How efficient is your hydroponic growing system in terms of water, nutrient element agents, and electrical power use? A question every hydroponic grower needs to ask himself. How often and how many gallons of nutrient solution are discarded on a scheduled basis? How many pounds of reagents are included in the discarded nutrient solution? How many pumps and what is their HP required to move the nutrient solution? How many gallons of water are needed to leach the rooting medium and how often is leaching required? Based on an assessment of these factors, can changes be made to reduce such losses and their associated costs? The future of your hydroponic operation and that of hydroponics in general, lies in the ability to make hydroponic growing systems efficient in the use of these resources. Without such efficiencies, some have suggested that the future of this method of growing plants will be costly and limited in its use as a viable growing technique.
