Hydroponics are part of hydroculture, the method of planting groundless plants, using a solution of mineral nutrients in water solvent. Terrestrial plants can grow only with their roots exposed to mineral solutions, or roots may be supported by an inert medium, such as pearlite or gravel. Nutrients in hydroponics can come from different sources; this may include but is not limited to a by-product of fish feces, duck droppings, or normal nutrition .
Video Hydroponics
History
The earliest published work on terrestrial plants that grow without soil is the book of 1627 Sylva Sylvarum or A Natural History by Francis Bacon, printed a year after his death. Water culture became a popular research technique after that. In 1699, John Woodward published his water culture experiments with spearmint. He found that plants in less pure water sources grew better than plants in distilled water. In 1842, a list of nine elements believed to be important for plant growth had been compiled, and the discovery of German botanists Julius von Sachs and Wilhelm Knop, in 1859-1875, resulted in the development of flower-free cultivation techniques. The growth of terrestrial plants without soil in a mineral nutrient solution is called a solution culture. It quickly became a standard research and teaching technique and is still widely used. Cultural solutions, now considered, are hydroponic types in which there is no inert medium.
In 1929, William Frederick Gericke of the University of California at Berkeley began promoting publicly that a solution culture was used for the production of agricultural crops. He was first termed aquaculture but later discovered that aquaculture was already applied to the culture of aquatic organisms. Gericke created a sensation by growing a twenty-five-foot (7.6-meter) tomato vine in his backyard in a mineral nutrient solution rather than a soil. He introduced the term hydroponic, water culture, in 1937, proposed to him by W. A. ​​Setchell, a physical scientist with extensive education in the classical field. Hydroponics comes from neologism ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??? ? -, water.
The report of Gericke's work and his claim that hydroponics will revolutionize crop farming prompted a large number of requests for more information. Gericke has been denied University greenhouses for his experiments due to government skepticism, and when the University tried to force it to release the initial home-grown nutrition recipe he asked for greenhouse space and time to improve it using appropriate research facilities. When he was finally given the greenhouse chamber, the University assigned Hoagland and Arnon to redevelop the Gericke formula and pointed out that there is no benefit to crop yields planted on the ground, a view held by Hoagland. In 1940, Gericke published a book, The Complete Guide to Less Garden Ground, after leaving his academic position in a politically unfavorable climate.
Two other plant nutritionists at the University of California were asked to examine Gericke's claims. Dennis R. Hoagland and Daniel I. Arnon wrote the classical agricultural bulletin of 1938, Method of Water Culture for Growing Landless Plants, . Hoagland and Arnon claim that hydroponic crops are no better than crops with good quality soil. Plant yields are ultimately limited by factors other than mineral nutrients, especially light. However, this study ignores the fact that hydroponics have other advantages including the fact that plant roots have constant access to oxygen and that plants have access to as much or as little water as they need. This is important as one of the most common mistakes when growth is excessive and debilitating; and hydroponics prevent this from occurring because large amounts of water can be made available for unused, actively dried, recycled, or inhaled plants, eliminating anoxic conditions, which drown root systems in the soil. In the soil, a grower must be very experienced to know exactly how much water to feed the plants. Too much and the plant will not be able to access oxygen; too little and the plant will lose the ability to transport nutrients, which are usually transferred to the roots while in solution. Both researchers developed several formulas for the mineral nutrient solution, known as the Hoagland solution. The modified Hoagland solution is still in use.
One of the earliest hydroponic successes on Wake Island, a rocky atoll in the Pacific Ocean is used as a fuel stop for Pan American Airlines. Hydroponics was used there in the 1930s to grow vegetables for passengers. Hydroponics is a necessity on Wake Island because there is no land, and it is expensive to transport fresh vegetables.
In 1960, Allen Cooper of England developed the Nutrien film technique. The Land Pavilion at the Walt Disney World EPCOT Center opened in 1982 and clearly features a variety of hydroponic techniques.
