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FAQ
Frequently Asked questions
What is Hydroponics?
In general, hydroponics is a growing method in which the plant's growing medium contains no nutritional value.
Everything the plant needs to stay alive including nutrients, micro nutrients , trace elements, carbohydrates, sugars and vitamins
are all delivered to the plants through the roots via a nutrient rich solution.
Is Hydroponics a new technology?
The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt enjoyed fruits and vegetables grown hydroponically. One of the Seven Wonders of the World,
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, was probably a hydroponic garden. If hydroponics is a "new" technology, it is a new technology
in general use for thousands of years. Hydroponics is not new -- just different.
Is Hydroponics complicated?
As long as you follow product directions and keep to a few simple regular steps your plants will thrive.
Once you get used to the routine you will be amazed at how simple it really is.
What are the benefits of growing hydroponically?
Generally speaking, there is a more intensive production in a smaller space.
The key difference that the media contains absolutely no nutritional value for the plant.
It is merely to provide ideal textural conditions for roots.
1.Healthier plants,
2.Faster growing plants
3.More resistant plants as they will not become stressed though lack of water or nutrition.
4.There are no soil based diseases.
5.Growing seasons can be irrelevant.
6.You have full control over the plants growing conditions.
7.Hydroponics uses about one tenth of the water needed to grow the same amount of produce using traditional methods.
8.Hydroponics uses less fertilizer than used to grow equivalent amounts of traditionally grown produce.
Soil contains a minimal amount of primary secondary and trace elements. Enough for most plant life to sustain itself on all by itself.
In a hydroponics system, all these nutrients and trace elements are provided by water soluble nutrients added to water to make a
solution that is used to feed the plants several times daily.
What type of plants can be grown hydroponically?
Ideal choices for hydroponic cultivation are;
1.Tomatoes
2.Strawberries
3.Peppers,
4.Hot chillies
5.Lettuce
6.Cucumbers
7.Courgettes
8.Broccoli
9.Herbs
10.Flowers (all types, including Orchids)
11.House plants.
What does PPM mean?
PPM stands for parts per million you will find term PPM being used when you are introducing Carbon Dioxide into a grow room
to enhance the atmosphere for growing, also PPM will be used to determine the ratio of nutrients to water when creating a
nutrient solution to feed your plants.
What does TDS mean?
TDS is usually referenced for “total dissolved solids”.
Distilled water contains a very low TDS compared to tap water which contains minerals and chlorine.
What does EC mean?
EC stands for electrical conductivity, and is another way to measure the level of nutrients in your solution.
An EC meter applies an electrical voltage to the solution and reads the conductivity that is produced from the motion of mineral Ions.
What does PH have to do with hydroponics?
The ph will determine how acidic or alkaline your reservoir is. The ideal range for hydroponics is around 5.8. At 5.8 it allows for
maximum intake of all essential nutrients the plant needs. Too high of a PH and the plant cant take in the most important primary
nutrients, too low of a ph and the roots cant absorb the water properly, and will also affect key nutrient uptake.
What does HID mean and are HID lights efficient?
HID stands for High Intensity Discharge and is the way the light emits light. HID lights are very efficient compared to standard
house bulbs. For example one 1000 watt sodium bulb produces as much light as around 90 standard 100 watt incandescant bulbs.
What is the difference between High Pressure Sodium ans Metal Halide?
The difference between these two types of HID (High Intensity Discharge) lights is the colour spectrum that is emitted from each.
The High Pressure Sodium bulb emits light that is concentrated in the red to yellow side of the spectrum and is weak in the
blue-violet end. While the Metal Halide bulb emits light that is very balanced and contains all the energy peaks at wavelengths
of the visible spectrum. Visually the Sodium bulbs will appear very yellowy-orange and the Halide bulbs will appear more
bluey-white in colour.
Why do people use Metal Halide lights for vegetables and High Pressure Sodium lights for flowers?
Many people switch between bulbs for different stages of growth for a couple of reasons. First of all, Sodium bulbs have been
known to make some plants grow leggy and stretched out because of the yellow to red spectrum that they emit. Metal Halide
lights tend to keep these plants tighter with less space between internodes. So some growers use the Metal Halide lights during
vegetative growth to keep the structural growth of the plant nice and tight. But they switch to Sodium lights when the plants begin
to flower because the Sodium lights produce so much more light than the Halides.
