Couldn’t find a commerical cultivation topic:
for a large scale recirculating hydroponic system how often would you clean and replenish tanks to avoid pathogen, spread, salt build up, biotic growth etc etc.
thank you.
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What kind of treatment system are you running to treat your effluent before it re-enters your dosing tank?
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We have RO and sediment filters but that’s it.
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What type of treatment do you typically run in line in your system @devjyarn ? I’ve never treated the water going through the system.
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I’d run a larger micron screen and sediment filter at start. Then you’re looking at probably UV treatment or sand/gravel filters, depending on how much water you’re treating per day.
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I’m having my RDWC designed by hydro engineers so I’m guessing they have something to this effect in the design. If not I’ll know what to look for and suggest it to them.
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Are they also designing and supplying the fertigation and dosing system?
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If you’re looking for how often to replace the water and start a fresh batch, the only way to really tell is to take water samples and have a local lab test them for nutrient concentrations.
If you’re not constantly adding fresh water as a to up the EC will rise. But, there might actually be less of a particular nutrient than when you started.
Some growers will add a dilute nutrient solution with a float level valve to keep things constantly fresh. How often to change it out will depend on what your lab tests say.
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Yes they’re designing the entire system. I just realized this thread is about a recirculating hydroponics system not a recirculating deep water hydroponic system
I basically flood and drain tables for 7-10 days (up until late flower, sometimes every 5 days when drinking fast)
After that most of the water if not all of the water is gone.
Flush the plants from the top and refill the tank.
I rinse the tables//tank with a light peroxide mix after each harvest, thats about it
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These are exactly a lot of my concerns, thank you.
I am having trouble understanding what you mean by using a float level valve to add a dilute nutrient solution?
I was planning on initially draining my tank more often (perhaps every 5 days), and adding dilute concentrations of nutrients during periods of refill.
Prep your main reservoir for the week, if that’s the schedule you’re following.
Also prep a second tank of diluted nutrients. This may need to be pH adjusted lower than your main reservoir so it hits your target pH and EC when added.
https://www.amazon.ca/Kerick-Valve-MA052-Float-Adjustable/dp/B0077RAP1I/ref=asc_df_B0077RAP1I/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292982455806&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15746779309143944639&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001252&hvtargid=pla-625513493432&psc=1 valves like this come in many sizes. I would mount the diluted tank higher than the main tank if using mechanical float valve, so it is gravity fed. There are also electo-mechanical switches that can turn on a pump when the level decreases, then you can use a transfer pump in your second tank to fill the main one.
I’m also going to add an air stone and pump to aerate water.