Organic Hydroponics: Is It Possible for Cannabis?

Organic cannabis — it's all the hype these days, but why? Imagine this — biting into a bland, heavily fertilized mango vs a locally sourced, organically grown one. The latter will be purer, and more flavor-packed, right? The same goes for your cannabis!

Organic growing methods can elevate quality, preserving the flavors, aromas, and cannabinoids that regular methods often dilute. And, in a world where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, organic practices offer a way to grow high-quality cannabis while reducing environmental impact. 

But can a hydroponic setup actually go organic? It's not impossible, but it comes with its own quirks and challenges. In this article, let's tackle how you can make it work — growing cannabis hydroponically.

What Does Organic Mean? 

To answer whether your hydroponic setup can ever be truly organic, let's start by looking at what organic actually means. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines organic farming as a system that maintains or improves soil organic matter through crop rotation. 

The key word here? Soil. Since hydroponic setups use inert media, any nutrients are delivered directly to the roots through an oxygenated solution. At first glance, and if you go by the definition, this lack of soil might seem like a dealbreaker for organic status. 

However, the definition of organic farming involves more than just the growing medium — it's more about sustainability, environmental impact, and supporting natural ecosystems. When you look at organic growing as a spectrum of practices rather than strict rules, hydroponics might just qualify.

In Europe, the approach is even broader. EU standards focus on sustainable cultivation systems, biodiversity, and environmental protection. Within these guidelines, some tweaks can make your hydroponic system closer to organic. Sure, there will be challenges, but it's certainly possible.

So, Can You Grow Organic Cannabis Hydroponically?

Depends on which definition you follow and how flexible you are. Is growing organically about sticking to the book and getting check marks for the same, or do you want to grow organically to protect the environment? 

If it's the former, your hydroponic system will fail to be organic. However, go with the latter, make a few tweaks, and your hydroponic system will grow organic cannabis. Let's look at how you can do that: 

1. Hydroponics Can Be Sustainable 

Hydroponic systems use just around 10% of the water consumed by soil-based farming. This significant reduction in water use is great for the environment, especially in water-scarce areas.

Lighting is a bit trickier to make organic, but not impossible. Solar panels, for example, can help offset the energy demands, especially in sunny climates.

2. Environmental Protection

The efficient space usage of hydroponics is another win for sustainability. While soil-based systems require vast amounts of land, hydroponics can yield up to 10 times the output in the same space, preserving natural habitats and making it feasible to grow in urban areas with minimal impact.

3. Supports Biodiversity

Aquaponics, a type of hydroponics that uses fish to provide nutrients, is one way to increase biodiversity. The fish support beneficial microbes and can even serve as a food source once the crop is harvested.

What are the Problems You Might Face With Organic Hydroponics?

Organic hydroponics sounds great on paper, but if it were that simple, everyone would already be doing it. There are a few challenges you must keep in mind when considering this route, which are as follows:

1. Maintenance 

One big hurdle is maintenance. Organic nutrients, while beneficial, are harder for your cannabis to absorb since they're complex compounds. Compared to synthetic nutes, it's a bit hard for the plant. These nutrients have a pesky tendency to cause blockages in the plumbing of hydroponic systems, including emitters and pumps. Combined with the microbes required to break them down, you're looking at a high risk of sediment buildup that can clog pipes and pumps.

In addition, organic hydroponics depends on the microbes to break down the nutrients so the plants can absorb them. However, this can lead to excessive production of biofilm — yes, the sticky substance found commonly on the surfaces of hydroponic systems. The issue is that biofilm can block water flow and also decrease the efficiency of how the system delivers nutrients. So, you're going to have to scrub it away frequently. 

2. Microbes in the System

Then there's the issue of microbial populations. These microbes take time to establish, which means your plants might not get the nutrients they need right away. Once bacteria and nutrients start to build up, they can become problematic if not balanced correctly, potentially inviting harmful microbes into the system.

3. Changes in Nutritional Levels

Adding to the previous point, as organic nutrients are released slower than mineral ones, the nutritional levels may vary unpredictably causing a peak and valley in nutritional levels. Cannabis plants can be stressed by such variations, especially during flowering. 

