Aquaponics: Where one plus one equals three

I N D O O R G A R D E N I N G

UK JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2008

FREE

WHY USE SUGARYSUPPLEMENTS?

AQUAPONICSWHERE ONE PLUS ONE

EQUALS THREE NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS: Part 2Their Formulations and Uses

3MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008

USA

WHY USE SUGARY SUPPLEMENTS?

PEOPLE FEED THEIR PLANTS SUGARS all the time without knowing it and not always understanding why. You give your sweetheart a bouquet of roses for Valentine’s Day and before they are put into the vase, sugar is added to the water to extend their bloom. Some “old school” gardeners will add molasses to their nutrient solution during the fl owering period. Actually, just by adding fulvic acid, and humic acid, to your nutrient mix you are giving your plants the building blocks for sugars.

by Ma� LeBannister

by Dr. Mike Nichols

AQUAPONICSMassey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This is already occurring in a number of countries, such as Scotland, New Zealand, Norway, and Australia, where farming salmon in sea cages has become a major industry and where shellfi sh such as green mussels (New Zealand) and Rock Oys-ters (Australia) improve the effi ciency of the industry.In Australia there is also a signifi cant freshwater fi sh farming

industry producing eels, Barramundi, and Murray cod, but all of these land-based systems have two major problems — lim-ited water supply and the disposal of fi sh feces.I fi rst became aware of aquaponics when I gave a seminar on

aeroponics at the University of Western Australia. Two of the people who a� ended the symposium were from Curtin Univer-sity — a postgraduate student from Cyprus and his supervisor. They took me to see the student’s research, which was growing a crop of NFT hydroponic le� uce together with the produc-tion of Barramundi fi sh. The system was quite simple in that in one large tank the barramundi were fed with fi sh food and the resulting solution was used as the nutrient solution for the hydroponic le� uce, which was then re-circulated back to the barramundi tank. Unfortunately, the student had to return to Cyprus and his PhD was never completed.My next involvement with aquaponics was at the South Pacifi c

Soilless Conference, which was held at Massey University in 2003. Among the papers was one from a Charlie Schultz from the University of the Virgin Islands in the West Indies. In his paper he described how he grew crops of basil in an aquaponic system with Tilapia fi sh.In 2005 I a� ended a hydroponics meeting in Singapore, in

which a whole day was set aside for discussions on aquapon-ics. Leading the discussion was Professor Jim Rakocy from the Virgin Islands, along with his colleague Charlie Schultz, whom I had fi rst met at Massey some two years earlier. They were ably supported by a Canadian researcher, Nick Savidov, from Alberta.

Where One Plus One Equals ThreeIn the beginning man was a hunter-gatherer, killing wild animals and harvesting wild plants for food. This nomadic life slowly changed when wild food resources declined and man became a farmer. Rumor has it that the wives became frustrated with continually moving the dishwasher from cave to cave!Man is still primarily a hunter-gatherer in relation to food from

the sea, but this can not continue indefi nitely, as modern technol-ogy alone will ensure that the world’s fi sh resources decline at an increasing rate; fi shing will becomes less and less effi cient and a� ractive. The answer clearly lies in the hunter-gatherer of the sea being replaced by the farmer of the sea — aquaculture.

Aquaponic cucumbers and egg plants (Canada)

Barramundi fi sh in Australia

NUTRIENT SOLUTIONSby Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr.

Their Formulations and Uses

In Part 1 I discussed the fact that nutrient solution formulas vary a great deal and that problems can arise if a given solution is used incorrectly or the ratios of various elements are not ideal. In this Part 2 I address the many factors that must be considered in creating a nutrient solution.

PLANT ROOT INFLUENCEThe absorption of ions from the nutrient solution into the plant

root is a complex physiological process infl uenced by temperature, aeration, root respiration rate, rate of plant transpiration, and ion

concentration in the nutrient solution. Root membranes selectively control the passage of ions from the surrounding nutrient solution into the root cells, with the transported ions passing into the xylem for upward movement into the upper portion of the plant.Nitrate (NO3-) and potassium (K+) are present in most nutrient

solutions in fairly high concentrations and move readily from the nutrient solution into the plant root. All the other ions in solu-tion are selectivity absorbed. An element must be in solution as an ion in order to be absorbed, although there is evidence that small molecules can be transported through root membranes. The size (surface area) of the root and its physical characteristics will infl uence ion absorption, although these are less a factor in soilless media than in soil.

Part 2:CROP REQUIREMENTS

Crop requirements justify some of the variation in commonly recommended nutrient solution formulas. Not all of the es-sential elements are signifi cant, but some crops have specifi c requirements with respect to the major elements N, Mg and P and the micronutrients Cu, Fe, Mo, and Zn. In addition, crop requirements change with each stage of plant development, from the vegetative to the fruiting stages, which would justify modifying a particular nutrient solution formulation and its use.

CHELATESIt is well known that the chelate EDTA (ethylenediamine

tetraacetic acid) is toxic to plants, even though FeEDTA is a commonly used form of Fe included in many nutrient solution formulas. In the past, iron (ferrous) sulfate (FeSO4.7H2O), iron (ferric) sulfate, Fe(SO4), iron (ferric) chloride (FeCl36H2O), and iron ammonium sulphate (FeSO4(NH4) 2SO4.6H2O) have been used with varying success as reliable, plant-available sources of Fe in a nutrient solution. Recently, Rengel (2002) found that the inclusion of EDTA (at

100 ppm) in the nutrient solution decreased the growth of young wheat plants. Iron was found to accumulate in the roots of the

wheat plants when FeEDTA was in the nutrient solution compared to when an EDTA-free nutrient solution was

used. In addition, the uptake and transport of both Cu and Zn from roots to plant tops was

signifi cantly reduced when EDTA was present in the nutrient solution.The chelate DTPA (dieth-

ylenetriamine pentaacetic acid), thought not

to be toxic to

plants, is replacing FeEDTA as a chelated source (FeDTPA) for Fe. As was observed by Rengel (2002), DPTA may act like the chelate EDTA, restricting the uptake and translocation of Cu and Zn, something

that needs to be investigated when FeDTPA is in the nutrient solution formulation. This may partially explain why low Cu and particularly low Zn concentrations have been observed in assayed leaf tissue when evaluating the nutrient element status of tomato plants. Other commonly chelated forms of the micronutrients Cu, Mn, and Zn, should not be put into a nutrient solution formulation.

FROM THE EDITOR

ASK ERIK

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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CHECK YOUR GROWING IQ

14 >

CONTENTS

FEATURES

max facts

AROUND THE WORLD WITH HYDROPONICS> Hydroponics Comes to

Moldova Courtesy of Northwestern College

> 12th Annual SolFest Draws 10,000 People

> 200 Greenhouses Exported from Spain to Iraq

QUICK FACTS> Hydroponics 101: Part 2> Fun with Aerobic

Composting

DEPARTMENTS

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2008

22 >

30 >

6 > 4 >

10 >

12 >

38 >

14 >

8 >

22 >

AQUAPONICS: WHERE ONE PLUS ONE EQUALS THREEby Dr. Mike Nichols

NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS: PART 2Their Formulations and Usesby Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr.

WHY USE SUGARY SUPPLEMENTS?by Matt LeBannister

35 >

30 >

10 MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008

ASK ERIK> Do you have a question for Erik? Forward it to [email protected] with the words “Ask Erik” in the subject line, and your answer will be printed in an upcoming edition.

Hello Erik,

What are the pros and cons of using LED grow lights vs. other types of grow lamps?

Thanks for your help.Dave Miller

LED lights last much longer than HID lamps and their lumen to wa� ratio effi ciency is considerably higher. Although LEDs are a very effi cient source of light, they tend to lack the sheer intensity that metal halide and HPS lighting systems off er. The individual LED bulbs are very small and are banked together to produce higher lighting intensities. However, the distance at which they emit light at higher intensities is not very far.In my opinion LED lamps would be very well suited for pro-

duction of low growing crops such as greens, herbs, and dwarf vegetable varieties. Because LED lighting can be tailored to very specifi c spectral outputs, they could be used to supplement con-ventional HID-lit gardens to produce crops of higher quality. They can also be used to maintain a vegetative lighting cycle while the HID lamps are running 12/12 to conserve power and allow the use of “fl ip-fl op” relay systems in the vegetative growth phase.LED lamps would be extremely well suited for the propagation

of seeds and cu� ings. They emit li� le heat and provide gentle and even lighting, all within the exact light wavelengths the plants require. Small-scale closet-style grow chambers could be improved with LED lighting.At present LED lighting is more expensive than conventional

HID lighting systems. But the lack of heat they emit means that exhausting or air-conditioning grow room air will be minimized. The LED lamps operate only a few degrees above ambient tem-peratures. They can also be mounted at any angle so that all parts of the plants can receive light.A colleague has a friend who fi nished a crop exclusively us-

ing LED lighting. Reportedly the quality of the smaller stature plants was extremely good and the plants appeared exceptionally healthy while growing. The yield was modest.Any growers who have tried this or any other new technology

should feel free to drop me a line here at Maximum Yield to share their experiences and opinions.

Cheers, Erik Biksa

Hello Dave,

Light Emi� ing Diode (LED) technologies look to be NASA’s fi rst choice in grow room construction. LED lights are an extremely effi cient light source, and the spectra can be tailored for plant growth functions, so no energy is used to produce wavelengths that the plants will not require. In fact, plants grown under LEDs can look more black, as no green light is being refl ected. Green-light wavelengths are typically not absorbed by the plants, but refl ected. For aesthetic purposes, LEDs can be tailored to allow plants to receive light wavelengths similar to the sun’s spectrum. But this means energy is being used to create wavelengths that the plants do not require.

