hydroponically grown plant ,need help

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
hello respected members
I need help on hydroponically grown plant

hydroponically grown plant


I am looking little information about hydroponically grown plant
I think I can do fallowing task with microcontroller and sensor
(8051 arm or pic )
Sensor (temprature sensor)

Hydropic plant that are well adopted to survive in or water area
Hydropic plants Are constantly inconnect with water
Example lotus ,see weed

Requirnment for hydrophnic plant

Temprature
Light
Water
Mineral nutrients


Temprature : Plants grow well only within a limited temperature range.
Warm-season grow best between 60° and 75°
Cool-season should be grown between 50° and 70° F.

Light. All plants require amounts of sunlight.


Water. Providthe plants with an adequate amount of water

Mineral Nutrients plants must absorb certain minerals through their roots to survive
The essential elements needed in large quantities are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Micronutrients - iron,….etc

I am also searching on google for more Information .I want know how can we make elctronic circuit for above requirement.

What type of sensor we can use in this project ?

If anyone one know little bit about hydroponic plant please give me suggestion how to do with microcontroller and sensor ?
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
The electronics you need depend on the equipment you are using to provide the critical requirements. Example: You don't need a controller for lighting if you are using sunlight. You don't need a microcontroller to grow plants.

Describe what you are trying to do and you will receive better feedback. Is this homework?
 

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
Is this homework?
NO , you can give any idea that we can Do.

The electronics you need depend on the equipment you are using to provide the critical requirements. Example: You don't need a controller for lighting if you are using sunlight. You don't need a microcontroller to grow plants.

Describe what you are trying to do and you will receive better feedback. Is this homework?
I want to make automated hydroponic grown plant system that will sense condition and provide sufficient Mineral Nutrients for growing hydroponic plant
I want use sensor and miro controller to provide right information for growing plant
automated system will choose correct Mineral Nutrients that the plant required for growing
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
That requires a feedback loop, and a chemical analysis for some or all of the nutrients you are controlling. How are you going to perform that analysis? There are lab tests, online sensors, all sorts of proxy measures (such as conductivity) and on and on.

You should find a commercial hydroponic farm and see if you can get a tour. They are fascinating, and you would learn a lot.
 

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
That requires a feedback loop, and a chemical analysis for some or all of the nutrients you are controlling. How are you going to perform that analysis? There are lab tests, online sensors, all sorts of proxy measures (such as conductivity) and on and on.

You should find a commercial hydroponic farm and see if you can get a tour. They are fascinating, and you would learn a lot.
ok I will do some research ,I am reading following link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics
but I want know that can we use mirocontroller and sensors ? and if yes then can you tell me what type of sensor we need to required
 
Last edited:

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Well of course you CAN use a microcontroller if you must, but you must consider what happens if/when there is a power outage or other malfunction of your control system. Everything needs to fail to a "safe" default.

At a very minimum I would think you'll want temperature sensors, maybe pH and conductivity, and something that will confirm that the fluid is moving. But there are many, many other potential needs such as pressure sensors across filters, pumps and so on.
 

Externet

Joined Nov 29, 2005
2,201
Hydroponics and aeroponics systems are not as simple as appear to be; tried several times different methods and results are not as expected, perhaps a complex setting could work.
And the economics of it; may not make sense if you try to grow cheap plants, the cost of energy (pumping, heating, lighting) and labor and equipment and chemicals and fungicides and rooms and... does not match. I could not beat nature, the backyard garden is better. But it is a good hobby; do not give up.

I did modify my microcontrolled AeroGarden7 ----> http://www.aerogarden.com/aerogarden-7-black-1.html to work for both systems -fog mister too- and still unhappy with results.

Simple ways are a better starter ----> http://www.how-to-diy.org/IS_MnFiXvX3r79/2-Liter-Plastic-Bottle-Hydroponic-Wick-System.html.
----> http://www.epicgardening.com/wp-con...ardening-Kids-DIY-Hydroponic-Garden-Final.pdf
And much more on the web.
If you expect opening a faucet, plug a cord to the wall and let the microcontroller do all the work until you have your salad, you are wrong.

Look for a hydroponic supplies store by your area and visit them to learn a lot.
 
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Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
ok thanks to all for giving quick reply
I need something that can test the amount of the elements in the water, but all the time on a real-time basis. I'm wanting to make a system that will monitor its self, and take care of its self. I'm wanting it to be able to read the amounts of the elements and add more
I have to test quality of water with sensor on real time

temperature of water For example, warm water holds less oxygen than cold water.
speed of flowing water if the flow is too slow or too fast the system can adjust its self.
conductivity of water
PH of water If the element level gets too low, the system automatically can adjust itself

I will back soon with some search, anyway If Do you want to give me any advice please share with me
thanks again
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I think you belong on a Chemistry site. Electronics can make decisions about measurements, but I don't think sensors exist for every dissolved nutrient.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I'm pretty sure the big farms use mostly conductivity and do not attempt to balance nutrients in-process, so the only control decision is whether or not to add more concentrate into the water. The major input is light, followed by CO2. I suppose most CO2 is ambient but some farms are situated next to ethanol plants and can use the CO2 from their fermentations.
 

