead of expanding the root system downstairs.It promotes the growth of plants by making them available with all the nutrients, moisture and oxygen. 

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