What is the Hydroponic Nutrient-Film-Technique (NFT) System？
The hydroponic nutrient-film-technique (NFT) system is a method of growing plants that don’t use traditional soil. Plants are either suspended in air or grown directly on a vertical surface with their roots in an air and water film. When these plants grow, they produce fruit more quickly than those developed through other methods, which means increased yields for farms that adopt the technique. It uses a thin film of nutrient-rich water to grow plants, which means it is more space efficient than other methods and uses less energy. The plants absorb the nutrients from the water through their roots, which can also provide oxygen to the surrounding water. The nutrient-film technique (NFT) system is also straightforward, easy to adopt, and can be operated by unskilled people and children. It provides a simple yet effective solution to the problem of energy blindness, pesticide use, and land intensiveness of conventional agriculture. With increased urbanization, there is a growing demand for food that can be grown with minimal energy or land requirements. Here we’ll look at the benefits of the hydroponic Nutrient-Film-Technique system.
1.NFT Systems are Very Efficient in Terms of Water and Nutrient Usage
NFT systems recycle nutrients and water almost entirely, which is vital in minimizing their environmental impact. In an NFT system, nutrient-rich water flows through the channels of the media bed and provides the root zone with its nutrients.
The plants absorb these nutrients through their roots, and in turn, the roots produce oxygen that is released into the surrounding water. The water enriched with oxygen can then carry away any excess nutrients that are washed away by excess rain or irrigation. Plants are constantly bathed in nutrient-rich water and are not required to exist in the soil. This means they do not need a complicated development cycle that includes the time it takes for the soil to dry out. NFT system hydroponics can be quickly greened up again after each harvest, which means less energy is needed to prepare the new beds for planting and there is less water needed to irrigate them.
2. NFT Systems are Relatively Easy to Set up and Maintain
NFT systems are relatively easy for unskilled people to set up and use. They can be spaced out in a large garden surrounding a house or installed within small gardens in the village. The only difficulty comes from maintaining them between harvests, which requires training and knowledge of how to set up the system. It is much easier to keep an NFT than to support traditional farms since you don’t need irrigation systems with pumps or expensive storage tanks.
3. NFT Systems Are Energy Efficient
Plants placed in NFT systems can use the water and nutrients much more efficiently than conventional farms since they don’t require soil for their root system and can be grown in mediums very close to their natural habitats. In most cases, plants are grown without soil and pesticides. Plants have active root systems and can absorb nutrients faster than traditional soil farms. Due to the nature of their roots, most plants grown in nft system hydroponics will not use essential nutrients as soon as they do in other environments.
These characteristics mean that the nft system hydroponics can produce more food with less energy, making it a much more environmentally friendly solution than many other farming techniques currently being used. Most of the energy used by the nft system hydroponics is used to grow plants rather than to drive machinery or for other productive purposes requiring large amounts of energy.
4. NFT Systems Can be Easily Expanded or Modified to Meet the Needs of the Grower
When nutrient film technique systems are set up, the grower will often be able to operate it with various mediums. These mediums include rocks or clay, which protect the roots from being submerged and ensure that excess water is drained away from the plant. The media used for the nutrient film technique may need to be replaced regularly, so this does require some knowledge about what can be used for different types of plants. The grower can quickly replace the media, and there will be no need for costly equipment such as unique pumps.
5. NFT Systems Provide an Ideal Environment for Plants to Thrive
NFT systems are ideal for growing plants that thrive in more relaxed environments, like herbs. Many crops, including tomatoes and lettuce, can be grown in these mediums by using special agricultural techniques. This means that different crops can be grown together, and the nutrients can be recycled, so there is no need for additional fertilizers. There are a large number of vegetables that can be successfully grown in NFT system hydroponics. The most common ones include Tomatoes, lettuce, rocket, radish, and onions.
6. NFT Systems Can Easily Support a Large Number of Plants
NFT systems are very productive and can quickly grow many plants. Some smaller NFT systems can comfortably hold up to 200 plants each. NFT system hydroponics is also very convenient for people who want to grow many crops at once. One common way it is used in home gardens is as an alternative to traditional gardens.
A nutrient-film technique system allows people access to high yields of fresh vegetables and herbs with little effort. The system can also grow flowers, creating attractive displays of beauty throughout the garden.
The nutrient film technique is a relatively new hydroponics technique that involves growing plants in mediums that supply nutrients through tiny pores. The plants can absorb the nutrient-rich water through their roots, and in turn, the roots produce oxygen for the surrounding water, which can then carry away any excess nutrients that get washed away by rainfall. Plants are not required to exist in soil, making this method much less complicated than traditional farming techniques.