30 >


I N D O O R G A R D E N I N G

VOLUME 7 – NUMBER 5 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2008

PRESIDENT Jim Jesson

PUBLISHER / EDITOR Jake Brzovic

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JAKE BRZOVIC>>

THE NEW YEAR HAS STARTED OFF WITH A BANG at Maximum Yield and we’re excited to be your number one choice when it comes to indoor gardening. We had a great year of growth for the indoor gardening industry in 2007, and 2008 promises to hold even more growth potential.

Speaking of growth potential, the articles packed into this issue of Maximum Yield will really help you reach your crop’s maximum yield. Dr. James Benton Jones Jr. finishes his two-part series on nutrient solutions, which will help you find the exact formula you need to make your plants thrive. Nutrient solutions are one of the most difficult aspects of indoor gardening to truly master, but this article should put a lot of your questions about them to rest.

At the same time, Ma� Lebannister has a fantastic article on using sugar supplements to achieve a be�er taste in your fruits and vegetables and to help your plants look even more amazing. If you haven’t been using a sugar supplement during your growing cycle, you might be missing out on a vital component.

There are many different industry innovations coming in 2008 and you can be sure that Maximum Yield is going to look a�er ge�ing you all the latest information, about growing as well as groundbreaking technologies. Make sure you visit us on the web at www.maximumyield.com and keep track of everything we’re doing!

I know you’re going to love this issue of Maximum Yield, and I welcome any comments or questions you might have at [email protected].

6 MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008 7MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008

MAXFACTS HYDROPONICS NEWS, TIPS AND TRIVIA

<...AROUND THE WORLD WITH HYDROPONICS .................................................>

Hydro Quote

Hydroponics Comes to Moldova Courtesy of Northwestern College

A group of students and faculty from Northwestern College has returned to Iowa a�er a trip to the European country of Moldova to set up a small aquaponics project. Using a 250-gal. (950-L) water tank, the team installed the self-sustaining system at a home in the developing nation. Aquaponics, of course, is derived from hydroponics. It combines raising fish and growing vegetables, using the fish to clean the water and recirculate it. The system sustains around 100 carp at a time, and will be used to grow tomatoes. The project will not only help the family but the entire community. Research and experiments took four years, but Northwestern

College has now created a kit that can be installed in many more places. Northwestern sells the inexpensive kits to relief agencies around the world and hopes that families who receive the kit can replicate it once they understand how it works.(Source: Radio Iowa)

12th Annual SolFest Draws 10,000 People

The 12th Annual SolFest was a huge success, drawing more than 10,000 through the gates of the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, CA. Sponsored in part by the likes of General Hydroponics and Toyota, SolFest is a showcase of alternative energy and “green” products. Located in Mendocino County, the 12-

acre (~5 ha) living area is open year-round and features eco-friendly amendments such as a mini-farm, bike-powered energy generators, electric-car charging stations and more solar panels in one spot than you’ve seen in your life. Independent media journalist Amy

Goodman was one of the featured speakers. For more information on SolFest, visit www.solfest.org.

200 Greenhouses Exported from Spain to IraqThe Murcia region in southwestern Spain is well known for its variety of fresh fruits

and vegetables — in huge amounts and in every size desired. Greens growing in that area are known for having the best colours and shapes and for having a great taste.The Murcian farmers have been specialists in growing fruits and vegetables for decades,

and because of the high importance of the agro sector in that area, are also known for their development and use of the latest technologies.Now the government in Kurdistan has seen its chance to grow vegetables and fruits

using the Murcian model and is buying 200 plastic greenhouses and other agricultural supplies from the Murcia region, which will be donated to local farmers.An agreement was signed by Murcia and Kurdistan last year for a pilot project to

modernize Kurdistan’s agro sector. The aim of the Kurdish government is to help local farmers obtain a higher yield. Experience in Murcia showed that tomato farmers could increase their average yield per square meter from half a kilo (~1 lb.) obtained by conventional methods to up to nine kilos (~20 lb.) using the new methods.(Source: Kurdistan National Assembly)

Most garden pests can be controlled by natural means, eliminating the need for pesticides or chemical use. - Peggy Bradley


> MAX FACTS

<...QUICK FACTS .................................................................................>

Compost. It’s a popular word these days, thrown around in many different areas of indoor and outdoor gardening. Pre�y much anything that can be broken down organically makes good compost material — kitchen scraps, glass clippings, and even newspaper. So we figured it was about time we discussed one form of

composting that you can do in your back yard — aerobic composting. This is an open-composting method, either in a pile or bin that does not have a lid. This allows the natural elements — the air, sun, and rain — to do their work. With the help of constant turning (about every week), you will have a successful compost in six weeks or less. While the composting process will generally happen by itself, here

are a few tips that will help maximize your composting efforts:• The higher the compost the be�er. Height will help the compost

retain heat.

• With initial construction of your compost, build it in layers of like materials. One layer of weeds, grass clippings, etc., followed by a layer of kitchen scraps, and so on. Soak each layer with water.

• Add a smaller layer of activator (manure) on top.• You don’t need to cover the top but you can use thick newspaper

or a heavy material to contain it.• If you cannot turn your compost, cover it with a black plastic

bag and weigh it down. You’ll have a rich organic compost soon enough.

• Make sure your compost is directly on the ground, not on concrete or any other man-made substance.

This is just a quick checklist; you should be able to start your aerobic composting with li�le help or guidance. Just use a li�le common sense and get your hands dirty. It’s the most enjoyable way to learn!

Fun with Aerobic Composting

Last issue we looked at the basic NFT system. This month we’re taking a look at the more intricate aeroponic method of growing. Check out www.maximumyield.com for last issue’s instalment of Hydroponics 101. Aeroponic Garden.The name itself explains what it is. In

most gardens the plant roots are supported in a soil or nutrient bath. In an aeroponic garden, however, the roots are suspended in air. Aeroponic cultivation provides the most optimized environment for the exchange of CO2, oxygen, water, and nutrients.• Price. Price can vary greatly. One new

product for the kitchen costs only around $150, with no work required, whereas a custom system can be up to three times as much.

• Space. Allow about 4 x 8 �. (120 x 240 cm) of space for a 20-plant system.

• Maintenance. Keep an eye on pH and nutrient levels, as for most soilless gardening. Misters are the standard form of delivery for your nutrient and are prone to clogging, so the small

Hydroponics 101 – Pt 2 fi�ings might need to be taken apart and flushed in hot water, or a shot of compressed air through the system might be needed to unclog it.

• Difficulty of Setup (9 out of 10). This is the granddaddy of all home construction. It takes a li�le work and precision to successfully set up your misters, and keeping your psi high enough to deliver your nutrients equally and efficiently could take some fine-tuning. This one rates a nine on the meter unless you happen to have a NASA technician in your back pocket!

• Positives. This is a great system for extremely healthy roots. Since your plant’s roots are not encumbered by soil or a nutrient bath, they breathe deeply and show their appreciation by growing well.

• Negatives. There are three downfalls to this system: price, complicated setup, and price. It will cost you more than any of your other options to set up, but you do get what you pay for. Pre-fabricated systems can control cost and will work just as well as pu�ing something together yourself.


ASK ERIK> Do you have a question for Erik? Forward it to [email protected] with the words “Ask Erik” in the subject line, and your answer will be printed in an upcoming edition.

Hello Erik,

What are the pros and cons of using LED grow lights vs. other types of grow lamps?

Thanks for your help.Dave Miller

LED lights last much longer than HID lamps and their lumen to wa� ratio efficiency is considerably higher. Although LEDs are a very efficient source of light, they tend to lack the sheer intensity that metal halide and HPS lighting systems offer. The individual LED bulbs are very small and are banked together to produce higher lighting intensities. However, the distance at which they emit light at higher intensities is not very far.In my opinion LED lamps would be very well suited for pro-

duction of low growing crops such as greens, herbs, and dwarf vegetable varieties. Because LED lighting can be tailored to very specific spectral outputs, they could be used to supplement con-ventional HID-lit gardens to produce crops of higher quality. They can also be used to maintain a vegetative lighting cycle while the HID lamps are running 12/12 to conserve power and allow the use of “flip-flop” relay systems in the vegetative growth phase.LED lamps would be extremely well suited for the propagation

of seeds and cu�ings. They emit li�le heat and provide gentle and even lighting, all within the exact light wavelengths the plants require. Small-scale closet-style grow chambers could be improved with LED lighting.At present LED lighting is more expensive than conventional

HID lighting systems. But the lack of heat they emit means that exhausting or air-conditioning grow room air will be minimized. The LED lamps operate only a few degrees above ambient tem-peratures. They can also be mounted at any angle so that all parts of the plants can receive light.A colleague has a friend who finished a crop exclusively us-

ing LED lighting. Reportedly the quality of the smaller stature plants was extremely good and the plants appeared exceptionally healthy while growing. The yield was modest.Any growers who have tried this or any other new technology

should feel free to drop me a line here at Maximum Yield to share their experiences and opinions.

