Asg Hydroponics Siap

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HYDROPONIC

Introduction

The word, Hydroponic, comes from Latin and means working water. Simply put, it is the art

of growing plants without soil. While from Greek words, hydroponic stands forhydro, water and

ponos, is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. A

terrestrial plant which plant that grows on land rather in water may be grown with their roots in the

mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as, perlite gravel, mineral fibres or

coconut husk.

The plants with hydroponics also perfectly balanced, pH adjusted nutrient solution is

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perlitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_woolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perlitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_woolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant


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delivered to the roots in a highly soluble form. This allows the plant to uptake its food with very

little effort as different to soil where the roots must search out the nutrients and extract them. This is

true even when using rich, organic soil and top of the line nutrients. The energy expended by the

roots in this process is energy better spent on vegetative growth and fruit and flower production.

In addition, Hydroponic is a simple, easy way to grow plants. With hydroponics this is an

easy task compare in soil whose is far more difficult because can give plants maximum level of the

exact nutrient they needs. Its really simple, if give a plant exactly what it needs, when it needs it, in

the amount that it needs the plant will be as healthy as is genetically possible.

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History

In 1929, Professor William Frederick Gericke of the University of California at Berkeley

began publicly promoting that solution culture be used for agricultural crop production. He first

termed it aquaculture but later found that aquaculture was already applied to culture of aquatic

organisms. Gericke created a sensation by growing tomato vines twenty-five feet high in his back

yard in mineral nutrient solutions rather than soil. By analogy with the earliest Greek term for

agriculture, geoponics, the science of cultivating the earth, Gericke introduced the term hydroponics

in 1937 (although he asserts that the term was suggested by Dr. W. A. Setchell, of the University of

California) for the culture of plants in water (from the Greek hydros, "water", and ponos, "labor").

Reports of Gericke's work and his claims that hydroponics would revolutionize plant

agriculture prompted a huge number of requests for further information. Gericke refused to reveal

his secrets claiming he had done the work at home on his own time. This refusal eventually resulted

in his leaving the University of California. In 1940, he wrote the book, Complete Guide to Soilless

Gardening.

Researchers discovered in the 19th century that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as

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mineral ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient tank but the soil itself is

not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are

able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply

artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow

with hydroponics. Hydroponics is also a standard technique in biology research and teaching.

Hydroponic culture methods are being used successfully to produce plants out of season in

greenhouses and to produce plants in areas where either the soil or the climate is not suitable for the

crop grown. During World War II, for example, several U.S. Army units successfully produced

vegetables hydroponically at various overseas bases. In the 1960s hydroponic farming developed on

a commercial scale in the arid regions of the United States, particularly in Arizona. In other arid

regions, such as the Persian Gulf and the Arab oil-producing states, hydroponic farming of tomatoes

and cucumbers is under way; these countries are also researching an additional group of crops that

may be grown by this method as they have limited arable land.

Requirements for hydroponics

Hydroponics systems cannot be applicable in poor growing conditions such as improper

temperature, inadequate light, or pests' problems. Following are the requirements for hydroponics

plants to survive:

Water - you have to provide adequate amount of water. If the aggregate amount of water is

not enough to keep the roots sufficiently moist, then the plants may dry and die. Make sure

that water contains adequate neither excess nor less amount of alkalinity, sodium or salt

contents for survival of hydroponics.

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Oxygen - plants will require good amount of oxygen for respiration to carry out their work

of nutrients and water uptake. The best way to supply oxygen is to bubble the air through

the water solution.

Temperature - hydroponics grow well within limited temperature range. Either too high or

too low temperature results in reduced productions and abnormal developments of the

plants.

Light - plants like vegetables and fruits grown through hydroponics need at least 8 to 10

hours of direct sunlight each day to produce well. However as an alternative to sunlight, can

apply bright light or high-pressure sodium lamps to produce the same effects.

Mineral nutrients - green plants must absorb certain minerals through their roots to survive.

