Home Forums Blogs Articles Photos Videos Contact FAQ

Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions

Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions: Encyclopedia II - Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions

Plant nutrients are dissolved in the water used in hydroponics and are mostly in inorganic and ionic form. Primary among the dissolved cations (positively-charged ions) are Ca2+ (calcium), Mg2+ (magnesium), and K+ (potassium); the major nutrient anions in nutrient solutions are NO3- (nitrate), SO42- (sulfate), and H2PO4- (phosphate). Numerous 'recipes' for hydroponic solutions are available. Many use different combinations of ...

Hydroponics, Hydroponics - Uses, Hydroponics - History, Hydroponics - Techniques, Hydroponics - Passive hydroponics, Hydroponics - Flood and Drain or Ebb and Flow, Hydroponics - Deep Water Culture DWC, Hydroponics - Drip feeding, Hydroponics - Wick feeding, Hydroponics - Raft cultivation, Hydroponics - Nutrient film technique NFT, Hydroponics - Aeroponics, Hydroponics - Media, Hydroponics - Expanded Clay, Hydroponics - Rockwool, Hydroponics - Coco Coir, Hydroponics - Perlite, Hydroponics - Vermiculite, Hydroponics - Oasis Root Cubes, Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions, Hydroponics - Commercial, Hydroponics - Problems with hydroponics, Hydroponics - Present and future

Hydroponics, Hydroponics - Aeroponics, Hydroponics - Coco Coir, Hydroponics - Commercial, Hydroponics - Deep Water Culture DWC, Hydroponics - Drip feeding, Hydroponics - Expanded Clay, Hydroponics - Flood and Drain or Ebb and Flow, Hydroponics - History, Hydroponics - Media, Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions, Hydroponics - Nutrient film technique NFT, Hydroponics - Oasis Root Cubes, Hydroponics - Passive hydroponics, Hydroponics - Perlite, Hydroponics - Present and future, Hydroponics - Problems with hydroponics, Hydroponics - Raft cultivation, Hydroponics - Rockwool, Hydroponics - Techniques, Hydroponics - Uses, Hydroponics - Vermiculite, Hydroponics - Wick feeding

Hydroponics: Encyclopedia II - Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions

Hydroponics - Nutrient Solutions

Plant nutrients are dissolved in the water used in hydroponics and are mostly in inorganic and ionic form. Primary among the dissolved cations (positively-charged ions) are Ca²⁺ (calcium), Mg²⁺ (magnesium), and K⁺ (potassium); the major nutrient anions in nutrient solutions are NO₃^- (nitrate), SO₄^2- (sulfate), and H₂PO₄^- (phosphate).

Numerous 'recipes' for hydroponic solutions are available. Many use different combinations of chemicals to reach similar total final compositions. Commonly-used chemicals for the macronutrients include potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, potassium phosphate, and magnesium sulfate. Various micronutrients are typically added to hydroponic solutions to supply essential elements; among them are Fe (iron), Mn (manganese), Cu (copper), Zn (zinc), B (boron), Cl (chlorine), and Ni (nickel). Chelating agents are sometimes used to keep Fe soluble.

Plants will change the composition of the nutrient solutions upon contact by depleting specific nutrients more rapidly than others, removing water from the solution, and altering the pH by excretion of either acidity or alkalinity. Care is required not to allow salt concentrations to become too high, nutrients to become too depleted, or pH to wander far from the desired value.