Water treatment and nutrient reuse for hydroponics

Water treatment and nutrient reuse for hydroponics Water treatment is becoming an increasingly important component of commercial greenhouse production, particularly as growers work with variable water sources and increasingly precise hydroponic and fertigation systems. The technical characteristics of the water determine whether it is suitable for a particular production system," the Ikusasa team explains at NAMPO Cape 2026.

© Tinneke Hattingh | VerticalFarmDaily.com Hayden Gordon and Raymond Baker with Ikusasa at NAMPO Cape 2026, displaying their water purification machines Treatment from source to crop For greenhouse and hydroponic operations, water treatment can be integrated close to the source, allowing treated water to be distributed to where it is required. "Ultrafiltration units can be installed directly on a farm, close to the water source, but mobile equipment also allows growers to access the treatment as a service or rental." The mobile approach can be used to treat water from sources such as boreholes, rivers and dams, providing flexibility where water-treatment requirements change or where a permanent installation is not yet justified.

"Hydroponics requires greater control over the composition of the water because nutrients are deliberately added to the irrigation solution. At Waenhuiskrans, for example, the company measured electrical conductivity (EC) of approximately 9,000 µS/cm (9.0 mS/cm) in a borehole, compared with approximately 33,000 µS/cm (33.0 mS/cm) for seawater in the area.

Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?

Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.

What is the operator takeaway from this trial?

If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.

"Research conducted on systems that reflect what growers use has a more direct path into practice"

Source: VFD.com © AmplifiedAg Container layout built around trial flexibility UGA's requirements called for separating plant groups, controlling irrigation and nutrients, and keeping plants accessible, with flexibility for different types of trials, and that shaped the layout from the beginning. AmplifiedAg built the research containers with insect screening

Little Leaf Farms expands retail reach

Source: VFD.com The Massachusetts-based controlled-environment grower has expanded its McAdoo, PA, campus while preparing to open a new 20-acre greenhouse in Manchester, TN. The investments are designed to add production capacity while placing more lettuce production closer to the markets the company serves. The Manchester facility

"You're building a greenhouse to last 30 years, so you've got to look into the future and plan to increase efficiency"

Source: HD.com We take the seed, put it in a cloth bag, pack wet material around it, and put it in the refrigerator for 30 days to six months depending on the cultivar," he explains. We've been collecting data for 40 years, but it doesn'

From beefsteak tomatoes to tropical gardens

Source: VFD.com The packing line currently handles production from around 30 acres of beefsteak tomatoes, with capacity for 50 acres. The company is expanding its greenhouse area by another 11 acres, with South Essex Fabricating building the new structure. Full LED at JEM Farms The second stop was JEM