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As seen in: Issue 53

A Guide To Water Quality And Hydroponic Success

The word “Hydroponics” is of Greek origin: ‘hydro’ means water, and ‘ponos’ means labour. Typically, when the word ‘gardening’ comes to mind, you think of the sun, plants, and their root systems digging deep into the soil – a classic science class diagram. Hydroponics deletes an entire section from that diagram. In agriculture, hydroponics is the futuristic rebel, eliminating soil from the equation altogether, opting instead to suspend plants in a high-tech cocktail of nutrients, water, and carefully calibrated conditions. This makes it an ideal choice for urban gardeners, indoor enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to continue growing fresh produce during the “off-season”.

If you plan to start your own hydroponic system, it’s important to emphasise how crucial water quality is to the process. The omission of soil from your garden entirely makes hydroponics a little less forgiving when first starting, so studying the careful balance of water and nutrients required for your plants is necessary. As you begin to research, you’ll see the term Electrical Conductivity (often shortened to EC) floating around. EC is a crucial base factor that governs the health and productivity of your growth system. So, let’s dive into the electrifying world of EC and discover why it’s the lifeblood of any thriving hydroponic garden.

Hydroponic sucess

What is Electrical Conductivity?

EC is the most important measure of water quality in hydroponic gardening, and it correlates directly to the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS) in your water; think of it as the equivalent of a balanced diet for your plants. EC measures the concentration of dissolved salts and minerals in your nutrient solution, telling you just how ‘nutrient-rich’ your plant’s liquid is and providing you with a specified quantity of nutrients available to your garden. Optimal EC is plant-specific, and it’s vital to keep your garden within this optimum range to ensure its health; too low, and you starve your plants of vital nutrition. If too high, your plants can suffer various conditions, such as nutrient lockout, where an excess of calcium and magnesium (also known as limescale) blocks roots from absorbing necessary nutrients. Other dissolved contaminants– lead, cadmium, boron, arsenic, and other heavy metals– can also be toxic to your plants, like in the human body! Creating and maintaining this EC balance can be tricky to figure out, so it’s a good idea to start your nutrient mix with water with a low EC – as close to zero as possible.

A Beautiful Baseline

The purity of the water you choose as the canvas for your plant’s growth can vastly improve your ability to maintain your hydroponic garden. EC often centres on maintaining the right nutrient concentration for plant growth. However, the EC of the water you use as a base for your nutrient solution is equally important. The baseline EC level of your water should ideally be low. Low EC water provides a clean slate, giving you better control over the nutrients your plants receive. High EC in your water source can lead to problems, as it introduces additional dissolved salts and minerals that might interfere with the nutrient balance you’re trying to cultivate and potentially harm your plants’ health. So, ensuring your water source has a low EC before mixing nutrients is a critical first step in successful hydroponic cultivation.

Testing, Testing…

Your surroundings impact your tap more than you might think, and it’s essential

to consider this if you’re using municipal water in your garden. Tap water quality varies

significantly by location due to differences in water sources, treatment methods, geological factors, and human activities. Some areas rely on surface water sources like rivers and lakes, which may be more prone to pollution, while others draw from groundwater and natural filtration properties. When it comes to’ hard water’ and ‘soft water’, hard water creates buildup on your shower head and faucets, which may indicate excess minerals in your tap. Hydroponic growers should know these variations and take appropriate steps to ensure their water suits their plants’ needs. A simple EC meter can measure the water’s EC level. But if you find it’s too high, what can you do?

Testing water

Lowering EC

There is only one real solution for lowering EC in tap water: filtration. Whether distilling your water or running it through a Reverse Osmosis system, removing dissolved

solids and contaminants from water is only possible through a filter. Let’s look at the two primary filtration methods used to improve tap water quality for hydroponics.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems

RO systems are highly effective at reducing EC and eliminating many contaminants. They force water through a semipermeable membrane, which filters out ions and molecules, leaving behind purified water. RO systems can significantly lower the EC of your tap water, making it an ideal choice for hydroponic growers looking to start with a clean slate. Remember that some of these systems can be a bit more costly to install in terms of money and space. The average RO system creates about four gallons of wastewater for every gallon of water purified, and if you’re looking to invest in RO for a larger garden, water storage also becomes necessary. Some companies also produce speciality RO systems designed explicitly for garden usage; these systems often come with features tailored to the needs of hydroponic and garden enthusiasts, making them a convenient choice for those seeking to optimise water quality for their plants.

Distillation

Distillation is another method for reducing EC. It involves a specialised system designed

to boil water, produce steam, and condense it into water. This process effectively separates the water from its dissolved solids and demineralises it entirely, leaving behind a zero-EC product. While distillation produces extremely clean, high-quality results and creates less wastewater, it can be less efficient than RO systems

in water production. Systems require a lot of energy to run, resulting in higher ongoing costs. Like RO systems, distillation also requires storage to ensure consistent water availability for your growing.

Hydroponics

Mixing tap water with filtered water is another clever strategy hydroponic growers use to extend their water resources. If your tap water has a high EC, but you don’t want to invest in a filtration system, or if you want to conserve your filtered water, blending them can help strike a balance. By finding an ideal ratio of tap water to filtered water, you can achieve a consistent, optimal EC level for your plants without relying solely on filtration. It’s a cost-effective approach that combines the advantages of both water sources. Remember, however, that tap water can change seasonally as municipal water companies make adjustments that can affect your tap’s specific EC from month to month.

For the hydroponic gardener, the secret to success lies not only in nutrient solutions and precise monitoring but also in the water that nourishes your plants; the more one understands the vital role of EC and the significance of water in a hydroponic system, the clearer it becomes that what you pour into your garden can make or break your plant’s journey. Whether you’re fine-tuning your tap water, using specialised RO systems, or blending water sources to optimise EC, taking control of your hydroponic environment is critical. With some knowledge and practical solutions, you can ensure your garden thrives, providing a continuous bounty of fresh, homegrown produce no matter the season. Remember: even in the high-tech world of hydroponics, it all starts with something as simple as the water you use.

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Author

Keaton Haines

Raised with an emphasis on the importance of clean water, Keaton Haines brings a unique blend of expertise to the world of gardening through his copywriting background. A keen eye for detail and passion for verdant landscapes drive him to explore water challenges and solutions in the grow industry. With water quality concerns on the rise, Keaton is committed to empowering gardeners with the knowledge to foster clean and contaminant-free gardens. When he’s not writing, Keaton can be found lifting weights, hiking outdoors, or cultivating his cactus collection — all while listening to new classes and podcasts.