How to Increase Hydroponics

Hydroponic gardening, which is growing plants in water without soil, is on the rise as more people start to learn about the advantages of hydroponic growing. Gone is the burden of finding the perfect plot of land with ample sunlight and fertile soil. A hydroponic system can be set up almost anywhere, which can lead to an extended growing season. And by incorporating a few other tips, watch as your hydroponic crop yields up to 25 percent more than soil-based crops.

Keep the Nutrient Solution Cool

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  greenhouse image by Paulo Ribeiro from Fotolia.com

  Keep the nutrient solution at an optimal temperature. This important because temperature is directly related to how efficiently the elements are assimilated and atmospheric oxygen is dissolved. Optimal temperatures generally range between 68 and 80 degrees F. The most efficient and reliable, but most expensive, option is to purchase a water chiller from a hydroponic supplier. These sophisticated units will maintain a steady temperature, and many can be used as heaters as well.

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  Fill a water bottle or milk jug with water, freeze it, and add it to the tank as a cheaper, yet less reliable, method. Have a thermometer nearby to help you monitor the temperature. Keep some backup frozen water jugs in the freezer and switch them out as needed.

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  Lower the temperature in the room. Adding fans to keep the air in the room constantly moving helps keep the temperature of the water down.

Increase CO2 Consumption

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  Add CO2, which is an odorless, colorless gas found in small quantities in the air, to hydroponic plants for a faster growth rate -- up to 50 percent faster. However, conditions need to be right first before injecting your hydroponic system with CO2. Lighting conditions should be more than 20 watts per square foot, temperature should be increased by three to five degrees, and plenty of water and nutrients need to be supplied, since increased photosynthesis will require more nutrients and water. Also, ventilate the room adequately because too much CO2 can be toxic to humans.

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  Place a specially controlled CO2 device set in the grow room so that small amounts of CO2 are automatically dispensed. In a natural environment, plants will typically use 300 to 600 ppm (parts per million) of carbon dioxide, but they can consume much more to achieve twice an average crop yield.

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  Set the CO2 tank at about 1200 ppm. The optimum level of CO2 is generally 1500 ppm but the air already has about 300 ppm of CO2. Adding more than 2000 ppm can cause your plants to die, as well as being toxic to humans.

Use Proper Lighting

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  Flood the growth area with plenty of light. The most important lighting factor is wattage, because this determines how much ground you can cover. Assuming that the plants are receiving no sunlight, 600 watts will cover approximately 6-by-6 feet; 400 watts will cover 4-by-4 feet; and 250 watts will cover 2-by-2 feet.

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  Determine what type of light is needed. There are three types to choose from: sodium, fluorescent and halide. Sodium lights are more efficient and the best choice for flowering plants. They produce a yellowish light that is similar to the autumn sun. Halides are white lights and best for leafy plants with a lot of foliage. Fluorescent lights offer the least amount of light but are the best bet for seedlings and cuttings.

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  Use artificial lights to allow plants to receive more light than the average eight hours of sunlight that soil crops are restricted to. Determine first if your plant is a light-loving plant or a night-loving plant, and adjust the amount of light accordingly. For a plant that loves light, you can provide between 14 and 18 hours of light in a 24-hour time period. But plants that depend on darkness as part of their photocycle will benefit from 12 hours on and 12 hours off.