Cheers, Erik Biksa

Hello Dave,

Light Emi�ing Diode (LED) technologies look to be NASA’s first choice in grow room construction. LED lights are an extremely efficient light source, and the spectra can be tailored for plant growth functions, so no energy is used to produce wavelengths that the plants will not require. In fact, plants grown under LEDs can look more black, as no green light is being reflected. Green-light wavelengths are typically not absorbed by the plants, but reflected. For aesthetic purposes, LEDs can be tailored to allow plants to receive light wavelengths similar to the sun’s spectrum. But this means energy is being used to create wavelengths that the plants do not require.


Discover the Freshmaker filtration line from National Garden Wholesale. Organic Air ’s Freshmaker Charcoal Fibre and Greenhouse HEPA filters enable single-pass filtration of strong odours at very high CFMs. Each solid filter is extremely light and easy to a�ach, and it requires no assembly.The Organic Air Charcoal Fibre Filters consist of three layers of

highly active charcoal fibre with millions of active micro-pores to a�ract and capture odours. These highly efficient filters can be used at the start or at the end of any exhaust line. The Charcoal Fibre Filters come with an inverted nose cone and vertical pleats for maximum coverage. This product is available in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-in. (~10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-cm) sizes. The Organic Air Greenhouse HEPA Filters are made up of a tight

synthetic HEPA weave. This unique design produces maximum

airflow by using opposing dual-cone technology. Greenhouse HEPA Filters reduce more than 90 per cent of all moulds, insects, and bacteria that enter your garden space through the intake fan. These filters are available in 4-, 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-in. sizes.Also available in 4- and 6-in. sizes is the Organic Air Charcoal

Fibre Scrubber. This lightweight, single layer recirculation scrubber is ideal for small garden areas.Create an easier garden atmosphere with Organic Air Filters

today!For more information on Organic Air Filters contact your local

indoor gardeing retailer.

Product Spotlightask for these exciting new products at your favourite indoor gardening store.

>>

Ask for these exciting new

products at your favorite indoor

gardening retail shop.

Do you want to be in be included in theProduct

spotlight?Contact Linda Jesson at

1.250.729-2677or [email protected]

EARTH JUICE PROCOIR READY-TO-PLANTCOCOCOIR FORMULA

Earth Juice© PROCOIR cococoir is now available in a ready-to-plant formula. No need to mix in perlite or pumice; the PROCOIR Ready-to-Plant is blended for performance with the preferred aeration to moisture retention ratio for most plants. Designed to be user friendly, it breaks apart easily by hand. The small, space-saving 2-cu.-�.

bale will make up to 4–5 cu. �. of ready-to-plant cococoir. Works great with both liquid and dry fertilizers and is the perfect companion for Earth Juice, Sugar Peak, Sweet & Heavy, and Rainbow Mix lines of fertilizers.For more information contact your local indoor gardening retailer.

NATIONAL GARDEN WHOLESALE AND ORGANIC AIR ARE MAKING LIFE EASIER

BLOOMBASTIC FROM ATAMIAtami is proud to release Bloombastic to the European market.

A revolutionary nutritional supplement, Bloombastic has optimal levels of bio materials and bio stimulants which are scientifically formulated to provide your plants with all the necessary elements for increased sugar and bloom production. Bloomblastic is formulated to give you heavier flowers by using it in the final phase of blooming and ripening. You can use Bloombastic on all substrates and in combination with all irrigation systems.For more information visit your local indoor gardening

retailer.

15MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008 14 MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008

by Dr. Mike Nichols

AQUAPONICSMassey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Where One Plus One Equals Three

Aquaponic cucumbers and egg plants (Canada)

This is already occurring in a number of countries, such as Scotland, New Zealand, Norway, and Australia, where farming salmon in sea cages has become a major industry and where shellfish such as green mussels (New Zealand) and Rock Oysters (Australia) improve the efficiency of the industry.In Australia there is also a significant freshwater fish farming

industry producing eels, Barramundi, and Murray cod, but all of these land-based systems have two major problems — limited water supply and the disposal of fish feces.I first became aware of aquaponics when I gave a seminar on

aeroponics at the University of Western Australia. Two of the people who a�ended the symposium were from Curtin Univer-sity — a postgraduate student from Cyprus and his supervisor. They took me to see the student’s research, which was growing a crop of NFT hydroponic le�uce together with the production of Barramundi fish. The system was quite simple in that in one large tank the barramundi were fed with fish food and the resulting solution was used as the nutrient solution for the hydroponic let-tuce, which was then re-circulated back to the barramundi tank. Unfortunately, the student had to return to Cyprus and his PhD was never completed.My next involvement with aquaponics was at the South Pacific

Soilless Conference, which was held at Massey University in 2003. Among the papers was one from a Charlie Schultz from the University of the Virgin Islands in the West Indies. In his paper he described how he grew crops of basil in an aquaponic system with Tilapia fish.In 2005 I a�ended a hydroponics meeting in Singapore, in which

a whole day was set aside for discussions on aquaponics. Leading the discussion was Professor Jim Rakocy from the Virgin Islands, along with his colleague Charlie Schultz, whom I had first met at Massey some two years earlier. They were ably supported by a Canadian researcher, Nick Savidov, from Alberta. In the Virgin Islands Shultz and Rakocy have developed over a

15-year period a very efficient technology for growing fish and plants in the same solution. They have found that the system re-quires a number of fish tanks in order to ensure a regular supply of nutrients for the hydroponic system. The problem is that the food supply to the tank containing the younger, smaller fish is much less than that for the more mature, larger fish, and therefore less waste nutrient is produced for the crop. If, however, the fish in the different tanks are a mixture of different ages, then the larger fish consume more feed, and produce more waste nutrient. Therefore, by having a number of different tanks containing fish of different ages a near constant supply of nutrients is available to the crop.The hydroponic system used in the Virgin Islands uses the

deep-flow method, and the solution is aerated regularly along the growing tanks. A similar system is used in Alberta, where the crops are grown under glass.The fish waste has to have the solids removed before it reaches

the hydroponic tanks, and this is easily achieved. The only pos-sible problem with the system is that the fish prefer to live in a pH of about 7.0, and this can pose a few problems for hydroponic culture, because the trace element iron tends to become less avail-able at high pH. This can be overcome by feeding the fish with an iron chelate, which provides iron to plants at high pH.

In the beginning man was a hunter-gatherer, killing wild animals and harvesting wild plants for food. This nomadic life slowly changed when wild food resources declined and man became a farmer. Rumor has it that the wives became frustrated with continually moving the dishwasher from cave to cave!Man is still primarily a hunter-gatherer in relation to food from

the sea, but this can not continue indefinitely, as modern technol-ogy alone will ensure that the world’s fish resources decline at an increasing rate; fishing will becomes less and less efficient and a�ractive. The answer clearly lies in the hunter-gatherer of the sea being replaced by the farmer of the sea — aquaculture.


Worldwide there has been a steady move away from deep-flow hydroponic systems, but this system, with aeration undertaken throughout the deep channel by means of specialized aeration “stones,” means that the plant’s root system has access to a large quantity of water and a large buffer of nutrients. This could result in a considerable change in hydroponic crop strategy, because there is no doubt that the small buffering available when using NFT or rock wool means any loss of electric power can result in a total crop loss, unless there is a heavy investment in backup gen-erators. This is unnecessary with a deep-flow system; the only loss would be in aeration, and the crop could stand a period without aeration. If considered necessary, a small standby generator could be incorporated into the system.The nutrient solution is, in fact, very dilute, but because it is

present in a large volume, the plant roots are able to extract all they need. Results in Canada suggest that a�er a few years yields can be even higher than conventionally grown hydroponic crops!There is also the potential to sell the crop as a certified organic

crop, because it is produced entirely from natural manure (fish waste). The system involves no control of root pathogens, as these are controlled biologically by the broad spectrum of antagonistic micro-organisms that develop in the natural environment.In Australia, Wilson Lennard at RMIT University, Melbourne, has

developed an aquaponic system to grow Murray cod in tandem with a recirculating hydroponic system growing basil. What kind of fish should we grow in aquaponics in New Zealand? With the recent development of a means to breed young eels in the labora-tory (and an assured market for mature eels overseas), clearly this

would be a good starting point, but another possibility might be to develop commercial trout farms. I appreciate the sport-fishing industry’s objection to this, but the risk of any trout diseases enter-ing the wild when using a closed recirculating hydroponic system is minimal. If we wish to consider risk management, there are a number of trout anglers drowned every year — perhaps angling itself is too dangerous!Of course, we have no information on whether we can, in fact,

produce trout or eels in a recirculating hydroponic system, but I doubt whether we would be allowed to import either Barramundi or Tilapia fry into New Zealand from a quarantine viewpoint.I have just returned from contributing to workshops on aquapon-

ics in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, organized by journalist Geoff Wilson. Speakers included Jim Rakocy; Nick Savidov; Aus-tralia’s first PhD in aquaponics, Wilson Lennard; Geoff Wilson, and me.The first workshop was held at the Bribie Island Aquaculture

Centre just north of Brisbane. During the visit we took the op-portunity to visit the Research Centre, which is salt water-based, and also the fresh water-based, commercial EcoFish International, near Caboolture, which produces both Barramundi and Murray cod. High fish-stocking rates are possible at Ecofish because pure oxygen (rather than air) is provided to the tanks. The main problem is the disposal of fish waste. The near-solid feces are relatively easy to remove, but the nutrient-rich solution cannot be recirculated back to the fish tanks until most of the ammonia has been con-verted to nitrate, and most of the nutrients removed. Currently this is being done with a large lagoon filled with aquatic plants, but with plans to triple fish production, an alternative strategy will be necessary. Aquaponics would appear to be an ideal solution. The hydroponics component of aquaponics will not only provide a second income stream, but will also remover a major source of environmental pollution.Our next visit was to the NSW Fisheries Research Station at Port

