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Page 2: The Real Truth About Hydroponic Gardening

Published by:

GreenBite Hydroponic Gardening

P.O. Box 462 Columbus, MS 39703-0462

greenbite.co

growfoodeasy.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or

transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other

electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other

noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Trademarks

Throughout this book, trademarked names are used. All product and company names

are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them

does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Disclaimer

Although the author(s) and publisher(s) have made every effort to ensure that the

information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not

assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption

caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence,

accident, or any other cause.

ISBN

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THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

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Copyright © 2015 GreenBite Hydroponic Gardening

Page 3: The Real Truth About Hydroponic Gardening

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THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

IS THIS THE GUIDE FOR ME?

Not sure if this guide is right for you? See the descriptions below to determine if your skill

level matches the content you are about to read.

BEGINNER

Beginner content is for gardeners who are new to the

hydroponics. This content typically includes step-by-step

instructions on how to get started with hydroponics and

learn the fundamentals to this method of gardening. After

reading it, you will have a solid understanding of

hydroponics.

ADVANCED

Advanced content is for gardeners who are familiar with

the subject but have only basic experience in executing

strategies on the subject. This content typically covers

the fundamentals and moves on to reveal more complex

strategies. Download your advanced guide “9.5 Laws of

Hydroponics.”

EXPERT

Expert content is for gardeners who are, or want to be,

experts on the subject. In it, we walk you through

advanced features of hydroponic gardening and help you

to develop complete mastery of the subject. After reading

it, you will feel ready to not only execute adequate

strategies, but also to teach others how to be successful

hydroponic gardeners.

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THE REAL ABOUT HYDROPONICS By William Cool

William “Billy” Cool is the creator of

GrowFoodEasy.com, in which he

focuses on various content creation

projects, such as guides and video

tutorials and online courses that aid

hydroponic enthusiasts and students at

every level to master effective strategies

of hydroponic gardening. William is a

super hobby horticulturalist and

hydroponic gardening enthusiast with over

10 years of experience developing and

building grow rooms, air and water

purification systems, advanced nutrient

delivery systems, and root structure

housing.

William founded GreenBite Hydroponic

Gardening in February 2012 and is the

primary content manager of the

GrowFoodEasy.com blog and

contributes in large part to the

GorwFoodEasy social media presence on

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. In

addition, William conducts several

speaking engagements in addition to

other public relation opportunities to

promote healthy, sustainable living.

William has worked on the company’s

product development team since

GreenBite’s inception in February 2012.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER & PINTEREST

@GROWFOODEASY

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THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

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HYDROPONIC GARDENING MYTHS……………………………….……5

WHAT IS HYDROPONIC GARDENING? ………………………………..9

WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS ……………………………………14

AN INSIDE LOOK @ HYDROPONIC GARDENING SYSTEMS……..16

HYDROPONIC GARDENING IS SIMPLE & EASY….………………...20

WHAT’S THE FINAL WORD? …………………………………………..23

HYDROPONIC GARDEN BUILDER’S GUIDE………………….…..…25

SIMPLE & EASY TO UNDERSTAND HYDROPONIC GUIDES…..…26

REFERENCES ……………………………………………………………27

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“ If you continually resupply and

deliver, commodities like food

will become much more costly

than producing your own food.

- Ray Wheeler, Plant Physiologist

Kennedy Space Center's Space Life Sciences Lab ” The first thing most people say after I tell them they can have a garden of fresh fruits and

vegetables in their bedroom closet is…“impossible.” When I tell them they can have an

indoor garden with a hydroponic gardening system, the next thing they say is “what is

hydroponic gardening”. What most people don’t realize is the freedom of growing fresh

fruits and vegetables in your home is something you’ve always had the ability to do.

As unbelievable as it sounds, it’s true… You can grow fresh fruits and vegetables, year-

round, with a hydroponic gardening system made from common household items.

Hydroponic gardening means you can have fresh produce no matter the season with

minimal effort. The simplest hydroponic gardening system can consist of nothing more

than a 5 gallon bucket, an air stone, and air pump. Build an inexpensive hydroponic

gardening system using our simple step by step DIY Hydroponic Builder’s Guide. The

truth is gardening with hydroponics is smart, fun, and affordable.

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THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

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CHAPTER 1

HYDROPONIC GARDENING MYTHS

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There’s tons of misinformation and hidden agendas surrounding hydroponic gardening,

mostly in an effort to promote “traditional” gardening and crop production methods. It's

not until you run across some good information and start to experience the joy of

hydroponic gardening first hand that many of these myths are dispelled. Maybe you’ve

heard some of these before….

7 ABOUT HYDROPONIC GARDENING

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Hydroponic gardening is a new technology

Hydroponic gardening dates back to the dawn of

civilization. (See Hydroponics History Timeline p.11)

• The Egyptians, Inca Indian tribes, the Aztecs, and

the ancient Babylonians all practiced hydroponic

gardening. The science of hydroponics began

around the 1600’s when Flemish scientist Jan van

Helmont and English scientist Francis Bacon began

conducting experiments to discover plant constituents.

