Terra Aquatica CultiMate S

The Terra Aquatica CultiMate S is a complete hydroponic system for one plant or a few smaller ones, with 15 litres of effective capacity. Until recently Terra Aquatica sold it as the WaterFarm. The design has not changed, and neither has what makes it unusual: it contains no water pump.

How air lifts the water

The growing chamber of clay pebbles sits above the reservoir of nutrient solution. Between them runs a lift column: a tube reaching down into the liquid, with a drip ring at the top.

An air pump blows air into the bottom of that column. The rising bubbles carry solution up with them, and at the top it emerges into the drip ring. From there it drips over the clay pebbles, works down past the roots and runs back into the reservoir through the base of the chamber.

So the only moving part is a small air pump. No water pump to seize, no timer and no valves. Terra Aquatica puts the consumption at under 2 watts.

Why the roots gain from it

Every circuit aerates the solution twice: in the lift column, where it literally rides up on bubbles, and again as it falls through the clay pebbles. Oxygen at the roots is usually the limiting factor in hydroponics, and this design supplies it as a by-product of circulating at all.

What to expect from 15 litres

Fifteen litres means one substantial plant or a few smaller ones, and topping up more often than with its larger sibling. At 30.5 by 30.5 centimetres it fits a windowsill, a kitchen or a balcony, and for a first go at hydroponics that is exactly enough. If your plant runs on to real size, or you want to stay away longer, the CultiMate L with 45 litres is the logical step.

Two parts, and that helps

You lift the growing chamber off the reservoir to reach the solution and the roots. That sounds obvious and is not: many systems give no access to the root zone without disturbing the plant.

Both parts are roto-moulded in France from recycled plastic that blocks light and UV, so the roots stay in the dark. Terra Aquatica gives a lifetime guarantee on that moulded plastic under reasonable use. The air pump and other separate components are not covered by it.

Technical Specifications:

• Effective capacity: 15 litres
• Dimensions: 30.5 x 30.5 x 37 cm (l x w x h)
• Drive: air pump, no water pump
• Operation: lift column to a drip ring
• Consumption: under 2 watts
• Substrate: washed clay pebbles
• Material: roto-moulded recycled plastic, light and UV shielded

Frequently asked questions

Is the CultiMate S the same as the WaterFarm? Yes. Terra Aquatica renamed the WaterFarm V3 to CultiMate S. Operation and size are unchanged.

Do I need a water pump? No, an air pump lifts the solution through the lift column.

What is the difference from the CultiMate L? The same principle, with 45 litres instead of 15 and a larger growing chamber.

Which substrate do I use? Washed clay pebbles in the growing chamber.