Stephens, just south of Coffs Harbour. A most impressive opera-tion, but once again concentrating solely on salt-water aquaculture. We had also arranged to visit Taylor Made fish farms near Port Stephens, but at the last moment the invitation was withdrawn because the company had recently received heavy investment from the USA. It is understood, however, that Taylor Made does not use a recirculating system for their aquaponics, but the nutrient rich solution from the fish tanks is supplemented with additional

>AQUAPONICS Where One Plus One Equals Three

Le�uce with fish tanks in background


fertilizer before being circulated through an NFT system growing le�uce, and then run to waste. A brief visit the following day was made to the National Green-

house Research Institute at Gosford, where we discussed with the staff the possibility of incorporating some aquaponics into their research programs. The day concluded with a meal in a restaurant in Sydney, where we chose the live Barramundi from the tank. Fresh fish is the key to the future!Next day was the second workshop held at the most impressive

Sydney Fish Markets and the following day found us driving to-wards Melbourne. Our next stop was the very impressive eel farm at Euroa, where eels are produced for fresh export to Asia. Appar-ently they ship with minimal losses by air freight, provided that they have a small quantity of water in a high-oxygen environment in a sealed polythene bag. Once again, this operation has a major problem with waste disposal, and an increasing environmental awareness by local government will ensure that improvements in waste disposal occur in the future.The following day we visited the small-scale operation of Min-

namurra Aquaponics, owned by Wilson Lennard and his business partner, Warren Watkins, and finally the Barramundi and Murray cod operation of Mainstream Aquaculture, situated in an industrial park near Weribee, in southwest Melbourne. At Mainstream the cost of waste disposal through the city treatment plant is a considerable burden on the company, and the potential for incorporating a hy-droponics component to the system looks extremely a�ractive.The only true aquaponics system we saw was at Minnamurra, and

this was still in its very early days, but the potential for incorporat-ing hydroponics into fresh water aquaculture would appear to be huge. Not only is there a further income stream from the operation, but also the problems of waste disposal are significantly reduced and, thus, the environmental impact from point source pollution is minimized. In fact, the real problem is not the solid waste (fish feces), which can be removed with relative ease and composted as manure, but the nutrient-rich solution, which is the environmental hazard.In Canada, the Virgin Islands, and Australia, the income stream

from the hydroponics has been greater than that from the fish. However, hydroponics income stream will depend very much on the choice of crop, and many of the “staple” greenhouse crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and le�uce, will not produce the income that some of the more exotic crops are capable of producing. Basil, for example has been the most profitable crop in Canada, the Virgin Islands, and Australia, but there is clearly a limited market for basil or for any of the high-value herbs.In addition, the staple hydroponic crops are not as suited to deep-

flow hydroponic systems as many of the leafy vegetables. There is doubt whether they will grow well and, more to the point, the management may be more difficult with a deep-flow system, and converting a deep-flow aquaponics system to a recirculating coir-based system using drippers will require good filtration, along with some basic research.

>AQUAPONICS Where One Plus One Equals Three

Dr Nichols retired from teaching horticulture at Massey University at Christmas 2006, but has retained the title of “Honorary Research Associate”.He was elected and Honorary Member of the International Society for Horticultural Science in August 2006. He consults world-wide on a range of horticultural topics both for industry and for international organizations such as the United Nations.

Baby eels in Australia


NUTRIENT SOLUTIONSby Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr.

Their Formulations and UsesPart 2:

CROP REQUIREMENTSCrop requirements justify some of the variation in commonly

recommended nutrient solution formulas. Not all of the es-sential elements are significant, but some crops have specific requirements with respect to the major elements N, Mg and P and the micronutrients Cu, Fe, Mo, and Zn. In addition, crop requirements change with each stage of plant develop-ment, from the vegetative to the fruiting stages, which would justify modifying a particular nutrient solution formulation and its use.

CHELATESIt is well known that the chelate EDTA (ethylenediamine

tetraacetic acid) is toxic to plants, even though FeEDTA is a commonly used form of Fe included in many nutrient solution formulas. In the past, iron (ferrous) sulfate (FeSO4.7H2O), iron (ferric) sulfate, Fe(SO4), iron (ferric) chloride (FeCl36H2O), and iron ammonium sulphate (FeSO4(NH4) 2SO4.6H2O) have been used with varying success as reliable, plant-available sources of Fe in a nutrient solution. Recently, Rengel (2002) found that the inclusion of EDTA

(at 100 ppm) in the nutrient solution decreased the growth of young wheat plants. Iron was found to accumulate in the roots

of the wheat plants when FeEDTA was in the nutrient solu-tion compared to when an EDTA-free nutrient solution

was used. In addition, the uptake and transport of both Cu and Zn from roots to plant

tops was significantly reduced when EDTA was present in the nutrient solution.The chelate DTPA (dieth-

ylenetriamine pentaacetic acid), thought not to be

toxic to plants, is replacing FeEDTA as a chelated source (FeDTPA) for Fe. As was observed by Ren-

gel (2002), DPTA may act like the

chelate EDTA, restricting the uptake and transloca-tion of Cu and Zn, something that needs to be in-vestigated when FeDTPA is in the nutrient solution formulation. This may partially explain why low Cu

and particularly low Zn concentrations have been observed in assayed leaf tissue when evaluating the nutrient element status of tomato plants. Other commonly chelated forms of the micronutrients Cu, Mn, and Zn, should not be put into a nutrient solution formulation.

BENEFICIAL ELEMENTSConsiderable has been wri�en about those elements identified

as “beneficial” to plants (Asher, 1991; Morgan, 2000) but not

In Part 1 I discussed the fact that nutrient solution formulas vary a great deal and that problems can arise if a given solution is used incorrectly or the ratios of various elements are not ideal. In this Part 2, I address the many factors that must be considered in creating a nutrient solution.

PLANT ROOT INFLUENCEThe absorption of ions from the nutrient solution into the plant

root is a complex physiological process influenced by temperature, aeration, root respiration rate, rate of plant transpiration, and ion

concentration in the nutrient solution. Root membranes selectively control the passage of ions from the surrounding nutrient solution into the root cells, with the transported ions passing into the xylem for upward movement into the upper portion of the plant.Nitrate (NO3-) and potassium (K+) are present in most nutrient

solutions in fairly high concentrations and move readily from the nutrient solution into the plant root. All the other ions in solution are selectivity absorbed. An element must be in solution as an ion in order to be absorbed, although there is evidence that small molecules can be transported through root membranes. The size (surface area) of the root and its physical characteristics will in-fluence ion absorption, although these are less a factor in soilless media than in soil.

Continued on page 26



blossom-end rot (BER). Therefore, it is rec-ommended that NH4 not be included in the nutrient solution during the tomato plant’s fruiting period.The question is should NH4 be included in a

nutrient formulation, and if so, at what concen-tration or ratio? I recommend that at least five to 10 percent of the total N formulation be in the NH4 form, even for tomatoes.

PH AND ELECTRICALCONDUCTIVITY (EC)

It’s essential that the pH of the nutrient solu-tion and rooting medium be acidic, the opti-mum range being between 5.0 and 6.0. How-ever, it isn’t necessary to adjust the pH unless the nutrient solution and/or rooting medium becomes alkaline, that is, if the pH is greater than 7.0. Plants can grow quite well at pH lev-els of less than 5.0; therefore, no adjustment is generally needed under acidic conditions.The electrical conductivity (EC) of a nutrient

solution or the accumulated ions in the root-ing medium is an important parameter. As the EC increases, the ability of plant roots to take up water and the nutrient elements decreases. Hydroponics growers are advised to monitor the runoff from the rooting medium or the solution in the medium for its EC and to leach when it exceeds a certain level. An increasing EC indicates that the elemental concentration of the nutrient solution is too high.

ELEMENTAL PRECIPITATIONFor most formulated nutrient solutions that

come with a use component, the amount of nutrient elements being applied far exceeds that required by the plant. With time there is an accumulation of unused nutrient elements that initially increases the “salinity” (measured by the EC of the retained nutrient solution in the rooting medium), followed by an accumulation of the co-precipitates calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate. When using a recommended nutrient solution, gravel rooting medium, and flood-and-drain hydroponic growing system, a “grayish-white sludge” accumulates with time, which can be easily observed by insert-ing ones hand into the gravel bed. Included in this precipitate are the micronutrients Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn.This same precipitation phenomenon will oc-

cur in all rooting media (gravel, sand, perlite, rockwool, or coir, etc.) when a full-strength nutrient solution is repeatedly applied. Its initial formation creates the “seed” that keeps the precipitation process going with each ad-dition of nutrient solution. The other driving force that enhances precipitation in the rooting medium is the rate of water removal that occurs when plant transpiration rates are high, which concentrates the retained nutrient solution. The precipitate cannot be leached from the rooting medium, and its accumulation will begin to sig-nificantly influence the nutrient element con-tent of the plant. The immediate area around the root is strongly acidic, capable of dissolving precipitate in contact with the root, releasing elements that will then be absorbed.

meeting the requirements for essentiality established by Arnon and Stout (1939). Some people have found that these ele-ments enhance plant growth under certain circumstances (Morgan, 2000). The early hydroponics researchers devised the “A-Z Micronutrient Solution” to ensure that po-tentially influencing trace elements would be included in the nutrient solution (Jones, 2005). Some people have suggested that the elements essential for animals — arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), fluorine (F), iodine (I), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V) — but not for plants would be good candidates for inclusion in a nutrient solution. The two elements where essentiality has been suggested are Ni (Be-langer et al., 1995) and silicon (Si) (Brown et al., 1987; Takahashi et al, 1990; Morgan, 2000), with Si being the element that some people recommend for inclusion in a nutri-ent solution as silicic acid (H4SiO4), at 100 ppm. Two other suitable sources of Si are either potassium or sodium silicate.

