You don’t need a commercial greenhouse or a five-figure budget to start a hydroponic business.
In fact, with less than $500, you can build a clean, productive, and profitable growing system in your garage, kitchen, or spare room.
This guide is your blueprint. Whether you're a side hustler, a homesteader, or just a curious grower looking to break into small-scale entrepreneurship, this setup is where you start turning seeds into sales.
A lot of people try to go big right out of the gate—and they crash. Here’s the truth: the smaller your system, the faster you’ll learn what works.
Small systems are:
Easier to manage and troubleshoot
Cheaper to build and fix
Quicker to turn profitable
Scalable when you’re ready to grow
The goal isn’t just to grow plants—it’s to grow confidence, skills, and sales. This system helps you do all three.
We will walk through a 3-bin Deep Water Culture (DWC) system with LED grow lights, housed on a sturdy shelving unit.
This setup can grow 12–18 plants at once, depending on spacing, and supports high-yield crops like:
Lettuce
Basil
Kale
Swiss chard
Cilantro
Microgreens (optional tray add-on)
It fits in a 2x4 ft (61 x 122 cm) footprint and requires no plumbing, no grow tent, and only one standard wall outlet.
Here’s what you’ll need, with price estimates based on typical U.S. or Western country pricing:
3x Sterilite 10-gallon totes with lids – $45
Net pots (3-inch, 15-pack) – $10
Air pump (4-outlet) + tubing + airstones – $40
Full-spectrum LED grow light (4-ft) – $80
4-tier wire shelving rack (48” wide) – $60
Mechanical timer – $10
Rockwool starter cubes (50-pack) – $20
General Hydroponics Flora Series nutrients – $35
pH test kit or digital pH meter – $15
pH up/down solution – $10
Seed packs (lettuce, basil, etc.) – $15
Hydrogen peroxide (for cleaning) – $5
Measuring cups/syringes – $5
Spray bottle – $3
Total: ~$400–450
Add a small fan for airflow ($20) and you're still under budget.
NOTE: All prices listed were accurate at the time this blog post was written. Please note that prices may vary based on your location and when you make your purchase.
Cut 5–6 holes in each lid using a hole saw (or a sharp knife) to fit the net pots. Space them evenly for airflow and root space.
Pro Tip: Drill a small fill hole on the lid’s corner so you can top off nutrients without removing plants.
Place an airstone at the bottom of each tote.
Connect the tubing to the air pump. Position the pump higher than the reservoir to prevent backflow.
Build your shelving rack. Hang your LED grow light about 12–18 inches above the tote lids. Plug it into the mechanical timer and set it for 16 hours on / 8 hours off.
Follow label directions for your nutrient mix. Start with half-strength for seedlings. Adjust pH to between 5.5 and 6.5.
Place seeds in moistened rockwool cubes and cover until sprouted. Once roots show, drop them into net pots and insert them into your totes.
1. Keep It Clean
Use peroxide or vinegar solution to sterilize your gear before each cycle.
2. Check pH Weekly
Use your pH meter/test kit and adjust with up/down solution as needed.
3. Watch Your Water Temp
Ideal range: 65–75°F (18–24°C). Higher than 80°F? Roots might rot.
4. Thin Early
Don’t crowd your bins. Thin weak seedlings so each pot has one strong plant.
5. Record Everything
Track seedling date, nutrient changes, pH readings, and harvest yields. You’re not just growing—you’re building a repeatable system.
Grows fast (30–40 days)
Popular at markets and restaurants
Harvest entire heads or leaf-by-leaf
High-margin crop
Grows year-round indoors
Sell in bunches or live pots
Cut-and-come-again style
Longer life span = more harvests
Great for CSA boxes
Fastest turnaround (10–14 days)
Sell in clamshells or bulk
Premium pricing in urban markets
When your system starts paying for itself, here are the smart next steps:
Add a second shelf layer = double your capacity
Upgrade to a digital EC meter for precise nutrient control
Install a small fan or an inline duct for airflow
Add a backup battery or surge protector
Automate nutrient dosing (eventually)
You don’t need these to succeed, but they can increase yield, reliability, and your time efficiency as you grow.
Here’s a sample income snapshot for a well-run $500 system:
In less than 3 months, your system could pay for itself—and build cash flow for the next stage.
🚫 Overcrowding your bins – More plants ≠ , more yield, if they suffocate each other.
🚫 Ignoring pH – Your plants will let you know, but by then it’s too late.
🚫 Waiting too long to harvest – Younger greens are tastier and worth more.
🚫 Using cheap, weak lights – Invest once. Poor light = poor growth.
🚫 Skipping airflow – Indoor air stagnation leads to weak stems and mould.
Built a $450 system in his apartment. Now sells microgreens to two local cafés and does weekly $5 salad bags for neighbours.
Used a storage room to grow herbs hydroponically. Started with basil and cilantro. Now sells fresh bundles to three restaurants and has added mint and edible flowers.
These aren’t outliers. They prove that small, smart systems work—if you stay consistent.
Your first hydroponic system doesn’t need to be fancy, it needs to be functional. The $500 starter build gives you all the tools to learn, grow, and start earning. You’ll gain hands-on skills, confidence, and momentum.
Remember: this isn’t just about growing food. It’s about building something that belongs to you. A system you control. A harvest you can share or sell. A business that can grow with you.
In the next post in this series, we’ll cover the best high-profit crops you can grow in a system like this, plus how to price them and find buyers who’ll pay for freshness.
Until then, get your bins, get your light, and get growing.
Need help sourcing supplies or customising your setup?
Join our free entrepreneur grower group or check out the NextGen Hydroponics Academy Starter Kit, which is coming soon.
“Growing smarter, greener, together — the NextGen way.”
Free Hydroponic Starter Bundle
(3 Gifts Inside!)
Free Guide eBook 🌿
14+ Lesson Course 🎓
Join Exclusive Community 👥