Hydroponics: April 2017

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Hydroponics
Presentation · April 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29682.96969
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Abdullah Al-Ghafri
University of Nizwa
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Hydroponics:
How to produce your own food at home?
Abdullah Al-Ghafri, PhD
Director, The Aflaj Research Unit

University of Nizwa
3 April 2017
1
Aflaj Research Unit
Purpose and Activities
April 2017
Purpose
• Mission Statement
– The mission of the Aflaj Research Unit is to conduct research
on the aflaj of Oman to ensure the sustainability of the aflaj
and to preserve the traditional knowledge contained in the
aflaj. Given the multi-disciplinary nature of the aflaj, this is
accomplished by conducting research in collaboration with
scholars from relevant disciplines and creating an atmosphere
of multi-disciplinary cooperation on aflaj research.
• Vision Statement
– The Aflaj Research Unit will be recognized domestically,
regionally and internationally as the international focal point
for multi-disciplinary aflaj research.
Research Themes
• Sustainability of the Aflaj
• Study the impact of groundwater pumping on the of the aflaj and develop strategic
policy to ensure the sustainability of the aflaj
• Study the socio-economic challenges to the aflaj and develop strategies to ensure
they once again become economically viable
• Preserving the Traditional Knowledge, Culture, and Heritage of the Aflaj

▪ Document and preserve the traditional knowledge of falaj construction and
maintenance
▪ Document and preserve the social institutions of the aflaj
▪ Document the Cultural and Heritage contributions of the aflaj
• Raising Public Awareness

▪ Develop aflaj course materials for primary, secondary, and tertiary
education
▪ Engage the community through a website and social media, produce short
documentary films on the aflaj, and deliver seminars on aflaj.
▪ Develop an aflaj museum and exhibition farm
Research Activities
• Historical changes in land use in the aflaj and future trends
– Document the historic changes in land use in the aflaj in a representative sample of
aflaj
– Determine the factors that have contributed to that change in land use
• Documenting traditional knowledge in falaj construction

– Document the traditional techniques to construct and maintain the tunnels of Al
Daudi aflaj.
– Measure the impact the traditional techniques on falaj flow rates
– Develop a program to train falaj workers in the traditional techniques
• Traditional knowledge of aflaj water management and institutions

– Conduct a survey of the water management institutions of a large representative
sample of the aflaj
– Develop computer based falaj book to be used by wakils to record falaj revenue
and expenses
• Aflaj Library and Database

– Acquire books and other material to develop an aflaj dedicated research library.
– Construct a searchable online database of aflaj related scientific literature to foster
multi-disciplinary research.
Hydroponics:
How to produce your own food at home?
Abdullah Al-Ghafri, PhD
Director, The Aflaj Research Unit

University of Nizwa
3 April 2017
6
Short Biography of Abdullah Al-Ghafri
• Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghafri is currently works as Director of Aflaj Research
Unit, the University of Nizwa and Chairman of the Oman National
Committee for UNESCO Program for Memory of the World.
• Dr Abdullah is also serving as Assistant Professor at the Department of

Biological Sciences and Chemistry and the Assistant Dean for Training at
the College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Nizwa.
• He is member of the Oman Encyclopedia Project Committee, member of

the scientific board of the Encyclopedia of Omani mountain and
member of the editorial board of the Journal of Oman Studies.
• Dr Abdullah get his PhD in Environmental Resources from Hokkaido

University, Japan, 2004; a Master in Agricultural Water Management
from Hokkaido University, Japan, 2001 and BSc in Agricultural
Mechanization from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman in 1991.
Contents
• History
• Definitions
• Plants growth requirements
• Hydroponics
• Types of hydroponics
• NFT, pipe technique requirements
• NFT, pipe technique operation
• NFT, pipe technique troubleshooting
• Questions and answers session
8
History of agriculture
• How agriculture started? Before 10000 BC
– Pic up and plant seeds
– Domesticating animals
• Why we need agriculture?
– Source of food
– Shelters from wood
– Source of raw materials for industry
– Source of medicine
9
History of hydroponics
• Soilless culture goes back to the 17th century; the first

