Conserving Water in the Nutrient Reservoir

Experienced growers understand the dramatic difference the water source of a garden can make which is why most of them are willing to invest in high quality water filtration devices such as reverse osmosis units. After the water has been treated by the given filtration system growers try to conserve it as much as possible. This is not necessarily done for the cost savings but for the time savings. Most water filtration systems take a long time to produce a large volume of water. This makes the water extra precious especially if the grower doesn’t have a water holding tank.

The best way a grower can conserve water in the nutrient reservoir is to set up a recirculating feeding system. By recirculating the water a grower can actually recycle the same nutrient solution for a week or two without entirely changing the reservoir. With the aid of a nutrient monitor a grower can make adjustments to the nutrient concentration throughout the week or two period between reservoir changes. This will ensure the plants are receiving the optimal amount of nutrition at all times.

By implementing water conserving and water recycling techniques a grower can save time, save money, and save water.

In order to reduce evaporation growers can choose hydroponic systems with enclosed feeding systems. This means the nutrient solution comes in as little contact with the room atmosphere as possible. Closed systems such as deep water culture, current culture, or aeroponics are the best choices for water conservation. Keeping a lid on the nutrient reservoir at all times will also greatly reduce evaporation for any hydroponic system.

Recycling Water

Catching and recycling rain water for an indoor garden can be very beneficial. Rain water generally has a wide variety of trace elements and a high oxygen content. As long as the pH is monitored rain water can produce superior results for indoor soil and hydroponic systems. I actually prefer rain water for clones and seedlings over any other water source. In addition to monitoring the pH, be sure to filter any sediment out of the rain water as it enters the rain barrel or before it enters the reservoir.

Another water recycling method some growers utilize is reusing the dehumidifier water. Only growers who are willing to clean the dehumidifier reservoir should attempt to reuse this water. This is because there is a risk of contamination from microorganisms that live inside the dehumidifier’s reservoir. As long as the grower sanitizes the dehumidifier’s reservoir from time to time the water collected by the dehumidifier can be reused. However, this water is still not 100% pure and should always be mixed with larger volumes of filtered water. Some growers choose to reuse this water for cleaning or other applications where the water never enters the hydroponic system.

By implementing water conserving and water recycling techniques a grower can save time, save money, and save water.

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