Close Menu
Urban Ag News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Urban Ag News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    SUBSCRIBE
    • Greenhouse
    • Vertical Farm
    • Business
    • Technology
    • Functional Food
    • Climate
    • Education
    • Organics
    Urban Ag News
    Home»Blog»Exclusives from Urban Ag News»Which type of hydroponic system is better?
    Exclusives from Urban Ag News

    Which type of hydroponic system is better?

    By Chris HigginsJanuary 21, 2021Updated:January 24, 20216 Comments4 Mins Read
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email WhatsApp

    Hint: They are all just irrigation systems.

    One of the questions that I get most frequently is, “Which hydroponic system is the best?”

    I am fairly sure that my standard answer of, “it all depends” annoys most of the people I am speaking to.  From suppliers to growers and from researchers to hobbyists there is always a desire to know and understand which system is the best.

    So why do I answer, “it all depends”?

    Whether we are talking about nutrient film technique (NFT), deep water culture (DWC), drip irrigation systems, aeroponics systems, ebb and flow systems, or any other system we should agree that these are all just variations of irrigation systems.

    Buffer capacity means security.  Buffer capacity means you can leave for a day without fear of losing the crop.

    Next let’s talk about the systems suppliers and their sales representatives.  Suppliers of hydroponic systems will all tell you why theirs is better, but the conversation should really revolve around what factors cause their systems to fail.  Every system has a weakness.  Your crop, your budget, your facility and your geographic location will likely quickly highlight these weaknesses. 

    A large variety of hydroponic systems all at once – Big Tex Urban Farms

    So, how do you determine what system is best for you?

    Here are the things you should know, think about and research thoroughly before you invest.

    1. What crop are you going to grow?  If you are planning to grow tomatoes, it’s very unlikely that you will want to invest in a nft system or a dwc system.  The needs of your crop will help direct you into the right direction.  Likewise, a closed loop drip irrigation system is unlikely to be the answer for lettuce production.
    2. Know your budget.  Your budget will play a major role in this decision making process.  Do not only think about the upfront costs of the system.  Make sure to include the operational and labor costs associated with running the system 7 days a week 365 days per year.
    3. Know your environment.  Each crop type will respond to these 9 environmental variables (see diagram below) in different ways.  As a grower your ability to manage these variables will be a primary indicator of your ability to achieve your target yields.  The irrigation systems primary function is to help you control the 4 variables surrounding the root zone (see diagram below and focus on root zone temp, nutrients, water and oxygen.) Your geographic location and crop will determine which of these variables are most important. 
    4. Truly understand the design.  In the recent Urban Ag News article, “Important Tips For Designing A Hydroponic Production Facility” I discussed the importance of buffer capacity.  Buffer capacity in your irrigation system plays some very important roles.  First, it will help you manage your nutrients.  Second, it will help your crop deal with variations in temperature. Third and most importantly, it will be a primary indicator of how much time you can spend away from your farm.
    5. Figure out your maintenance and spare parts plan.  Irrigation systems break.  Irrigation systems get clogged.  Irrigation systems need to be serviced and fixed.  Make sure you understand everything from how to access the most vulnerable and weak parts of the system to how long it will take you to get replacement parts and what parts you should plan to carry in case of an emergency.  Think about redundancy!

    Labor is KEY! Consider every aspect of labor.  From the education requirements of running the labor, to the amount of labor needed to operate and maintain the system to the importance of labor needed to check on the system on a regular basis.
    Budget • Scale • Access

    Which brings me back to where we started.  Which hydroponic system is the best?  It truly all depends.  All we know for sure is that if a supplier tells you, “you can grow every crop in our system”, be concerned.  It might be true, but I can almost guarantee you that you cannot grow every crop profitably in their system.  If a supplier struggles to help you clearly understand and answer the questions posed in this article, look for a new supplier.  There are plenty that will. 

    Finally, focus on building a professional network with experience in the commercial hydroponics industries.  Ask lots of questions and understand the full benefits and limitations of any system you choose. 

    Final hint: Aquaponics growers use one of these systems as well.

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
    • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
    • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
    Chris Higgins Greenhouse Hydroponics Vertical Farming
    Chris Higgins

    Chris Higgins is the Founder and Editor of Urban Ag News. Chris is also the co-Founder of both Hort Americas and the Functional Plant Company. Learn more about Chris Higgins by visiting and connecting with him on LinkedIN.

    Related Posts

    University of Florida Greenhouse Training: Online Greenhouse 101 Starts June 2!

    May 8, 2025

    Get Ready to Grow Smarter: CEA Summit East 2025 Returns to Virginia This September

    April 24, 2025

    How many people really understand how tariffs work?

    April 23, 2025

    6 Comments

    1. Shehzad on January 23, 2021 1:08 pm

      Hey – your article refers to 9 environmental factors in a diagram, but I don’t see any diagrams.

      Reply
      • urbanagnews on January 25, 2021 10:57 am

        Hi Shehzad,
        Thanks for bringing that to our attention! We have fixed it, adding in the diagram.
        Hope you have a great week!

        Reply
    2. Eric Stirrup on January 25, 2021 11:16 am

      I would answer – It all depends on what you are growing. Obviously you aren’t going to grow tomatoes or cucumbers in an NFT system or a raft pond. I think we can all agree every class of system out there have unique characteristics. Beyond that they all grow plants well. I would say choose the one that fits your space and handling abilities. Small area vertical vs. hectare sized green houses.

      Reply
    3. Helen R Duhart on March 31, 2021 5:37 am

      Really like these new tips, which I haven’t heard of before, like the Which Type Of Hydroponic System Is Better. Can’t wait to implement some of these as soon as possible.

      Reply
    4. Gopolang Kgosiemang on July 26, 2021 11:58 am

      Article is fruitfull and informative

      Reply
      • urbanagnews on July 28, 2021 2:32 pm

        Thanks for the feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the article

        Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    About UAN

    Urban Ag News strives to be the leading science communicator for the commercial hydroponics, greenhouse vegetable, vertical farming and urban agriculture industries. Read more...

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Donate
    • Subscribe to our Newsletter
    • Jobs in Urban Agriculture
    © 2025 CHIGGINS CONSULTANCY

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.