Understanding the greenhouse environment
The protected greenhouse environment The greenhouse environment is designed to allow plants to perform close to...
Category Archives: Systems
Hydroponics systems consist of two parts, the structure and irrigation system. Structures can be made of various materials such as glass, shade net etc. The irrigation system is either ‘open’ or ‘closed’.
Solution heating of a tomato crop has limited effect on early yields
Heating the nutrient solution of a NFT hydroponic system may sound like a lucrative option for...
How to design a hydroponic stock solution system
Proportioner systems Open hydroponic systems lend themselves to two different automation systems i.e. proportioner and injector...
Is your closed hydroponic farm correctly designed for stock solutions
Most automated systems installed in closed hydroponic systems use injectors rather than proportioners. A simplified diagram...
Greenhouse heating – 5 facts you should look at
Greenhouse heating can be very expensive, especially if you greenhouse is not optimally set up for heating. There...
Calculating pad and fan requirements
The effectiveness of a pad and fan system will not only depend on the design, but...
Mechanical filtration of nutrient solution in NFT hydroponic systems
Mechanical filtration is not an effective tool to prevent water borne diseases in NFT hydroponic nutrient...
Flow rate in gravel NFT hydroponic systems – crucial for optimal system performance
The correct flow rate of closed hydroponic systems is critical for optimal growth of plants. The...
Serious diseases found in NFT hydroponic systems
The pythium fungus is one of the serious diseases that growers can encounter in hydroponic systems....
Differential nutrient removal from hydroponic nutrient solutions
Nutrient removal is quite often neglected in closed hydroponic systems since it is difficult to measure...
Refilling nutrient solutions and refilling frequency
Refilling nutrient solutions are only required when a closed (NFT) system is used. With open hydroponic systems the...
Lime – a cheap way to reduce greenhouse temperatures
Cooling a greenhouse can be just as expensive as heating, well almost. There are some very...
Insect screens in greenhouses – effective biological control
Insect screens or thermal screens are designed to reduce heat in summer and increase temperatures during the night, but...
Thermal screens greenhouse cooling – are they effective
Heat is always a problem in greenhouses during summer months and even during winter in some...
Evaporative pads – maintenance in commercial hydroponics
The installation of new evaporative pads is expensive. The material should last at least two years...
