Wazzup Pilipinas!?
I've decided to continue my hydroponic journey with something simple, practical, and rewarding: Butterhead lettuce and sweet basil.
Rather than jumping immediately into dozens of crops, I'm going to learn how my system behaves with two plants that are well suited to hydroponics. The goal is not simply to grow plants. It is to understand the entire process—from a tiny seed and a wet sponge cube to roots, nutrient solution, lights, healthy leaves, and eventually food on the table.
My setup is a 4-level vertical NFT hydroponic tower, equipped with a pump, circulating nutrient solution, Hydroton clay pebbles, and eight grow lights—two on each level.
This is my complete plan.
1. Understanding My Hydroponic Tower
My tower has four growing levels, with each channel measuring approximately:
60 × 24 × 8 cm
Each level provides planting openings where the plants will sit in net pots.
At the bottom is the most important part of the system: the nutrient reservoir.
A submersible pump sits in this bottom reservoir and pushes nutrient solution upward. The solution then flows through the upper growing channels before moving downward through the system and eventually returning to the reservoir.
The basic cycle is:
💧 Reservoir → Pump → Top Level → Level 3 → Level 2 → Level 1 → Reservoir
This is essentially a recirculating NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) system.
Unlike a deep-water system, I don't want the growing channels filled with several centimeters of stagnant nutrient solution. NFT works by allowing a relatively shallow film of nutrient solution to flow along the bottom of the channels while the roots receive both nutrients and oxygen.
2. The Bottom Reservoir
Based on the dimensions I measured, a 60 × 24 × 8 cm container has a theoretical capacity of:
11.52 liters
But I'm not going to fill it to the brim.
My target working volume will be approximately:
10 liters
That leaves some headroom while keeping the pump submerged.
The reservoir is the heart of the system.
If the pump runs dry, the upper levels stop receiving nutrient solution. Therefore, checking the water level will become one of my most important daily routines.
3. My First Crops
I'm deliberately keeping my first experiment simple.
🥬 Butterhead Lettuce
This is the lettuce variety I'm starting with.
I chose Butterhead because it is compact, tender, productive, and well suited to hydroponic growing.
I'm particularly interested in finding a variety that can tolerate the warm Philippine environment.
The goal isn't simply to grow the biggest lettuce possible. I want a variety that can perform reliably in my particular tower and climate.
🌿 Sweet Basil
My second crop will be sweet basil, preferably a Genovese-type variety.
Sweet basil grows vigorously in hydroponic systems and gives me something very different from lettuce: instead of harvesting one head, I can repeatedly harvest leaves and prune the plant to encourage branching.
This combination should make the first experiment interesting:
Butterhead = compact leafy crop
Sweet basil = vigorous herb
4. What I Need
Before starting, I want to have everything ready.
Seeds
🥬 Butterhead lettuce seeds
🌿 Sweet basil seeds
Seed starting
Hydroponic sponge starter cubes
Seedling tray
Clear humidity dome
Small water-catching tray
Growing system
4-level NFT tower
Net pots
Hydroton clay pebbles
Bottom reservoir
Submersible pump
Water tubing
Connecting fittings
Drain/return system
Nutrients
HydroMax A — 5-12-26
NitroCal B — 15-0-0
Monitoring
pH meter
EC/TDS meter
Measuring syringe
Measuring container
Optional water thermometer
Lighting
8 grow lights
2 lights per level
Timer
Safe electrical connections
Maintenance
Spare tubing
Spare pump
Clean bucket
Soft brush
Scissors/pruning shears
Spare net pots
Extra starter sponges
5. Why I'm Using Hydroton
I'm going to use Hydroton clay pebbles as the growing medium.
Hydroton is useful because it:
Supports the plant
Allows air around the roots
Drains easily
Doesn't supply significant nutrients itself
Can be washed and reused
Works well with net pots
Before putting it into the tower, I'll rinse it thoroughly.
Clay pebbles can contain considerable dust when they're new, so I don't want that material circulating through my pump and tubing.
My process will be:
Rinse → soak → drain → use
6. But Hydroton Isn't Where I'll Start the Seeds
This is an important distinction.
I'm not going to put the tiny Butterhead or basil seeds directly into the Hydroton.
Instead:
Seed → sponge cube → seedling → net pot → Hydroton → NFT tower
The sponge provides a stable, moist environment for germination and early root development.
Once the plant has developed enough roots, I'll move the entire sponge cube into a net pot and surround it with Hydroton.
7. Preparing the Starter Cubes
I'll begin by soaking the hydroponic sponge cubes in clean water.
I want them:
Moist, but not submerged.
That means I don't want the cubes sitting underwater in a deep container.
I'll place them into a seedling tray with drainage holes and use a shallow amount of water beneath them if necessary.
