Preparing Hydroponics Food Solutions, From Concentrations To Weights

In a previous post, I explained how concentrations are given inward hydroponic gardening too what they genuinely mean. For example, I exemplified that 200 ppm of northward equals a solution which contains 200 mg per liter of nitrogen although the dissever inward which nitrogen is introduce is non described yesteryear the concentration data. In this post, I cry upwards to explicate how food concentrations tin live translated adequately to a majority weight of a for sure tabular array salt that volition live the actual origin of the nutrient.

Let us get yesteryear supposing that you lot cause got a for sure solution recipe given inward concentration data, for example, the solution demands 200 ppm northward too 700 ppm K (this is simply an illustration every bit 700 ppm of K is likewise high for whatsoever hydroponic food solution). This agency that the solution requires 200 mg per liter of nitrogen too 700 mg per liter of potassium. Our mission forthwith is to interpret this concentration information into the actual total of a given tabular array salt that needs to live weight too dissolved.

The kickoff affair nosotros withdraw to create is discovery a suitable tabular array salt or salts that tin laissez passer us the nutrients nosotros wishing inward the appropiate forms. In this case, nosotros volition purpose potassium nitrate (KNO3) every bit a origin of both nitrogen too potassium. This tabular array salt gives the found nitrogen every bit NO3(-) ions too potassium every bit K(+) ions.

Our adjacent footstep is to figure out how much solution nosotros wishing to prepare. In this case, let's suppose nosotros wishing to ready 100L (around 32 gal) of food solution.

Following this, nosotros must calculate how much much K(+) too how much NO3(-) withdraw to live added inward gild to accomplish the concentrations nosotros desire. Since K(+) contains a unmarried K atom, nosotros withdraw 700 mg/L of K(+) inward gild to accomplish 700 ppm of K, for the nitrate ion (NO3(-)), since it contains to a greater extent than atoms, nosotros withdraw to know how much of the nitrate ion is genuinely nitrogen. In gild to create this nosotros calculate what fraction of nitrogen resides inward nitrate yesteryear relating their tooth mases (you tin google nitrate tooth majority too nitrogen tooth majority to larn this values or calculate them using your periodic table) . The calculation would live 14/62 which equals 0.22. This agency that 22% of each nitrate ion is nitrogen. If 22% of each nitrate ion is nitrogen too hence nosotros withdraw 200ppm x(100/22) of nitrate inward gild to larn the concentration of nitrogen nosotros want. The effect is that nosotros withdraw 909 mg of nitrate per liter inward gild to accomplish our required concentration of 200 ppm.

Since our tabular array salt is KNO3 too non K or NO3 yesteryear themselves nosotros withdraw to create upwards one's heed which food nosotros wishing to fit inward an exact manner. For this illustration I volition accept NO3(-). Since nosotros wishing to weight 909mg per liter of NO3(-) nosotros run into how much KNO3needs to live weight inward gild to accomplish this total for 100 liters. For this nosotros purpose the human relationship betwixt the tooth mases of nitrate too the salt, potassium nitrate. The equation is 62/101, which equals 0.61, pregnant 61% of potassium nitrate is nitrate. Since nosotros wishing to know how much is 100% knowing that 61% is 909mg per liter nosotros calculate 909ppm x 100/61, which equals 1490mg per liter which needs to live multiplied yesteryear 100 inward gild to discovery the total needed for 100 liters of solution. The lastly effect is that 149 g of potassium nitrate are needed inward gild to accomplish a concentration of 200 ppm of northward inward 100 liters of solution.

Now what happened to the potassium ? Since nosotros added potassium nitrate, nosotros also added potassium amongst the salt. We forthwith withdraw to calculate the concentration of potassium which nosotros larn when nosotros brand it at a concentration of 909 ppm for ntirate. Since nosotros know nitrate is 61%, too hence potassium must live 39% of the concentration hence 1490 ppm x 0.39 equals 581 ppm.

As you lot tin see, nosotros matched our nitrogen requirement perfectly but ofset our potassium requirement yesteryear an of import amount. This work is due to the fact that each tabular array salt gives 2 nutrients to a soltuion. Meaning that a skillful tabular array salt combination needs to live used inward gild for our errors to live reduced when preparing the hydroponic food solutions. This work tin live solved yesteryear using the hydroponic food solution reckoner I described inward an before post, however, it is of import to know how the reckoner industrial plant inward gild to sympathize its possible errors.

As you lot tin see, preparing food solutions too turning concentrations into weights tin live a fiddling fight daunting at kickoff but amongst exercise too the assistance of reckoner tools, the grooming of custom hydroponic solutions becomes really tardily too paves the way towards major improvements for whatsoever commercial or hobbyst hydroponic gardener.

Share this post