book written was in 1627 named Sylva Sylvarum by
Francis Bacon. In 1699, John Woodward published his
experiment of water culture with spearmint, Mentha
spicata. In the years 1859-1875 the hydroponic was
technically developed. In the early 20th century the
technique is used to grow vegetables in some pacific
islands which have no soil. From then, more hydroponic
techniques are developed and it became easy and cheap
to build.
10
Plants growth requirements
• Air (CO2, O2)
• Water
• Light
• Temperature (energy)
• Mechanical support
• Nutrients
11
Plants cultivation
1. Geoponic: growing plants in a normal soil.
2. Hydroponics: a method of growing plants using
mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without
soil.
– Seeding media (crushed wood, sand, peat, perlite or
gravel.).
• Aeroponics : growing plants in an air or mist
environment without the use of soil or an
aggregate medium, it is considered also as a type
of hydroponics.
12
Geoponic
• What plants need from soil?
– Water
– Air for roots to breath; Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide.
– Nutrients (dissolved in water).
– Mechanical supports.
13
Plants nutrients
• Macronutrient's: Oxygen, hydrogen and carbon
plant take it from the air and water.
• the primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), potassium (K)
• Secondary macronutrients: calcium (Ca), sulfur
(S), magnesium (Mg)
• Micronutrients/trace minerals: boron (B),
chlorine (Cl), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc
(Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni)
14
Advantages of hydroponics
• Small space.
• Fast growth.
• Very low water consumption, very high water
use efficiency.
• High yield.
• Clean and fresh plants.
• Plants has less chance for disease.
• Simple.
• Low cost.
15
Types of Hydroponics
The main Six Types of Hydroponic Systems:
• Drip System
• Ebb- Flow (Flood & Drain)
• N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)
• Water Culture
• Aeroponics
• Wick System
• Aquaponic
16
Wick System
http://www.simplyhydro.com/system.htm
17
‫ جرجير‬Hope made for water cress
18
Water Culture
19
Ebb & Flow - (Flood and Drain)
20
Drip System
22
N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique)
23
Aeroponic
25
Aeroponic
26
Aquaponics
A system of aquaculture in which

