Growing Media
Not all hydroponic systems use growing media (such as Gro-Tanks), but the refinement of many different kinds of alternative substrates has definitely popularised their use. A grow media is defined as anything that a plant can successfully grow within, including the widely utilised Rockwool and stonewool.
The hydro systems that do use grow media are not using the media to supply nutrients: the grow media supports the plant physically, allowing it to hold onto some of the nutrient solution until the next feed.
Your Choice of Growing Media for Hydroponics
It’s important to select the right grow medium for your hydroponic grow system. The wide range of options allows you to choose the correct one for the system and the plants, taking factors into consideration such as aeration, retention, and pH balance.
Some of the popular grow media choices are clay pebbles, peat plugs, coco coir, Rockwool cubes, vermiculite, and perlite. Clay pebbles are popular and ideal for deep water culture systems, expandable drip systems, and nutrient film technique systems. Peat and coco coir are typically used in passive hydroponic systems, with coco coir also being used in ebb and flood and expandable drip systems.
Rockwool cubes tend to be used in a variety of hydroponic systems, such as ebb and flood, before plants are moved into other grow media. Vermiculite and perlite are potting mix amendments that should only be used in combination with other media.
Get in Touch for Your Growing Media Needs
At Nutriculture we supply some of the best growing media brands in the UK. You can find a shop near you or become a stockist of high-quality hydroponics products. Contact us on 01695 554 080 or 01226 320 850 if you have any questions or for expert industry advice on how to keep a grow room as healthy as possible.