The sponge should stay moist through wicking while still having access to air.
8. Planting My Butterhead Lettuce
I'll place:
1 Butterhead seed per sponge cube
The seed doesn't need to be buried deeply.
I'll put it into the small opening in the sponge and lightly cover it.
Then the cubes go into the seedling tray.
I'll use the clear humidity dome to reduce evaporation and help maintain consistent moisture during germination.
The important thing at this stage is consistency.
Not too dry.
Not soaking wet.
Not sitting in deep water.
9. Planting My Sweet Basil
I'll use the same basic process for sweet basil.
I'll put:
1–2 basil seeds per cube
Once both germinate, I'll keep the stronger seedling and remove the weaker one.
Eventually, I want:
One healthy basil plant per net pot.
This avoids overcrowding and gives each plant room to develop its root system and canopy.
10. Germination Isn't the Time for Full Nutrient Strength
At the seed stage, I don't need to pour my full nutrient solution over the seeds.
The seed already contains the initial energy required for germination.
My priority is:
Moisture + oxygen + appropriate temperature + light after emergence
Once the seedlings develop and are ready to enter the hydroponic system, that's when the nutrient solution becomes important.
11. When I'll Transplant
I won't move the seedlings to the tower immediately after they sprout.
I'll wait until they're sufficiently established.
I'm looking for:
Healthy green leaves
Developing true leaves
Strong stems
Roots emerging from the sponge
A seedling large enough to handle transplanting
The roots are especially important.
Once the plant enters the NFT system, I want those roots eventually reaching the nutrient film flowing through the channel.
12. Preparing the Tower Before Transplanting
Before I put plants into the system, I'll perform a complete water-only test.
I'll fill the bottom reservoir with plain water.
Then I'll turn on the pump.
I'll inspect every level.
I'm checking:
Does water reach the top?
Does it flow through every channel?
Does each channel drain properly?
Does water return to the reservoir?
Are there leaks?
Are any fittings loose?
Is the pump powerful enough?
Does anything overflow?
I want to discover these problems before adding plants and nutrients.
13. Getting the Flow Right
My tower is an NFT system, so I want a shallow, continuous flow.
I'm not trying to flood the growing channels.
The nutrient solution should move along the channel bottom, allowing the roots to access the solution while also having access to oxygen.
The exact flow rate may need adjustment after I observe the system.
If one level receives significantly more water than another, I'll investigate the tubing, fittings, slope, or flow restriction.
14. My Nutrient Solution
My nutrient system is:
HydroMax A — 5-12-26
and
NitroCal B — 15-0-0
These are the two components I'll use for the Butterhead lettuce and sweet basil.
The bottles provide the dosage by gallon.
My reservoir will contain approximately 10 liters of water, which is about 2.64 US gallons.
15. Seedling Nutrient Strength
For established seedlings entering the tower, the label's seedling dosage works out to approximately:
10 L water
5.3 mL HydroMax A
5.3 mL NitroCal B
This is where I'll start.
I don't want to immediately give tiny seedlings the maximum concentration.
I'll allow them to establish themselves first.
16. Early Vegetative Growth
As the plants become established, the label's Early Veg dosage works out to:
10 L water
10.6 mL HydroMax A
10.6 mL NitroCal B
I'll move toward this level as the plants become larger and actively growing.
17. Full Vegetative Growth
Once the Butterhead and sweet basil are mature, the Full Veg dosage becomes:
10 L water
13.2 mL HydroMax A
13.2 mL NitroCal B
I'll still monitor the plants and, ideally, verify the solution with an EC meter rather than blindly assuming that a fixed dose will be perfect under every water condition.
18. How I'll Mix the Nutrients
This is important.
I will not mix concentrated A and B together directly.
Instead:
Step 1
Put approximately 10 L of water into the reservoir.
Step 2
Shake HydroMax A.
Step 3
Measure the required amount.
Step 4
Add A to the water.
Step 5
Mix thoroughly.
Step 6
Shake NitroCal B.
Step 7
Measure the required amount.
Step 8
Add B to the water.
Step 9
Allow the pump to circulate the solution thoroughly.
The nutrients are diluted into the reservoir rather than being mixed together in their concentrated forms.
19. pH Matters
I'll aim for approximately:
pH 5.8–6.2
I'll use a digital pH meter rather than relying on guesswork.
I'll also keep pH Up and pH Down available for adjustments.
The important thing is not to make huge corrections at once.
Small adjustments are much safer.
20. EC Will Eventually Become One of My Most Important Measurements
An EC meter will tell me how concentrated my nutrient solution actually is.
This is important because two reservoirs containing exactly the same amount of fertilizer can have different measured EC depending on the starting water.
So eventually my routine becomes:
Measure → adjust → observe → measure again
rather than:
Guess → add more → hope.
