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Ready to set up your grow? Open the System Builder → for a checklist of what you need, indicative prices, and links to find everything.
Equipment
By HiGroPonics Team · Updated July 2026
Setting up a hydroponic grow space requires more than just a system. You need to control light, temperature, humidity, air quality, and nutrient delivery — each of which has its own equipment category.
Items are marked NEED (essential to grow anything) or NICE (improves results but not required to start).
Budget Guide
Starter
$60–$180
A Kratky or simple DWC setup with a basic LED, pH pen, and EC meter. Suitable for lettuce and herbs on a windowsill or under a shelf. No tent required.
Intermediate
$400–$900
A 60×60 or 80×80 cm tent with a quality LED, NFT or DWC system, inline fan, carbon filter, and calibrated pH/EC meters. Suitable for most leafy crops and some herbs.
Full Setup
$900–$2,500+
A 120×120 cm tent or dedicated grow room with commercial-grade LED, drip or Dutch bucket system, climate controller, full ventilation, and monitoring. Suitable for fruiting crops.
Categories
Your grow space is where everything else happens. It needs to be lightproof, reflective on the inside, and tall enough for your plants plus lighting at hanging height.
Grow Tent
Lightproof, Mylar-lined tents create a controlled environment in any room. Most common sizes: 60×60, 80×80, 100×100, 120×120 cm. Height matters — budget for lights hanging 30–50 cm above the canopy.
Buy one size larger than you think you need — you will use the space.
Reflective Sheeting / Mylar
If building a dedicated grow room rather than using a tent, line the walls with Mylar or white-painted walls to maximise light reflection.
Trellis Net / Training Wires
For fruiting crops that grow tall, a horizontal trellis net allows LST (low-stress training) to spread the canopy and improve light distribution.
Light is the engine of plant growth. Modern LEDs have largely replaced HPS for home growers — lower heat output, better efficiency, and full-spectrum output.
Electrical Safety
Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Always use a GFCI outlet for your pumps and lights, and ensure all electrical connections are dry and elevated off the floor. Never handle electrical equipment with wet hands.
Material Safety
Use only food-grade, BPA-free plastics for any component that contacts your nutrient solution — reservoirs, buckets, and tubing — to prevent harmful chemicals from leaching into your system.
Handling Nutrients
Concentrated hydroponic nutrients and pH adjustment chemicals can be caustic. Always wear nitrile gloves and eye protection when mixing or handling them. Store chemicals in their original labelled containers, out of reach of children.
FAQ
Ready to Set Up?
Full-Spectrum LED Grow Light
The current best choice for most home growers. Look for quantum board LEDs. As a rough guide: 30–50W of actual draw per 30×30 cm of canopy. Check PPFD charts, not just wattage.
Mars Hydro, Spider Farmer, and Lumatek are reliable mid-range brands.
HPS (High Pressure Sodium) Kit
Still used commercially and by experienced growers. Higher heat output requires better cooling. More affordable at the 600W+ level but more expensive to run than LED.
Light Timer
Plants need consistent light cycles. 18/6 for vegetative growth (18 hours on, 6 off), 12/12 to trigger flowering in photoperiod plants.
Light Hangers / Ratchet Straps
Adjustable hangers let you raise the light as plants grow. Fixed hanging points make it impossible to manage light distance.
PAR / PPFD Meter
Measures actual usable light at canopy level. Useful for dialling in light intensity precisely, but not required when starting out.
PPFD, DLI, light cycles, LED vs HPS — the complete breakdown for choosing and dialling in your grow light.
Plants need fresh CO₂-rich air and good circulation. Stale air leads to mould, pests, and stunted growth. A complete ventilation setup moves air through the tent, filters odour, and circulates air within the canopy.
Inline Extraction Fan
Pulls stale, warm air out of the tent and draws fresh air in. Size in m³/hr should match your tent volume. Replace air in the tent every 1–3 minutes.
Slightly oversized with a speed controller gives you flexibility.
Carbon Filter
Connects to the inline fan to neutralise odours before air exhausts. Match filter diameter and CFM rating to your fan. Carbon filters last 12–18 months.
Ducting
Flexible aluminium ducting connects fan to filter to the tent exit. Keep runs short and bends minimal — every bend reduces airflow.
Oscillating Circulation Fan
A small fan inside the tent keeps air moving across the canopy. Prevents hot/humid pockets, strengthens stems, and reduces mould risk significantly.
