Hydroponics · Flat NFT
NFT flatbed structure
NFT channels laid side by side at bench height. Every plant gets the same light, and your team plants and harvests standing up. The standard layout for commercial lettuce, basil and herb farms, designed, made and installed by Kryzen.
350+farms built by Kryzen across India
468 plants per flatbed
12 channels side by side on a 20 ft × 3.5 ft bed at bench height.
Even light, even growth
Every channel sits at the same height, so every plant gets the same light.
Easy to work
Plant, check and harvest standing up, with no ladders and no bending.
What is an NFT flatbed?
The standard layout for commercial leafy greens
Quick answer
An NFT flatbed is a table-height frame that holds many NFT channels side by side. Nutrient water flows through each channel and back to a tank. Workers plant and harvest standing up. One Kryzen flatbed is 20 ft long, 3.5 ft wide and 2.5 ft high, with 12 channels, 468 plants and its own 300-litre tank. It is the most common system on large leafy-green farms.
It is the horizontal layout of NFT hydroponics, and was called Flat NFT on Kryzen’s older website. All channels get the same light, so growth is even across the farm.
How it works
A closed loop of nutrient water
The same solution goes round and round, topped up and balanced every day.
01Tank and pump
Each flatbed has its own 300-litre tank of nutrient solution, and a 0.5–1 HP pump sends it up to the channels. A 3-layer tank keeps it cool on hot sites.
02Central plumbing
A header pipe feeds every channel evenly at the high end of the bed.
03NFT channels
Food-grade, lead-free, double-layer channels with a flat base, laid side by side on a gentle slope.
04Net cups
Each plant sits in a 2-inch net cup, so roots hang in the thin flowing film.
05End caps
Injection-moulded caps seal both ends of every channel, so no water leaks.
06Outlet spout and monitoring
A spout at the low end drains each channel back to the tank. EC and pH are checked and adjusted every day.
Choose your layout
NFT flatbed vs NFT A-frame
Both use the same channels and nutrient loop. The difference is how the channels are laid out.
NFT flatbedBench-height rows, even light, easy to work
NFT A-frameStacked channels, more plants per m²
| Point | NFT flatbed | NFT A-frame |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Channels laid flat at bench height in rows | Channels stacked on an A-shaped frame |
| Plants per unit | 468 plants on one 20 ft bed (12 channels) | More: 546 plants on one 20 ft frame (14 channels) |
| Light | Every channel gets even light | Lower channels get less light; frames are spaced to fix this |
| Working height | One comfortable bench height | Several heights on one frame |
| Best for | Large commercial leafy-green farms; easy harvesting | Small plots, terraces, indoor farms, high output per m² |
Why build one
Advantages of an NFT flatbed
Even, fast leafy greens at farm scale.
Even light and growth
All channels sit at one height, so the whole crop grows evenly.
Easy planting and harvest
Workers plant and harvest standing up at bench height.
Highest commercial output
The standard layout for large lettuce, basil and herb farms.
Very low water use
The solution recirculates, so you use a fraction of the water of soil farming.
Clean harvest
No soil, no mud on leaves. Greens are ready to pack.
No soil diseases or weeds
There is no soil, so soil-borne disease and weeding are gone.
Exact nutrition
Every plant gets the same measured feed, planned with our nutrient calculator.
Climate-proof agriculture
Inside a polyhouse, heat, rain and pests stay out and harvests stay steady all year.
Technical details
NFT flatbed specifications
Every value goes in writing in your quotation.
In one Kryzen project, about 2,450 m² of flatbed NFT held 62,900 plants inside a 4,080 m² polyhouse. Bed layout is planned for your area and crop after a site inspection.
| Specification | Kryzen NFT flatbed |
|---|---|
| System | NFT (nutrient film technique) channels laid flat at bench height |
| Frame | Double-coated mild steel |
| Channels | Food-grade, lead-free, double-layer NFT channels |
| End caps | Injection-moulded caps and spouts on both ends |
| Net cups | 2-inch net cups |
| Bed size | 20 ft long × 3.5 ft wide × 2.5 ft high |
| Channels and plants | 12 channels, 468 plants per flatbed |
| Plumbing | Central header plumbing to every channel |
| Pump | 0.5–1 HP, sized to your design and slope |
| Tank | 300-litre tank per flatbed; 3-layer tank for hot sites |
| Monitoring | EC and pH checks; doses planned with the Kryzen nutrient calculator |
Made by Kryzen
Our own factory. Our own build team.
We cut, shape and quality-test the steel at our factory in Satara, Maharashtra, and our own construction team builds it on your land. You can follow every step live on your client portal at alpha.kryzen.com.
What to grow
Best crops for an NFT flatbed
Lettuce and high-value herbs for hotels, restaurants and online grocers. Fruiting crops such as capsicum and tomato grow better in cocopeat grow bags.
