Let’s briefly cover hydroponics, and what it is before we talk about hydroponic drip systems. Hydroponics is a way of growing plants, be it vegetables, fruits or herbs without the use of soil and natural light. It accomplishes this by growing them in a rich in nutrient solution, most commonly water. Hydroponics is generally set up inside using special lights to promote growth. As a result you can grow anything you want all year round, without the knowledge of which season are the best to grow crops. hydroponic drip systems are by far the most widely used hydroponic system through the the world. The setup and operation is a simple process. A timer controlled pump is submerged in the solution. A drip line supplies the solution to the plants via the pump at intervals set by the timer. Any excess solution in a recovery drip system is then rerouted back into the reservoir, where it can be reused. The solution will build up at the plants base unless you have a recovery unit installed. As you can imagine a recovery system utilises the solution more efficiently, thus, the need for a precise, and more expensive, pump is not required as the timing of the drips need not need to be perfect. If you intend on building your own drip system without a recovery system, be sure you know exactly how much water and nutrients is required by the plants so you can set your timer at the optimum rate to minimise saturation and run off. Unfortunately, hydroponic drip systems that incorporate a recovery system will generally require more maintenance time. This is because the nutrient strength and pH levels will vary as the excess solution is recycled back into the reservoir. Adjusting these levels on an ongoing basis will ensure optimum growth of your crop.