Posts Tagged ‘ph test meter’

Differences with the pH Readings between Two Meters

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009


There are observed differences in the field between two pH meters’ readings. This can get many growers confused with the true value of the pH of the medium on which their plants grow. This article will answer the confusion.

The acidity or alkalinity of the soil or solution, which is very important with growing plants, is measured with a pH meter. pH, or the power of Hydrogen, is the concentration of H+ ions for acidic solutions and OH- ions for basic solutions. The pH is a critical factor in the plant’s growth as it is directly related to the availability of the nutrients.

Some growers noticed that their pH readings usually fluctuate when tested with two different meters in the same nutrient solution. There are several possibilities that can be attributed for this fluctuation.

One of the possible reasons is that the two pH meters use different brands of batteries. One set of batteries used in one pH meter might be older than the other battery used in the other meter. Though the batteries supply the same voltage, the power from older batteries is normally weaker than the newer one. Moreover, even a slight corrosion on batteries can also cause differences in pH readings.

Unseen dirt on probes can also affect the pH reading’s accuracy. Therefore, probes need to be cleaned regularly to prevent the accumulation of dirt and salt crystals.

Growers need as well to understand that pH meters have a limitation in the accurate measurement of the pH value. Hobby meters, which are usually used by growers, might display a slightly different reading from the laboratory bench meters.

Hobby meters can cost up to $250 but they are cheaper versions in contrast to the laboratory pH meters. Laboratory pH meters are priced around $1000. Nevertheless, if the difference is just 0.3 or less, this difference is not that significant to generalize that the pH meter reading from the hobby meters is inaccurate. Thus, growers need not to worry about their pH readings from hobby meters. After all, who would spend a thousand dollars for a typical hydroponic garden?

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Hydroponics Gardening: More Accessible Now with NFT System

Monday, May 4th, 2009


Hydroponics was coined in the USA in 1930’s to name the scheme plant growing with the roots based in mineral-rich waters. As a matter of information, the Aztec Indians had a similar scheme of producing crops on rafts in lakes with shallow levels of water; these are seen in their floating gardens in Mexico City.

Formal research on the nutritional requirements of plants and the hydroponics system of growing plants started since 1699 through today. Developments went on and the use of hydroponics commercially opened worldwide.

Hydroponics has come a long way since the Aztec Indians. Since water care and land care is today mandated in numerous countries to promote sustainability, well maintained hydroponics gardening systems will provide yields of high quality crops through the environmentally friendly way of farming.

Hydroponics is already an established and fast growing part of modern commercial agriculture. Hydroponics is in fact a developing field where you can see a large range for experimenting with plants. Hydroponics gardening will also supply you with fresh fruit and vegetables all year round. Even the banana trees are being grown hydroponically now for better and reliable yield.

The development of a system known as NFT by Dr Alan Cooper in the 1970’s successfully made the hydroponics system of growing a wide range of plants commercially viable. Nowadays, with the automatic control systems becoming accessible too with digital testing equipment for better quality control, it has made this NFT hydroponics system more accessible to the ordinary home gardener.

Anyone willing to learn the principles of hydroponics culture and the requirements for a home garden can be successful in operating a highly productive and rewarding home hydroponics unit.

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The Benefits of Soil-less Hydroponics Gardening

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009


Hydroponics gardening will improve your lifestyle by offering you with fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers all throughout the year. One of the famous systems is the NFT system development by Dr Alan Cooper with covered plastic channels. In this system, the plants are growing through holes in the covers and their roots are suspended in the nutrient solution.

One of the major benefits of a hydroponics system is that it can greatly shorten the necessary amount of time required to produce healthy crops. Whether a vegetable, flower, shrub or even trees, it can be produced without having to cultivate, weed and mulch the garden. Other important maintenance like watering and fertilizing can be taken care of by the automated system.