In recent decades, NASA has conducted extensive hydroponic research for Ecologically Managed Living Support Systems (CELSS). The hydroponics that are intended to take place on Mars use LED lighting to grow in different color spectra with less heat. Ray Wheeler, plant physiologist at the Space Science Science Lab of Kennedy Space Center, believes that hydroponics will make headway in space travel, as a bioregenerative life support system.
In 2007, Eurofresh Farms in Willcox, Arizona, sold more than 200 million pounds of hydroponically grown tomatoes. Eurofresh has 318 hectares (1,3Ã, km 2 ) under glass and represents about one-third of the commercial Hydroponic greenhouse area in the US. Eurofresh tomatoes are pesticide-free, grown on rockwool with top irrigation. Eurofresh declared bankruptcy, and the greenhouse was acquired by NatureSweet Ltd. in 2013.
By 2017, Canada has hundreds of acres of large commercial-scale greenhouse hydroponics, producing tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers.
Due to technological advances in industry and various economic factors, the global hydroponics market is expected to grow from $ 226.45 million USD in 2016 to $ 724.87 million USD in 2023.
Maps Hydroponics
Technique
There are two main variations for each intermediate, sub-irrigation and top irrigation. For all techniques, most hydroponic reservoirs are now built of plastics, but other materials have been used including concrete, glass, metal, vegetable solids, and wood. The container should exclude light to prevent the growth of fungi and algae in nutrient solution.
Cultural static solution
In a static solution culture, the plant is grown in a nutrient solution container, such as a Mason jar (usually, home application), plastic bucket, tub, or tank. The solution is usually gently aerated but may not aerate. If not aerated, the level of the solution is kept low so that sufficient roots are above the solution so that they get sufficient oxygen. A hole is cut in the lid of the reservoir for each plant. A single reservoir can be dedicated to one plant, or to a variety of plants. The size of the reservoir can be increased by increasing the size of the plant. Home-made systems can be constructed from plastic food containers or glass canning containers with aeration provided by aquarium pumps, aquarium aquarium tanks and aquarium valves. Clear containers are covered with aluminum foil, fleshy paper, black plastic, or other materials to remove light, thus helping to eliminate algae formation. Nutrient solutions change either on schedule, as once per week, or when concentrations fall below a certain level as determined by the meter of electrical conductivity. Whenever the solution is below a certain level, water or fresh nutrient solution is added. Mariotte bottles, or valve buoys, can be used to maintain the level of the solution automatically. In a raft solution culture, plants are placed on a floating plastic sheet floating on the surface of the nutrient solution. That way, the solution level never falls below the root.
Culture of sustainable flow solutions - Film Engineering Nutrition (NFT)
In a culture of continuous flow solutions, nutrient solutions continue to flow through the roots. It's much easier to automate than a static solution culture because sampling and temperature adjustment and nutrient concentrations can be made in large storage tanks that have the potential to serve thousands of plants. A popular variation is the nutritional film technique or NFT, where very shallow water flow contains all the dissolved nutrients needed for plant growth to be recirculated past the plant roots in a watertight thick root mat, which develops at the bottom of the channel. and has an upper surface which, although moist, is in the air. After this, an abundant supply of oxygen is given to the plant roots. Properly designed NFT systems are based on proper use of channel slope, precise flow rate, and proper channel length. The main advantage of the NFT system over other hydroponic forms is the exposed plant roots with adequate water, oxygen, and nutrient supplies. In all other forms of production, there is a conflict between the supply of this requirement, due to an excessive amount or less than one result in an imbalance of one or both of the others. NFT, because of its design, provides a system in which all three requirements for healthy plant growth can be met at the same time, provided the simple concept of NFT is always remembered and practiced. The result of this advantage is that higher yields of high-quality results are obtained during long pruning periods. The downside of NFT is that it has very little buffer against the in-flow interference (eg, power outages). But, overall, it's probably one of the more productive techniques.
