Hydroponic Growth Knowledge

Many important factors for hydroponics growth

• Nutrient substances
  
  Nutrient gift regularly is important to hydroponics gardening because a growth medium only has a function as a plant support and "facilitator" to continue excessive solution and water when plants were watered.
  
  The available nutrient must have pH value among 5.5 - 7.5, which the best is 6.5. Macro nutrients, such as: Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulfur, are needed by plant in the large amount. Besides that, it must has relatively high concentration.
  
  Micro nutrients, such as: Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Cu, Chloride, etc, are needed by plant only in the low amount and concentration. A plant necessity, which has different amount each other, depends on the growth level and kind of plant.
  Nutrient solution is made by fertilizer nitrates diluted into the fresh water. Actually, many kinds of nitrates can be used as the nutrient solution.
• Hydroponics growth medium
  
  Kind of growth medium will influence the growth and development of plant. A growth medium must be able to provide water, nutrient, and oxygen, also not contents of toxic substances.
  
  Materials used to hydroponics growth medium are: sand, gravel, husk charcoal, sponge, etc. It will influence the medium environment quality. Actually, temperature level, aeration, and the medium humidity level, has different amount and concentration for the plant growth. It depends on the material that will be used.
• Oxygen
  
  The most important thing in the hydroponics gardening is oxygen. Low amount of oxygen causes cell membrane reduction that air and nutrient becomes harder to penetrate into the cell. When happened, plant will become water insufficient condition. That's why plants become wither in the flood soil condition.
  
  The oxygen level inside the medium pores also influence the root growth. To supply oxygen to the plant can be done many ways, such as: give air bubble in the solution (water culture), change nutrient solution, and make any ventilation holes in the growth place (aggregate culture).
• Water
  
  The water quality suitable to hydroponics must have humidity level not more than 2500 ppm or EC score less than 6.0 mmhos/cm. Also, water must not content of heavy metal in the large amount because it can poison the plant.