For a beginner hydroponic setup, a pH meter and EC/TDS meter are among the most useful investments I can make.
21. My Eight Grow Lights
My tower has:
2 grow lights per level × 4 levels = 8 lights
That's a major part of my setup.
The lights will provide supplemental illumination, particularly when natural sunlight isn't enough.
I'll use a timer so that the lighting schedule is consistent.
I'll start with approximately:
14–16 hours of light
and
8–10 hours of darkness
Then I'll adjust according to how the plants respond and how much natural sunlight the tower receives.
22. Where I'll Put the Plants
Because basil can grow taller than lettuce, I'm going to place the:
🌿 Sweet basil on the top level
and put:
🥬 Butterhead lettuce on the lower levels.
A starting arrangement could be:
Level Crop
Level 4 — Top 🌿 Sweet basil
Level 3 🥬 Butterhead lettuce
Level 2 🥬 Butterhead lettuce
Level 1 — Bottom 🥬 Butterhead lettuce
If the basil becomes particularly vigorous, I'll prune it rather than allowing it to shade the lettuce.
If the top level doesn't provide enough vertical space, I can move the basil down one level.
23. How Many Plants Will I Start With?
I'm not going to immediately fill every available hole.
For the first run, I'd aim for approximately:
🥬 20–24 Butterhead lettuce
🌿 8–12 sweet basil
This gives me enough plants to evaluate the system without making the first experiment unnecessarily complicated.
The exact number ultimately depends on the number and spacing of planting holes in the tower.
24. Why I'm Starting Small
This isn't just a vegetable garden.
It's also an experiment.
I'm learning:
Pump performance
Water flow
Nutrient consumption
Evaporation
Reservoir temperature
pH stability
EC stability
Light intensity
Plant spacing
Root growth
Basil growth rate
Lettuce growth rate
If I fill every hole immediately and something goes wrong, I'll have a lot more plants to troubleshoot.
I'd rather learn the system first.
Then expand.
25. Putting the Seedlings Into the Tower
When the seedlings are ready:
1. Take the rooted sponge cube.
2. Place it inside the net pot.
3. Add rinsed Hydroton around the cube.
4. Make sure the plant is upright.
5. Don't bury the stem unnecessarily.
6. Put the net pot into the growing channel.
The final arrangement is:
🌱 Plant
↓
🟩 Starter sponge
↓
🟤 Hydroton
↓
🧺 Net pot
↓
💧 NFT nutrient flow
The Hydroton supports the plant while the roots grow downward toward the flowing nutrient solution.
26. Daily Routine
Once the system is running, I'll make a quick inspection every day.
I'll check:
💧 Water
Is the reservoir level adequate?
🚰 Pump
Is it running?
🌊 Flow
Is nutrient solution reaching all four levels?
🌱 Plants
Are the leaves healthy?
💡 Lights
Are all eight lights functioning?
🌿 Roots
Are they healthy-looking rather than slimy or dark?
🐛 Pests
Are there insects or damaged leaves?
🌡️ Temperature
Is the reservoir getting excessively warm?
A few minutes of observation every day can prevent a small problem from becoming a major crop failure.
27. The Pump Is Critical
The pump is effectively the heart of this system.
If it stops:
No pump → no upward flow → no nutrient delivery to the upper levels.
Therefore I'll eventually keep a spare compatible pump available.
I'll also inspect the pump periodically for:
Root fragments
Dirt
Clay dust
Algae
Debris
28. Keep an Eye on the Water Level
The plants will consume water.
Evaporation will also reduce the reservoir.
If the water gets too low, the pump can begin sucking air.
So I'll check the reservoir every day.
But I won't automatically add nutrient concentrate every time I add water.
Water loss and nutrient loss aren't necessarily happening at the same rate.
That's another reason an EC meter will become valuable.
29. Nutrient Solution Changes
The instructions on my nutrient bottles indicate changing the solution approximately every:
7–14 days
I'll use that as my starting schedule.
When changing it:
Turn off the pump.
Drain the old solution.
Inspect the reservoir.
Remove debris.
Clean as necessary.
Add fresh water.
Add the appropriate A and B quantities.
Check pH.
Check EC.
Restart the pump.
30. Keeping the System Clean
A recirculating hydroponic system means that the same water travels through the entire garden.
That makes cleanliness extremely important.
I don't want:
Dead leaves
Decaying roots
Algae
Dirt
Insects
Excess clay dust
Plant debris
circulating through my pump and pipes.
The cleaner the system, the easier it will be to maintain.
31. Watching the Roots
Roots are one of my best indicators of what's happening beneath the plants.
Healthy roots should generally look:
White to cream-colored
Firm
Vigorous
If they become:
Brown
Slimy
Mushy
Smelly
then I know something needs investigation.