Hydroponic gardens must be indoors

Hydroponic gardens can flourish outdoors

under the sun just as well as indoor hydroponic gardening.

However, there are a few major advantages to growing indoors:

• 100% control over the environment

• Continuous year round growing

• Lowered disease and pest infections

THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

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Hydroponics is only used to grow marijuana

Nothing could be further from the truth. Statistics argue that only a tiny

percentage of hydroponic gardens are used to grow illegal substances.

• A large number of plants and vegetables do

very well in hydroponic gardening

environments. Canada and Holland are

using hydroponics to grow food on a

large scale. To say hydroponics is bad

because of its association with “partially”

illegal substances is the same as saying the

1934 Ford Sedan made famous by Bonnie & Clyde

was only driven by bank robbers and criminal

types because it was used in a small percentage of successful robberies.

Hydroponic gardening is an expensive hobby

The equipment and products required to start a

hydroponic garden can cost more than a traditional

garden depending on the size of the hydroponic

garden you decide to build. The fact is a very basic

hydroponic garden can cost you as little $40 to setup.

Hydroponic gardening is hard to learn

Basic hydroponic gardening can be taught to anyone ranging from the very young

to the very elderly.

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Hydroponic gardening is a useless hobby

Hydroponic gardening is used extensively throughout the world. Hydroponic

gardening is used in areas of the world where climate and soil are extremely poor

and cannot support large scale crop production. In fact in British Columbia 90% of

all greenhouses are hydroponic greenhouses.

Hydroponic gardening produces lower quality yields

Plants grown hydroponically are generally healthier than their soil-grown

counterparts.

• Soil gardening systems spend a tremendous amount of energy

developing a large root system searching for moisture and nutrients

whereas a plant grown hydroponically has root’s that are bathed or

sprayed with oxygen-rich advanced nutrients dissolved in water thus

eliminating the need to search for food allowing energy to be used for

growing, producing foliage, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. As a result

hydroponically grown produce is typically larger, tastier, and more

nutritious than similar produce grown in soil.

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CHAPTER 2

WHAT IS HYDROPONIC GARDENING?

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The science of hydroponics is as ancient as the pyramids. (See Hydroponics History Timeline

p.11) The term hydroponics is derived from the Latin words “Hydro”, meaning water, and

“Ponos”, meaning labor. Hydroponics is essentially a type of agriculture that DOES NOT

use soil, statistically resulting in larger, fuller plants. In fact hydroponic grown vegetation

is believed to have preceded soil grown vegetation in our oceans dating back to the

creation of the earth.

Hydroponic gardening is becoming increasingly known as “the” precise method of

creating a perfectly balanced “advanced nutrient solution” thereby maximizing crop

yields. Scientists have conducted research in hydroponics for over 400 years in an

attempt to advance basic formulas to further the study of plant nutrition and optimal

harvest.

Source: Hydroponic Food Production by Howard M Resh

THE OF HYDROPONICS

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A QUICK LESSON IN ADVANCED

• In 1804, Nicolas De Saussure proposed and published, results of his

investigations that plants are composed of mineral and chemical elements

obtained from water, soil and air. By 1842 a list of fourteen elements

believed to be essential to plant growth had been made out.

• Early investigations in plant nutrition demonstrated that normal plant growth

can be achieved by immersing the roots of a plant in a water solution

containing salts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S),

calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), which are now defined as the macro

elements or macro nutrients in normal plant growth (elements required in

relatively large amounts).

• With further refinements in laboratory techniques and chemistry, scientists

discovered eight elements required by plants in relatively small quantities

known as either micro or trace elements. These include iron (Fe), chlorine

(Cl), manganese (Mn), boron (B), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo),

and nickel (Ni).

• The addition of chemicals to water was found to produce an advanced

nutrient solution which would support plant life, so that by 1920 the

laboratory preparation of water cultures had been standardized and the

methods for their use were well established.

• Nutriculture, chemiculture, and aquiculture were terms used during the

1920s and 1930s to describe hydroponic gardening culture.

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• In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Dr. William F. Gericke extended his

research to practical large scale outdoor crop cultivation. In doing so he

termed these nutriculture systems "hydroponics. Dr. Gericke’s work is

considered by many to be the basis for all forms of hydroponic growing,

despite the fact his research was limited solely water culture.

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CHAPTER 3

WEIGHNG THE PROS AND CONS

Page 17: The Real Truth About Hydroponic Gardening

• More efficient use of space - Create a hydroponic garden in any indoor space

• Less Water Usage - Hydroponic gardens use up to 2/3 less water

• Bigger, Better, Faster Yields - Hydroponic farming can produce up to 10 times

as much produce per acre

• Year Round Harvest - With hydroponics, you control the season

• Fewer Pests and Disease

• Higher Maintenance

• Requires Technical Knowledge

HYDROPONIC GARDENING

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CHAPTER 4

AN INSIDE LOOK @ HYDROPONIC GARDENING SYSTEMS

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Presented below are six types of hydroponic gardening systems (w/cut away diagrams)

Here, the roots of the plants are

suspended in a constant “film” of

advanced nutrient solution; a pump sends

this flow into one end of the tray, and

empties it out to the other end into the

reservoir. This method is great at

nourishing roots but this system is also

recognized as super technical and high-

maintenance since the roots aren’t anchored in a medium.