Unlike synthetic stuff where you can adjust them just the way you like it, organic hydroponic nutrients can get a little tricky. With the additional aspect of microbes, it makes it a little harder to control the pH. 

4. pH Challenges

The pH is important for cannabis no matter how you grow it. It's not a big issue if you're growing in soil, especially super soil. However, it's a lot more complicated with organic hydroponics as the pH may shift quite frequently due to microbial activity and decomposition. It's unpredictable in a way, so it's tough to calculate just how the pH can shift. 

These fluctuations can interrupt nutrient uptake too, as mentioned above, and since cannabis prefers a narrow band of pH (usually around 5.5 – 6.5 in hydro), it's a bit harder to control. 

Also, some organic nutrients do not have adequate buffering capacity to stabilize the pH, which can lead to undesired rapid shifts. Nutrients like compost teas or fish emulsion can drop pH over time and other amendments can push it up higher without your knowledge. 

As a result, you'll have to test and adjust the pH more often, which requires a little more patience. 

5. Energy Consumption

The traditional method of growing in soil doesn't need a lot of power. In other words, you don't have to spend electricity to grow plants. However, hydroponic systems work on electricity, and organic hydroponics is no exception. The system will need power for environmental control and equipment used to ensure stability and nutrient availability. 

We are not going to talk about lighting and other equipment used to control the temperature and humidity as you'll have to use them in conventional hydroponics too; however, organic hydroponics uses a little more power (it's not so significant that it'll rake up your energy bills) to aerate the water. 

Aeration is crucial for both types of hydroponic systems but organic hydroponics needs it more to prevent nutrients from stagnating and forming an anaerobic environment as it can suffocate the roots and add harmful pathogens.

You can get away with this to a certain extent in traditional hydroponics as the system can control and supply oxygen easily. However, organic systems require extra oxygen for the roots and microbes. Basically, the oxygen levels must stay high to prevent root rot and allow the aerobic microbes to process the nutrients efficiently. 

In addition, remember we spoke about clogging? Well, the system has to have a constant water flow to prevent the organic particles from settling down and clogging the system. 

This often needs several pumps and diffusers, which raises total power usage. If your grow tent has a dense canopy, you should use extra air stones or bubblers which raises the energy demand still further.

Aeration is so critical to your plants' success that you need some type of backup power to keep it running even during power outages. Often working on batteries and generators, these backups add to the energy and investment overheads. 

6. Skill and Effort

Finally, setting up a successful organic hydroponic system takes skill. With mixed opinions on what truly qualifies as organic, you may have to experiment with different techniques to find what works best for your setup. 

Possible Solutions for Challenges in Organic Hydroponics

Even though organic hydroponics is challenging, there are several ways to provide stable, healthy conditions to grow cannabis. Growers can use certain techniques and make adjustments that support microbes, properly manage organic nutrients, and keep the system clean.

1. Biofilters that Support Microbial Life

One of the keys to successful organic hydroponics is preserving a safe microbial environment. Biofilters can help create and maintain useful live bacteria in the nutrient solution that can make nutrients available for plants.

Essentially, biofilters offer beneficial microbes a surface to settle down and do their work. When you use a biofilter, you're creating an environment for aerobic bacteria in the water to process organic nutrients, helping the plants absorb them easily. 

They also promote the cycling of nutrients as microbes can convert organic compounds into useful nutrients. It keeps the nutrient availability stable so that nutrients don't fluctuate and stress plants.

The advantage of this is that the biofilters establish a healthy diversity of microbes that prevents pathogens from invading the environment, cutting down the risk of pathogens. Beneficial microbes inhibit pathogens, thereby creating a robust environment suitable for growing cannabis plants. 

2. Using Nutrients From Organic Sources 

Whether you're growing organically or using synthetic nutrients, the plants need the same nutrients to grow properly. The nutrient sources need to work well or they will cause problems such as clogging and nutrient imbalances to name a few. Organic nutrients are different from synthetic ones in terms of their composition and rate of absorption because they rely on microbes to become available. Let's take a closer look at some organic nutrient choices ideal for hydroponic cannabis systems.

