The Bottom Line
Cont.’d
“The lack of buffering within [a hydroponics]
system can lead to significant instability of control with rapid, and possibly detrimental changes
of nutrition levels unless there is careful and continual monitoring and control.”
They don’t mix words when pointing out how
quickly damage can occur,
“Quality and productivity suffer when careful
attention to every small detail is omitted, even for
a day.”
To be fair, you probably won’t lose an entire crop
if you ignore it for a day or two, but the information
published by Cornell quoted above were recommendations for those that wish to grow pants on a commercial level. In other words, these are instructions for
those looking to get the absolute most out of their
investment-are you?
Computer Controlled Nutrient Delivery
So how do computer controlled dosers work?
The theory is actually very simple:.
Nutrient dosers utilize electrical conductivity and pH
probes in order to continuously monitor the nutrient concentration and pH respectively. Anytime the solution deviates
from the user’s intended targets the computer will correct the
imbalance by either injecting plant food or pH modifiers as
necessary.
This can go on for about 2-4 weeks at which point you
should flush the entire system and start over with fresh water
again. All you have to do is set your target, and make sure the
system never runs out of fertilizer.
36
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Computers aren’t being integrated into absolutely
every facet of our lives because they’re chic, it’