Since many of these so-called “beneficial elements” are commonly found as “con-taminates” in some of the major source rea-gents, such as calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, etc., depending on their origin, there wouldn’t be any need to purposely add a mix of trace elements to ensure their presence. This would also suggest that selecting high-purity reagents might not be the best choice. In addition, the rooting medium itself may contain trace levels of some of these elements.

NITRATE AND AMMONIUMThere is considerable research that in-

dicates that the form of N supplied to the plant can have a significant effect on growth.A mixture of ammonium (NH4)- and ni-

trate (NO3)-N frequently results in be�er plant growth if that concentration ratio does not exceed 25 to 75, as compared to when NO3 is the only N source. For some crops, such as tomatoes, NH4 in the nutri-ent solution can increase the incidence of

Continued from page 23


potential’ that is dictated by the above-ground part of the plant.” He further states, “This is an extremely important concept and may well affect the entire conceptual model for uptake of a wide range of nutrients.” Using current nutrient solution formulations that are nutrient element concentrated, I would agree. Using dilute nutrient solution formulations, a switch occurs from root-responsive to root-controlled. Plants grow best when the nutrient element concentration is constant at low, balanced elemental concentrations as recommended and as found to be so by Asher and Edwards (1978a, 1978b).As you can see, there is much to be done when

it comes to nutrient solutions and their use — no one has the complete answer yet.

REFERENCESArnon, D.I. and P.R. Stout (1939). The Essentiality of

Certain Elements in Minute Quantity for Plants with Spe-cial Reference to Copper. Plant Physiology 14:371–375.

Asher, C.J. (1991) Beneficial Elements, Functional Nutrients, and Possible New Essential Elements. IN: Micronutrients in Agriculture. J.J. Mortvedt (Ed.). SSSA Book Series, Number 4, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, pp. 703–723.

Asher, C.J. and D.J. Edwards (1978a) Critical External Concentrations for Nutrient Deficiency and Excess. IN: Proceedings 8th International Colloquium Plant Analysis and Fertilizer Problems. A.R. Ferguson, B.L. Balaski, and J.B. Ferguson (Eds.). Information Series No. 134, New

Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Wellington, New Zealand, pp. 13–28.

Asher, C.J. and D.J. Edwards (1978b) Relevance of Dilute Solutions Culture Studies to Problems of Low Fertility Tropical Soils. IN: Mineral Nutrition of Legumes in Tropi-cal and Subtropical Soils. C.S. Andrew and E.J. Kamprath (Eds.). Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 131–152.

Barry, C. (1996) Nutrients; The Handbook of Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions. Casper Publications Pty Ltd., New South Wales, Australia.

Belanger et al. (1995) Brown et al. (1987) Cooper, A. (1996) The ABC of NFT Nutrient Film Tech-

nique. Casper Publications, Narrabeen, Australia.Johnson, B. (2007) Research Aims to Aid Hydro Growers

Recirculating Water. The Growing Edge 18(6):20–21.Jones Jr., J. Benton (2005) Hydroponics: A Practical

Guide for the Soilless Grower. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Morgan, L. (2000) Beneficial Elements for Hydroponics. The Growing Edge 11(3):41–51.

Rengel, Z. (2002) Chelator EDTA in Nutrient So-lution Decreases Growth of Wheat. J. Plant Nutri. 25(8):1709–1725.

Takahashi et al. (1990)

Dr. J. Benton Jones Jr. has had a long career in the fields of soil and plant chemistry, and is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens. Dr. Jones has authored 8 books and has wri�en articles for magazines that deal with hydroponic issues. He currently has his own consulting company, Grosystems, Inc. Utilizing his 50-year experience growing plants hydroponically, he is experimenting with various total water and plant nutrient element consumption hydroponic growing systems that do not require electric power. Dr. Jones currently lives in Anderson, South Carolina and can be reached by email at: [email protected]

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>NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS PART 2: Their Formulations and Uses

Several years ago I consulted with four greenhouse-tomato growers who were all growing in perlite-filled BATO buckets with the nutrient solution being applied periodically by means of drip irrigation. At the end of the growing season, I assayed the perlite using a soil test-type analysis method, and found that the perlite contained sufficient nutrient elements to be identified as a “very fertile” soil. What had begun as an inert, nutrient-free rooting medium (perlite) was now a high-nutrient medium containing substantial quantities of Ca, Mg, P, S, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, at levels greater than what was needed to meet the crop’s requirements.

This meant that during more than half of their growth cycle the plants were being significantly influenced nutritionally by what had accumulated in the perlite rather than what was being applied in the nutrient solution. If reused, the perlite would start with a high nutrient element charge that would significantly affect the nutrition of the crop.One procedure that can slow the precipitation process is to apply

one to two aliquots of full-strength nutrient solution in one day’s cycle. For example, when using the drip irrigation procedure make one nutrient solution application at sunrise and another in mid-day, and then only water when needed to maintain fully turgid plants. The developer of the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) made a similar recommendation: expose the plant roots periodically to a full-strength nutrient solution and then apply water and/or a dilute nutrient solution to satisfy the water needs of the plants (Cooper, 1996).Another scheme is to apply only what is specifically needed, at

each stage of plant growth, in terms of the amount and balance of nutrient elements; thought this would probably work, it would be difficult to implement.Although accumulation by precipitation in the rooting medium

provides a potential source of some essential elements for plant utilization over time, precipitation can also reduce the immediate availability of some elements being supplied by the nutrient solu-tion, particularly the micronutrients Cu, Fe, and Zn, which may explain why low levels of these elements occur in some plants at various stages of growth.

CONCLUSIONOne marvels that plants are able to grow fairly well in a wide

range of nutrient solution formulations and uses, probably a testament to the stable physiological character of plants and their roots. In a just-published Growing Edge article, Johnson (2007) writes, “Researchers have found that the roots do not drive the process (nutrient element uptake), but instead respond to it.” Johnson (2007) quotes Meiner Lieth, Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of California, Davis: “Our research suggests that the roots are not drivers of this, rather they respond to a ‘growth

30 MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008 31MAXIMUM YIELD UK January / February 2008 30 MAXIMUM YIELD UK November / December 2007

WHY USE SUGARY SUPPLEMENTS?

by Ma� LeBannister Photosynthesis comes from the Greek word “photo,” meaning light, and “synthesis,” meaning to put together.

Most growers do not even know that there is a meter, called a Brix meter, that is used to measure the level of sugars in the leaves of plants. It is generally understood that the higher the level of sugars within a plant’s tis-sue, the healthier the plant is and the be�er the yield will be.Knowing this, the question should not be,

“Why add a carbohydrate supplement to my nutrient solution?” but simply, “Why haven’t I added one already?”To understand why you should give your

plants one of the sugary supplements on the market, you should become a li�le more familiar with the way plants produce and use sugars. Almost all plants use sugars as their main

source of fuel. They transport these sugars along with water and other elements through-out their systems, either for food or to create amino acids for biosynthesis to fuel cellular respiration. Maple trees are a great example of how plants use sugars. Their sugary sap is famous at breakfast tables worldwide, but that sap is really the food the maple tree has begun to store to survive the winter to come.Most plants are photoautotrophs, which

means that they synthesize their own food

directly from inorganic compounds using photons, the energy from light. They do this using a process called photosynthesis. Photo-synthesis comes from the Greek word “photo,” meaning light, and “synthesis,” meaning to put together. The inorganic compounds are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O), and the energy source is sunlight. The end products include glucose, a simple sugar, and oxygen (O2).

Then, through a process called carbon fixation, ATP (adenosine triphosphate),AND? a high-energy molecule CO2 (carbon dioxide) are used to create sugars. Some sugars produced, such as glucose, are simple sugars or monosac-charides. They are easily broken down by the plant and are generally used for energy. Other sugars produced, such as cellulose, are com-plex sugars or polysaccharides. Polysaccha-rides consist of a chain of two or more sugars and are usually used for lipid and amino acid biosynthesis. Polysaccharides are also used as a fuel in cellular respiration. Cellulose specifi-

PEOPLE FEED THEIR PLANTS SUGARS all the time without knowing it and not always understanding why. You give your sweetheart a bouquet of roses for Valentine’s Day and before they are put into the vase, sugar is added to the water to extend their bloom. Some “old school” gardeners will add molasses to their nutrient solution during the flowering period. Actually, just by adding fulvic acid, and humic acid, to your nutrient mix you are giving your plants the building blocks for sugars.

6CO2 + 12H2O + photons(gas) (gas)(liquid) (liquid)(aqueous)

C6H2O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

The actual equation looks like this:


cally is used as the building material for all green plants. It is the main component of all green plant cell walls.Through the examination of the process of photosynthesis, we

learn just how important the sugars produced through this process are. The sugars and starches are vital to the plant. They are es-sential for cellular preparation, to maintain the plants metabolism and vigor. The sugars are even the building blocks that keep the very cells of the plant together. Now it is understood that plants have a great big “sweet tooth” and are specialists at making the sugars they need.So why then should we be feeding them more on top of all this?