• Liquid Organic Nutrients

Liquid organic nutrients are one of the easiest and most practical alternatives for hydroponics that easily dissolve in the water, have less sediment, and evenly distribute nutrients.

Fish hydrolysate: This is made from fish remains and is high in nitrogen, amino acids, and trace elements. Hydrolysates are processed at low temperatures to protect enzymes and nutrients, unlike fish emulsions. They also contain nitrogen which helps cannabis in its vegetative stage to grow. It has oils and fatty acids that feed beneficial microbes in the root zone too. 

Seaweed and kelp extracts: These have potassium, magnesium, and plant hormones that help to improve root and leaf development. These extracts contain natural growth regulators (cytokinins and auxins) which help in the structure of roots and the absorption of nutrients. Seaweed extracts can also help a plant resist stress caused by changes in temperature, light, or humidity.

Compost tea: You can make this by soaking compost in aerated water to create a balanced source of nutrients plus a healthy population of microbes. It is especially helpful for organic hydroponics because it provides phosphorus and potassium as well as bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter and will be good for the roots.

Using liquid organic nutrients will help you maintain a cleaner system. They dissolve so much more easily and will not clog your pumps or hoses, but the system still requires filtration as some organic substances can cause a small buildup over time.

• Fermented Plant Extracts

Using fermented plant extracts is beneficial in an organic hydroponic system because they are more bioavailable and less likely to clog or alter pH compared to other organic options. These extracts offer different kinds of micro and macronutrients and other compounds that help the plants to grow. 

• Comfrey and nettle are very nutritious and contain lots of potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. These nutrients become very bioavailable upon fermentation. The process of fermentation also starts breaking down the organic matter gradually. Ultimately, it produces nutrients the plants can absorb easily without any sediments building up. 
• Banana peels are packed with potassium, which is important for flowering cannabis plants. Consider fermenting banana peels before using them as it creates a solution that has readily available potassium and small amounts of other minerals like magnesium and calcium. This promotes flowering and also helps the plant use phosphorus, which is important in bud formation.
• Molasses, a sugar-refining byproduct, is a great feedstock for beneficial microbes in the hydroponic system as it contains calcium, magnesium, iron, and sugars. Putting molasses in plant ferments increases microbes and provides a steady supply of secondary nutrients needed to boost cannabis growth. 

Fermented plant extracts support the diversity of nutrients and the beneficial microbial community essential for nutrient cycling in organic hydroponics.

• Customized Nutrient Blends

Instead of using a standalone nutrient, you can create blends that can help your plants at every stage of their development. However, since organic nutrients are not standardized, you will have to experiment with different ratios and combinations to achieve the ideal balance.

An ideal fertilizer for the vegetative stage is a mixture of fish hydrolysate which provides nitrogen and liquid kelp containing ample amounts of potassium. This combination provides a good variety of nutrients for foliage and root development. It also improves the stress resistance of the plant.

You can improve the quality of trace minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese with help from organic chelation agents such as humic or fulvic acids. These elements are important for photosynthesis and enzymes. Chelated micronutrients prevent deficiencies without the use of synthetic additives. As a result, they ensure the steady absorption of these nutrients.

• Flowering Additives

When your flowers start blooming, a combination of fermented plant extracts high in potassium (like banana peel ferment) and compost tea or guano-based teas can help provide your buds with the phosphorus and potassium they need. Using this method, the buds tend to be heavier with a better terpene profile, which also enhances quality.

3. Maintaining System Cleanliness 

Organic nutrients are good for cannabis plants but produce particles and residues in hydroponic systems. If you don't pay attention, it can cause clogs, hinder nutrients, and disturb microbes that can harm the plant. By carefully maintaining systems and using the right tools, growers can reduce these challenges and produce healthy plants and microbes in an organic hydroponic system.

