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Because Hydroponics involves the movement of nutrients and water directly to the plants, rather than indirectly to the soil to be picked up by the plant's root system, the movement of water must be handled by either gravity or a pump system.
Since plants require oxygen as well as carbon dioxide, systems utilizing continuous flow of water past a plant's root system may require air stone pumps (similar to those used to supply air to fish aquariums) to add oxygen to the water supply preventing the plant from becoming water sogged.
Air Pumps
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Plant roots require oxygen just as much as plant leaves require carbon dioxide. In nature, water percolating through the soil contains oxygen which is used as needed before the water drains away to be replaced by the next rain.
In most Hydroponics systems, water is continuously recirculated which means that its oxygen is used up, just as a closed fish tank must be continuously oxygenated for fish survival. This can mean the roots becoming waterlogged unless the water is oxygenated. These air pumps work just like fish tank air pumps to pump air (oxygen) into the water stream which becomes available for the plant roots. |
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Water Pumps
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Because Hydroponics = "'Hydro' = Water + 'Ponics' = Working With", movement of water is very important regardless of the type of Hydroponics that is used. Pumps can be either air-cooled or water-cooled (submerged in the reservoir). |
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Water Pump
Filter Bags
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Because submerged water-cooled pumps sit in the nutrient stream flow, they are subject to sediment flowing past them as the pump is working. A filter bag can be placed around these pumps to reduce the effect of the sediment possibly clogging or disrupting the pump. |
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