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| IDEAL TDS OF WATER FOR HYDROPONICS FARMING |
Many people starting with hydroponics systems wonder what the IDEAL TDS of water is. The short answer is that it is the concentration of any one of thousands of different microorganisms in water at a specific temperature.
For example, if you are growing hydroponics potatoes, you want the water quality to be as close to water quality found in a traditional indoor garden potato garden. Therefore, the TDS should be less than 0.5%.
Ideal TDS:
The beginning water should ideally have a TDS of less than 250. The smaller the number, the better. The TDS of the fertiliser solution will vary depending on the crop you are producing. The water of TDS range 700-800 should be sufficient for leafy vegetables and exotic vegetables. Tomatoes can withstand TDS of 2100, but for bell peppers range of TDS may fall between 1400 to 1600. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. Consider the plant’s requirements and adjust the TDS accordingly. Also, keep in mind that smaller plants require less nourishment (and less TDS). Never exceed TDS of 500 for tiny saplings (and during the first couple of weeks after germination).
How to lower TDS in hydroponics FARMING?
There are several ways to improve the TDS of water for hydroponics gardening. One of them involves increasing the light and water saturation of the media used for growing your plants. If you grow hydroponics potatoes, for instance, they need very high light levels. This allows them to absorb more nutrition from the water.
Hydroponics growing mediums containing a large number of trace minerals can also help make the water quality better. These minerals are important for providing plant nutrition. The minerals can be added either in water or as micronutrients dissolved in solution. Each method has its own benefits when working together to build a healthy environment for your plants.
When you add oxygen to the hydroponics growing medium, you allow the water to pull as much oxygen out of the air as possible. Hydroponics potatoes can thrive with only trace amounts of oxygen. If you don’t provide the proper oxygen concentrations in the growing medium, you will stunt growth. You may not see any difference in the TDS of water, but ensuring proper nutrient delivery to the plant roots ensures the right oxygen concentrations.
Too much oxygen in a water solution slows down the growth of plants. You should use a water culture system instead of a hydroponic system when you are working with plants. The former produces hydroponic water and culture media that can contain higher concentrations of nutrients. The latter relies solely on gravity to provide oxygen to the growing medium.
Both air and water have their own specific ways of delivering the required nutrients to the growing medium. Plants get most of the nutrients they need from the air as they consume it through respiration. Water, on the other hand, gets by on the bio-mass of the plant. Air contains deficient concentrations of nutrients, while water has a high concentration. Water culture provides high-quality water and assists the growth of the micro-organisms needed for the growth of crops.
The most important consideration in choosing a fertilizer for plants is the potassium ratio to calcium and magnesium. Potassium and magnesium are the major elements needed for healthy plant growth. The more these two minerals are present, the faster the growing medium grows. There are two ways to add fertilizer to the growing medium: either through soil or through growing plants directly in a medium. Sub-micron quantities of fertilizers should be added to the soil to ensure good root growth and retain moisture.
Appropriate application of fertilizer is necessary for healthy plant growth. Soil is the preferred source of nutrients, and this should be enough to feed the plants for at least 30 days. However, if the growing medium needs a longer time to absorb the nutrients, it is best to apply them through growing plants directly in water. Air fertilizers or sprinklers should not be used in growing plants because they might cause damage to the roots. Allocating space in the garden to a container where water could be sprayed would ensure that the water remains in and around the plants and does not runoff.