The oldest hydroponic gardening system, and one of

the simplest, a platform of planters simply floats in

the nutrient reservoir while the roots of the

plants dangle in the solution. An air pump is

introduced into the system to oxygenate the

solution. If you are a beginner, this is an

easy and inexpensive way to get started.

HOW DOES A HYDROPONIC GARDENING WORK?

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Drip systems are probably the most

widely used type of hydroponic gardening

system in the world. Operation is simple,

a timer controls a submersed pump. The

timer turns the pump on and an advanced

nutrient solution is dripped onto the base of

each plant by a small drip line.

In this most common method of hydroponic

gardening, plants are set in a growth tray

over a nutrient container, and a pump is

used to flood the tray(s) with the advanced

nutrient solution. The good thing about this

method is that advanced nutrients that aren’t absorbed by the roots are drained

into the reservoir and recycled. The drip hydroponic gardening system, where a

pump continuously drips the advanced nutrient solution into the growth tray, is a

variation of an ebb and flow hydroponic gardening system.

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This variation of hydroponics is more

technical, but very effective. The plant

roots are continuously sprayed with a

vapor-mist solution and are not

anchored on any medium, exposing

them to air all of the time. When done properly, this method can create large,

quick-growing plants and lots of fruit.

This is another very simple method, and

no pump is required. A wick (such as an

oil lamp wick or candle wick) simply draws

the advanced nutrient solution from the reservoir

to the growth tray, where the plant roots

absorb the solution. This more passive method is

low-maintenance, but it can often over-soak

the roots, resulting to a smaller yield.

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CHAPTER 5

HYDROPONIC GARDENING IS SIMPLE & EASY

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A great way to get started with hydroponics is purchasing (or building) a hydroponic

gardening kit. Hydroponic gardening kits can cost as much as a few thousand dollars to

as little as twenty bucks. Your choice of hydroponic gardening system(s) will depend

heavily on three main factors including the size of your grow area, what you are growing,

and your budget.

Source: www.botanicare.com

When determining what system is suitable for your grow room remember that you’ll want

to leave some room to move around your reservoir tank(s), cleaning, and accessing your

equipment and plants.

Tip: Larger plants often hang over the sides of systems so you should also be prepared to accommodate

any reasonable, unanticipated over growth.

HOW DO I ?

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Page 24: The Real Truth About Hydroponic Gardening

For example…If you’re thinking about growing

in a smaller area I suggest you consider a

NFT and/or mini-aeroponic hydroponic gardening

system (s). Both systems are perfect for shorter,

smaller plants such as lettuce, spinach, basil,

and other non-flowering green leafy vegetables.

On the other hand if you are fortunate to have a

sizeable amount of extra space you should

consider drip Irrigation Dutch bucket systems; allowing you to stake the plant as it grows

in height.

It is important to remember that when it

comes to the question of how much

your hydroponic gardening system will

cost; the answer will vary depending on

the needs of your garden and your

budget.

Mini-aeroponic (Source: www.greenbite.co)

NFT (Source: www.greenbite.co)

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CHAPTER 6

WHAT’S THE FINAL WORD?

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Hydroponic gardening systems can be an excellent hobby and provide hours of fun and

enjoyment, but for many hydroponic gardening enthusiasts, the real enjoyment begins

with eating fresh fruits and vegetables grown using their very own home hydroponic

garden. Growing your own produce in a hydroponic garden provides you with healthy,

fresh food without the hassles and high prices of grocery stores and farmers markets.

Source: Labor Department/USDA, The Wall Street Journal

Hydroponic gardening allows you to take control of your life by putting the power of self-

sufficiency and sustainability in your hands.

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THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT HYDROPONICS

SIMPLE & EASY TO UNDERSTAND HYDROPONIC

The Real Truth About Hydroponics Deep Water Hydroponic Garden

Builder’s Guide

Aeroponic Hydroponic Garden

Builder’s Guide

9.5 Laws of Hydroponics

Hydroponic Gardener’s

Journal & Planner

Hydroponic Gardening

Healthy Living Cookbook

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Page 29: The Real Truth About Hydroponic Gardening

Bontanicare Plant Energy Products. (2011). Retrieved on March 5,2014 from

www.botanicare.com.

Hydroponic Gardening System Illustrations.(N.D.) Retrieved on March 5, 2014 from

http://simplyhydro.com.

Labor Department; Forecasts by USDA and The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on July

17, 2014 from http://www.foodmanufacturing.com.

Resh, H. (1978). Hydroponic food production: A definitive guidebook of soilless food

growing methods for the professional and commercial grower and the advanced home

hydroponics gardener. Santa Barbara, CA: Woodbridge Press Publishing Company.

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