The CD has 17 sections that contain a complete introduction to hydroponic growing. The CD is ideal for the beginner, but there are enough new materials that the seasoned hydroponics grower will enjoy. The highlight of the CD is the plans section which contains plans and part lists for 17 different systems. Some are very simple and very inexpensive to build. The author of the CD has been growing with and building hydroponics systems for the past 8 years. Because of this, the CD is written in a personal person-to person style which refelects the authors love of hydroponics. The CD also contains a section for teachers, and offers some simple systems and recommendations for putting together a hydroponics class. The CD can be installed to your computer, or if you want, it can be directly run from the CD (requires a browser). The CD runs on Microsoft windows computers.

The nutrient module on the CD covers hydroponic nutrients and their use. Nutrient measurements like EC and pH are covered in detail. For a plant to grow, it requires the correct temperature and humidity, moisture, light, air, certain mineral salts (nutrients) and the absence of disease causing organisms. A hydroponics nutrient solution is composed of water, and essential mineral salts in their proper proportions. The essential elements, or mineral elements that must be present for proper plant growth and development, are:

• Nitrogen (N)
• Phosphorus
  (P)
• Potassium (K)
• Magnesium (Mg)
• Calcium (Ca)
• Sulfur (S)
• Iron (Fe)
• Manganese (Mn)
• Boron (B)
• Copper (Cu)
• Zinc (Zn)
• Molybdenum (Mo)
  

Hydroponic Lighting:

Even if you are growing outdoors, you need to read this part of the CD. If you are going to grow indoor, then this is the section for you. Growing indoors under a hydroponics grow light allows the hydroponics grower the ability to grow all year long. This section covers Fluorescent, LED, Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium Lights, and the good ole sun! Also covered is how light is measured and the quality of light.

CO₂, Water and Air:

For proper plant growth, all plants require CO₂ to photosynthesize. CO₂ is present naturally in very low quantities, around 300-450 parts per million or "PPM". Plant growth can be increased and accelerated by as much as 30% if the level of CO₂ is elevated to 1000 -1500 PPM. This section of the CD covers this technology as well as air and water quality.

Seed Propagation (starting):

There are many ways to start seeds. Starting seeds is a fun part of the hydroponics hobby. I am sure that you never cease to be amazed at watching a seed germinate, and put on its first true leaves. Attention to details at this point in the plants' life will pay dividends later when they are  transferred to your system. This extensive CD module covers starting seeds, mediums, lighting and temperature as well as individual types of seelds like lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Cloning Plants:

Plants can be started from seeds or clones. Clones are nothing more than cuttings from a mother plant that have been inserted into an environment that causes the cutting to develop roots. The really nice thing about clones, is that once you find a plant you like, it is quite possible to make many copies of the mother plant. This section of the CD cover the basics of plant cloning using time tested methods as well as using hydponic systems to clone plants. The CD contains a step-by-step description with graphics of each step in cloning a plant.

Plant Problems:

If you have ever grown a garden, then you know that there are a large number of pests and diseases that can attack a plant. Because hydroponics has replaced soil with water that carries nutrients to the plant, some of the diseases which were soil borne have been eliminated. Insects and pest infestations have been reduced by growing inside in a controlled invoronment, but not eliminated. This section covers plant health and methods of earth friendly ways of controlling pests. It also covers things like wilting, mold, damping off and nutrient deficiencies.

System Plans:
The System plans section contains plans, graphics and instructions for building 17 different hydroponic systems: from a mildly complex system to simple systems you will want to build with your children or in a class room. This section covers them all. NFT, Drip, Aeration, Aeroponics, Float, Drip and Wick systems are all here. Most of the parts used in these systems can be found at your local home improvement store, pet shop or hydroponics dealer.  

Pieces and Parts:

This section covers the pieces and parts used in hydroponics systems. It is meant to familiarize those new to hydroponics with all the pieces and parts as well as equipment.

Greenhouses:

This section shows how to plan for a greenhouse. It also contains a set of plans for a simple greenhouse of 2x4s' PVC and plastic. 

The following are good reasons to own a greenhouse ( there are probably many hundreds more):

1)  Growing plants in the winter.
2)  To propagate, and experiment with different plants.
3)  Get away from all that dirt!
4)  Hide from the insects!
5)  Have greater control over the growing environment.
6)  Greenhouses are a great place to test out all the new hydroponic equipment.
7)  Greenhouses can be a nice peaceful place to spend time and unwind (the best one!).

Low Energy Systems:

Those of us who have been involved in hydroponics have always believed that it was necessary to circulate and aerate the nutrient applied to our plants. For the most part, this was done using air bubbling through the nutrient, or by dropping the nutrient back into the nutrient tank from a small distance. Other systems spray a fine mist onto the roots which adds oxygen to the nutrient. Is this belief true? The answer to this question is yes. In most typical hydroponics systems this is necessary to prevent root rot and other problems. If one is to construct and use a no-energy, non-circulating hydroponics system, them the system must be different, and the approach must be new. This section covers this interesting area with simple plans and explinations. It also has a section by the "Women of Hope" and "Institute For Simplified Hydroponics". These two organizations are using no energy systems to train and educate refugees in Afghanistan so they can grow their own food.

Home Systems:

This section contains example of home made systems that just might encourage you to build your own or to experiment in this really great hobby.

For the Teacher:

This section is for the teacher who wants to bring hydroponics into the class room, and has a small or no budget for doing this. None of the examples or experiments discussed in this section require a lot of expense. The section is meant to be used as a resource for systems and ideas in preparing a hydroponcis course.

Safety:

Working with electricity and liquids can be dangerous if you do not understand the risks. Because hydroponics is so much fun, we seldom think about any of the hazards associated with our equipment. It is the intent of this module to get you thinking about these risks and suggest that you become aware of electrical hazards by educating yourself, and making sure that all your equipment and power sources meet all the electrical codes that the state, county and city will require. Even meeting the standards is no guarantee of safety, if you do not take electrical safety seriously. This module is not a course on electrical safety. That sort of training is your responsibility, and we strongly suggest that you seek out professional training in this area if you think you need it.

Concepts Covered in this Module

• Causes of electrical shock
• Current paths through the body
• Effects of electrical current on the body
• Safety precautions when working with electricity
• Fuses, circuit breakers and other safety equipment
  

Commercial Section:

This section has information about some of the companies that were kind enough to allow the author to use graphics of their products and other materials on the CD. You will recognize the names of most of these companies as they make up a large part of the hydroponics equipment market.