Editing Hydroponics basin

{{infobox main|production|
| name = Hydroponics basin
| image = HydroponicsTable.png
| imagesize = 250px
| description = An artificial nutrient bath for growing plants. The nutrients pumps must work continuously; the plants will die if power is cut.
| type = Building
| type2 = Production
| placeable = true
| path cost = 30
| blockswind = false
| passability = pass through only
| cover = 0.3
| minifiable = false
| size = 1 ˣ 4
| flammability = 0.5
| hp = 180
| cleanliness = -3
| power = -70
| terrain affordance = medium
| research = Hydroponics
| skill 1 = Construction
| skill 1 level = 4
| work to make = 2800
| resource 1 = Steel
| resource 1 amount = 100
| resource 2 = Component
| resource 2 amount = 1
}}
A '''hydroponics basin''' is a [[production]] building that provides a highly fertile area for growing [[crop]]s fast and in areas that otherwise would not support them..

== Acquisition ==
Hydroponics basins can be constructed once the [[Research#{{P|Required Research}}|{{P|Required Research}}]] research project has been completed. They require {{Required Resources}}, {{Ticks|{{P|Work To Make}}}} of work, and a [[{{P|Skill 1}}]] skill of {{P|Skill 1 Level}}.

== Summary ==
A powered hydroponics basin acts as a terrain with 280% soil [[fertility]], twice that of rich soil. The exact speed boost depends on the [[Property:Fertility_Sensitivity|Fertility Sensitivity]] of the plant in question. For example, [[rice plant|rice]] gets the full 280% effect, while [[potato plant|potatoes]] won't benefit nearly as much.

Hdroponics basins are placed on the ground, and default to planting [[rice plant]]s. In order to function, they require 70 watts of [[power]], day and night. This is ''absolutely critical'', as when unpowered, its plants will wither very quickly. Basins work indoors and outdoors, and don't short circuit in the [[rain]]. They can't be uninstalled, only deconstructed for half their value as usual. Each basin has a [[cleanliness]] value of -3, making a large hydroponics farm a very "dirty" prospect.

Hydroponics only provides soil fertility, so all other plant growth conditions must be met. This isn't a problem in the growing season while outdoors, but in order to regulate [[temperature]], you must grow indoors, under a roof, and use a building like a [[heater]]. The [[sun lamp]] is required to provide light in the absence of sunlight (due to the roof). Note that [[standing lamp]]s aren't suitable for crop growth: plants require at least 51% light, while standing lamps provide a maximum of 50% lighting and do not "stack".

Colonists will automatically plant only 1 type of plant per basin. The following plants can be grown in hydroponics basins: 
<!-- basic plants listed in in-game order, then Ideology plants -->
{|width="600"
|
* [[Rice plant|Rice]]
* [[Potato plant|Potatoes]]
* [[Strawberry plant|Strawberries]]
* [[Healroot]]
|
* [[Cotton plant]]
* [[Hop plant]]
* [[Psychoid plant]]
* [[Smokeleaf plant]]
|
* [[Fibercorn]]{{IdeologyIcon}}
* [[Nutrifungus]]{{IdeologyIcon}}
* [[Tinctoria]]{{IdeologyIcon}}<br><br>
|}

== Analysis ==
[[File:SunlampHydroponics.png|350px|thumb|right]]
Hydroponics basins can almost triple (280%) the output compared to standard fields on the same footprint. This alone makes them a no-brainer for many players. However, this output comes at nearly triple the labour - hydroponics only increases growth rate, not harvest yield. So if growers and harvesters are already in high demand, then adding hydroponics won't help. Also, hydroponics has a much weaker effect on plants with lower fertillity sensitivity, like [[potato plant|potatoes]].

Power is absoultely critical to use, as plants will quickly die without it. It is recommended to have [[Battery|batteries]] and/or alternative power sources in the case of [[Events#Breakdown|breakdowns]] and [[Events#ZZZtt...|conduit explosions]].  A long [[Events#Solar Flare|solar flare]] will kill all hydroponic crops, though colonists can harvest crops to prevent a total loss.

Not all crops may grow in hydroponics. The following plants can't be grown in a hydroponics basin:
<!--{{#ask: [[sowTags::!~*Hydroponic*]] [[Type2::!Tree]] [[Type2::!Decorative]]}}-->
* [[Corn plant|Corn]]
* [[Haygrass]]
* [[Cocoa tree]]
* [[Devilstrand mushroom]]

When making a "greenhouse", you must consider other plant needs. [[Temperature]] is a key issue when growing crops; it can only be changed when indoors and under a roof. Once in a room, [[heater]]s and [[cooler]]s are the best ways of regulating temperature. [[Sun lamp]]s are required to grow most crops (all crops in the base game) under a roof, in the absence of sunlight. Sun lamps in particular consume a large amount of power, so that must be taken into consideration.

The DLC-exclusive plants [[Fibercorn]]{{IdeologyIcon}} and [[Nutrifungus]]{{IdeologyIcon}} do not require a sun lamp to function, which saves a lot of power. Fibercorn can grow under a standing lamp (requiring only 30% light), and Nutrifungus must not have any light. However, their extremely low Fertility Sensitivity makes building hydroponics basins rather questionable.

=== Sun lamp arrangement ===
{{For|additional analysis|Sun lamp}}
It is possible to fit 24 hydroponics basins inside the "brightly lit" area of a sun lamp with the following configuration:

This Setup will use 4580W at day and 1680W at night. A [[Solar generator]] produces 1700W and a [[Geothermal generator]] 3600W, 
so three Solar Generators (and a few [[Battery|Batteries]]) or one Geothermal generator (plus a little help) are needed to power it. 

If there is a roof over the hydroponics area, it may be wise to use the four empty tiles for roof support columns.  This is not necessary if there are supports immediately outside the sun lamp's radius. These tiles could also be used for [[plant pot]]s or [[sculptures|art]] to boost growers' [[mood]].

=== Outdoors ===
Alternatively, you can opt to put all your hydroponics basins outdoors, using the natural light outside to grow plants. This negates the controlled temperature and light level advantage of indoor greenhouses, but saves a great deal of power.

This method is very effective, for example, in an Extreme Desert which has a year-round growing season but not much available soil.

== See also ==

* [[Growing zone]]

== Version history ==
* [[Version/0.0.245|0.0.245]] - Balanced down hydroponics growth rate.
* [[Version/0.3.410|0.3.410]] - Fertility increase and requires power or the plants die. You can also now set what to grow on them.
*Since Beta 19 it now requires components to build, and the default crop was changed to rice (from potatoes). It also received a remodel.
<gallery>
OldHydroponics.png|The Old Hydroponics Texture
</gallery>

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