The essential elements needed in large quantities include potassium, calcium, nitrogen,

magnesium, phosphorus and sulfur.

Hydroponics may also be called "controlled environmental agriculture" as it helps to control the

environmental systems like water, light, CO2, oxygen, pH and nutrient.

Index of image of hydroponic

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Basic Hydroponic Systems and How They Work

There are 6 basic types of hydroponic systems; Wick, Water Culture , Ebb and Flow (Flood

& Drain), Drip (recovery or non-recovery), N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) and Aeroponic.There

are hundreds of variations on these basic types of systems, but all hydroponic methods are a

variation or combination of these six.

1. WICK SYSTEM

The Wick system is by far the simplest type of hydroponic system. This is a passive system,

which means there are no moving parts. The nutrient solution is drawn into the growing medium

from the reservoir with a wick. Free plans for a simple wick system are available. This system can

use a variety of growing medium. Perlite, Vermiculite, Pro-Mix and Coconut Fibre are among the

most popular. The biggest drawback of this system is that plants that are large or use large amounts

of water may use up the nutrient solution faster than the wicks can supply it.

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2. WATER CULTURE

The water culture system is the simplest of all active hydroponic systems. The platform that

holds the plants is usually made of Styrofoam and floats directly on the nutrient solution. An air

pump supplies air to the air stone that bubbles the nutrient solution and supplies oxygen to the roots

of the plants.

Water culture is the system of choice for growing leaf lettuce, which are fast growing water

loving plants, making them an ideal choice for this type of hydroponic system. Very few plants

other than lettuce will do well in this type of system.

This type of hydroponic system is great for the classroom and is popular with teachers. A

very inexpensive system can be made out of an old aquarium or other water tight container. There

have free plans and instructions for a simply water culture system.

The biggest drawback of this kind of system is that it doesn't work well with large plants or

with long-term plants.

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3. EBB & FLOW - (FLOOD AND DRAIN)

The Ebb and Flow system works by temporarily flooding the grow tray with nutrient

solution and then draining the solution back into the reservoir. This action is normally done with a

submerged pump that is connected to a timer.

When the timer turns the pump on nutrient solution is pumped into the grow tray. When the

timer shuts the pump off the nutrient solution flows back into the reservoir. The Timer is set to come

on several times a day, depending on the size and type of plants, temperature and humidity and the

type of growing medium used.

The Ebb & Flow is a versatile system that can be used with a variety of growing mediums.

The entire grow tray can be filled with Grow Rocks, gravel or granular Rockwool. Many people

like to use individual pots filled with growing medium, this makes it easier to move plants around

or even move them in or out of the system. The main disadvantage of this type of system is that

with some types of growing medium (Gravel, Growrocks, Perlite), there is a vulnerability to power

outages as well as pump and timer failures. The roots can dry out quickly when the watering cycles

are interrupted. This problem can be relieved somewhat by using growing media that retains more

water (Rockwool, Vermiculite, coconut fibre or a good soilless mix like Pro-mix or Faffard's).

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4. DRIP SYSTEMS RECOVERY / NON-RECOVERY

Drip systems are probably the most widely used type of hydroponic system in the world.

Operation is simple, a timer controls a submersed pump. The timer turns the pump on and nutrient

solution is dripped onto the base of each plant by a small drip line. In a Recovery Drip System the

excess nutrient solution that runs off is collected back in the reservoir for re-use. The Non-Recovery

System does not collect the run off.

A recovery system uses nutrient solution a bit more efficiently, as excess solution is reused,

this also allows for the use of a more inexpensive timer because a recovery system doesn't require

precise control of the watering cycles. The non-recovery system needs to have a more precise timer

so that watering cycles can be adjusted to insure that the plants get enough nutrient solution and the

runoff is kept to a minimum.

The non-recovery system requires less maintenance due to the fact that the excess nutrient

solution isn't recycled back into the tank, so the nutrient strength and pH of the tank will not vary.

