The Ebb and Flow Hydroponic System

Flood and Drain (Ebb and Flow) Hydroponics

When you use the ebb and flow (flood and drain) hydroponic system, what is happening is that your nutrient solution floods your plants (low at the base level, roots) momentarily before draining back into your reservoir. The most common setup for an ebb & flow is to have a reservoir filled with your nutrient solution and a submerged water pump at the bottom of the reservoir tub. Most people use a timer and the pump turns on and proceeds to pump the solution into your grow trays. When the pump shuts off, gravity takes over and the solution drains back in to the reservoir and this process repeats itself at whatever interval you set it to, based on the conditions of your growing project. What is the interval of the pump and how do you know what to set it at? Well, that is a hard question to ask without knowing some of the conditions and parameters of your project and a combination of several main factors. The average is several times a day, but that can change based on the type of plants you intend to grow, what size of plant they are, the temperature required of your growing area / indoor greenhouse, the humidity required for your grow room and what material you will be using for your “soil” or growing medium in the hydroponic setup. This type of hydroponic system is quite versatile and adaptive and you can work with many types of growing materials. Two ways to arrange your soil material is to either fill up your growing trays and plant directly in the trays or the more popular option is the method of placing each of your plants into individual pots or planters and filling them with grow medium. With individual pots the home grower (or commercial greenhouse operator) can reposition each plant independently of one another and remove or add new plants from and to the project. Good growing mediums used in this type of hydro system tend to be granular clays, Rockwool, gravel, Grow Rocks, Vermiculite, Perlite, Pro-Mix, coconut fiber, Fafford’s and many other soil options. The main issue of concern with a hydroponic setup like this is equipment failure or the dreaded power outage.  If your pump or timer fails or the power goes out for any length of time, it is advisable to prepare for such an unfortunate event because your plants and their roots can dry out pretty quick depending on the conditions and circumstances involved. A good idea is to use a growing medium that retains or holds moisture for longer, extended periods of time. Some such materials could include Vermiculite, Perlite, Rock-Wool, coconut fiber or any of the soilless grow mixes (like Pro-Mix or something similar).  An ebb and flow hydroponic system is a great choice for many grow projects and we highly recommend it, but make sure you research all the different types of hydroponic systems and find the one that best fits your needs and goals.