What is Ebb and Flow?
The plants in an Ebb and Flow are usually grown in pots with their roots supported by a medium of perlite, rockwool or expanded clay pebbles. The pots sit in a plastic tray which in turn sits above a reservoir filled with nutrient solution. The growing tray must be higher than the reservoir because the system relies on gravity to do part of the work. A pump in the reservoir is connected to the bottom of the tray. When the pump turns on, the tray fills with water. When the water level reaches a pre-determined height, through the use of the overflow fitting, the water falls back into the reservoir. When the pump turns off, the water runs back down through the pump into the reservoir. Ebb and Flow allows for high density planting while providing a well oxygenated root system. The ebb & flow method supplies fresh oxygen to the root system of plants in two ways. First, as the tray is flooded with nutrient solution, carbon dioxide rich air is pushed out from around the root system. When the
