NFT Nutrient Film Technique is a hydroponic method where a very thin film of nutrient solution is re-circulated past the bare roots of plants in a watertight gully, channel or tray. It is important the depth of nutrient solution stream should be very shallow, little more than a film, hence the name nutrient film technique. Below is an illustration of a NFT system.

nft systems explained

Lets have a closer look at the elements that make up an NFT system in the above picture and how they are used:

Tank / Reservoir - Is the base of the system that holds the nutrient water source for your plants. The tank enables recirculation of the NFT system by sending water to one end of the tray with your plants on and catching the unused water when it falls off the open end of the tray above. When running the system you need to completely change the water on a weekly basis and in periods of heavy plant growth you may need to top up the water and adjust the PH during the week.

Pump - Delivers water from the tank to the tray

Tray / Top Tray / Planter Table - Is where your plants grow, the tray has channels in it that guide the water over your rootzone and help stop it pooling up and the whole tray sits on a slight angle so that water flows over the rootzone and then back to the tank below. One end of the tray is completely open so all unused water falls back to the tank below it.

Spreader Mat - Gives your plant roots something to grow into. Spreader mat is layed out over the planter table before your plants are introduced to the system. Spreader mat spreads the water flow evenly across the root zone through capilliary action and roots grow into the matting which expands to accomodate them. A paper thin sheet of spreader mat at the start of a cycle will be an inch thick mat of thousands of healthy white roots by the end of your harvest.

Rockwool Blocks - Are an inert hydroponic growing medium that are typically used to transplant your immature plants into the NFT system. Plants should be well rooted in rockwool before transplanting with lots of bound roots showing on the outside of the blocks so that they 'take' more quickly in the NFT system. Rockwool blocks are not included in complete NFT kits and need to be purchased seperately.

Top Plate / Correx - Shields your plant rootzone from the harmful effects of direct light and keeps the rootzone in an optimum environment. Prior to use you will need to cut holes in the top plate for your rockwool blocks and plants to go through. Top plates are available in black or white.

 

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Left: A plant ready to be introduced to an NFT system, note the bound roots on the outside of the transplant block. Right: Diagram showing the way water moves around an NFT system, the picture shows the smallest system the gt205i but the premise is the same even in the largest NFT systems.

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Left: A couple of plants in full flow, note the prolific root growth and healthy white root color. Right: The spreader mat at the end of a grow cycle, see how the thin sheet has expanded to accomodate the ferocious root growth.

Advantages of Hydroponics NFT Systems

  • Fast growth rates and higher yields
  • Bare root technique means unrestricted access to oxygen.
  • Greater access to nutrients and water.
  • Plants are never under-fed or over-watered.
  • No possibility of build up of salts in the root zone.
  • Low level hydroponics systems only 20-25cm high.
  • Reduce manual watering so system can be left alone for longer.
  • Reduced risk of disease.
  • Less waste material to dispose of.

 

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Left: Plants in NFT will grow very big and healthy meaning they will need some support like YOYO's or plant netting. Right: NFT will generate explosive plant growth, just look at these beauties, yowsers!

Buying your first NFT System

So you've decided that NFT is the system for you now you just need to decide on a model. One of the great things about NFT is that there are kits available in many sizes from ones that will fit in a wardrobe to ones that will fill whole rooms, buildings, warehouses etc. Essentially we stock two ranges of NFT systems at Hydrohobby:

GT Gro-Tank NFT Kits are small to medium sized NFT kits. GT kits all feature a design like the diagram at the beginning of this article with the planter tray sitting directly on top of the tank containing the nutrients for the system. Gt NFT Kits are available in five different sizes detailed below, for more information check out the individual product pages for the system you're interested in.

 

SystemSize  Tank Volume  No. of Plants
GT205L 70cm x W 40cm x H 20cm20 Litres1-3
GT424L 110.5cm x W 48.5cm x H 20cm45 Litres3-5
GT604L 152.5cm x W 48.5cm x H 20cm60 Litres5-8
GT901L 209.5cm x W 51cm x H 20cm80 Litres6-12
GTM2L 122cm x W 109cm x H 22cm100 Litres9-16

 

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MD Multi-Duct Nft Kits are medium to large scale NFT kits that can be used to cover any sized area. The MD NFT system is buit around a 1m wide 6ft or 8ft dual channel nft tray that is available in single, double or quadruple configurations. For more details on Multi-Duct systems click through to the relevant product pages of the system size you're interested in.

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