Replacements, Accessories, and Extras

 This is just a consolidated list of the various extras, accessories, and replacements I personally use with my different gardens.  There are many options for most of these items; these I have personally used successfully.  Most of the links (particularly to Amazon) are associate links, which help keep me gardening and able to create new content, as I am disabled with no regular income.

Replacement items for AeroGardens:

• Grow Baskets: These are the cheapest alternative I've found, and though you occasionally get some oddities, like flashing on the edges or twisted basket spokes, I haven't had one yet that was unusable.
  
  
• Sponges: These sponges are made of coco coir, and though there is some debate as to whether that is actually more eco-friendly or not, it does have less of a tendency to be hydrophobic when dry compared to peat moss, making you less likely to have a pod fail to sprout because it didn't wick water all the way to the seeds.
  
  
• Labels: These are considerably cheaper than the AeroGarden brand ones (you get roughly 4x as many for the price.)  They don't stick particularly well, so I add some additional repositionable adhesive, though it's not necessary, I just already have it on hand for other crafts.  Sharpie writes on them perfectly.
  
  
• Empty Hole Spacers: There are generic alternatives, but I find most of them tend not to fit as well as the AG originals.
  
  
• AeroGarden Nutrients: I have tried several other nutrient brands (MaxiGrow, Flora series, etc.) and though I've found several that the plants grow as well as AG brand, I haven't found any that beat it, and all are more complicated (pH balancing since AG has a buffer, or multiple parts, or can't be used with sprouts, etc.)  I actually use this in all my systems, not just AGs.
  
  

Kratky-style Jar supplies:

• Amber Quart Jars: Wide mouth mason jars that block 99% of UV rays, and thus do not need to be painted to prevent algae.
  
  
• 3" Net Cups: Appropriate size for wide mouth mason jars (placed on top of the metal bands.)  If you have regular mouth jars, you will need the 2" cups instead (which fit under or on top of the metal bands).  These are for plants being started in the kratky jars. 
  
  
• To move into a jar from an AeroGarden, you will need a lid with a hole sized for an AG pod.
  
  
• Leca/Expanded Clay Pebbles:  My preferred filling for the net cups.  I discuss how I start seeds directly in this post.
  

 

Gardyn supplies:

• Replacement Cubes with Rockwool: Direct from another Gardyn user, much cheaper than the 'brand' seedless cubes, particularly if you are a non-member.
       -I have also used the 2" net cups linked above with leca and tinfoil.
  
  
• Rockwool Cubes: To refill the cubes if they remain intact between grows (can depend on cube age and the size of the plant that grew in it.)
  
  
• YPod lids: To close off tubes when you don't have a plant in it.  Much cheaper than the Gardyn brand ones.
  
  
• Vet Wrap: I used this on my Gardyn to improve the lightfastness.  One package was slightly more than needed to cover the entire Gardyn once.  (Two layers would improve lightfastness.)  Only sticks to itself, easy to apply and removable for cleaning.
  
  
• Seed Starter Tray: I use these to sprout the cubes before they are ready for nutrients.  Will fit 6 cubes.  Not as neat and matchy as the brand nursery, but a fraction of the cost.
  

 

Other accessories and equipment I use:

• Syringes with tubing: Super useful for measuring nutrients and other additives.  I like having both 20 and 60 ml syringes, since I also have a Gardyn (which holds 6 gallons).
  
  
• Clip-on Fan:  I consider this a critical accessory for any indoor garden.  I go into some depth on why in my Benefits of a Fan in Hydroponics post.
  
  
• Needle-nose Tweezers: Not exactly necessary, but I find it much easier to place seeds using these.  They are precise enough to maneuver even the tiniest herb seeds one at a time securely.  They are very multipurpose for me, I use them to reposition seedlings, or any other very fine work.  The are relatively sharp, so be very cautious on seedlings.
  
  
• Embroidery Scissors: These are a multipurpose tool for me.  They are precise enough to neatly prune tiny herbs, can open boxes, and I even used them as "tweezers" for seed placement before I got actual tweezers.
  
  
• Be the Bee: For pollinating flowers, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.
  
  
• Repositionable Glue Pen: While not technically for the hydroponic units, I have used this a lot in association with them; helping stickers stick better, re-closing seed packets, etc.
  
  
• Photo (Seed) Storage Box:  I use this to organize my seeds.  Each type of plant has its own sub-box.
  
  
• Grow Light Strips:  I use these for my Kratky-style jars, seed starting, etc.  They are a pleasant warmish white color instead of the weird pink or purple, and the plants grow wonderfully under them.
  
  
• Power Strip/Surge protector: Wide spaced, vertical plugs allow plenty of room for lots of brick plugs.
  

 

 

Other Nutrients and Additives:

• Hydroguard: This is an optional supplement for overall system health.  It is a beneficial microbe that does an admirable job of keeping 'bad' microbes from setting up shop, such as those that cause root rot. (Important note: If you use hydrogen peroxide, it will kill off the beneficial hydroguard, so it needs to be reapplied 24-48 hours after adding the H2O2.)
  
  
• Hydrogen Peroxide: Commonly used to sterilize the water, particularly in the case of fungal or bacterial infections, like mold or root rot.
  
  
• CalMag Plus: Nutrient supplement of Calcium and Magnesium with a bit of Iron.  Commonly fed to fruiting plants, prevents/treats blossom end rot.
  
  
• Liquid BTI: This is a liquid form of the same thing in Mosquito Dunks/Bits, used primarily to treat fungus gnats.  Being in liquid form, there is no risk of particles getting stuck in pumps and burning them out.  Like the hydroguard, it is a living microbe, so don't use within 24 hours after using hydrogen peroxide.