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
That's where I'm stuck. I don't think you can measure more than a few individual nutrients with electronic sensors.
ok can you tell me the name of sensors that can measure individual nutrients ?
(temperature sensor , pressure sensor )
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
There are probes for a lot of the relevant ions; H+ (pH), Ca++, Mg++, Na+ and on and on. O2 also. None are cheap, and all will have various levels of difficulty in the presence of other ions. And they require frequent calibration by a skilled technician.

But who cares? I do not think this is how a hydroponic facility is normally run. Finding out the control parameters of a typical installation should be on your research list. I've been in hydroponic factories but that was 30 years ago. I imagine things have changed a bit.

You also need to think about scale. How much light do you have to work with, and how many square feet? This will dictate how much water needs to be recirculated, how many nutrients you'll need and so on. I imagine the crop of interest is also a factor. We talking spinach, or "oregano"?
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
ok can you tell me the name of sensors that can measure individual nutrients ?
(temperature sensor , pressure sensor )
They are called ion selective electrodes. They use the same controller as a pH meter. You will need calibration solutions in two different concentrations for each metal or halide you want to test for. You will need to re calibrate every hour or so to stay within a few percent accuracy. The electrodes drift like crazy. Trained technician - about $60 to $80k/year.

Otherwise, there are on-line spectroscopic methods (inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy - $300k to $3M depending on accuracy, number of different elements and sampling speed. Also whether you want on line vs off line measurement. Trained technician runs about $80k to 100k/year.

Good luck
 

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
I saw this link I think it may be helpful
http://www.wikihow.com/Maintain-a-Hydroponic-Nutrient-Reservoir

there is ponit 4 . digital prob I don't understand what type of digital probe is using in that link
TDS/PPM EC are meters that check the quality of water
Electrical conductivity
total dissolved state
PPM part per million
these meter can tell us what the actually in water and how much of each there is ,

I don't have enough knowledge I am arranging the component

I need to understand what is input and output for micro controller?
I have listed some component that I have to use in project

Component
miro controller
Electrical conductivity
total dissolved state
PPM part per million
temperature sensor
Digital probe

there is another link
http://www.octiva.net/projects/ppm/
this link show circuit for the meters
microcontroller will take decision on basis of measurement, and it will decide weather or not to add more nutrient in water
 
Last edited:

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
I saw this link I think it may be helpful
http://www.wikihow.com/Maintain-a-Hydroponic-Nutrient-Reservoir

there is ponit 4 . digital prob I don't understand what type of digital probe is using in that link
TDS/PPM EC are meters that check the quality of water
Electrical conductivity
total dissolved state
PPM part per million
these meter can tell us what the actually in water and how much of each there is ,

I don't have enough knowledge I am arranging the component

I need to understand what is input and output for micro controller?
I have listed some component that I have to use in project

Component
miro controller
Electrical conductivity
total dissolved state
PPM part per million
temperature sensor
Digital probe
microcontroller will take decision on basis of measurement, weather or not to add more nutrient in water
The TDS Measures TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS, it reports results in PPM (parts per million)
The meter cannot differentiate between sodium and magnesium or anything else. It uses simple conductivity.

In a hydroponic system, water should be cycled regularly to prevent mould growth. Plants cannot absorb all of the nutrients fast - they don't need so much.

If you are trying to design the ultimate system, you will need to invest 10,000 hours into becoming an expert in the Technical aspects of growing.

I am guessing you have invested a few thousand hours into imagining how your marketing and distribution system will work, and the money you will make. However, From the quality of your questions, it seems like you have invested less than 10 hours on the technical side. You only have 9990 to go.
 

Thread Starter

abhimanyu143

Joined Aug 25, 2014
211
The TDS Measures TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS, it reports results in PPM (parts per million)


If you are trying to design the ultimate system, you will need to invest 10,000 hours into becoming an expert in the Technical aspects of growing.

I am guessing you have invested a few thousand hours into imagining how your marketing and distribution system will work, and the money you will make. However, From the quality of your questions, it seems like you have invested less than 10 hours on the technical side. You only have 9990 to go.
I am Ec engineering student. i am not going to make money. I am not making system for any company . I read that topic in wikki pedia . I always try to do something different.
I started to read with very basic , and I am searching how to make conductivity circuit with micro controller. i want to read basic part with small component. so i am trying to make conductivity circuit

I know I am not experts that's why I am asking here , because I can't do anything without good suggestion , and you all member are helping me more
thanks again, and give me suggestion how to become expert in technical site for this project
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I always try to do something different.
In this regard you are reinventing the wheel. Fresh vegetables and other plants have been produced commercially by hydroponics for at least 3 decades. There is an enormous amount of accumulated technical knowledge in this field, much of which is published. The first step in your project should be to read the literature.
 
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