The same design characteristics apply to all conventional NFT systems. While a slope along the 1: 100 channel has been recommended, in practice it is difficult to build a base for a channel that is sufficiently correct to allow nutrient film to flow without soaking in depressed local areas. As a result, it is recommended that slopes 1:30 to 1:40 be used. This allows small deviations on the surface, but, even with this slope, ponds and waterlogging can occur. Slopes can be provided by floor, bench or rack can hold the channel and provide the required slope. Both methods are used and depend on local requirements, often determined by the site and crop requirements.
As a general guide, the flow rate for each gutter should be 1 liter per minute. At the time of planting, the rate may be half of this and the upper limit of 2 L/min appears around the maximum. This extreme outer flow rate is often associated with nutritional problems. The depressed growth rates of many plants have been observed when the channel exceeds 12 meters in length. In plants that grow rapidly, tests have shown that, while oxygen levels remain adequate, nitrogen may be depleted along the gutter. As a result, the channel length should not exceed 10-15 meters. In situations where this is not possible, growth reductions can be eliminated by placing other nutrient feed in the center of the gutter and halving the flow rate through each outlet.
Aeroponics
Aeroponics is a system in which roots are continuously or interrupted stored in an environment filled with fine drops (mist or aerosols) from nutrient solutions. This method requires no substrate and requires plants grown with their roots suspended in deep air or growth chambers with wetted roots periodically with fine-grained nutrient fog. Excellent aeration is a major aeroponic advantage.
Aeroponic techniques have proven to be commercially successful for propagation, seed germination, potato seed production, tomato production, leaf plants, and micro-green. Since inventor Richard Stoner commercialized aeroponic technology in 1983, aeroponics has been implemented as an alternative to water-intensive hydroponics systems around the world. The hydroponic limitation is the fact that 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of water can hold only 8 milligrams (0.12 gr) of air, regardless of whether the aerator is used or not.
Another distinct advantage of aeroponic over hydroponics is that each plant species can be planted in an actual aeroponic system because the aeroponic microenvironment can be well controlled. The hydroponic limitation is that certain plant species can only survive for so long in water before they become soaking wet. The advantage of aeroponics is that deferred aeroponic plants receive 100% of the available oxygen and carbon dioxide to root zones, stems, and leaves, thus accelerating the growth of biomass and reducing rooting time. NASA research has shown that aeroponic growing plants have an 80% increase in dry weight biomass (essential minerals) compared to hydroponically grown plants. Aeroponics use 65% less water than hydroponics. NASA also concluded that aeroponic growing plants require Ã,¼ nutrient input compared to hydroponics. Unlike hydroponically grown plants, plants that grow aeroponically will not experience transplant shock when transplanted to the ground, and offer the ability to reduce the spread of disease and pathogens. Aeroponics is also widely used in laboratory studies of plant physiology and plant pathology. Aerosponic techniques have been given special attention from NASA because the mist is easier to handle than the liquid in the environment without gravity.
Fogponics
Fogponics are derivatives of aeroponics where the nutrient solution is aerosol with a vibrating diaphragm at ultrasonic frequency. The solution droplets produced by this method tend to be 5-10ÃÂÂμm in diameter, smaller than that produced by forcing the nutrient solution through a pressurized nozzle, such as aeroponics. The smaller droplet size allows it to diffuse through the air more easily, and sends nutrients to the roots without restricting access to oxygen.
Passive sub-irrigation
Passive sub-irrigation, also known as passive hydroponics, semi-hydroponic, or hydroculture , is a method in which plants are grown in porous inert media which transports water and fertilizer to the roots by capillaries from separate reservoirs as necessary, reducing labor and provide a constant supply of water to the roots. In the simplest method, the pot sits in a solution of fertilizer and shallow water or on a capillary mat saturated with a nutrient solution. Various available hydroponic media, such as expanded clay and coconut husk, contain more air space than traditional pots, providing increased oxygen to the roots, which are important in epiphytic plants such as orchids and bromeliads, whose roots are exposed to the air. in nature. An additional advantage of passive hydroponics is the reduction of root rot and the added moisture environment provided by evaporation.
