Hi,
You might want to try this system.

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You are right! Algae is a bit of a nuisance, but its not serious.
The medium is a mix of coarse sand + sawdust.
The wicks are made from floormops. The nutrient from powder bought @ a nursery. But herbs dont require a lot.
I put these bottles in the kitchen's window sill with great success.

Have fun!
Greystoke

Each material has it's drawbacks. You should not let metal contact the nutrient solution as it can have strong reactions with the salts in the nutrient solution which can be very bad for the plants and well as corroding the metal. Your plants need light but the roots and the nutrient solution don't really want light. You can block light from getting into the nutrient containers in many ways. Covering the containers in a dark material is probably the most common. Algee is not a huge problem it just uses up some of the nutrients you intended for your plants.

If the nutrient is too warm and not airated it can start to grow bacteria and other stuff which can be less plesant. A small amount of hydrogen peroxide can help but enough to really sterilize things will also do your plants in.

The bottle wick set ups sound like they can work quite well for a limited space and budget. You can probably improve things if you have a way to airate the nutrient solution like with an aquarium air bubbler.

Good luck and keep researching.

Is there any nutrient formula people would recommend that I could buy online or probably find in my nearby Lowes or Home Depot? I don't really know of any nurseries nearby.

I have made solutions from ordinary commercial fertilizers.
You need a nitrogen source (eg:lime-ammonium-nitrate), a phosphate source (eg: triple super phosphate) and a potassium source (eg: potassium chloride).
Can you get these?

For a simple start up at hydroponics, I would recomend finding at hydroponics store (check the phone book) or you could order online. I just bought the cheapest powdered stuff I could find and it worked great for lettuce (I think it cost about $13 for 1.5lb of powder and for lettuce I usually mixed it about 1/2 a tsp per gallon of water.) I wouldn't get too complex with the three part formulas for something like herbs.

Don't use a soil firtilizer like Miracle Grow that you get from Lowes since it won't work very well (the nitrogen in Miracle grow requires soil microbes to convert it into plant usable nitrogen and since you are planning a small hydroponic system you probably won't have those mirobes helping you.)

It is possible to mix your own nutrient but you need to find all the materials and know enough chemistry and then be able to measure it and keep the excess dry. Most people their first time trying out hydroponics decide not to attempt mixing their own nutrients.

greystroke,

I hope my wife never sees that set-up you have or I'll never be able to convince her of the necessity of the huge wishlist I've been building for christmas. <grins>

Ah, but what I didn't tell was that not all plants take to this system. The wicks are restricting the amount of nutrient/water that can be transported. Hence lettuce and chard wilt on a hot day.
Herbs - on the other hand - do very well, and its nice to have such a variety of fresh herbs readily available.
My wife's potplants are also on a wicksystem, and she's thrilled with the results.
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tclynx mentioned I could put peroxide in; how much is safe? Also, could alcohol be added without killing my plants?

Do they have water coolers to keep stuff from growing in it?

Is there anything wrong with having different types of plants share the same water?

Q: tclynx mentioned I could put peroxide in; how much is safe? Also, could alcohol be added without killing my plants?
A: The nutrient solutions I make from base chemicals stay fresh for a long time. I've never had to use an anti-septic, and . . alcohol at concentrations where it kills bacteria will harm plants.

Q: Do they have water coolers to keep stuff from growing in it?
A: I have never felt the need for that.

Q: Is there anything wrong with having different types of plants share the same water?
A: If plants share the same pH-range AND concentration range, then - NO - there is nothing wrong with that.

I bought some hydroponically grown basil at the store and put it in a cup with some water and nutrients. I noticed that some of the leaves had holes in them, and I figured it was from wherever the basil came from, but then I saw this tiny bug crawling on the stem. How do I get rid of the bugs and prevent them from coming back?

Best to go to a nursery and show them. They can advise you on a suitable bugspray.

Good Luck {{gwi:998412}}

If you only have the one plant and there seems to be only one or a few bugs. You can just try grabbing them ans smooshing them. It could be helpful if you can identify the bug and look up more info on it. I personally would not want to use a spray on basil since you want to be able to eat the leaves regularly and not worry about poison on the leaves. Other bugs are easily gotten rid of by spraying with water. If you have one of those sink sprayers then that could be easily done.

Good luck.

Yes, I wouldn't spray it since it's edible and indoors. Wash the plant gently but thoroughly under a tap. That'll get rid of any bugs large enough to see.

Go to any nursury and buy neem oil. It's completely organic, and safe for all fruits and veggies. Beware this stuff does stink!. But its also systemic, so it will kill all the bugs, including the eggs and larve, and all the herbs will need is a quick rinse before you eat them. Its great stuff, works wonders on spider mites.