Simply put, flowering plants are burning these carbs trying to make large fruit or vegetables, or big beautiful blooms, faster than a marathon runner trying to win a race. Not to mention that the process of photosynthesis, which produces the sugars, itself takes a lot of energy. By adding one of the organic carbohydrate supplements to your nutrient solution the carbohydrates that have been allocated to the flowering process will be replenished more easily. This will save your plant the energy it would need to create those sugars itself, and your plant can focus more of its energy on the flowering process.Also, many beneficial bacteria and fungi (aka carbon-fixing

bacterial fungi) will live on the sugars and will break down the sugars for the plant. This, again, allows the plant to use energy usually spent breaking down sugars for other processes. The more beneficial bacteria and fungi, the easier nutrients are absorbed by the roots. All this leads to improved flowering and overall health of the plants.

When choosing the sup-plement for your plants remember the old saying, “You are what you eat.” The same goes for your plants. Look for something organic because organic sugars will improve flavor and smell better than anything that inorganic.There are also some sugars

that are more important to your plants than others. Xy-lose and arabinose are two of those sugars. Both are sugars naturally produced by plants. They are also monosaccharides, which means they are simple sug-ars and, therefore, used more easily by the plant.Glucose should be the

main ingredient of the prod-uct because it is the main product of photosynthesis. Glucose is a monosaccha-ride that is used for energy and for starting cellular respiration in the plant. The name “glucose” comes from the Greek word “glykys,” which means sweet, with the suffix “ose,” which denotes that it is a carbohydrate. Glucose is critical in the production of proteins and in lipid metabolism. Glucose is also used as a precursor for the synthesis of several important sub-stances, such as starch and cellulose. Starch is a way in which plants store energy and cellulose makes up most of the structural parts of plants.Fructose is also a monosaccharide and is a main component of most tree fruit, berries, and

melons. It is the sweetest naturally occurring sugar and is twice as sweet as the disaccharide sucrose, which consists of glucose and fructose bonded together.The disaccharide maltose is also an important sugar because enzymes break it down into two

glucose molecules.All of the above sugars are produced naturally by plants. By adding a supplement containing

these simple and complex sugars to a well-balanced nutrient, a plant will increase the levels of sugars in the leaves and throughout the plant. This will let the plant use its energy more efficiently, allowing more energy to be focused on producing large fruit and bigger blooms. These sugars will also improve the taste of the end product while giving fuel to beneficial bacteria and fungi.Using sugar supplements with carbon-based fulvic acid and humic acid bring great benefits to

your plants with no downside. Knowing this and how the plants produce and use these sugars makes using them simply great growing technique.

Ma� LeBannister is thrilled to be the newest writer for Maximum Yield Magazine. He is 22 years old and for over 2 years has worked at Homegrown Hydroponics. Ma� manages the retail store at Homegrown’s head office in Toronto and as of late has been traveling the Trade Show circuit as their resident expert. “I hope to make a big splash in the indoor gardening industry through Homegrown and Maximum Yield. You never know how this business will grow”.

The name “glucose” comes from the Greek word “glykys,” which means sweet, with

the suffix “ose,” which denotes that it is a carbohydrate.

>WHY USE SUGARY SUPPLEMENTS?


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Aertec HydroponicsUnit 15, Hoe FarmTye Lane, WalbertonUnited Kingdom BN18 0LUTel: 01243 542742Ali Bongo22 St John Madder MarketNorwich, NorfolkUnited Kingdom NR2 1DNTel: 01603 760055Alternative Gardening Supplies Ltd.Unit 79 Carlton Ind EstateBarnsley, South YorkshireUnited Kingdom S71 3HWTel: 01226 700200Amazing Garden SuppliesUnit 6, Litchard Industrial Estate Bridgend, CardiffUnited Kingdom CF31 2ALTel: 01656 663030Anglia HydroponicsUnit 11d Hill Farm Ind Est.Boxted Cross, ColchesterUnited Kingdom CO4 5RDTel: 01473 230 635Aquaculture Ltd.Unit 3, Parkway OneParkway Drive, SheffieldUnited Kingdom S9 4WUTel: 08456 445544AquatechUnit 2E, Spa Fields Industrial Estate New Street Slaithwaite HuddersfieldUnited Kingdom HD7 5BBTel: 01484 842632Basement Lighting LtdUnit 3, The Old Maltings,George Street,Newark, NottinghamshireUnited Kingdom NG24 1LUTel: 01636 650189Big Shop (The)22 Church Lane,BelfastUnited Kingdom BT1 4QNTel: 0289 023 2113Black Rock HydroponicsUnit 6, Conqueror Ind Est.Moorhurst Road, Castleham,St.Leonards on the Sea, EssexUnited Kingdom TN38 9NATel: 01424 850088Blinding Lights10 Bridge Road CobholmGreat Yarmouth, NorfolkUnited Kingdom NR31 0HUTel: 01493 665426Boston HydroponicsLittle Fen, Church Road,Freiston, BostonUnited Kingdom PE22 0NXTel: 01205 761068

Branching OutUnit E, The Old BreweryDurnford Street,Ashton Gate, BristolUnited Kingdom BS3 2AWTel: 01179 666996Bridgewater Hydroponics14-16 St John StreetBridgewaer, Somerset United Kingdom TA6 5HSTel: 01278 451808Bright Green60 Princess Avenue,HullUnited Kingdom HU5 3QGTel: 0148 2341925Bristol Genuine Seedbank31 West Street, Old MarketBristolUnited Kingdom BS2 0BHTel: 0117 9351701Britelite Hydro 157 Portland Road South, Norwood, LondonUnited Kingdom SE25 4UXTel: 0208 656 1481Budgreen Ltd.Unit 4, Green Lane,Baltic Road Industrial EstateGateshead, Tyne & WearUnited Kingdom NE10 OSBTel: 0191 469 7775City Hydroponics 1-2 Great Shaw Street,Preston, LancsUnited Kingdom PR1 2HHTel: 01772 204455Crofters Bio Gardens Unit 3, Radford Court Ind Est.Ilkeston Road, NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG7 3DYTel: 01159 782345Crop Shop, The 92 Trinity Street.Gainsborough, Lincolnshire,United Kingdom DN21 1HSTel: 01427 810726Cyberponics3 Seaview, TreloganHolywell, FlintshireUnited Kingdom CH8 9BHTel: 0800 0323 140Discount Hydroponics HOVE320 Portland Road,HoveUnited Kingdom BN3 5LPTel: 01273 422210Dublin Hydroponics7 Crow Street,Temple BarDublin 2, IrelandUnited Kingdom Tel: 00353 167 13779

Eastbourne Hydroponics47 Upperton Road,Eastbourne, East SussexUnited Kingdom BN214PTTel: 01323 732241Easygrow321 Abbey Lane, LeicesterUnited Kingdom LE4 5QJTel: 0116 266 5136EcoPonics Ltd.Hyde Egg Farm Hyde Lane, Bathpool, Taunton, SomersetUnited Kingdom TA2 8BUTel: 01823 275301Eden Distribution Ltd.152 London Road,Wokingham, BerkshireUnited Kingdom RG40 1SUTel: 01189890510Elements Hydroponic Centre44 Auster Road,Clifton Moor, YorkUnited Kingdom YO30 4XATel: 0190 447 9979Equinox Hydroponics115A High Street,Lincoln, LincolnshireUnited Kingdom LN5 7PRTel: 01522 828520Esoteric Hydroponics Ltd.8 Martyr Road,Guildford, SurreyUnited Kingdom GU1 4LFTel: 01483 596484Essential HydroGeorge Stephenson Business Centre, Comet Row, Killingworth, NewcastleUnited Kingdom NE12 6DUTel: 0191 216 1002Essex HydroponicsRolts Garden CentreClacton Road,Elmstead Market, ColchesterUnited Kingdom CO7 7DDTel: 01206 822 123Evergreen Garden Supplies402 Mentore Terrace,Hackney, LondonUnited Kingdom E8 3PNTel: 0208 985 2091Evergreen Hydroponics18 Park Crescent Place,Brighton, East Sussex United Kingdom BN2 3HFTel: 0127 362 3136Eye 1 Der296 Bradford Road,Batley, West YorkshireUnited Kingdom WF17 5PWTel: 01924 359122Fastgrow Hydro Gardens Ltd.150 Westmount Road,Eltham, LondonUnited Kingdom SE9 1XATel: 0208 8500906FlocapUnit 16D Coal Hill Lane,Cape Industrial EstatePudseyUnited Kingdom LS28 5NATel: 01132 363026Forizo/Simplegrow7 Holborn Square,Birkenhead, CheshireUnited Kingdom CH41 9HQTel: 0151 647 2233