Hydroculture compared to traditional farming in terms of yield per area in a controlled environment is approximately 10 times more efficient than traditional farming, using 13 times less water in a single crop cycle than traditional farming, but on average using 100 times more kilojoules per kilogram of energy from traditional farming.
Ebb and flow or flood and drain sub-irrigation
In its simplest form, there is a tray above the reservoir of nutrient solution. Both trays are filled with the growing medium (the most common clay grains) and then plant it directly or place the pot on medium, standing on a tray. Periodically, a simple timer causes the pump to fill the top tray with nutrient solution, after which the solution flows back into the reservoir. This keeps the media regularly rinsed with nutrients and air. After the top tray fills through the drain, it begins to circulate water until the timer turns off the pump, and the water in the top tray flows back into the reservoir.
Run to waste
In the run-to-waste system, nutrient and water solutions are periodically applied to the medium surface. This method was found in Bengal in 1946; for this reason it is sometimes referred to as "The Bengal System".
This method can be configured in various configurations. In its simplest form, nutrients and water solutions are manually applied one or more times per day to an inert planting medium container, such as rockwool, perlite, vermiculite, coco fiber, or sand. In a slightly more complex system, the system is automated with delivery pumps, timers and irrigation drainage to provide nutrient solutions with delivery frequency set by key parameters of plant size, plant growth stage, climate, substrate, and substrate conductivity. , pH, and moisture content.
In commercial settings, the frequency of watering is multi-factorial and is regulated by a computer or PLC.
Hydroponic commercial production of large plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and chili uses a form of run-to-waste hydroponics.
In environmentally responsible use, nutrient-rich waste is collected and processed through on-site filtration systems for repeated use, making the system highly productive.
Some bonsai also grow on ground-free substrates (usually consisting of akadama, sand, diatomaceous earth and other inorganic components) and have water and nutrients provided in run-to-waste form.
In-water culture
Hydroponic methods of crop production by suspending plant roots in a solution rich in nutrients, oxygenated water. Traditional methods support the use of plastic buckets and large containers with plants contained in clean pots suspended from the center of caps and roots that are suspended in nutrient solution. The solution is oxygen saturated by air pumps combined with porous rocks. With this method, plants grow faster because of the high amount of oxygen received by the roots.
The culture of deep water that is widely fed
Top-fed deep water cultivation is a technique that involves providing high oxygen nutrient solutions directly to the plant root zone. While deep water cultures involve plant roots that hang into the reservoirs of nutrient solutions, in deep deep-water deep-water culture, the solution is pumped from the reservoir to the root (fed on). Water is released above the plant roots and then returns to the reservoir below in a continuous recirculation system. As well as deep water culture, there is an airstone in the reservoir that pumps air into the water through a hose from outside the reservoir. Airstone helps add oxygen to the water. Both airstone and water pumps operate 24 hours a day.
The greatest advantage of deep-fed water culture over standard water culture increases growth over the first few weeks. With a deep water culture, there comes a time when the roots have not reached the water. With rich deep water culture, the roots gain easy access to water from scratch and will grow into the dams below much faster than with deep water culture systems. Once the roots have reached the bottom reservoir, there is no great advantage with deep deep-water deepwater culture over the water culture in the standard. However, due to faster growth at the start, growth time can be reduced by several weeks.
Rotary
A rotary hydroponic garden is a commercial hydroponic force created in a circular frame that spins continuously throughout the entire growth cycle of whatever crop is planted.
While the specific system varies, the system usually rotates once per hour, giving the plant 24 full rotations in a circle every 24 hour period. In the center of any rotary hydroponic garden can be a high-intensity growing light, designed to simulate sunlight, often with the help of a mechanical timer.
Every day, when plants rotate, they are periodically doused with hydroponic growth solutions to provide all the nutrients needed for strong growth. Because plants continue to resist gravity, plants usually mature faster than when planted in soil or other traditional hydroponic growth systems. Due to the small foot print that has a rotary hydroponic system, this allows more plant material to be planted per square meter of floor area than other traditional hydroponics systems.