This means that you can fill the tank with pH adjusted nutrient solution and then forget it until you

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need to mix more. A recovery system can have large shifts in the pH and nutrient strength levels

that require periodic checking and adjusting.

5. N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)

This is the kind of hydroponic system most people think of when they think about

hydroponics. N.F.T. systems have a constant flow of nutrient solution so no timer required for the

submersible pump. The nutrient solution is pumped into the growing tray (usually a tube) and flows

over the roots of the plants, and then drains back into the reservoir.

There is usually no growing medium used other than air, which saves the expense of

replacing the growing medium after every crop. Normally the plant is supported in a small plastic

basket with the roots hanging into the nutrient solution.

N.F.T. systems are very vulnerable to power outages and pump failures. The roots dry out

very rapidly when the flow of nutrient solution is interrupted

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6. AEROPONIC

The aeroponic system is probably the most high-tech type of hydroponic gardening. Like the

N.F.T. system above the growing medium is primarily air. The roots hang in the air and are misted

with nutrient solution. The misting is usually done every few minutes. Because the roots are

exposed to the air like the N.F.T. system, the roots will dry out rapidly if the misting cycles are

interrupted.

A timer controls the nutrient pump much like other types of hydroponic systems, except the

aeroponic system needs a short cycle timer that runs the pump for a few seconds every couple of

minutes.

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Fertilizer for organic hydroponics

Difference between hydroponic, organic and "regular" fertilizers

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Both hydroponic fertilizers and those intended for use in soil contain the three major

nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The major difference in hydroponic fertilizers is that

they contain the proper amounts of all the essential micro-nutrients which fertilizers intended for

use with soil do not. The plants are expected to find these elements in the soil, assuming that the

trace elements are in fact present. Problems can arise for the plants if any or all of the micro-

nutrients are not present in the soil or are depleted by successive or excessive plantings. Hydroponic

fertilizers are usually in a more refined form with fewer impurities making them both more stable

and soluble for better absorption. Organic fertilizers, in most cases, are very different than either

hydroponic or soil fertilizers both in composition and how they deliver the nutrient to the plants.

Organic fertilizers rely on the synergistic action of bacteria and microbes to break down nutritional

substances for easier uptake by the plants.

Hydroponic and soil fertilizers provide nutrients in a ready-to-use form. While once, they

were mutually exclusive, in recent years a number of outstanding organic fertilizers have hit the

market in formulations refined enough for use in hydroponics

Advantages of Hydroponics

1. PLANTS CAN BE GROWN ANYWHERE

Today, space is increasingly at the premium. With hydroponics, plants can be grown

anywhere where no soil exists and light is available. For example, plants can be grown on a rooftop

or next to the window sill. In Japan, vegetables are grown in the supermarket itself and it supplies

crispy fresh vegetables to the shoppers. It saves money on transport and the benefit of having fresh

produce offset the high cost of city land. Therefore, hydroponics farming can be viable irrespective

of the value of land.

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2. BETTER CONTROL OVER PLANT GROWTH

A soil system is difficult to keep in control due to the complex chemical and biological

nature of the soil. Plants nutrients are frequently not available to plants due to poor soil structure or

unfavourable soil pH value. Plants growing in soil are also frequent competitors for the essential in

the soil solution. On the contrary, a hydroponics grower has the freedom to regulate the composition

of the nutrient solution and the frequency of the feeding of nutrient. This gives the hydroponics

grower a considerable degree of control over the plant growth.

3. LESS WORK WITH HYDROPONICS

Hydroponics has no need for tilling of soil, fumigation, watering, pulling of weeds or yelling

at the neighbour's dog for running through your crops.

4. WATER AND NUTRIENTS ARE CONSERVED

A properly designed hydroponics system uses a lot less water and nutrients than soil culture.

This is because the nutrients can be recycled through the system. This advantage is significant as it

can lead to a reduction in the pollution of land and the stream with high levels of run off nutrients.