>>MAXIMUM YIELD DISTRIBUTORS

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Funkmaster Reds25b Cavendish Place,Eastbourne,East SussexUnited Kingdom BN21 3JBTel: 01323 727226Future GardenUnit 6, The Acorn CentreRoebuck Road, IlfordUnited Kingdom IG6 3TUTel: 0208 502 7722Fylde HydroponicsUnit 3, Stanley BuildingsBackreads Road,BlackpoolUnited Kingdom FY1 4QLTel: 01253 752637Galway Hydroponic Store 2 Buttermilk Walk, Middle StreetGalway City,IrelandUnited KingdomTel: 00353 915 69988Garden Of EdenUnit 4, Zenith Park,Whaley Road,Barugh Green,Barnsley, YorkshireUnited Kingdom S75 1HTTel: 01226 729 560Glasgrow (The Hydroponic Co.)15 Parnie Street, TrongateGlasgowUnited Kingdom G1 5RGTel: 0141 552 7522Gloucestershire HydroponicsUnit 4, Hope Mill Lane,Hope Mill Business CentreStroud, GloucestershireUnited Kingdom GL5 2SETel: 01453 887481Green Daze10 Wellington Street, Gateshead, NewcastleUnited Kingdom NE8 2AJTel: 0191 478 9107Green Rhino6 Church Lane,ColeraineUnited Kingdom BT52 1AGTel: 02870 357877Green Spirit 10 Castle Gate,SheffieldUnited Kingdom S3 8LETel: 0114 275 3353Green Stream12-14 Vivian Road,Harbourne, BirminghamUnited Kingdom B17 0DSTel: 0121 426 2675Green WorldMarket VaultsScarboroughUnited Kingdom O11 1EUTel: 0172 337 0900Greener than Life691 Holderness Road,HullUnited Kingdom HU8 9ANTel: 01482 374201Greenfields Hydroponics DirectUnit 2A, Middlebrook Way,Holt Road, Cromer, NorfolkUnited Kingdom NR27 9JRTel: 01263 510072Greenfinger Ltd.Unit 59, 47 Verney Road,T Merchant Trading EstateBermondsey, LondonUnited Kingdom SE16 3DHTel: 0207 394 0629

Greengrass Indoor Garden SuppliesUnit 18,Hazelford Way Industrial Estate,Newstead, NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG15 0DQTel: 01623 755 055Greenhouse EffectUnit 2, Eagle Farm,Cranfield Road,Wavendon,Milton KeynesUnited Kingdom MK17 8AUTel: 01908 585 283Greenleaf SystemsUnit 26, Millers Bridge Industrial Estate, Seymour Street,Bootle, LiverpoolUnited Kingdom L20 1EETel: 0151 933 1113Greens HorticultureUnit F, Totterdown Bridge Est.Albert Road, St PhillipsBristolUnited Kingdom BS2 0XHTel: 01179 713000Greensea HydroponicsUnit 1G, Gregory Road,Mildenhall SuffolkUnited Kingdom IP28 7DFTel: 01638 715350Greenthings Hydroponics Ltd.Unit 1, Adjewhella Chapel,Barripper,Camborne, CornwallUnited Kingdom TR14 0QWTel: 01209 611870Grotec UK393 Manchester Old Road,Rochdale, LancsUnited Kingdom OL11 3PG Tel: 01706 750293Grotech BasildonUnit 21, Saddlers Hall FarmBowers Gifford,Basildon, EssexUnited Kingdom SS13 2HDTel: 01268 799828Grow Master4 Mount Craig Hall,Pencraig, Ross On WyeHerefordshireUnited Kingdom HR9 6HDTel: 01989 770788Grow Republic124 Church Street,BlackpoolUnited Kingdom FY1 3PPTel: 01253 621145Grow Right Systems3A Manden Lane,Clubmoor,LiverpoolUnited Kingdom L13 9ANTel: 0151 256 5255Grow Rooms24 Maesaeron, TalsarnCeredigion, WalesUnited Kingdom SA48 8QATel: 01570 471184Grow Systems Norwich Ltd.34-36 St.Augustines Street,Norwich, NorfolkUnited Kingdom NR3 3BZTel: 01603 614300Growell Hydroponics (Solihull)Blooms Garden Centre,Kenilworth Road,Solihull, MidlandsUnited Kingdom B92 0LWTel: 845 345 5172


Growell Hydroponics (Fulham)1 Royal Parade,247 Dawes Road,Fulham, LondonUnited Kingdom SW6 7RETel: 845 345 5174Growell Hydroponics (Mail Order)PO Box 3225,Warwick, MidlandsUnited Kingdom CV34 5GHTel: 845 345 5177Growing LifeInternational Home Grow Cabinet Exhibition6 Newingotn Green Road Islington, LondonUnited Kingdom N1 4RXTel: 0207 0339541Grozone Electrical LtdHuntshill Farm,Averley RoadUpminster, EssexUnited Kingdom RM14 2TGTel: 01708 680777Happy Gardens Ltd.Unit 9, Kelham Bank Ind EstKelham Street, DoncasterUnited Kingdom DN1 3RETel: 01302 761386Head GardenerUnit 12, Barton Business ParkCawdor Street, Eccles, ManchesterUnited Kingdom M30 0QRTel: 0161 707 9860HFM Pyrotechnics Ltd.165A Longford Road,Cannock, StaffordshireUnited Kingdom WS11 0LDTel: 01543 500 800HI HydroponicsUnit 2A, Grove Business CentreWarboys Road,Huntingdon,CambridgeshireUnited Kingdom PE28 3AGTel: 01487 710722Highlight Horticulture10 Catton Road,Arnold, NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG5 7JDTel: 0115 926 1500Himalayan Crafts HC14 Brew HillNavan, Co MeathUnited KingdomTel: 00353 469 076 607Holland Hydroponics Ltd.Unit17, Rondin Road,Ardwick, ManchesterUnited Kingdom M12 6BFTel: 0161 273 1151How 2 Grow Ltd.Unit 2, Matform Business ParkTerminus Road,ChichesterUnited Kingdom PO19 8ULTel: 01243 527 412Huyton Hydroponics & Gardening SuppliesUnit 2, Brickfields Industrial Estate, HuytonUnited Kingdom L36 6HYTel: 0151 482 0101Hydra HydroponicsUnit 14, CumberlandTrading Estate, LoughboroughLeicesterUnited Kingdom LE11 5DFTel: 01509 265 032

Hydro Hobby Ltd.Unit 4, Brook FarmStoneleigh Road, Gibbet HillCoventryUnited Kingdom CV4 7ABTel: 02476 414161Hydro Supplies434 Marfleet Lane,Hull, YorkshireUnited Kingdom HU9 3NATel: 01482 783985Hydro-Blooms24a Church Lane, Wolverhampton, MidlandsUnited Kingdom WV2 4EJTel: 01902 711427Hydrodragon Ltd.113-115 Alfred Street,Roath, CardiffUnited Kingdom CF24 4UATel: 02920 490333HydrogloTop Store, South Road,Tower Hamlets, Dover, KentUnited Kingdom CT17 0BSTel: 01304 203199Hydrogro8 Torquay Road,Kingerswell, TorquayUnited Kingdom TQ12 5EZ Tel: 01803 872 005HydroholicsUnit 4, Austin Fields,Kings Lynn, NorfolkUnited Kingdom PE30 1PHTel: 01553 770177Hydrolight UK Ltd.40A, St. Peters Street,Radford, NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG7 3FFTel: 0115 978 5556Hydroponic Centre PortsmouthUnit 1B, OJ’s Industrial EstateClaybank, PortsmouthUnited Kingdom PO3 5SXTel: 02392 669277Hydroponica Ltd.130 Doncaster Road,Wakefield, YorkshireUnited Kingdom WF1 5JFTel: 01924 362888Hydrosense6-7 Central Market,Scarrots LaneNewport, Isle of WightUnited Kingdom PO30 1JPTel: 01983 522240J’s HydroponicsUnit 29B, Lamb StreetCarlisle, CumbriaUnited Kingdom CA2 4NSTel: 01282 592 555Kentish Green26 Barden Road,Tonbridge, KentUnited Kingdom TN9 1TXTel: 0173 2507 201King of Green40 St Helens Road,Westcliffe on Sea, EssexUnited Kingdom SS0 7LBTel: 01702 347536Kingdom HydroponicsUnit 12, Mitchelton Industrial Estate Carberry Place,Kirkaldy, Fife United Kingdom KY1 3NETel: 01592 655611

Lothian Hydroponics172 South Mid Street,Bathgate, West LothianUnited Kingdom EH48 1DYTel: 01506 650501Maidstone Hydroponics Ltd.Unit 6, Boxmead Ind Est.on the Parkwood Ind Est.Maidstone, KentUnited Kingdom ME15 9YGTel: 01622 692669Manchester HydroponicsUnit AA, Reliance Street, Industrial Estate, ManchesterUnited Kingdom M40 3AGTel: 0161 688 7333Medway Hydroponics7A Cuxton Road,Strood Rochester, KentUnited Kingdom ME2 2BTTel: 01634 735444Mr B T/A Holland HydroponicsUnit 6, Summit WorksManchester Road, BurnleyUnited Kingdom BB11 5HGTel: 01282 438204Mr Beam HydroUnit 9a, Norton Common RoadNorton, DoncasterUnited Kingdom DN5 9HPTel: 01302 708297Natural1-3 Brookfields,CambridgeUnited Kingdom CB1 3NWTel: 01223 244704Natures ResourcesUnit 18, 36 Sanderson Street,Newhall Road Ind EstateSheffieldUnited Kingdom S9 2TWTel: 0114 2431037New Age Eighteen TwelveUnit 11, Whitehall PropertiesTowngate, Wyke, BradfordWest YorksUnited Kingdom BD12 9JQTel: 01274 694444New Age Hydroponics24 Sandy Lane, Lower DarwenLancashireUnited Kingdom BB3 0PUTel: 0125 466 1177Norfolk Lights & Hydroponic CentreUnit 2 Guardian Road, Ind Est.Norwich, NorfolkUnited Kingdom NR4 7NGTel: 01603 666199North Devon HydroponicsAbbey Road, Unit 4, Ace MotorsBarnstapleUnited Kingdom EX31 1JUNorthern Hydroculture50 Stainbeck Road,LeedsUnited Kingdom LS7 2QYTel: 0113 275 0330Northern Lights9 Dunlice Street,Larne Country AntrimNorthern IrelandUnited Kingdom BT40 1JGTel: 028 2827 8485Nu GreenUnit 4, Stirchley Trading Estate,Hazelwell Road, StirchleyBirminghamUnited Kingdom B30 2PFTel: 0121 685 5900