Fan Speed Controller
Allows you to reduce extraction fan speed during cold weather or when plants are young. Useful for energy saving and maintaining better VPD.
VPD tables, humidity targets by growth stage, CO₂ supplementation, and temperature ranges — the science behind airflow.
Monitoring and adjusting your nutrient solution is the most hands-on part of hydroponics. A pH pen and EC meter are not optional — they are your primary diagnostic tools.
pH Meter / Pen
Measures acidity of the nutrient solution. Most crops need pH 5.5–6.5. Cheap pH strips are not accurate enough for hydroponics — invest in a digital pen. Bluelab and Apera make reliable pens.
Calibrate with buffer solution (pH 4.0 and 7.0) at least weekly.
EC / TDS Meter
Measures nutrient concentration. Too low = deficiency; too high = nutrient burn. Bluelab Truncheon is the industry standard — no batteries, no calibration needed.
pH Up & pH Down Solutions
Used to adjust pH after mixing nutrient solution. pH Down (phosphoric acid) is used most. Add in small amounts, stir, and re-test before adding more.
Nutrient Solution (A+B, CalMag)
A two-part (A & B) base nutrient covers all macro and micronutrients. CalMag supplement is essential with soft water or coco coir.
Reservoir
Lightproof container for your nutrient solution. Must be opaque to prevent algae growth. Larger reservoirs buffer pH and EC fluctuations better. Food-grade plastic only.
Submersible Pump
Required for active systems (DWC air pump excepted). Match flow rate to your system volume and head height.
Nutrient Dosing Pump
Automates nutrient and pH adjustments. Expensive but transforms maintenance requirements for larger grows.
Dissolved oxygen, water source comparisons, reservoir management, and air pump sizing — keep your roots healthy from day one.
Temperature and humidity directly affect how fast plants grow and whether disease takes hold. Start by measuring, then invest in control if you need it.
Thermometer / Hygrometer
Measures temperature and relative humidity inside the tent. Digital combo units with min/max memory are ideal. Place at canopy height, not near the extraction outlet.
Place at canopy height, not near the extraction outlet.
Propagation Heat Mat
Keeps propagation media at 22–26°C during germination and cloning. Dramatically improves germination rates and clone success in cooler rooms.
Climate Controller
Automates fan speed based on temperature and humidity. Connects to your extraction fan and triggers it when thresholds are exceeded.
Heater
Required in cold climates or unheated outbuildings. A small oil-filled radiator on a timer is effective and safe inside a grow tent.
Dehumidifier
If humidity stays above 65% despite good extraction, a small dehumidifier prevents mould. Size to the room, not just the tent.
Humidifier
Useful in dry climates or heated indoor spaces where humidity drops below 40–50%. Most beneficial during propagation and early vegetative growth.
A basic ultrasonic humidifier on a timer or humidity controller is sufficient for most home grows.
Starting plants well is the foundation of every successful grow. Propagation equipment does not need to be expensive — a basic propagator and heat mat will serve most growers well.
Propagator / Humidity Dome
A clear plastic dome that maintains high humidity (70–80%) around cuttings and seedlings. Essential for cloning success.
Propagation Heat Mat
Maintains 22–26°C at root level — the ideal germination and rooting temperature. Pairs with the humidity dome.
Rockwool Cubes or Rapid Rooters
The substrate for germinating seeds and rooting clones before transfer to the main system. Soak to pH 5.5 before use.
Rooting Hormone Gel
Significantly improves clone success rates. Apply to the cut end immediately before inserting into propagation media. Clonex is the most widely used product.
Scalpel / Razor Blade
For taking clean cuts when cloning. Scissors crush the stem and reduce rooting success — a clean blade makes a significant difference.
The small things that make the difference between a well-run grow and a frustrating one. Keep these on hand before you need them.
Nitrile Gloves
Protect your hands from nutrient solution, pH chemicals, and any sprays. Keep a box near your grow area.
Measuring Syringes / Pipettes
Accurate nutrient measuring in ml. Much more reliable than kitchen spoons. Get a set of 1ml, 5ml, and 20ml.
Spray Bottle
For foliar feeding, misting humidity domes, and applying pest treatments.
Plant Labels & Marker
Label propagation trays and record planting dates. Simple but saves confusion when you have multiple varieties or batches.
Magnifying Loupe (60×)
For identifying pests before an infestation becomes visible to the naked eye. A 60× jeweller's loupe costs under $10.
Jewellery Scale (0.01g)
If working with dry or powdered nutrients, an accurate scale is more reliable than volume measurements.