Troubleshooting Hydroponic Problems

System Clogging

Pipes and outlets can become clogged – particularly small outlets such as those used to deliver nutrients in drip irrigation systems. If, for example, some dripper outlets become clogged and others do not, some plants may lose their supply of water and nutrients, even though others are still being fed and watered.

Chemical Balance – pH & EC/PPM

The chemical characteristics of nutrient solutions need to be kept at an ideal level for plants to perform at an optimal level. This means maintaining the optimal balance of pH, EC, and PPM. This requires a sound understanding of nutrition and chemistry and the equipment used to monitor and adjust.

Managing the chemistry can be even more challenging in an aquaponic system. This is because adding fish to the mix is going to remove and add nutrients in addition to the changes that occur if only plants are in the system.

Pests & Diseases

In some respects, pests and diseases can be deterred more easily from a hydroponic system because it can be isolated from the natural world. Once an infestation occurs though, pests and diseases can spread more rapidly through a hydroponic system, carried by the nutrient solution that is moving throughout the system. Managing health in a hydroponic system requires:

a) isolating it from sources of infection, and

b) monitoring, detecting and responding to infection in a timely fashion.

Equipment Failure

Systems depend upon pipes (and often pumps) to deliver nutrients and water to the roots of plants. Damage to supply systems can occur from equipment failure e.g. leaky pipes, blocked pipes, corrosion, scale build-up or physical damage. Even in a fully automated system, it is important to routinely monitor to check that everything is working and failures are detected quickly.

Water Quality

Often tap or natural water may be acceptable but if impurities and/or hardness is not optimal, those factors can reduce crop yield. Hydroponic systems often address these issues by using reverse osmosis to remove impurities. Overuse of nutrient fertiliser, or buildup of residual chemicals can also be problematic. It promotes algal growth and disturbs the nutrient balance.

It’s always best to keep water pure and largely chemical free between irrigation cycles so that added nutrients can be controlled to standardised levels.

Discover More

Despite these potential problems, hydroponics remains a cost-effective and highly productive method for growing a range of crops and ornamentals. The key to successful growing is knowledge.

Why not take one of our hydroponics courses and be guided by experts to develop your hydroponics growing skills?

Don’t have time to study? We have plenty of hydroponics eBooks that might interest you.