A hydroponics system is a method for growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water or solutions instead. It bypasses traditional agriculture by providing plants with precise control over environmental conditions like temperature, pH balance, and exposure to nutrients and water. This results in faster growth and superior yields with less waste and a smaller carbon footprint.
Significance of hydroponic water quality monitoring
The pH of the nutrient solution should be appropriate to facilitate the absorption and utilization of nutrients by plants. Generally, the pH should be controlled at around 6.5 (6-6.9 pH)
The salt content of the nutrient solution is particularly important. The higher the salt content, the greater the conductivity. By measuring the conductivity, the total salt content in the nutrient solution can be reflected. Generally, the conductivity should be controlled at 2000-3000 μs/cm.
Plants need to absorb oxygen for normal growth and metabolism, and the water quality of the nutrient solution is also related to dissolved oxygen. Generally, dissolved oxygen is controlled at 4-5 mg/L.
Hydroponic water quality monitoring indicators
Water quality indicators
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Measuring range
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Product Model (Recommended)
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Note
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Temperature
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18~20℃
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/
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Built-in temperature compensation
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pH
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5.5～6.5 pH
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GWQ-pH6.0+pH512
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Conductivity
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1000～3000 us/cm
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GWQ-EC200+EC1.0L
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Large range controller
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Dissolved Oxygen
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4～5 mg/L
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GWQ-DO200
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Hydroponic water quality monitoring system
The pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and other water quality parameters of the nutrient solution in the entire storage tank are monitored through online water quality meters/digital water quality electrodes/multi-parameter water quality meters, and the real-time water quality conditions are transmitted to the back-end monitoring system through RS485, or the data is uploaded to the cloud platform through a wireless acquisition module to achieve remote real-time management and monitoring. While saving costs, the nutrient solution is automatically supplied to ensure that the proportion of each nutrient element in the hydroponic nutrient solution is balanced and suitable for plant growth and development and can be effectively absorbed and utilized by plants, so as to ensure that the hydroponic plants on the cultivation bed are always in the best growth and development state.
How Does Conductivity (EC) Affect Water Quality?
Conductivity is a measure that describes the amount of available nutrients in the water supply. Higher EC levels have higher concentrations of nutrients, while lower EC levels have less. Elevated EC levels can create nutrient imbalances and stress, while crops growing with diminished EC levels are characterized by nutrient deficiency and reduced growth.
Conductivity is especially important in hydroponic water quality. In traditional soil-based systems, crops are buffered from the effects of suboptimal pH and EC levels because they are covered by a layer of soil. In hydroponics, growers must be more careful, as crops don’t have anything separating them from excessive nutrients.
Contact us and learn more about how you can easily maintain the water quality of your hydroponic system with our water quality meter.