Substrate
One of the clearest decisions that hydroponic farmers should make is what media they should use. Different mediums are suitable for different growing techniques.
Incorporation of expanded clay
Baked clay pellets are suitable for hydroponic systems in which all nutrients are carefully controlled in aqueous solutions. Inert clay pellets, neutral pH and do not contain nutritional value.
The clay is formed into a round pellet and fired in a rotary kiln at 1,200 ° C (2.190 ° F). This causes the clay to expand, like popcorn, and become porous. It weighs light, and does not compact over time. The individual pellet forms can be irregular or uniform depending on the brand and the manufacturing process. Manufacturers consider expanded clays to be ecologically sustainable growing media and reusable for their ability to be cleaned and sterilized, usually by washing in a solution of white vinegar, chlorine bleach, or hydrogen peroxide ( H 2 O
2 ), and rinse completely.
Another view is that clay pebbles are best not reused even when they are cleaned, because root growth can enter the medium. Solving clay gravel after plants has been shown to reveal this growth.
Growstones
Growing stones, made of glass waste, have more air and water retention space than perlite and peat. This aggregate holds more water than the pre-planted rice husks. It grows by volume consisting of 0.5 to 5% calcium carbonate - for the standard 5.1.1 kg Growstones bag equivalent to 25.8 to 258 grams of calcium carbonate. The rest is soda-lime glass.
Peatland
Coco peat, also known as coir or coco, is a residual material after the fiber has been removed from the outer shell (bolsters) of the coconut. Coir is a growing medium and 100% natural flowering. The coconut husk is colonized with trichoderma fungus, which protects the roots and stimulates root growth. It is very difficult to remove water because of its perfect water-to-water ratio; Plant roots thrive in this environment. Coir has a high cation exchange, which means Coir can store unused minerals to be released to the factory as and when needed. Coir is available in various forms; most common is coco peat, which has the appearance and texture of the soil but does not contain mineral content.
Rice husk
Half rice husk (PBH) is a by-product of agriculture that will have little use. They rot from time to time, and allow drainage, and even retain less water than to grow stones. A study showed that rice husks did not affect the effects of plant growth regulators.
Perlite
Perlite is volcanic rock that has been heated to a very light glass pebble. These are used loosely or in plastic sleeves soaked in water. It is also used in soil pot mix to reduce soil density. Perlite has properties and uses that are similar to vermiculite but, in general, have more air and less water and are mild.
Vermiculite
Like perlite, vermiculite is a mineral that has been heated to develop into a lightweight pebble. Vermiculite has more water than pearlite and has a "wicking" nature that can attract water and nutrients in passive hydroponics systems. If too much water and insufficient air surrounds the roots of the plant, it is possible to gradually decrease the water retention capability of the media by mixing in an increasing amount of pearlite.
Pumice
Like perlite, pumice stone is a lightly mined volcanic rock that finds application in hydroponics.
Sand
Sand is cheap and easily available. However, it is heavy, does not hold water well, and should be sterilized between uses.
Pebble
The same type is used in the aquarium, although small pebbles can be used, provided it is washed first. Indeed, plants grown on a typical traditional pebble bed bed, with water circulated using an electric pump, are basically grown using hydroponic gravel. Pebbles are not expensive, easy to clean, flow well and will not get soaked. However, it is also heavy, and, if the system does not provide sustainable water, plant roots may dry out.
Wood fiber
The wood fibers, which are produced from the friction of wood vapor, are highly efficient organic substrates for hydroponics. It has the advantage of making its structure for a very long time. Wood wool (eg wood shale) has been used since the early days of hydroponic research. However, more recent studies show that wood fibers can have a detrimental effect on "plant growth regulators".
Sheep's Wool
Wool from sheep's wool is a slightly used but promising renewable medium. In a study comparing wool with peat plates, coco fiber slabs, pearlite and rockwool plates to grow cucumber plants, sheep wool had a larger air capacity of 70%, which decreased with up to 43% comparable usage, and increased water capacity from 23% to 44% with use. Using sheep's wool produces the greatest yield of the substrate under test, while the application of a biostimulator comprising humic acid, lactic acid and Bacillus subtilis increases yield across all substrates.