With the soil-less gardening, the quality of the soil will no longer be a problem with growing your crops. Hydroponics gardens can also be based in any place, irrespective of the soil or climate.

You will eventually notice that vegetables and fruit grown with the hydroponics system have a superb flavor and texture compared to the conventionally-grown counterparts. Because the crops will not be deficient in nutrients you will notice that they develop quicker and are healthier because they have more resistance to plant diseases than crops raised in the soil.

Because of the mentioned benefits, you will be efficient to grow a good number of plants in a small area bringing out better yield than ordinarily possible. As an added benefit, there is no delay as well as there is no soil to be sterilized which usually is required in between planting seasons to optimize the soil quality. This leads to continuous production, simplified farming approach, less wasted energy, and higher profitability.

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Hydroponics Garden: A System for Better Yields

Monday, April 27th, 2009


A hydroponics system can effectively shorten the expected amount of time required to produce healthy crops especially fruit. Moreover, shrub and trees can be produced without the need to weed or mulch. In addition, watering and fertilizing are taken cared of by automatic digital systems of the hydroponics gardens.

Because of the amount of time saved by using a hydroponics system, one can concentrate on pruning and training crops. This also allows you with more time to spend on other activities in the garden.

More importantly, the quality of the soil will no longer be the major concern with growing your plants as nutrients are controlled and monitored with the medium used in the garden. You will eventually see that vegetables and fruit produced with the hydroponics system will have better flavors and textures due to the right amount of nutrients present in its medium. The crops will not waste much energy producing large root systems as all the nutrients they demand are brought to them directly through a system of tubes.

Because the plants will not be deficient in any nutrients you will notice that they grow quicker and are better with more resistance to disease than crops grown in the soil. Therefore, you will be efficient to raise a great number of plants in a small area producing a far higher yield than normally possible.

With hydroponics gardening, one will be provided with a healthier lifestyle because of the fresh produce and flowers from your gardens. Seasonal fruit-bearing trees are now producing fruits all year round with this method and those willing to introduce themselves with hydroponics can successfully operate a productive hydroponics unit at home, find out more with hydroponics system and you will sure find its advantages are great to a better lifestyle.

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The Hydroponics System Gives You More Time

Saturday, April 18th, 2009


Hydroponics is no more an unfamiliar type of growing plants as it has reached more and more satisfied gardeners. Hydroponics is however still in a development stage where one can likely learn more by experimenting with various plants and trees.

A hydroponics system can effectively cut the amount of time necessary to bring about great plants like crops and fruit. Any vegetable, flower, shrub or tree can be grown without having to cultivate or weed while watering and fertilizing can be taken care of by automatic hydroponics system.

Therefore, the amount of time saved with the hydroponics system will grant you the luxury to focus on more gardening activities like pruning and training of crops. Moreover, it will be offering you with more time to spend on other activities outside the garden.

More importantly, you will no longer be frustrated with the quality of your soil as the major concern for the results of your harvest. With the hydroponics gardens, you will get the betas type of soils with the optimum nutrients for your crops. Thus, a hydroponics garden can be established in any place without much regard to the soil or climate.

With your first hydroponics system, you will eventually notice that vegetables and fruit raised with the system have better flavors. This is because the crops have no need to consume much energy in order to grow large root systems as a requirement for the nutrients to be supplied so that the plant can bear fruits. These are all provided with the hydroponics system and the needed nutrients are brought to them directly.

The system of hydroponics is an established way already of agriculture because of its advantages. Anyone enthusiastic with the hydroponics culture can have much success today with better and much improved home-based hydroponics unit. Get yours now.

Are you interested in hydroponic gardening? Learn more with this hydroponic system website to check out the necessary tools you need to succeed with this type of gardening. Learn more with tools like pH meter to Grow Hydroponic now and help yourself with sustainable year-round fruit harvest.

Take a look at this Hydroponic System Basics Blog for More Detailed Information on how to get started for beginners planning to have their very own Hydroponics Garden.

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