• Routine Flushing

Flush away organic residue frequently to prevent accumulation in system components. This is one of the simplest methods to control organic residue. By flushing with clean water every two to three weeks, you'll reduce the sediment and organic build-up which should eliminate clogs and any nutrient imbalance. Flushes are even more important if a nutrient source has larger particles, such as compost tea or fish hydrolysate. 

You can use a 3% dilution of hydrogen peroxide in your flushing for a deeper clean. However, although hydrogen peroxide can break down biofilm and remove residues, it will also kill any beneficial microbes present, so you must rinse the system must be rinsed thoroughly. Some growers choose to add beneficial microbes back to the soil after a flush, so you can do this as well. 

• Sediment Filtering and Cleaning

Using sediment filters and fine mesh bags can lower the amount of suspended sediment in the system and reduce the chance of clogging issues. 

Sediment filters positioned around nutrient intakes trap bigger organic particles before they mix with the main system. The filters are designed to capture compost, fish, and other organic matter that can clog pumps, emitters, and hoses. So, you should clean the filters at least once every week to ensure they function effectively and also prevent backflow if you can't clean them regularly. 

• Using Fine Mesh Bags

Apart from the sediment filters, you can place nutrients in fine mesh bags so they dissolve slowly without allowing large organic particles to enter the water flow. 

This technique is great for using solid formulas like guano and seaweed powder. They dissolve slowly and can overflow nutrients without causing any allergies. 

In short, sediment filtration reduces maintenance and helps deliver nutrients more efficiently as large particles are not allowed to enter the system.

• Biofilm Control

Organic hydroponic systems become easily clogged with biofilm due to microbial activity and the presence of organic compounds. 

Biofilm restricts the flow of nutrients and clogs pipework, eventually disrupting the microbial balance. Therefore, you must control it before it spreads rapidly. 

Here's how you can do that: 

• You can use organic cleaning solutions to minimize excessive biofilm growth and frequently clean the reservoirs, hoses, and emitters. The products must be mild enough that it does not harm the beneficial microbes while removing residues of the organic matter and biofilm. One of the best organic cleaners can be made from either lemon juice or vinegar (apple cider) but you'll have to dilute them to at least 50% concentration with water. 
• To prevent biofilm formation on larger systems, you can use rotating water jets and UV sterilizers. While water jets stop stagnant areas where biofilm is more likely to form, UV sterilizers kill unwanted pathogens but do not kill beneficial bacteria that are directly attached to the root surfaces. However, you must be cautious as overusing it can upset the microbial balance. Thus, use it only in areas with biofilm and don't go anywhere near the roots. 

4. Monitor and Adjust Flow Rates

It is important to manage the flow rate to distribute organic nutrients without creating sediment traps. Here's how: 

• Optimize the flow rate: This means you should regularly check and fix the flow rate at various points in the system to avoid any point of stagnation where the sediment can settle. This way, you're balancing proper circulation while enhancing nutrient absorption, so you can rest assured that the nutrients are available to the plants while minimizing build-up at the same time. 
• Strategic pump placement: Place the pumps where sludge or residue builds up; this will help to spread nutrients around better. Also, make sure that you place high-flow pumps near nutrient intakes and gentler pumps near the roots so that they don't get disturbed while still promoting steady circulation. 

Adjusting the flow rate evenly distributes nutrients throughout the system and prevents nutrient build-up and stagnation, which can cause an anaerobic environment that harms roots. 

Options to Grow Organic Cannabis Hydroponically

Going organic with your hydroponics involves some modifications to meet sustainable standards. Your two best options are aquaponics and bioponics. Also, you'll have to avoid synthetic nutrients — more on that later. Let's look at the options you have first. 

1. Aquaponics

Aquaponics taps into the nutrient-rich waste (poop) produced by fish. This method typically requires a multi-tank system, one of which houses the fish along with a biofilter. 

The biofilter breaks down larger nutrient particles with the help of oxygen and biological catalysts. Without this, nutrient buildup can occur, boosting algae and other unwanted pathogens.

While you can skip the biofilter, you'd need an additional tank with a substrate that encourages microbial growth. In this setup, microbes handle nutrient breakdown, similar to what occurs in soil-based systems.