Rock wool
Rock wool (mineral wool) is the most widely used medium in hydroponics. Rock wool is an inert substrate suitable for run-to-waste and recirculating systems. Rock wool is made of liquid rock, basalt or 'slag' spun into a single filament fiber bundle, and is bonded into a capillary medium, and, essentially, protected from the most common microbiological degradation. Rock wool is usually only used for seeding stages, or with newly cut clones, but can remain with plant base for the lifetime. Rock wool has many advantages and disadvantages. The latter is the possibility of skin irritation (mechanical) when handling (1: 1000). Flushing with cold water usually brings help. Benefits include efficiency and effectiveness proven to be commercial hydroponics substrate. Much of the rock wool sold today is non-carcinogenic non-hazardous material, which falls under the Q Record of the European Union Classification and Regulatory License (CLP).
Mineral wool products can be engineered to withstand large amounts of water and air which help root growth and nutrient uptake in hydroponics; Their fibrous properties also provide good mechanical structures to keep plants stable. High mineral wool PH naturally makes them initially unsuitable for plant growth and requires "conditioning" to produce wool with a stable and appropriate pH.
Fractional bricks
Brick fragments have properties similar to gravel. They have additional losses that may change the pH and require extra cleaning before reuse.
Polystyrene packing nuts
The polystyrene peanut packaging is cheap, available, and has excellent drainage. However, they can be too light for some uses. They are used mainly in closed tube systems. Note that non-biodegradable polystyrene nuts should be used; the packaging of biodegradable beans will decompose into mud. Plants can absorb styrene and spread it to their customers; this is a possible health risk.
Nutritional solution
Inorganic hydroponics solution
The hydroponic solution formulation is the application of plant nutrients, with symptoms of nutrient deficiency found in traditional land-based agriculture. However, the chemistry underlying hydroponic solutions may differ from soil chemistry in many significant ways. Important differences include:
- Unlike soil, hydroponic nutrient solutions do not have cation exchange capacity (CEC) of clay particles or organic matter. The absence of CEC means that pH and nutrient concentrations can change much more quickly in hydroponic settings than is possible in the soil.
- The selective absorption of nutrients by plants is often unbalanced by the amount of resistance in solution. This imbalance can affect the pH of the solution quickly and the ability of plants to absorb nutrients from the same ionic charge (see article membrane potential). For example, anion nitrate is often consumed rapidly by plants to form proteins, leaving the excess cation in solution. This cation imbalance can lead to symptoms of deficiency in other cation-based nutrients (eg Mg 2 ) even when the ideal quantity of nutrients is soluble in solution.
- Depending on the pH and/or on the presence of water contaminants, nutrients such as iron can precipitate from the solution and become unavailable to the plant. Regular arrangements for pH, buffering solutions, and/or the use of chelating agents are often necessary.
As in conventional farming, nutrients must be adapted to meet Liebig's laws about the minimum for each particular crop varieties. However, generally acceptable concentrations for nutritional solutions exist, with the minimum and maximum concentration ranges for most similar plants. Most nutrient solutions are mixed to have concentrations between 1,000 and 2,500 ppm. The acceptable concentration for each of the nutrient ions, which comprises the total ppm count, is summarized in the following table. For essential nutrients, concentrations below this range often lead to nutritional deficiencies while exceeding this range may cause nutritional toxicity. The optimal nutrient concentration for crop varieties was found empirically based on experience and/or by plant tissue test.
Organic hydroponics solution
Organic fertilizers can be used to supplement or completely replace the inorganic compounds used in conventional hydroponics solutions. However, using organic fertilizers introduces a number of challenges that are not easily solved. Examples include:
- organic fertilizers vary greatly in their nutritional composition. Even similar materials can differ significantly based on the source (eg the quality of the fertilizer varies based on animal feeding).
