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Bovina_Beas
- Full Member
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:15 pm
- Location: USDA Zone 8a
Recommended Nutrients - What Brands have you used?
I've bought all the hardware to build a DWC and now I'm about to purchase my nutrients. What brands does the board have experience with? Anyone ever used General Hydroponics line? TIA!
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Gardener_Wes
- Cool Member
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:50 pm
Yeah different crops use nutrients at different rates. There are formulations for specific crops, but a lot of other factors come into it such as water quality, pH, salinity, temperature, oxygenation, ec, etc.
You will need to invest in some simple testing equipment and adjust as needed or use a standard solution and change it on a weekly basis. You should filter your water that you use for your system since that can make a difference too.
Large systems have an automatic controller that tests and adjusts the nutrients so a variety of crops can be grown.
Even with aquaponics, temperature, oxygenation, and pH need to be optimized to keep both the fish and plants healthy. Fish cannot always provide all of the nutrients needed for the plants and the plants may still need to be supplemented. Even the amount of fish food and number of fish needs to be monitored.
You will need to invest in some simple testing equipment and adjust as needed or use a standard solution and change it on a weekly basis. You should filter your water that you use for your system since that can make a difference too.
Large systems have an automatic controller that tests and adjusts the nutrients so a variety of crops can be grown.
Even with aquaponics, temperature, oxygenation, and pH need to be optimized to keep both the fish and plants healthy. Fish cannot always provide all of the nutrients needed for the plants and the plants may still need to be supplemented. Even the amount of fish food and number of fish needs to be monitored.