Possible causes include:
Excessive heat
Poor oxygenation
Poor flow
Dirty water
Root disease
Clogged channels
32. Sweet Basil Will Need Pruning
This will probably be the more aggressive of my two crops.
Sweet basil can become tall and bushy.
Instead of allowing it to become one long stem, I'll periodically pinch or cut the growing tip above a pair of leaves.
That encourages side branches.
The result:
One stem → several branches → bushier plant → more harvestable leaves
And because I'm growing basil hydroponically, I can repeatedly harvest rather than waiting for one big harvest.
33. Harvesting the Butterhead Lettuce
Once the Butterhead reaches harvest size, I have two options.
Whole-head harvest
Remove the entire plant.
Leaf harvest
Take the outer leaves and allow the plant to continue producing.
For my first crop, I'll probably experiment with both.
The exact harvest time will depend on the variety, temperature, light, and growth rate.
34. Harvesting the Sweet Basil
Basil is even more suitable for repeated harvesting.
I'll:
Select healthy stems.
Cut above a leaf pair.
Leave sufficient growth behind.
Allow the plant to branch.
Repeat.
The more I prune properly, the bushier the plant can become.
35. Succession Planting
Once the first batch is established, I don't want all my lettuce to mature at the same time.
Instead, I'll start another batch of seedlings periodically.
For example:
Week 1
8 Butterhead + 3 basil
Week 2
8 Butterhead + 3 basil
Week 3
8 Butterhead + 3 basil
Then continue according to available space.
That way, I can eventually have:
Young plants → medium plants → mature plants → harvest
instead of:
Everything matures → everything gets harvested → empty tower
36. My Maintenance Checklist
Every day
Check reservoir level
Check pump
Check water flow
Check plants
Check grow lights
Look for pests
Look for leaks
Several times per week
Check pH
Check EC/TDS
Inspect roots
Inspect tubing and drains
Check reservoir temperature
Every 7–14 days
Replace nutrient solution
Inspect and clean reservoir
Inspect pump
Remove plant debris
Check the entire circulation system
37. The Things I Must Never Forget
Never let the pump run dry.
Never mix concentrated A and B directly together.
Always dilute nutrients into water.
Don't drown my starter sponges.
Don't put tiny seeds directly into Hydroton.
Don't let the NFT channels become stagnant pools.
Don't ignore pH.
Don't blindly increase nutrients because a plant looks small.
Don't let basil grow unchecked and shade the lettuce.
Don't wait until the reservoir is nearly empty before checking it.
Don't introduce dirty Hydroton into the system.
38. My Complete Seed-to-Harvest Journey
The entire process can be summarized as:
🌱 STAGE 1 — SEED
Butterhead lettuce and sweet basil seeds go into moist hydroponic sponge cubes.
↓
🌿 STAGE 2 — GERMINATION
Keep the cubes moist, not submerged.
Use the humidity dome.
↓
🌱 STAGE 3 — SEEDLING
Wait for healthy leaves and developing roots.
↓
🪨 STAGE 4 — TRANSPLANT
Put the entire sponge cube into a net pot.
Surround it with rinsed Hydroton.
↓
💧 STAGE 5 — NFT
Place the net pot into the tower.
Pump nutrient solution from the 10-L reservoir to the top.
↓
💡 STAGE 6 — LIGHT
Eight grow lights provide supplemental illumination.
↓
🧪 STAGE 7 — NUTRITION
Start with:
5.3 mL A + 5.3 mL B / 10 L
Then progress as the plants establish.
↓
📏 STAGE 8 — MONITORING
Watch:
pH + EC + water level + flow + roots + temperature
↓
🌿 STAGE 9 — GROWTH
Prune sweet basil.
Monitor Butterhead.
Maintain the system.
↓
🥬 STAGE 10 — HARVEST
Harvest Butterhead.
Harvest basil progressively.
↓
🌱 STAGE 11 — REPLANT
Start the next generation of seedlings.
And the cycle begins again.
The Goal
This first run isn't about creating the perfect hydroponic farm overnight.
It's about learning the system.
I'm starting with two crops—Butterhead lettuce and sweet basil—because they give me a manageable introduction to hydroponics while still producing something genuinely useful.
I'll learn how much water my tower consumes.
I'll learn how quickly the plants grow.
I'll learn how the nutrient solution behaves.
I'll learn how the eight grow lights affect the plants.
I'll learn how the pump and NFT channels perform.
And eventually, I'll learn the most satisfying lesson of all:
I can turn a tiny seed into food using water, nutrients, light, and a system I built and learned to manage myself.
The first harvest won't just be lettuce and basil.
It will be proof that the entire system—from seed to roots, from nutrients to leaves, from electricity to water circulation—has come alive.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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