As with any hobby, you’re going to have to pick up a few tools to have a successful hydroponic garden. Here are 5 tools that every hobby hydroponic gardener needs to have.
An Electronic pH Meter
When it comes to hydroponic tools, the most important is going to be a pH meter. If the pH of the nutrient solutions falls outside of the 5.5-6-5 range, then the plants will not be able to absorb the necessary nutrients.
There are several different ways to measure the pH of your hydroponic nutrient solution. Sometimes is necessary to measure the pH every day, so I would suggest getting an electronic pH meter.
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Electronic pH meters make measuring the pH of your hydroponic nutrient solution quick and easy. You’ll need to make sure the pH meter is calibrated every week to ensure accurate readings.
Some Measuring Cups
It would be impossible to measure out the proper amount of nutrients and additives without a set of measuring cups. You don’t need anything special or fancy, just something to get the job done.
A Good Pair Trimmers
The importance of trimming and pruning is often overlooked. It’s important in any garden but especially in hydroponics, where gardens are often in more confined spaces.
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Plant trimming is not only necessary to control plant growth, but also for the health of the plant. Trimming back growth will allow more light to reach different parts of the plant, so the plant grows more full. Pruning can also increase a plant’s yields.
Of course, a good pair of trimmers also come in extremely handy come harvest time!
Very Necessary Grow Room Glasses
Are grow room glasses really necessary? Just because we don’t physically feel the damage that grow lights due to our eyes, doesn’t mean there isn’t any damage occurring. We do only get one pair of eyes.
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to protect your eyes. I picked up these affordable grow room glasses from Apollo and they actually look halfway stylish.
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In addition to protecting your eyes, they also help you see your plants better under the light. The purple hue of my grow light can make it hard to see color changes due to deficiencies or the presence of pests. Grow room glasses correct the lighting so you can see these things more easily.
The type of grow room glasses you should get depends on the type of grow lights you’re using in your hydroponic garden. In addition to glasses for LED lights, there are also glasses made specifically for HPS grow lighting.
A Temperature and Humidity Monitor
It’s important to monitor the temperature and humidity of your hydroponic garden, as both environmental factors can cause reactions in your plants.
This temperature and humidity monitor is made by Vivosun, a well-known manufacturer of hydroponic supplies. What I like about this tool is it comes with a wireless monitor, so you can check the current conditions of your garden without having to actually go into your garden.
This works great for monitoring the temperature and humidity inside of my grow tent.
Conclusion
As with and hobby, getting some tools of the trade will make things easier and increase your chances of having a successful garden. Fortunately, this hobby hydroponic tools are affordable and are definitely worth it!
October 27, 2020 at 9:36 am
I probably have more questions than comments, so here goes!
(1) Are you familiar with Green Planet Nutrient? If you are, what are your comments or recommendations about using it?
(2) Are plant roots supposed to be very white when they are healthy? However, my plant roots are most certainly not white. How could they be when they are sitting in a General Hydroponic Nutrient which is anything but white itself. The roots are very stained by the nutrient.
I certainly enjoy your posts and look to them quite often for guidance on my grow room operation. Thank you so much if you can give me some insight into the above matters.
October 27, 2020 at 1:07 pm
Hey Wally, good to hear from you again!
I haven’t heard of that nutrient brand before but I will check it out. It looks like it may be a newer product.
As far as the question about the root, healthy roots are typically milky white. It’s possible they may become a little stained depending on the nutrient solution you’re using. If they appear to be turning dark or headed towards brown that could be a sign of problems like root rot.