Monthly harvest at full production (100% utilisation)
| Crop | Harvest (kg per month) | Price range used (₹/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Italian basil | 4,403 | 85–245 |
| Spinach | 8,492 | 21–89 |
| Oregano | 3,145 | 176–354 |
| Thyme | 3,145 | 190–316 |
| Parsley | 10,693 | 26–95 |
| Rosemary | 1,887 | 197–812 |
| Romaine lettuce | 8,806 | 46–117 |
| Rocket | 8,806 | 46–116 |
Kryzen model: 62,900 plants on about 2,450 m² of flatbed NFT. Each row assumes the whole area grows that crop at 100% utilisation, in ideal conditions, with prices from Price Watcher. Your project report uses your own crop plan.
Cost and running
What an NFT flatbed farm needs
Your quotation lists every item, and our team prepares a crop-wise projection for your farm before you build.
Steady power
Roots in NFT dry quickly if the flow stops. We connect the system to your generator or solar backup.
Good water
A water test before you start tells us how to plan the nutrient solution.
Daily EC and pH checks
A few minutes a day keeps the solution right for your crop.
A polyhouse
Commercial flatbeds are built inside a polyhouse, which keeps out rain, pests and strong sun.
Plan your doses and your sales
Use the nutrient calculator to plan feeds for each crop. Current prices from Price Watcher go into your project report, and Buyers Connect helps you sell after harvest.
Included free
- 6 months of virtual agronomy
- 4-day training for your farm team
- Hydroponic Masterclass logins
- Farm management software
- Buyers Connect
Worth ₹1.08 lakh
Compare
NFT hydroponics vs soil farming
Soil farming costs less to start. NFT uses far less water, grows faster and gives a clean harvest.
| Point | Soil farming | NFT flatbed |
|---|---|---|
| Water use | High | Very low; solution recirculates |
| Growth speed | Normal | Faster; roots get nutrients and air |
| Plants per area | Low | High; 468 plants on one 20 ft bed |
| Soil diseases and weeds | Common | None |
| Harvest cleanliness | Soil on leaves | Clean, ready to pack |
| Setup cost | Low | Higher; see your quotation |
Subsidy and finance
Subsidy for your hydroponic farm
Polyhouses for hydroponic farms built to National Horticulture Board (NHB) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) norms can apply for government subsidy. A bank loan is usually part of the project, and the subsidy is paid after the project is checked.
NHB subsidy provider
Kryzen is a registered National Horticulture Board subsidy provider for all states.
NHM state subsidy provider
Enrolled with the National Horticulture Mission in Maharashtra and Karnataka for state horticulture schemes.
Project report for your bank
We prepare the detailed project report (DPR) your bank and subsidy file need, with cost, finance and profit projections.
Subsidy amounts depend on the scheme, your state and current government guidelines. The final decision is made by the government department.
Other hydroponic systems
Not only flatbeds
Mix systems in one polyhouse to grow leafy greens and fruiting crops together.
How we build
From first call to first harvest
Ten steps, one team. Most projects are built in 45 to 90 days after material reaches the site.
1Free online consultation
We discuss your land, water, budget and goals on a video or phone call.
2Site inspection
Our team checks level, slope, sunlight, soil, water, power and road access.
3Design and quotation
We design for your climate and crops, and share a detailed quotation.
4Project report and finance
We prepare the DPR for your bank loan and subsidy file.
5Subsidy and loan
We help you apply for NHB or NHM subsidy and your bank loan, with the documents each office needs.
6Manufacturing
We cut, shape and quality-test the material at our factory in Satara.
7Construction
Our team builds the foundations, structure and growing systems on your land.
8Testing and handover
We test every system and hand over a working farm.
9Training and agronomy
Hands-on training for your team and 6 months of virtual agronomy support.
10Harvest management
We help you plan harvests, grading and sales, with market prices from Price Watcher and buyers through Buyers Connect.
What is an NFT flatbed?
It is a bench-height frame that holds many NFT channels side by side. Nutrient water flows through each channel as a thin film and drains back to a tank. Workers plant and harvest standing up.
How many plants fit on a flatbed NFT?
One Kryzen flatbed is 20 ft long and 3.5 ft wide, with 12 channels and 468 plants. In one Kryzen project, about 2,450 m² of flatbed NFT held 62,900 plants.
How is a flatbed different from an NFT A-frame?
A flatbed lays channels flat at one height, so light and growth are even and work is easy on large farms. An A-frame stacks channels on a sloped frame to fit more plants on a small floor.
Which crops grow best on an NFT flatbed?
Lettuce (romaine, iceberg, lollo), basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, spinach and rocket. Fruiting crops like capsicum and tomato grow better in cocopeat grow bags.
Does a flatbed need a polyhouse?
Yes, for commercial farms. The polyhouse protects plants from rain, pests and strong sun.
What happens if the power fails?
Roots in NFT can dry quickly without flow. Kryzen connects the system to a generator or solar backup if you provide one.
Is there a subsidy for NFT hydroponics?
The polyhouse that houses the NFT system can get NHB or NHM subsidy, and the project can use a bank loan. Our team prepares the project report and subsidy file.
Was this called Flat NFT before?
Yes. Kryzen’s older website called this system Flat NFT. It is the same flatbed design.
Talk to our team
Plan your NFT flatbed farm with us
Tell us your land, crop and budget. We’ll tell you honestly whether a flatbed or an A-frame suits you, then share a detailed quotation.