Materials & Growing Standards

Hydroponics brings water, nutrients, growing media, and equipment into close contact with the plants you grow. Port Bloom considers that entire pathway when selecting materials and designing systems—from the reservoir and tubing to the components that support the plant.

We prioritize food-grade plastics and materials commonly used in food, beverage, and hydroponic applications. Nutrient products are selected from formulations commonly used by hydroponic growers for edible crops.

Our designs also seek to minimize unnecessary adhesives and chemical exposure. PVC cement is avoided where practical. When a design requires it, products rated for applications such as potable-water systems are selected.

Our approach is to reduce unnecessary materials wherever possible. We consider:

• Materials that come into contact with water and nutrient solution
• Tubing, fittings, reservoirs, and other components along the water pathway
• Growing media and components that directly support plants
• Opportunities to reduce unnecessary plastics, adhesives, coatings, and other chemical exposure
• Durability and material degradation that could contribute to unwanted particles or microplastics over time

No hydroponic system can eliminate every potential environmental exposure. Our goal is simpler: make thoughtful material choices and design systems with the complete path from water to plant in mind.