Deep water culture systems are among the most accessible and most cost-effective hydroponic systems any gardener can run. The materials required are straightforward, yet there are numerous ways these DWC systems can be built.
It is possible to purchase these systems, but because they are so easy to construct, it is worth any growers time to build one and use it as a learning tool for future projects.
What Is Deep Water Culture (DWC)?
Before we get into the nitty gritty details, let’s get a high-level overview of this type of system. In a DWC system, a plant’s roots are suspended in a well-oxygenated solution composed of water and nutrients.
There are three critical parts of this solution:
Oxygen: Because the roots are submerged in water and not soil (which has gaps and holes where air resides), the water needs to be well oxygenated so the plant doesn’t drown. This is accomplished with an air pump and air stone.
Water: Think of this system as if you’re growing in soil and permanently watering your plants – this is one of the reasons growing hydroponically is so beneficial – you never need to ‘water’ again.
Nutrients: A good quality soil contains all of the micro and macro nutrients that a plant needs to survive and thrive. Because we have no soil, we need to supplement the oxygen-rich water with nutrients so our plants can grow.
HOW DOES A DWC WORK?
In a deep water culture system, plants are suspended in baskets right above the nutrient solution in the reservoir, usually by Styrofoam floating on top, or through holes cut in the lid covering the reservoir. The roots hang down from the baskets directly into the nutrient solution, where they remain submerged 24/7. The reason they don’t suffocate is because they get the air and oxygen they need from air bubbles rising through the nutrient solution, as well as from dissolved oxygen in the water itself.
The oxygen flow is controlled by the air pump, which carries the oxygen to the air stone. Instead of placing the air tube directly into the water, it is recommended that you attach the air tube onto an air stone. An air stone takes the oxygen and creates thousands of aerated bubbles, which are then dispersed and travel through the water until they reach the roots.
Roots are known to thrive in heavily oxygenated environments, so having an implement like an air stone that allows the oxygen to be spread more rapidly is definitely an advantage.
It’s also important to note that ONLY the roots should be submerged in the water at any time. You’re not going to get good results if your stems are submerged, they will more than likely rot. As a rough guide, try to keep the space between the stem and water around 1". All or most of the net pot should not be in contact with the water.
Usual pH levels should be maintained in the water, so make sure your water is pH 5.5 - 6.5.
Once your roots hit the nutrient solution, you will witness an explosion of growth.
Thanks to this system, instead of your plant roots having to find water pockets in the soil, they can absorb the nutrients and water right away. If the water is properly oxygenated, the plant roots will have no trouble remaining submerged deep in water for the whole life cycle of the plant.
The plant roots don’t suffocate because they get air and oxygen from the bubbles rising through the nutrient solution and the dissolved oxygen in the water.
In the deep water culture system, the more air bubbles, the better. There should be enough bubbles to make the water look like it is boiling. As the air bubbles rise to the top of the water to be most effective for the plants, they should rise up through and make direct contact with the roots.
Advantages Of Deep Water Culture Systems
- Simplicity of setup. Deep water culture systems are easy to set up and only require a few parts that can be put together in a short period of time. The only moving part is an air pump, which is easy to configure.
- Monitoring is fairly simple, as long as it is done frequently and you understand the basics.
- Maintenance costs are very little once the system is set up.
- Plants grow much faster. This leads to larger plants with greater yields compared to soil based cultivation.
- yields of crops over the same cycle.
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