Nutrients |
Mineral salts that are essential for healthy plant growth: NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS (PHOSPHATES) and POTASSIUM (POTASH), which are referred to as MAJOR NUTRIENTS. BORON, CALCIUM, CHLORINE, COPPER, IRON, MANGANESE, MOLYBDENUM, SODIUM, SULPHUR AND ZINC, which are all required in much smaller amounts |
| N=Nitrogen - P=Phosphorous - K=Potassium NPK measures the level of three macroelements. These are the three elements that plants use the most of throughout the growing cycle. They must always be available for the plant to uptake and ensure rapid growth. Most nutrients are listed with the amounts of N-P-K represented in percentages. For instance, a 10-10-10 solution would contain 10% Nitrogen 10% phosphorus and 10%potassium by weight. If you do the math, you will find this concentration adds up to only 30%- this is because the remaining percentage usually consists of a filler of chelating materials used to assist the nutritional process. |
pH is the level of acidity or alkalinity of the nutrient solution. Think of it as sweet and sour. Most nutrients in town water will be within the range of 6 to 6.5 pH. ALL PLANTS GROW IN THIS RANGE IN HYDROPONICS. Anyone who tells you otherwise, is either horticulturally trained in soil only or is reading materials drawn from soil based research and is therefore untrained for plant nutrition in Hydroponics. I extend my apologies to Horticulturists. Some of you do understand the nutritional simplicities of Hydroponics, but 4 years of soil training is hard to overcome, research into Hydroponics is still new, and soil nutrition is not suitable for the simple Hydroponic plant. If recycling nutrient, pH and Nutrient strength can change as certain elements are taken in by the plant. All you have to do is change the nutrient for fresh nutrient as often as possible, or adjust to the correct reading with a set of meters. If the nutrient is too sweet or too sour, the plants will develop deficiencies. I will discuss manual care, electronic adjustment, and computer control later. As discussed in water purity - pH must be checked if you are using rain, dam, bore water or any other source than town supply. RULE: pH IS THE KEY TO KEEPING PLANTS FEEDING ON THE CORRECT ELEMENTS, AND KEEPS THEM FROM DEFICIENCIES. |
Oxygen keeps a plant’s roots healthy and allows the plant to take up nutrient. Oxygen is the key to growth rate. Without oxygen around the roots, the roots will rot and die. You cannot grow in water, unless you dissolve oxygen in it. The recommendation is that you do not grow in water, just feed enough nutrients to keep the roots moist, with access to oxygen. The 5 systems I have described in this book will have varying degrees of oxygen according to their design. The oxygen level or the oxygen to nutrient ratio is the key to success. RULE: PLANTS CANNOT TAKE UP THEIR NUTRIENTS UNLESS OXYGEN IS PRESENT. THE MORE OXYGEN, THE FASTER THE UPTAKE OF NUTRIENT. |
Denotes one particle of a given substance for every 999,999 other particles. This is roughly equivalent to one drop of ink in a 150 litre (40 gallon) drum of water. |
A measure of a material's ability to conduct an electric current. |
An expression for the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid. |
Those nutrients that together provide the vast majority of metabolic energy to an organism. Primary. Elements that plants use the most. Such as Nitorgen, Phosphorous and Potassium. |
Also called trace elements, or trace nutrients. Essential for chlorophyll formation and must be available in minute amounts. Acting as catalysts to plant processes and utilization of other elements. |
Organic tea concoctions have soluble organic nutrients diluted in water. Fish emulsion, worm castings, kelp's, bat and seabird guanos are commonly used in making organic teas. |