SYSTEM 06 · HYDROPONIC
Hydroponic frames: what the steel does when the crop grows in water.
NFT channels, benches and gutter lines need a frame that is level, that carries water, and that does not corrode where it stays wet. The steel scope is usually small and the tolerance is high.
In a hydroponic house the structure is secondary; the water line is the product. That changes what the client cares about: not span capacity but level, adjustability, and corrosion at the wet interface. A bench frame that is 10 mm out of level shows up as a dry channel at the far end.
| Item | Section | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bench / trough support | SHS 40×40×1.5–2.0 | adjustable feet |
| NFT channel support | C 80×40×1.8 | slope 0.5–1 % |
| Gutter line | G 200 / G 250 | catch and return |
| Walkway frame | Ø33.5 / SHS 30×30 | if specified |
| Bracing | Ø33.5 | keep the grid square |
Hydroponic layouts are designed by the grower's system supplier; we fabricate the support steel to that layout.
Wet interfaces
Where steel stays wet, pre-galvanised is the wrong choice at a cut end. Ask for hot-dip or a sealed detail at the water line, and keep the zinc-rich touch-in paint on site for site cuts.
Read next
Pages that answer the question this page raises.
- 06.05Leafy greens & lettuceLeafy green and lettuce greenhouse structure: low houses, wide spans, benches, NFT support→
- 04.05Roll-formed guttersRoll-formed steel gutters for greenhouses: 200/250/300 mm profiles, Z275 pre-galvanised, e→
- 05.01Multi-span film houseMulti-span film greenhouse frames: 6.2–12 m span, gutter-connected, galvanised oval arches→
- 08.05Galvanising methodsPre-galvanised (Z275) versus hot-dip galvanising for greenhouse frames: process, protectio→
NEXT STEP
Quote hydroponic support steel to your layout
Send the bench layout and the slope. We fabricate the support grid to it and quote the wet-interface coating separately.