- Organic fertilizer often comes from animal by-products, making disease transmission a serious concern for crops grown for human consumption or forage.
- Organic fertilizer is often particulate and can clog substrates or other growing equipment. Filtration and/or grinding of organic matter to fine dust is often required.
- some organic ingredients (especially dirt and edible offal) can further decrease to give off bad smell.
However, if precautions are taken, organic fertilizers can be used successfully in hydroponics.
Organically-produced macronutrients
Examples of suitable ingredients, with their average nutrient content tabulated in dry mass percent, are listed in the following table.
Micronutrients are organic sources
Micronutrients can be sourced from organic fertilizers as well. For example, pine bark is composted high in manganese and is sometimes used to meet the mineral's needs in hydroponic solutions. To meet the requirements for the National Organic Program, refined and unrefined minerals (eg Gypsum, Calcite, and glauconite) can also be added to meet the nutritional needs of the plant.
Additive
In addition to chelating agents, humic acid can be added to increase nutrient uptake.
Tools
General tools
Managing the concentration of nutrients and pH values ​​within an acceptable range is essential for successful hydroponic horticulture. Common tools used to manage hydroponics solutions include:
- An electrical conductivity gauge, a device that estimates ppm of nutrients by measuring how well the solution transmits an electric current.
- pH meter, a device that uses an electric current to determine the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution.
- Litmus paper, a disposable pH indicator strip that determines the concentration of hydrogen ions by the color change of chemical reactions.
- Graduated cylinders or measuring spoons to measure mixed commercial hydroponics solutions.
Advanced tools
Advanced equipment can also be used to perform accurate chemical analysis of the nutrient solution. Examples include:
- The balance to measure the material accurately.
- Laboratory glasses, such as burette and pipette, to perform titration.
- Colorimeter for test solutions that apply Beer-Lambert law.
Using advanced equipment for hydroponics solutions can be beneficial to any background planter because nutrient solutions are often reusable. Since nutrient solutions are almost never completely depleted, and should not be caused by the low osmotic pressure that will result, reinforcing old solutions with new nutrients can save farmers money and can control point source pollution, a common source for eutrophication of nearby lakes and rivers.
Software
Although pre-mixed nutritional solutions are generally purchased from commercial nutrition producers by hydroponic fans and small commercial growers, some tools exist to help anyone prepare their own solutions without extensive knowledge of chemistry. The free and open source tools HydroBuddy and HydroCal have been created by professional chemists to help every hydroponic farmer prepare their own nutritional solutions. The first program is available for Windows, Mac and Linux whereas the second program can be used through a simple JavaScript interface. Both programs allow the preparation of basic nutrient solutions even though HydroBuddy provides additional functionality to use and store special substances, store formulations and predict the value of electrical conductivity.
Mixing solution
Often mixing hydroponic solutions using individual salts is impractical for hobbyists and/or small-scale commercial growers because commercial products are available at reasonable prices. However, even when buying commercial products, multi-component fertilizers are very popular. Often these products are purchased as three-part formula that emphasizes the role of specific nutrients. For example, solutions for vegetative growth (ie high nitrogen), flowering (ie high potassium and phosphorus), and popular micronutrient solutions (ie with mineral traces). The timing and application of this multi-part fertilizer must coincide with the growth stage of the plant. For example, at the end of the annual plant life cycle, plants should be limited from high nitrogen fertilizers. In most plants, nitrogen restriction inhibits vegetative growth and helps induce flowering.
Progress
With reduced pest problems and continuous nutrients fed to the roots, productivity in hydroponics is high; However, farmers can further improve yield by manipulating the plant environment by building sophisticated planting space.
Enrichment CO 2
To improve further results, some sealed greenhouses inject CO 2 into their environment to help increase plant growth and fertility.
See also
- Aeroponics
- Anthroponics
- Aquaponik
- Fogponics
- Folkewall
- Grow box
- The Growing Room
- Organoponic
- Passive hydroponics
- Factory factory
- Nutrition plants
- Plant pathology
- The root arc
- Vertical farming
- Xeriscaping
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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