How to Make a Simple Home Hydroponic Garden

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Cut out a piece of plywood measuring 1x1.5m

   This will be used as the bottom of the hydroponic bed.
2. 2

   Step 2: and 2.5cm thick.

   Cut a further two pieces of lumber 15x85cm, and 5cm thick.
   
   These will be used as the siding of the hydroponic bed. , Screw the lumber border pieces together to create a frame, using two screws to attach each two lumber borders together.
   
   Then drill a 2cm hole in the centre 1cm from the bottom.
   
   This will later be used to drain excess water, preventing the plants from becoming swamped. , Place the frame down and the plywood on top.
   
   Use enough screws to make it secure, about 1 every 20cm is enough. , Cut the plastic giving the box an extra 30cm on each side.
   
   That would make the 6 millimetre plastic
   1.3x1.8m.
   
   You also need to cut a hole in the plastic 44cm from the edge in the middle; this will also be used to drain water if it fills up too much, to prevent drowning the plants. , It has to be a completely smooth bottom.
   
   Wrap the excess over the edges of the box and tape it for now.
   
   Be sure to make sure the hole in the plastic and the hole in the wood line up. , Now that it is taped in place and smoothed, wrap wire around the edges to keep it into place. , It should only be sticking into the box about 4 cm. , The bed is complete and you can now start prepping it for planting.
   
   You can repeat as many times as you want until you get the amount of beds you want for your space. , You will find quite a few since the majority of what's being burned is pallets, and you don't want nails in your hydroponic bed, for obvious reasons. ,,,, Take the 1L bottle and fill it halfway with the hard water.
   
   Add the nutrients (Zinc Sulphate: 2.2g, Manganese Sulphate: 15g, Copper Sulphate: 0.8g , Boric Acid: 28g, Sodium Molybdate: 0.25) one by one, letting them dissolve before adding the next one.
   
   Once finished, fill the bottle up to 1L.
   
   This will now be referred to as the Trace Mix Solution.
   
   It can be saved and used multiple times afterwards. , Fill the second 1L bottle halfway with hard water.
   
   Add the 20g of Chelated Iron from item #7.
   
   Fill the bottle up to 1L.
   
   This too can be used multiple times afterwards. , Add the Calcium Nitrate (item #2) and let it dissolve completely.
   
   Add the Potassium Nitrate (item #3) and let it dissolve completely.
   
   Add 100ml of the Iron Chelate solution.
   
   Fill the bucket up to 5L with water. This will be known as Mix
   1. , Individually add the Sulphate of Potash (#4) Monopotassium Phosphate(#5) and Magnesium Sulphate individually, allowing each to dissolve fully before adding the next.
   
   Add 10ml of Trace Mix Solution.
   
   Fill the bucket up to 5L with water. This will be known as Mix
   2. , You now have enough ingredients to supply 100L of nutrient solution for your plants. , Create a mix of 90% water, 5% Mix 1, 5% Mix
   2.
   
   So to create 1L of nutrient solution, use 900ml of hard water, 50ml of Mix 1 and 50ml of Mix
   2. , If they are already seedlings, plant them with a thin layer of charcoal between them and the bottom.
   
   If you're using seeds, then take out 1/4 of the charcoal and spread them and put the charcoal back on top. ,, After each time you harvest anything from these beds, you should wash them thoroughly, removing any unwanted growth and cleaning it.
   
   This should happen at least three times a year. ,,
3. 3

   Step 3: Cut two pieces of lumber 15x150cm

4. 4

   Step 4: and 5cm thick.

5. 5

   Step 5: Get seven 1/2cm deck screws.

6. 6

   Step 6: Screw the frame down onto the plywood.

7. 7

   Step 7: Use standard 6 millimetre black plastic to hold the water.

8. 8

   Step 8: Place the plastic in the box

9. 9

   Step 9: smoothing it out perfectly.

10. 10

    Step 10: Add wire.

11. 11

    Step 11: Take a 2cm circumference pipe

12. 12

    Step 12: 10cm long and place it through the plastic and the wood holes.

13. 13

    Step 13: Take 5kg's of charcoal and sift through it for nails with a decently powerful magnet.

14. 14

    Step 14: Rinse all of the charcoal thoroughly to just clean it off for the plants.

15. 15

    Step 15: Leave the charcoal out to dry for about a day in direct sunlight while being stirred occasionally.

16. 16

    Step 16: Once dried

17. 17

    Step 17: the charcoal is ready to go into the bed

18. 18

    Step 18: and you are finished with this part.

19. 19

    Step 19: Make the trace mix solution.

20. 20

    Step 20: Make an iron chelate solution.

21. 21

    Step 21: Take a 5L container

22. 22

    Step 22: and fill it up with 4L of hard water.

23. 23

    Step 23: Take the second 5L container and fill it up with 4L of hard water.

24. 24

    Step 24: Understand that the reason you make two solutions (Mix 1 and Mix 2) is to avoid certain chemicals from reacting with each other over time.

25. 25

    Step 25: Use your nutrient solutions.

26. 26

    Step 26: Plant the plants you desire in the charcoal bed.

27. 27

    Step 27: Water your plants a couple times a day and they will be strong and healthy.

28. 28

    Step 28: Wash the beds out.

29. 29

    Step 29: Allow the charcoal to dry in the sun while stirring it occasionally.

30. 30

    Step 30: Repeat this entire cycle for clean efficient food.

Detailed Guide

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