Homemade Hydroponic Closets
Hydroponic growing is difficult to regulate unless it is done in a contained environment. On a small scale, many different plants can be grown hydroponically in a small closet space. There are certain things you must do to have a successful homemade hydroponic closet. Does this Spark an idea?
Tanks and Lines
The main aspect of a hydroponic growing system in a closet is a place to hold the water in which the plants will grow, as well as tanks to feed and drain that water reservoir. A pump helps to circulate this water.
The water circulation system consists of two tanks and a root chamber water reservoir. The drip feed tank and the drain tank recirculate water used in the root chamber, where the plants grow. A small pump should be installed on the drain tank to help recirculate the water which is drained from the root chamber. This will be sent back up to the drip feed tank.
The root chamber is located between the two tanks in the middle of the closet, between the drip feed tank (which is above) and the drain tank (which is below, usually on the floor). All these water storage areas are connected by watertight tubing. Keeping these aspects of your hydroponic closet working is integral to the health of your plants.
Grow Light
Depending on the size of your closet and the number of plants you are growing, you should install a grow light of at least 400 watts. This will simulate sunlight for the plants. This light should be set to a timer, switching on and off every 12 hours and keeping the plants growing on a regular cycle. This will be the most expensive part of the procedure over time, as you will be accruing electricity costs.
Exhaust Fan
An exhaust fan should be installed in your hydroponic closet to help remove heat produced by the lights and moisture produced by the water and plants. The fan should vent to the outside of your house so the heat and moisture doesn't remain inside; this can be both uncomfortable and unhealthy. Using an exhaust fan also will help keep the plants in a temperate environment, which is ideal for most plants.
Tags: root chamber, drain tank, drip feed, drip feed tank, feed tank
