Hydroponics is a form of gardening that is generally done indoors in a controlled environment. It uses a light system, an environment (also known as a grow box) and a feeding system (a mixture of water and nutrients)… oh, and of course your plant of choice.
The main piece of equipment required when indoor growing is the grow box. This is your environment. It controls the temperature, the humidity, the light timing, the watering etc. It also protects your plant system from bugs and other pests.
The grow box is made up of a number of key parts: The box itself which is usually made of a material that is reflective to enhance the light inside the grow box . You also want this material to not be porous so that you don’t run into any mold or bug issues .
You also need a lighting system . Many grow boxes use a lighting system that runs either an HPS (high pressure sodium) or a MH (metal halide) bulb.
Because the lighting system in your hydroponics grow box creates a lot of heat (and our favorite plants don’t like too much of it) you will need a way of cooling the inside temp, and venting the excess heat. These fans will not only control the air that comes in and out of your box, but can also prevent smells by blowing air through an external carbon filter.
Another primary component of the grow box is the rooting system. A lot of indoor grow boxes are hydroponic , and this will require a hydroponic system.
This system includes a hydro bucket (to hold the plants and the water/nutrient mix), a watering system (with a water pump and a timing system to automate it), mesh pots (to allow the plants to be right above the water/nutrient mix), and a growing medium (to allow the plant to grow roots that will reach towards the water/nutrient mix).