Once filtered, the nutrient-rich water is delivered to the plants before cycling back. Sometimes, you can also just leave the roots hanging in the fish tank. Aquaponics can produce healthy cannabis plants, though you'll need to allow time for the fish and bacterial populations to establish.

2. Bioponics

The next option is bioponics, a hydroponic system developed by William Texier, This system follows a similar principle to aquaponics but without the fish. 

Here, you have to introduce soluble organic nutrients, and a biofilter is used to make these nutrients more accessible to the plants. The biofilter, housed in an oxygen-rich tank, supports a thriving microbial environment that processes nutrients efficiently.

With bioponics, your nutrient solutions can be readily prepared and sent to the plants, allowing you to achieve high nutrient availability with a shorter waiting period.

You can't go wrong with either, so decide which one fits your bill and suits your preferences and go with that. One thing to note is that going organic comes with a price since these setups are expensive. 

What Nutrients Can You Use to Grow Organic Hydroponic Cannabis

The biggest setback with hydroponics is that nutrients are often synthetic, not organic. But there's a way you can still feed your plants without using soil or synthetic fertilizers. Remember, you must supply the nutrients naturally, using one of the following ways:

• Use Commercial Organic Fertilizers

We have already given you several choices of liquid nutrients you can use. However, if you don't have access to any of them, commercial organic fertilizers can help, though they might not supply every mineral in needed quantities. 

Some mineral salts, like magnesium sulfate, are permitted in organic systems and can supplement these fertilizers, especially for calcium and nitrogen, which plants need in abundance. 

You can even use an organic base, such as fish emulsion combined with liquid calcium, which offers a good start, and you can add nitrogen later if you have to. 

• Make Homemade Nutrient Solutions

If you want to be more sustainable, homemade nutrients from organic waste are an option. Worm castings are especially useful, as they release nutrients through worm tea, which is brewed from worm castings or compost. You can also use biodigesters to break down organic waste into liquid nutrients.

Just be cautious with nutrient concentration — too little will stunt your plant's growth, while too much will deplete oxygen and promote pathogens in the system. Instead, start with small amounts and monitor plant health, adjusting as the system stabilizes over time.

• Try Microbial Activity

Microbial activity is essential to make nutrients available to plants. In an oxygen-rich environment, aerobic bacteria efficiently digest nutrients, much like in aquaponics. Here, insufficient bacteria or oxygen leads to anaerobic processes, which emit bad smells, attract pathogens, and fail to nourish plants.

To support healthy microbial growth, choose substrates that provide a good surface area and ensure ample oxygen supply. Remember, biofilters are invaluable in maintaining these bacteria, allowing the nutrient cycle to run smoothly.

Growing Cannabis with Organic Hydroponics vs. Traditional Hydroponics

The goal of organic hydroponics and conventional hydroponics is to grow plants in a soilless water-based system. However, they differ significantly in terms of their approaches, nutrient sources, and maintenance needs. Here's a look at how they compare: 

1. Nutrient Sources

Organic hydroponics: This uses nutrients that are natural in origin such as algae, fish hydrolysate, compost tea, and fermented plant extracts. Cannabis needs microbes to convert the nutrients into usable forms. However, since you're relying on natural sources, the plants won't get those nutrients as fast as they receive in traditional hydroponics.

Conventional hydroponics: These use synthetic nutrients formulated for hydroponics. The nutrients dissolve easily and are instantly available to roots, allowing for a high degree of control over nutrient levels. Many growers prefer this as it helps to overcome nutrient deficiencies very quickly. 

2. Microbial Activity

Organic Hydroponics: This helps to break down organic compounds with its microbial life and enriches nutrient availability to the plant roots. Microbial action in organic hydroponics is essential to mimic soil processes but it must be balanced to prevent pathogens from taking hold.

Conventional Hydroponics: It typically functions in a sterile environment with little microbial activity. This approach reduces the requirement for microbes' management; however, it also sacrifices a few advantages found in organic hydroponics like natural resistance against pests, nutrient cycling, and more.

