Hydroponics Quick Start: Tips, Equipment Checklist & System Comparison for 2026

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Kratky Method: One-Page Setup

Materials ($15):

• [ ] 1-gallon opaque container (Mason jar + spray paint, or cleaned plastic jug)
• [ ] 3-inch net cup ($3/10pk)
• [ ] Rockwool cube ($5/25pk)
• [ ] Nutrients ($15-25 supplies 50+ gallons)
• [ ] pH drops ($8)
• [ ] Seeds (lettuce, basil, spinach — any fast-growing leaf crop)

Steps:

1. Soak Rockwool cube in pH 5.8 water for 1 hour. Plant 2-3 seeds per cube.
2. Wait 5-7 days for germination. Keep cube moist.
3. Mix nutrients: 2ml Micro + 2ml Gro + 2ml Bloom per gallon. Adjust pH to 5.8.
4. Fill container so net cup bottom is 1/2 inch submerged.
5. Place seedling in net cup. Done. No pump. No timer. No electricity.
6. Wait. When water is 90% gone (4-6 weeks), harvest or refill.

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Lighting Quick Calculator

| Grow Area | Light Needed | Budget Option | Mid-Range Option | Monthly Electricity | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1x1 ft | 25-30W | GE BR30 Grow LED ($15) | — | $1 | | 2x2 ft | 100-130W | Mars Hydro TS 600 ($70) | Spider Farmer SF1000 ($100) | $5 | | 3x3 ft | 200-260W | Mars Hydro TS 1000 ($120) | Viparspectra XS2000 ($160) | $10 | | 4x4 ft | 400-500W | Mars Hydro TS 3000 ($340) | HLG 350R ($500) | $20 |

18 hours/day at $0.12/kWh. South-facing window = 0W needed for leafy greens.

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Water Temperature Guide

| Temperature | Status | Action | |---|---|---| | Below 60°F (15°C) | Too cold | Nutrient uptake slows; add aquarium heater ($15) | | 62-72°F (17-22°C) | IDEAL | Maximum dissolved oxygen; maximum growth rate | | 72-78°F (22-25°C) | Warning | Oxygen dropping; add second air stone in DWC | | Above 78°F (25°C+) | DANGER | Root rot risk (Pythium); frozen water bottles or chiller needed |

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Top 5 Beginner Mistakes

1. Clear reservoir — algae explosion in 48 hours. Paint it black.
2. pH ignored — at pH 8.0, half the nutrients are chemically locked out.
3. Seedlings in full-strength nutrients — 1/4 strength for first 2 weeks.
4. Crowding — one tomato plant per 5-gallon bucket. One lettuce per 6-inch spacing.
5. No air gap in Kratky — submerging the entire root drowns the plant. The air gap IS the oxygen source.

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30-Day Cost Breakdown: Kratky Lettuce

| Item | Cost | |---|---| | Container + net cup + cube | $8 (reusable) | | Nutrients (1 month supply) | $1.50 | | Seeds (3 plants) | $0.50 | | pH drops (amortized) | $0.50 | | Total first harvest: | $10.50 | | Subsequent harvests (materials reusable): | $2.50 each | | Grocery equivalent (3 heads organic lettuce): | $9-$12 |

After the first harvest, you're growing organic lettuce for $0.80/head. Grocery price: $3-$4/head. The math works.