Oh Yeah! Dr Chronics100 Southchurch Road,Southend on SeaUnited Kingdom SS1 2LXTel: 01702 469785One Stop Grow ShopUnit 8, Fenton Ind Est.Dewsbury Road, FentonStoke-On-TrentUnited Kingdom ST4 2TETel: 01782 212000Persy Growbox LtdKings Mews, Ground Floor Workshop, Hove, SussexUnited Kingdom BN3 2PATel: 01273 777335PlantlifeUnit 11, Riverside Way,Ravensthorpe Industrial Estate,Dewsbury, Yorkshire.United Kingdom WF13 3LLTel: 01924 492298Progrow (West Lothian)Unit 6, Nasmyth Square,Houston Industrial Estate,Livingston, West LothianUnited Kingdom EH54 5GGTel: 01506 430830Progrow Exeter7 Verney Street,Exeter, DevonUnited Kingdom EX1 2AWTel: 01392 276998Quantum Hydro5 Riverside Drive,Ham, Richmond, SurreyUnited Kingdom TW10 7QATel: 0208 744 2226R & B Hydroponics 78 Durban Road,GrimsbyUnited Kingdom DN32 8BATel: 01472 241 114R Yearsley & SonsLon-y-Twyn Street,Caerphilly, Mid GlamorganUnited Kingdom CF83 1NWTel: 02920 885545Rang DongBuilding 5, Unit 2D,Ashleigh Commercial EstateWestmoor Road,Charlton, LondonUnited Kingdom SE7 8NQTel: 01525 874888Robs Hydroponics15 Lockwood Way ParksideIndustrial Estate, LeedsUnited Kingdom LS11 5TQTel: 01132 706622Room 2 GrowPeashill Farm,Cotgrave, NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG12 3HDTel: 01159 892423Rootzone Hydroponics LtdUnit 2 & 3, The Green Business Centre, The Causeway StainesMiddlesexUnited Kingdom TW18 3ALTel: 01784 490370Sams HydroponicsUnit 83, Imex Business CentreStation Lane, BirtleyUnited Kingdom DH3 1QTTel: 0191 410 6555Scotgrow90 Westlaw Place, GlenrothesFife, ScotlandUnited Kingdom KY6 2RZTel: 01592 773712

Sea Of Green24-25 Eastcott HillSwindon, WiltshireUnited Kingdom SN1 3JGTel: 01793 617046Secret Garden Green with NVUnit 8, Taylors and Tanners Crt.1 Monk Street,Newcastle Upon TyneUnited Kingdom NE1 5XDTel: 01912325202Serious Grow ShopUnit 6, Westmorelands House,Cumberland Park 80 Scrubs Lane, LondonUnited Kingdom NW10 6RETel: 0208 964 1717Seven Summers Ltd.7A St Thomas Road,Crabtree Manor WayBelvedere, KentUnited Kingdom DA17 6AGTel: 0208 310 7777Shemanic210-212 High Street,Perth, ScotlandUnited Kingdom PH1 5PATel: 01738 633111SilvalightUnit 1 Daddon Moor Business Park, Clovelly Road Ind Est., Bideford, N DevonUnited Kingdom EX39 3HNTel: 01237 478782Somerset HydroUnit 14, Small Business CentreMemorial Road, Houndstone Business Park, SomersetUnited Kingdom BA22 8WATel: 01935 420 720Somerset Interior Garden SuppliesRosedale, MoorlandsNr BridgewaterUnited Kingdom TA7 0AXTel: 01823 490044South Coast Hydroponics Unit 8, Enterprise Ind. EstateHorndeanUnited Kingdom PO8 0BBTel: 02392 598 853Southern Hydro Centre9 Malmesbury Road, ShirleySouthamptonUnited Kingdom SO15 5FTTel: 023 80704080Southern Lights37-39 Grace Hill,Folkestone, KentUnited Kingdom CT20 1HQTel: 0130 321 0003

Sow & Grow Ltd12-14 Stepfield,Witham, EssexUnited Kingdom CM8 3THTel: 01376 500036Soylent Green LtdUnit B3, Chadwell Heath Industrial Park, Kemp Road,Dagenham, EssexUnited Kingdom RM8 1SLTel: 0208 597 7882St Albans Hydro / Secret GardenUnit 5, London Road Business Park, 222 London RoadSt Albans, HertfordshireUnited Kingdom AL1 1PNTel: 017278 37400Starlite Systems228 Albert Road,PlymouthUnited Kingdom PL2 1AWTel: 01752 551233Sunrise Hydroponics127 Newcastle Street,Burslem, Stoke On Trent StaffsUnited Kingdom ST6 3QJTel: 01782 813814TTB Hydro Ltd.53 Kettering Road,NorthamptonUnited Kingdom NN1 4AJTel: 01604 454733Tayside HydrotekUnit11, Anfield Row,DundeeUnited Kingdom DD1 5JHTel: 01382 640420The Grow Den2 Hothfield Road,Rainham, KentUnited Kingdom ME8 8BJTel: 01634239333The Grow Pot124 High Park Street,Toxteth Liverpool, MerseysideUnited Kingdom L8 3UQTel: 0151 726 8777The Grow Room-LeicesterUnit 5 & 6, Marlow RoadLeicesterUnited Kingdom LE3 2BQTel: 0116 289 4055The Home Grower Ltd.Unit 13, Oak CourtSandwell Business ParkCrystal Drive,OldburyUnited Kingdom B66 1QGTel: 0121 541 1446

The Hydroponic Centre33 The Oaks,TauntonUnited Kingdom TA1 2QXTel: 01823 336615The Hydroponic CorporationUnit 20,Deeside Industrial Estate, Zone 1,Deeside, FlintshireUnited Kingdom CH5 2LRTel: 01244 289 699Toddington Hydroponics CentreGriffin Farm, Unit 9, ToddingtonDunstable, BedfordUnited Kingdom LU5 6BTTel: 01525 874888TropicsNo 1 Bath Street,NottinghamUnited Kingdom NG1 1DFTel: 0115 947 5678Urban Garden SheffieldUnit 40,Century Street Ind EstClement Steet, SheffieldUnited Kingdom S9 5DXTel: 01142 443447Urban Hydroponics(Ginty and Perky) Unit 1 Back Lane, Off St. Georges Road, Bolton, LancashireUnited Kingdom BL1 2LDTel: 01204 522217Warehouse HydroponicsUnit 3C,Bank Quay Trading Est.WarringtonUnited Kingdom WA1 1PJTel: 01925 637837Water Culture HydroponicsUnit 38 South Ribble Ent Park,Grove Road, Walton Le DaleSouthern IrelandUnited KingdomTel: 00353 351 855 505Waterford HydroUnit 10 Parnell Court,Waterford City, WaterfordPreston, LancashireUnited Kingdom PR5 4AJTel: 01772 562648World Of Enigma Ltd. (No Name Hydro Store)25 Sidcup Hill,Sidcup Dartford, KentUnited Kingdom DA14 6NJTel: 02083 096888

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by Erik Biksa

ANSWERS:Answers to this quiz will be printed in the

March / April 2008 issue of Maximum Yield.

1. Is the following statement regarding shortening crop cycles with precision control over light and temperature in a CEA environment TRUE or FALSE?

” …to improve the production of flower and garden vegetable “plugs” -- 2-inch tall seedlings used at the start of production…..industry standard was four to five weeks before seedlings reached marketable height. They were able to reduce this time to 16 days.”

2. When performing the Dutch RGP method to test

growing medias for EC and pH, why is it very important to use a very fine filter (i.e extraction bag mesh) to strain the solution prior to measurement(s)?a) tidinessb) for clarityc) fine soil particulate alters valuesd) none of the above

3. What is the ratio of distilled water to growing media required for extraction when using the Dutch RGP method?a) 2:1b) 1.5:1c) 1:1d) 0.5:1

4. Three or four weeks a�er transplant, what should the pH range of the extraction be from the growing media for optimal root conditions?

5. Three or four weeks a�er transplant, what should the EC range of the extraction be from the growing media for optimal root conditions?

6. With gas fired CO2 generators, for every pound of fuel consumed how many pounds of CO2 are typically produced?a) 4 LBSb) 3 LBSc) 2 LBSd) 1 LB

7) The N-P-K of the fertilizer “mono-potassium phosphate” is:a) 4-2-0b) 0-52-0c) 15.5-0-0d) 0-52-34

November/December 2007 quiz1) A. 2) C 3) C. 4) it is non selective and may inhibit beneficial micro-organisms. 5) B. 6) D. 7) A,B,C.

Documents

Aquaponics: Where one plus one equals three