3. System Maintenance

Organic Hydroponics: Must be cleaned regularly to prevent residue build-up from organic nutrients and biofilm. Sediment filtration, regular flushing, and biofilm control will ensure there's no clogging and smooth working of the system.

Conventional Hydroponics: This is typically easier to maintain as the nutrients dissolve better than natural ones and leave little sediment. Make no mistake — you'll still have to clean and flush these systems too but it won't be as frequent as you would in organic hydroponics. 

4. pH and EC

Organic Hydroponics: pH in an organic hydroponic system can change due to microbes and decomposition of organic matter. Thus, you'll have to adjust the pH more often and also pay attention to the EC to avoid deficiencies and lock-out. 

Conventional Hydroponics: On the other hand, these systems are stable, and although you will have to adjust the pH and EC, it's a little less chaotic. Moreover it's predictable, making it easier to use, especially for new growers.

5. Environmental Impact

Organic Hydroponics: By incorporating naturally occurring nutrients, organic hydroponics follows sustainable practices while promoting a healthy ecosystem, although they require more energy for additional aeration and filtering.

Conventional Hydroponics: This utilizes very little water and nutrients. However, its nutrients have to go via industrial procedures. Some growers may consider conventional hydroponics to be less sustainable, though it is more energy efficient compared to organic hydroponics.

6. Growth and Yield 

Organic Hydroponics: This promotes growth and helps produce more attractive and natural flavors. However, this system may deliver slower growth and lower yields due to the slow release of nutrients and potential nutrient imbalances.

Conventional Hydroponics: This system is known to offer higher yields and faster growth as nutrients become available immediately and conditions get optimized for maximum uptake. Most growers who want fast and predictable growth will prefer a traditional type of hydroponic system. 

7. Taste and Quality

Organic Hydroponics: This technique enhances the flavor and terpenes in cannabis because of the natural nutrient sources and complex microbial interactions. Many growers think organic cannabis has a more intense smell and flavor, appealing to high-end consumers.

Conventional hydroponics: This technique also produces good quality cannabis plants, but some feel the flavors and aromas may not be as complex as organic ones. 

Organic or Conventional Hydroponics: What Should You Choose? 

Using organic or conventional hydroponics both have their own set of pros and the ideal choice depends on your objectives and values.

Organic hydroponics is for people who believe in growing naturally. It involves growing with natural, renewable, nutrient sources and helping beneficial microbes to grow. Thus, it attracts consumers concerned about sustainability, environment, and health, as they avoid synthetic additives and appreciate a more ‘natural' product. Also, the buds are more flavorful and you get to enjoy them in all their glory. 

However, these systems need more consistent care, patience, and experience to manage nutrient availability, microbial balance, and pH fluctuations. 

Conventional hydroponics use up-to-date designs for efficiency. As such, it's a good choice for commercial cannabis producers. By utilizing synthetic nutrients, the plants grow quicker and bigger, all of which can easily promote plant health. The systems also generally take less maintenance as they require less cleaning than organic systems, which is a positive factor for growers who want to produce more while doing less. Therefore, it's best for cultivators looking for predictability and control of growth variables with the potential to produce huge amounts of cannabis quickly.

To sum up, growers who are looking to grow small batches of artisanal-quality cannabis with plenty of environmental benefits may adopt organic hydroponics while conventional hydroponics may be more appropriate for high yields and efficiency-driven production operations that focus on predictable results. Both methods can create quality cannabis, as long as you manage them carefully. 

Summary: Organic Hydroponics: Is It Possible for Cannabis?

Going organic in hydroponics may sound like a lot of work — and let's be honest, it is! But if you're willing to give it a shot, the reward is in cannabis that doesn't just feel right but also grows in a way that's kinder to the planet. 

With options like aquaponics and bioponics, a bit of experimentation, and an eye on nutrient balance, you can turn that hydroponic setup into a sustainable, eco-friendly powerhouse. 

The result? Top-quality, flavorful cannabis you can feel good about from seed to smoke. Plus, there's always the benefit of giving your customers the best possible quality of cannabis if you're into selling your stuff, too. It will not only keep your customers happy but also the planet!