Hydroponics is *far* too ineffective.

[BoogieMan]

I have 60 Hydroponics bays and 3 skilled growers and I can't keep a colony of 10 people and 4 dogs fed with just them alone. The growth rate and yields are so very low.

Despite such a huge investment of mining, resources, time, and electricity THAT many isn't even capable of feeding a small colony. With the *same* set up and slow hunting I was able to feed a colony of 40 before. I'm not saying I should still be able to feed 40 with that, but surely more than 10. So much steel and time, for so little. I wanted to try an ice sheet map but without hunting to supplement the food supply, it's just not even remotely feasible.

[MultiDavid]

What are you growing, last i recall, rice is the best crop for growing on hydrophonics.

[BoogieMan]

What are you growing, last i recall, rice is the best crop for growing on hydrophonics.

A combination. But regardless, it feels like their output has been reduced at least 60%. 60 freakin bays for 10 people should be overkill.

6000 Steel for the bays (not including power lines, climate control, power infrastructure, or sun lamps)
10600 Watt power drain for the bays and 4 Sun Lamps - Which alone would take the output of nearly 3 Geothermal Generators, not counting climate control.

..And the surface area that many bays requires.

All for so very little. In my opinion, it's clearly significantly underpowered.

[CB elite]

Hyrdoponics are useless in most instances. I can't remember the last playthough I actually used them. They cost far too much to make, for too much to maintain, and like you said they arent much of a benefit to the colony... Vanilla hydroponics needs a serious overhaul :p

[MultiDavid]

Perhaps... hydrophonics could be made to grow crops that the planet's soil doesn't accept, some really valuable crops could really dump up the hydrophonics's value :O

[CB elite]

I would take immunity to blights, and some rebalancing of power consumption. I'm semi easy to please like that

[MajorFordson]

Would be great to see their yields turned up, to reflect the care and careful conditions the plants are raised in. As well as the ability to grow a mushroom type crop that isn't tasty, but will grow without power.

[Jaxxa]

I agree, this is one of the main reasons that I modded in plants growing through the night.

[silenced]

Why use hydroponics at all? Build a greenhouse, heat and light it up and all is fine. Maybe even put it in together with a steam vent, so that, if power fails in winter for example, you still have some heat to keep it above freezing temperature (or make lots of campfires).

If, of course, you're in a biome where you got no soil, well, rice is the best option. Anything else is wasted time and effort.

[Jorlem]

Also, letting plants survive in hydroponics when there is no power would be useful.  The risk of a solar flare killing my crops is mainly what keeps me from trying to use hydroponics. 

[harkov]

I only use them in the desert when there is not enough fertile soil.

[quxzcover]

There is MANY things you guys are over looking.

In climates where growing time are 4-0 months its either farm pods or hydroponics which i prefer hydroponics. Also in my colony 40 hydroponics properly maintained can feed my 20 colonists along with the meat i hunt to make fine meals. in colony's where you have 70+ colonists which is where im usually situated then hydroponics is a must, especially in cold climates or in mountainous regions from the lack of growing room and currently all my outside growing room is usedfor hay to keep my cows and chickens happy for literally infinite meat of eggs and milk. another reason is if you have a killbox and dont want to much traffic there if its your main entrance. another reason is if you have a mountain base etc etc etc.

[Mihsan]

I have some small corn fields and 38 hydroponic basins (75% of them for berries and potatoes). Picture of my fridge is self explanatory:
http://i.imgur.com/OCljTpR.jpg

But I could not tell that hydroponics are ineffective. You just could not live ONLY on hydroponics and that is all that there is.

Also 40 hydroponics is not too much (4 sun lamps, right?) and 20 colonists is pretty huge colony for this game.

[Britnoth]

Hydroponics are fine. If anything their yields would be too high if not for their equally high cost in steel.

If you cannot feed 10 people and 4 dogs with 60 tables, you are doing something terribly, terribly wrong. That should be enough for 25+ if you have skilled growers and they are tended efficiently.

Which I doubt they are. Not just the terrible food income you have, but 4 sun lamps for only 60 bays screams 'horribly built sun lamp rooms' like nothing else.

...

40 bays, 4 sun lamps. Ouch. and berries and potatoes, double ouch. You can live off hydroponics just fine IF you grow nothing but rice and use them efficiently....

[Drahkon]

20 colonists with most of my 54 basins shut off because the freezer is full and I don't get enough bulk traders to put up with hauling the food out to the trade freezer. No clue what's causing you trouble. Oh, and a small 10x12 field for corn outside. I like corn.