the waste produced by farmed fish
or other aquatic animals supplies
nutrients for plants grown
hydroponically, which in turn
purify the water.
27
Aquaponics
28
Aquaponics
29
http://theaquaponicsource.com/what-is-aquaponics/
NFT in pipes
30
What can be grown in hydroponics?
• Vegetables
– including tomatoes, cucumbers, fancy lettuces, bell peppers,
hot peppers, cherry, radish, water cress, mint, potato, basil,
bens, onions, okra and many more
– cut flowers e.g. roses, mums, carnations etc
– potted flowers e.g. geraniums, azalea, poinsettia, tulips, etc
• Fruits melon, banana, papaya, grapes, and strawberry
• Cereals
• Small to medium fruit trees: apples, lemon, pomegranates and
more
• Chose the type of hydroponic techniques depending on type of
crop.
31
32
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34
35
36
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38
From my home garden:
39
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49
NFT in pipes: Components (1)
1. Frame
2. Growing pipes
3. Water solution tank
4. Water pump
5. Timer
6. Connection pipes
7. Air pump and air stones
8. Growing cups
9. Soldering iron
50
NFT in pipes: Components (2)
9. Cartoon cups
10. Growing media
11. Nutrients solutions A and B
12. Measuring cup or tube
13.Strong adhesive tape
14. Fresh water
15. TDS meter
16. pH meter
17. Seeds
51
NFT in pipes: Components
The frame
• Function:
• Specifications/note
52
The growing pipes
• Function:
53
Water solution tank
• Function:
54
Water pump
• Function:
55
Electric power timer
• Function:
56
Connection pipes
• Function:
57
Air pump and air stones
• Function:
– Supply oxygen for roots
– Reduce fungi and algae
– Mix the water and reduce deposition
• Note
58
Growing cups
• Function:
59
• Function: Soldering iron
60
Cartoon cups
• Function:
61
Growing media
• Function:
62
Nutrients solutions A and B
63
• Mixing Hydroponic Juices.
• Plant nutrient is available from the hydro shop (hydroponics supplier). These concentrated
• nutrient solutions are diluted in water to make the hydro juice to feed the plants. Simple nutrient
• concentrates are easier and cheaper (from $8 for 750 ml.). But some of the nutrient chemicals
• precipitate out as flakes before use and are lost. Two part nutrient concentrates (from $20 for
• 2L.) don't have this problem. By separating nutrient chemicals they allow more nutrients to be
• added same amount of water.
• Mixing the two part hydro juice. Half fill the nutrient tank, mix the required amount of
• concentrate Part A in the water. Fill the tank and mix required amount of concentrate Part B.
• Check the instructions on the containers before buying or using either type of nutrient
• concentrate.
• List of the 16 elements all plants need to grow and concentrations in solution.
• NAME ELEMENT PPM
• Nitrogen N 96
• Phosphorous P 48
• Potassium K 246
• Calcium Ca 123
• Magnesium Mg 48
• Sulfate SO 412
• Iron Fe 3
• Manganese Mn 0.5
• Zinc Zn 0.08
• Copper Cu 0.06
• Boron B 0.5
• Molybdenum Mo 0.1
• The 16 elements in the table above are derived by plants from the atmosphere or from minerals in
• the soil, Dr. Alan Cooper proposed this formulation for his NFT hydroponic system, a typical nutrient
• solution.
• The table below contains the ingredients to be added to 1000 liters of water, in practice the solution
• is concentrated in to 2 parts, preventing loses from chemical reactions. Fill two 10 liter plastic bottles
• file:///D|/new/pages/mixing_hydroponic_juices.htm (1 of 2) [2/8/2004 8:56:01 PM]
• Mixing Hydroponic Juices
• with water mark that part "A" and part "B". Dissolve calcium nitrate and EDTA iron in part "A" and the
• rest of the ingredients in part "B".
• Concentrates are used by adding 100mls.(cc's.) of each part per 10 liters of water. The
•64 concentration of the final solution can be measured with a EC meter (electrical conductivity meter), this
• reads the conductivity of the nutrient solution.
• Solution.
• Nutrient Chemicals Weight in grams
• Potassium dihydrogen phosphate 263.00
• Potassium nitrate 583.00
• Calcium nitrate 1003.00
• Magnesium sulphate 513.00
• EDTA iron 79.00
• Manganous sulphate 6.10
• Boric acid 1.70
• Copper sulphate 0.39
• Ammonium molybdate 0.37
• Zinc sulphate 0.44
65
Measuring cup or tube
• Function:
66
Strong adhesive tape
• Function:
67
Fresh water
• Function:
– Less than 200 ppm
– pH 7.0
68
TDS meter
• Function:
69
pH meter
• Function:
70
Seeds
• Function:
71
NFT in pipes: Operation
• Why we need to check the pH number and
concentration?
– A recovery system (closed water system) can have
large shifts in the pH and nutrient strength levels that
require periodic checking and adjusting.
• Depend on crop you need to check the pH and
concentration range.
– ph 5.5-6.8 is good for most of the plants
– PPM is low for early stage and increase it as plants
grow. Need to check the range for each crop.
– I did 800-900 ppm and it was good for must of my
crops.
72
NFT in pipes: Troubleshooting
A. Water is over flowing from pipes
B. Pipes are dried out
C. Nutrients concentration is too high
D. Nutrients concentration is too low
E. Plants are temporary welting
F. Control pests
G. No air flow in the tank
73
A. Water is over flowing from pipes
• Possible cause:
– Growing pipes are clogged by roots
– Drainage pipes are clogged
• Solution:
– As of the cause
74
B. Pipes are dried out
• Possible cause:
– Water pump is not functioning
– Pipes are clogged by roots
– Feeding or the connection pipes are clogged
• Solution:
– As of the cause
75
C. Nutrients concentration is too high
• Possible cause:
– Nutrients overdose
– High evapotranspiration
• Solution:
– Add more fresh water
– May remove some of the solution and add more
fresh water to dilute it
76
D. Solution concentration is too low
• Possible cause:
– Water is added
– Forget to add nutrients
• Solution:
– Add more nutrients as needed
77
E. Plants are temporary welting
• Possible cause:
– Roots dry out
– Over heating
– Too much light
• Solution:
– As of the cause
78
F. No air flow in the tank
• Possible cause:
– Air pump is not functioning
– Air stone or air pipes are clogged
– Air pipes are ruptured
• Solution:
• As of the cause
79
G. Pests
• Possible cause:
– Place, aeration, humidity
• Solution:
– Pick and crash large insects
– Wash with water, keep the plants clean
– Home made insect trap
– Home made organic pesticide
• Garlic + very hot pepper + vinegar (diluted in water 1 to 5)
80
Home made insect trap
81
Dr. Salim b. Hamad Al-Mahruqi farm
• Area 4000 m2
• 6 green houses
– 2 Tomato, 1.2 ton kg/week
– 2 Sweet pepper (yellow and red)
– 2 Cucumber, average 1 ton/week
• Water desalination plant (22000 l/day)
• Grass greenhouse 36 m2, (Average 150
kg/day)
82
Dr. Salim b. Hamad Al-Mahruqi’s farm
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Acknowledgment
• Thank to “Al Sadeem Al-Akhdar” enterprise

and its owner Mr. Salim Al-Ghafri
• Thanks to Dr. Salim Al-Mahruqi
• Thanks to Ms. Marwa Al-Harthi
• Many thank for all ARU staff and assistants
86
Question and answers
‫وقت األسئلة واألجوبة‬
87
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

Presentation · April 2017

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Abdullah Al-Ghafri, PhD

Director, The Aflaj Research Unit

Purpose and Activities

• Preserving the Traditional Knowledge, Culture, and Heritage of the Aflaj

• Raising Public Awareness

• Documenting traditional knowledge in falaj construction

• Traditional knowledge of aflaj water management and institutions

• Aflaj Library and Database

Abdullah Al-Ghafri, PhD

Director, The Aflaj Research Unit

• Dr Abdullah is also serving as Assistant Professor at the Department of

• He is member of the Oman Encyclopedia Project Committee, member of

• Dr Abdullah get his PhD in Environmental Resources from Hokkaido

• Soilless culture goes back to the 17th century; the first

A system of aquaculture in which

• Thank to “Al Sadeem Al-Akhdar” enterprise

• Many thank for all ARU staff and assistants

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