Growing with hydroponics. Necessities and things you will need to know

Using Hydroponics to grow plants, there are a few things that are really necessary which are different from growing in soil. Whatever Hydroponic system you choose to use, you will have to deal with this sometime.

Water: Plants grown in an indoor herb or vegetable garden require much less water compared to soil-based gardens, as hydroponic systems are able to recycle the nutrient solution.  Use purified or reverse osmosis filtered water, as poor water quality can have an adverse effect on your plants. If you just want to risk it with tap water, at least leave the water uncovered overnight with a air stone to aerate the  chorine or floride out. You can also use rainwater. Before adding fresh water to your reservoir it is important to allow it to reach room temperature, as plants do not like rapid temperature changes in the root zone.

Nutrients – The hydroponic nutrients you choose are the most important aspect to grow hydroponic herbs. Make sure to use a high-quality line. (More on this in the future) Several different herbs/vegetables may be grown in a single nutrient solution; however, care must be taken to avoid minor nutrient deficiencies. Make sure to monitor and control the balance of the nutrient solution on a daily basis. Completely replace the nutrient solution every 7 to 14 days, depending upon plant size and nutrient usage. 

Equipment –
You are strongly recommend to have a digital pH tester and EC/PPM meter to accurately check the pH and nutrient strength of the system. Generally the nutrient strength should run between 800 to 1500 parts per million (ppm), though the exact ppm requirements will vary depending on circumstances and style of growing.  The pH of the nutrient solution should be between 5.5 and 6.0. This also depends on the type of plants you are growing, but a general rule of thumb its usually between 5.5 to 6

Environmental Conditions – Most herbs grow well at temperatures between 20 to 26°C( 70-80°F). They prefer relative humidity levels around 40-50%, some sun, and adequate drainage. You can also propagate some herbs from cuttings especially Basil. 

Lighting - It is important to provide enough light for your herb garden. If your light levels are low, give them a boost with some lights/LED/HPS/CFL above the top of your plants. I am planning a whole section just on lights soon. Using the right light spectrum will greatly increase growth and yield. CFL Lights and LED Lights for hydroponics are a hotly debated issue. 

Pesticide Use - 
If you are growing your own herbs/vegetable, you would probably not want to use any chemical based pesticides for your own sake. 
A good preventative, such as insecticidal soap, will usually keep most pests under control. Sticky traps should be used for indicators of what is present. Indoors, herbs tend to be more attractive to aphids and whiteflies. Use a organic pestide if you really have to. Come back for  a recipe for some homemade pesticide soon.

Choosing Your Herbs - Some herbs naturally lend themselves better to indoor growing conditions. Hydroponics for Parsley, basil, sage and thyme are known to hold up stronger inside. My favourite as you can see is still Basil...

I have just transplanted my basils seedlings into their new environment. Will post up something about that soon.