Tag: maintenance

Growing

Biofilms in your Grow Ops

Biofilms are slimy layers of microbial colonies that form where microorganisms grow and reproduce. Because microorganisms flourish where water and nutrients are abundant, irrigation systems offer ideal environments for biofilms. When biofilms develop in grow operations, they can create clogs, harbor pathogens and cause oxygen levels in the nutrient solution to drop. Preventing or eliminating biofilms is essential to growing healthy, high-yield crops. How biofilms develop Biofilm begins when free-floating microorganisms in the water supply such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa or algae …
Equipment

Clogs in your Grow Room

Clogs in emitters, feeding lines and drains One of the biggest challenges growers face with irrigation systems is clogs. Clogs can form from physical particles, chemical precipitates or biological growth, and they can occur in an irrigation system’s lines, emitters or drains. Not only do they prevent the irrigation system from functioning properly, but they can also be detrimental to crop health and yield. Figure 1Consequences of clogsClogging in is more than a maintenance nuisance. Because clogs reduce the uniformity of water …
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