Description
Bare-root NFT growing on a slim 152.5 cm channel
The Nutriculture Gro-Tank GT604 NFT Kit is a complete nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system on a long, narrow 152.5 x 48.5 cm footprint, with a 60-litre tank beneath the planting tray. Well-rooted plants sit in their rockwool propagation blocks on spreader mat, and a pump in the tank keeps a shallow film of nutrient solution running down the tray and over the bare roots before it drains back to be recirculated. With almost no growing medium, the roots have water, nutrients and oxygen together around the clock: nothing dries out between waterings, nothing waterlogs, and salts cannot build up in the root zone, which is why NFT gives such fast root development and steady nutrient uptake. Nutriculture first launched the Gro-Tank system in 1976, and at just 19 cm high the GT604 leaves the height of the room for the plants.
What's Included
- 60-litre tank
- Top tray: the textured planting channel that sits on the tank
- Correx top plate to cover the tray and keep light off the roots and solution
- Submersible pump with air line and adjustable air valve
- Delivery tube from the pump to the head of the tray
- Spreader mat to spread the film evenly across the tray
- Fixings (plastic nuts and bolts, adhesive pads) and the NFT instructions and grow guide
Key Benefits
- Runs 24/7 with no timer: the pump runs continuously, so there is no feed schedule to set
- Bare-root growing: the only medium is the block each plant started in, so there is little waste to clear and less for root disease to hide in
- Never over- or under-watered: roots draw what they need from the moving film, with no salt build-up in the root zone
- Low profile: just 19 cm high, ideal under limited headroom
- Long, narrow 152.5 x 48.5 cm shape that runs along one side of a tent, bench or grow room
- Recirculating: one 60-litre tank of solution goes round again and again, so very little feed is wasted
How to Use
- Set up: stand the tank on a level surface, sit the tray on top with its access opening at the same end as the tank's solution level marks and fix the two together with the plastic nuts and bolts, lay the spreader mat evenly along the base of the tray and fit the pump and delivery tube.
- Fill and mix: fill the tank with water, add your hydroponic nutrients, set the EC for your crop and adjust to a pH of 5.8-6.5.
- Plant when ready: only move plants in once plenty of white roots are showing on the outside of the block. Take any plastic wrapping off rockwool cubes, or remove the pot if plants were started in soil or coco, so the roots can reach the air.
- Space them out: allow roughly one plant per square foot as a rule of thumb, which gives about 5 to 8 plants on the GT604 depending on how large they grow.
- Run it continuously: leave the pump on 24/7 and check the film covers the mat along the whole tray without pooling deeply around the roots.
- Maintain: check the level and the flow every day and top up with plain water, then wait an hour and bring EC back to target; check pH weekly and empty the tank for a full solution change at least once a month.
Technical Specifications
- System type: nutrient film technique (NFT), recirculating
- Footprint: 152.5 x 48.5 cm
- Height: 19 cm
- Tank capacity: 60 litres
- Plant capacity: approx. 5 to 8 plants (about one per square foot)
- Pump: submersible, runs continuously; no timer needed
- Growing media: propagation blocks only, such as rockwool cubes or blocks
- Includes: tank, top tray, Correx top plate, pump with air line and valve, delivery tube, spreader mat, fixings, instructions
- Recommended pH: 5.8-6.5
- Assembly: tray fixed to the tank with plastic nuts and bolts
- Maker code: NS-GT604
Frequently Asked Questions
How many plants does the GT604 take?
Nutriculture's rule of thumb is about one plant per square foot, so the 152.5 x 48.5 cm tray takes roughly 5 to 8 plants depending on how big they grow. Fewer, larger plants or more, smaller ones both work.
Does it need a timer?
No. An NFT system runs its pump around the clock so the film never stops; there is no feeding schedule to set.
What happens if the pump stops?
Because the roots sit in a thin film rather than a pot of medium, NFT is less forgiving of a stopped pump than a pot system. Check the flow every day, keep the pump intake clear, and keep a spare pump to hand if the crop is valuable.
What can I grow in it?
Lettuce and other leafy greens, herbs, strawberries and fruiting crops such as tomatoes and peppers all do well in NFT, provided they go in with a good root system on the outside of the block.
Will it fit in my grow tent?
It needs at least 152.5 cm of floor length, so it suits tents and rooms longer than 1.5 m, such as a 2.4 x 1.2 m tent, where it runs along one side with room to spare.
Works Well With