5. PEST AND DISEASE PROBLEMS ARE REDUCED

The chance of soil-borne disease is largely reduced with hydroponics as it is a soilless

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culture system, thus the need to fumigate is much lessened. With soil culture, the animal waste, high

residues of pesticides, and soil microorganisms applied on to food crops and pose a health hazard to

consumers.

6. TRANSPLANTING SHOCK IS REDUCED FOR SEEDLINGS

In hydroponics cultivation, seedlings can be easily raised in either foam or rock wool

propagation blocks. These blocks can be then transplanted directly into the hydroponics system

without a need to prick out the plants as in the case of soil media. Therefore, hydroponics shortens

the propagation time needed and also reduces the transplant shock in young seedlings.

7. SOIL EROSION PROBLEM IS NON-EXISTENCE

The use of heavy machines in conventional agriculture farming compacts in the soil and

results in damage to the soil structure. This could lead to serious soil erosion problems. It is

estimated that in the United States, three billion tonnes of topsoil are lost through soil erosion every

year as a result of human activities. This problem could be significantly curtailed if much of the

present farmlands are converted to hydroponics farming.

8. CULTURE IS EXTENSIVE

In hydroponics culture, the plant nutrients and water are available in sufficient amounts all

year round, thus allowing higher density planting. It is also possible to grow plants in multi-levels

with hydroponics. Together with the absence of pests and diseases which can affect the overall

production, the increase in yields per acre under hydroponics cultivation is striking compared to soil

cultivation.

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Disadvantage of hydroponics

1. STARTING COST IS HIGH

The initial cost for construction of the hydroponics system is high, so, a hydroponics farmer

may be limited in growing crops that either gives a high return or rapid turn-over.

2. SOUND TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW HOW IS REQUIRED FOR PROPER TRAINING

Trained personnel knowledgeable in the principles of plant nutrition and operation of

commercial hydroponics are necessary to manage a hydroponics farm, as the failure rate is high in

the hands of amateurs.

Conclusion

Hydroponics is a farming method that doesn't use soil but water or the other porous

substances as a growth medium. It has a nutrient control that content of essential component as

plant needs. Besides easy to grow the plant, by using hydroponics technique also more easier

compare by grow the plant with the soil method because it really simple and can give the plant the

nutrient as they needed.

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Furthermore, hydroponic have many benefits which is the plant can be grown by any places

where no soil exist, easy to control the plants growth, well maintained of water and nutrient, culture

extensive where the plant nutrients and water are available in sufficient amounts all year round, thus

allowing higher density planting, also can reduce the pest and disease and many more.

Bibliography

1. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics

2. (2008) Simply hydroponic and organic,

http://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htm

3. http://www.crescent.edu.sg/ipw/2000/sec2/22g1-hydroponics/ad_dis.htm

4. Mr. Mustapha Umar (2002) Simply hydroponics system for leafy vegetables

http://www.agnet.org/library/pt/2002037/

5. Turner, Bambi (2008) "How Hydroponics Works.".

http://home.howstuffworks.com/hydroponics.htm

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponicshttp://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htmhttp://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htmhttp://www.crescent.edu.sg/ipw/2000/sec2/22g1-hydroponics/ad_dis.htmhttp://www.agnet.org/library/pt/2002037/http://www.agnet.org/library/pt/2002037/http://home.howstuffworks.com/hydroponics.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponicshttp://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htmhttp://www.crescent.edu.sg/ipw/2000/sec2/22g1-hydroponics/ad_dis.htmhttp://www.agnet.org/library/pt/2002037/http://home.howstuffworks.com/hydroponics.htm


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6. Merli H. Jensen (1997) hydroponics

http://ag.arizona.edu/pls/faculty/MERLE.html

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http://ag.arizona.edu/pls/faculty/MERLE.htmlhttp://ag.arizona.edu/pls/faculty/MERLE.html

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