The NFT system starts like a drip system, it has a reservoir with a pump. The pump has a tube that branches off to smaller tubes to feed the plants. But, the plants are watered at the roots. The plants are setup in troughs like rain gutters. The trough has a cover with round or square holes cut out for each plant. The holes are spaced correctly for the crop. The plants are growing in small plastic baskets about 2 inches across, filled with rock or rockwool. The baskets are placed in the holes in the cover of the trough. Some systems don't use baskets just a cube of rockwool or similar growing material. The water comes in the trough at one end and drains out the other. Most of the roots will fill the bottom of the trough. The goal with this system is to get just enough water flowing all the time to keep the roots wet and also keep them exposed to the air to get the extra Oxygen. It works quite well when setup and maintained correctly.
No comments:
Post a Comment