How Does Hydroponic Automatic Dose System Works?
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If you’re asking yourself any of the above questions, then you’ve come to the right place.
This blog post will discuss everything you need to know about Hydroponic Automatic Dose Systems. We’ll talk about what they are, how they work, and how to use them in your hydroponic garden. So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced hydroponic gardener, read on for all the information you need!
What Does a Hydroponic Automatic Dose System Do?
Hydroponics is the method of growing plants in water without soil.
An “automatic dose system” is used to add nutrients and other chemicals to the water to help the plants grow.
So, How Does Hydroponic Automatic Dose System Works?
An automated dosing system does two things: monitoring and dosing. The system uses probes to measure your nutrient reservoir’s pH, EC levels, and water temperature. It then uses this information to dose your plants with the correct amount of nutrients and supplements.
The information is sent to an electronic controller programmed with what you want it to do. The controller has many settings to control the dosing pump, which moves the nutrients from one reservoir to another. You can set automatic timers that dose your plants at certain times, or you can program your automated system to switch between ratios of nutrients for different stages in plant development.
This way, there are no surprises since you can always know what’s going on with your garden.
Do you want to know more about how the hydroponic auto dose system works?. If so, please check this YouTube video explaining by ZipGroW.
Link to the video: Auto-dosing for Indoor Growers
What’s So Great About Assembling an Automatic Dose to Feed Crops in Hydroponics?
- This saves you time and money since it replaces hand-watering. It also allows you to grow in places where watering isn’t always easy, like apartments or when leaves are covering pipes during winter months. You can monitor these nutrient levels more accurately and maintain them precisely than by hand watering. All you have to do is maintain pH levels, temperature, and EC/TDS levels, so the controller knows when to start an auto-feeding cycle.
- The most significant benefit when using an automated system is a consistent, healthy crop. The controller uses precise measurements of nutrient strength and pH levels to ensure your plants get exactly what they need at the right time. There is no guesswork or risk of over-or under-watering, which means you get bigger, healthier plants quickly.
- Another benefit of continuously monitoring your nutrients and pH levels is that it can help you track down issues such as a nutrient lockout or damaged parts soon because you’ll know when something isn’t right!
Related:
How to Keep the PH Level of Each Hydroponic Growing Medium?
Hydroponic Potatoes: Watering
What Are the Downsides of an Automated Dosing System?
- The biggest downside of automated hydroponics systems is that many people find it difficult to use. Because of constant monitoring and adjusting pH levels, EC/TDS levels, temperature, etc., every day before feeding their plants — especially after using a less accurate system for so long.
- One other potential issue some growers have reported with auto-dosing units is a clogged pump from calcium buildup in water after time if you don’t clean them often.
Read to know
Pros and Cons of Drip Hydroponic System
How Much Power Will You Need?
You have to be aware of power requirements before you purchase equipment.
Some items like heaters can use high amounts of electricity, while lighting draws less (but only during the dark cycle).
When growing with high wattage lights, it is essential to use a controller to avoid killing the pump.
Related: 9 Useful Tips to Create a Sustainable Hydroponic Garden for Long Term Success
How Much Will It Cost?
Before moving forward, figure out how much you are willing to spend on your setup. It can purchase used equipment online. However, sometimes these sites can be tricky, so consider researching the seller and product listings before buying an automatic dose system for hydroponics.
Also, you will need other tools including screwdrivers, wiring cables & connectors, electrical tape or solder gun (if soldering), pliers, wire cutters/strip, drill bits & drill (if cutting holes for the hardware), and a ruler or measuring tape.
Remember that you can build an automatic feeding system for less than $300 if you shop around. But the cost would vary per the requirement, brands,, and seller. Some brands are high cost too.
How To DIY Hydroponic Automatic Dose?
Why not just buy one? I have seen quite a few people sharing their homemade automated feeding systems on various forums with how good they are working out!
You can check these links on a homemade automatic dose system
Link 1: A Medium Article
Link 2: YouTube Video by Greg Jones
Link 3: YouTube Video by Devin Olsen
Link 4: Another YouTube video by Devin Olsen
Link 5: A Guide by Garden Culture Magazine
If you already have the equipment needed to assemble your automatic feeder, it will be less expensive than buying an off-the-shelf system.
Is It Necessary to Invest in an Automated Dosing Mechanism With a Small Hydroponic System?
If you have a small hydroponic system, you may not need to invest in an automated dosing mechanism. Instead, you can manually dose your nutrients and pH levels by checking the water reservoir every day.
If you’re growing with bottled nutrients, this isn’t an issue. However, if you are dosing liquid nutrients (especially the more unstable ones), it can be difficult to judge how much nutrients you need daily without over-dosing. This is where an automated dosing mechanism comes in handy.
What Should You Consider Before Choosing A System?
When choosing an automated dosing mechanism for your hydroponic system, there are a few things you should consider:
- The size of your hydroponic system — If you have a large hydroponic system, you may need a more sophisticated (and expensive) dosing mechanism than if you have a small one.
- The type of nutrients you are using — Some nutrients (like Bud Ignitor or Bud Blood) are more unstable than others and can be difficult to dose without over-dosing. An automated dosing mechanism can help to ensure that your nutrient levels remain consistent.
- Your time commitment — If you are already busy and don’t have a lot of time to check on your hydroponic system every day, an automated dosing system can save you hours each week.
- The availability of parts — You may already have some or most components needed to build a solution, depending on what nutrients you use and how your hydroponic system is set. In that case, creating a new dose system will require less effort than if you need to purchase everything from scratch.
Related:
How to Choose the Right Grow Light for Hydroponic Plants?
Is the Hydroponic Auto Dose System Reliable?
There is no definitive answer to this question. The important thing is to research the available options and choose the most likely system to work well for your specific setup and growing environment. Some growers can get great success with auto-dosing systems, while others may experience problems.
In Conclusion
Whether it is bought or homemade, an automatic dosing system can be a great investment for your hydroponic garden. It can help ensure that your nutrient levels remain consistent and that you don’t overdose on nutrients, which can harm your plants.
Before selecting a system, make sure to consider the size of your garden, the type of nutrients you are using, and how much time you have to commit to monitoring your garden. Do some research and decide the most likely system to work well for you.
Thank you for reading!
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