Why Hydroponics?

Prepared by Amy StoreyBright Agrotech, LLC

Population Growth

• The world population is growing fast! • Experts predict that by 2024, the

world population will reach 8 billion people.

• By 2040, the population will reach 9 billion!

Space Needs

• How are we going to increase agricultural output to feed all these people?

• We don’t have enough space to feed 8 billion people using current growing techniques.

• More space does not mean more surface area or land.

• Creative growers use vertical farming to grow crops on several levels.

Water Needs

• Water usage is also a top concern as population increases.

• Droughts and water rights issues can make it difficult for farmers to get water.

• Current irrigation techniques are highly wasteful. – Flood irrigation loses up to

50% of its water!

© Blue Legacy/Lauren McLaughlin, Flickr.com

What is the solution?

• People have been experimenting with alternative growing techniques.

• The Aztecs grew crops using chinampas, or floating gardens on lake Texcoco. – Nutrient-rich mud from the

bottom of the lake fertilized the plants. • The Chinese also harvested nutrients from water

organisms in their flooded rice paddies.

“Chinampas,” Wikipedia.org

What is Hydroponics?

• The modern art of hydroponics was born in Australia.

• Hydroponics is simply growing crops without using soil.

• There are three types of hydroponics systems.

What is Hydroponics?

• A raft system grows plants in some sort of raft with holes in it.

• Roots hang into the water, where they take up nutrients present in the water or solution. “Hydroponic Swiss chard

works really well in a floating raft. Bumper crop

at Papa Farmyard” by Gabriella Yazickr,

Flickr.com

What is Hydroponics?

• A grow bed system uses a shallow bin (“grow bed”) filled with a media other than soil.

• This media might be clay pellets, crushed rock, or expanded shale.

• Water is constantly run through the media by a pump.

“Sprout!” by Jesse Gerard, Flickr.com

What is Hydroponics?

• Vertical hydroponics is a more complicated design, but it allows farmers to grow in a previously unused space.

• Vertical growing can save both water and space.

Vertical aquaponic grow towers at

Bright Agrotech’s farm in Laramie, WY.

Vertical Growing Challenges

• Light extinction–When incoming light is

used by plants at the top of a vertical system, bottom crops don’t get enough light to grow.

Vertical Growing Challenges

• Difficult Maintenance– Systems with large

components can get bulky and heavy.

– Harvesting can be difficult and time-consuming.

– Difficult maintenance usually means high labor costs.

Vertical Growing Challenges

• Costs can be higher than revenue– A grower has to think about many costs

when building his system: labor, equipment, installation, water, electricity, rent, inputs…

– The system must work efficiently enough to minimize these costs.

Problem Solving

• After looking at all the challenges of vertical hydroponics, it's time to think critically about system design.

• We need a system that – allows light to get to the bottom crops – is light and easy to move around, and – has low costs.

• Do you have any ideas?