Are Hydroponics only for growing indoors?
Hydroponics is as easy to use outdoors under the sun as it is indoors. The advantage to gardening indoors under grow lights is
that you, not Mother Nature, control the seasons. Making the growing season twelve months long. However replacing the sun
is a relatively expensive proposition.
Do Hydroponics produce super huge plants?
Getting a plant to grow to its full potential in common soil is difficult because of the hundreds of variables in the soil's make-up that
influence the plant and its growth. It is the ability to control these variables that makes hydroponics superior to conventional
gardening. You have full control over what the plant has available to it rather than guessing what the soil can provide.
Hydroponics produces superior plant growth, hence, superior yields. However, every seed, seedling and plant has a genetic limit
to grow at a certain rate, to yield a certain amount of crop and for that crop to taste a certain way. All of these characteristics are
controlled by the plants genetic make-up and there isn't anything anyone can do that will make the plant exceed its
natural, genetic limits.
Because of this the plants can do their best when grown Hydroponically.
Can I transfer plants from soil to an hydroponic system?
Absolutely! All you have to do is rinse the roots by gently dipping them in and out of water to remove as much soil as possible.
Care should be taken so the plant doesn't go into plant-shock as can sometimes happen. After the roots are thoroughly clear
of soil, the plant can be set into whatever medium is to be used and a watering regime can begin for about a week or so to aid
swift recovery from transplanting.
NDIR
Nondispersive infrared sensor
The main components are an infrared source (lamp), a sample chamber or light tube, a wavelength filter, and the infrared detector.
The gas is pumped (or diffuses) into the sample chamber, and gas concentration is measured electro-optically by its absorption
of a specific wavelength in the infrared (IR). The IR light is directed through the sample chamber towards the detector.
In parallel there is an other chamber with an enclosed reference gas, typically nitrogen. The detector has an optical filter in front
of it that eliminates all light except the wavelength that the selected gas molecules can absorb. Ideally other gas molecules do
not absorb light at this wavelength, and do not affect the amount of light reaching the detector.
An infrared gas analyser measures trace gases by determining the absorption of an emitted infrared light source through a
certain air sample. Trace gases found in the Earth's atmosphere get excited under specific wavelengths found in the infrared range.
The concept behind the technology can be understood when considering the greenhouse effect. When sunlight hits the Earth's
surface, the incoming short wave radiation gets turned into long wave infrared radiation that is reflected back into space.
If the planet has a thick atmosphere, much of this radiation is absorbed by the "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere which act as
an insulative blanket. The infrared gas analyser works using a similar principle.
Infrared gas analysers usually have two chambers, one is a reference chamber while the other chamber is a measurement chamber.
Infrared light is emitted from some type of source on one end of the chamber, passes through a series of chambers that contains
given quantities of the various gases in question.
- updated september 2012 -
Can Filter FAQ Section:
Do I need to replace the pre-filter?
It is a good idea to replace the pre-filter when they become dirty.
A dirty pre-filterincreases the pressure drop, which will decrease the air flow through the filter.
Can my filter be refilled?
Technically the filter can be re-filled, but itis not a good idea to self-fill the filters.
The reason for this, is that, Can-Filters has the equipment and facilities to provide a true packed bed filter.
This is not possible at home. The packed bed eliminates the possibility of preferred air channels through the filter, because
as we all know, air does not wait in line to go through a filter, it finds the path of least resistance.
What is the Maximum Temperature / Humidity I can run my filter at?
The maximum recommended temperature that you can run your filter at is 80 Degrees Centigrade, and as soon as you start rising
above 70% humidity, the water molecules in the air start to get stuck in the carbon pore structure and slowly diminish the
life of the filter.
How long does the filter last?
The life of a filter is determined by the concentration of the contaminant, the relative humidity and the volume of air being cleaned.
Unfortunately, there is no indicator light on the filter that tells you when it is ready to be replaced.
Typically 12 – 18 months is expected of the Original Can-Filter.
Can I push or pull through the filter?
You can both pull through the filter or push air through the filter. If you are going to push air through the filter it is
recommended to take off the outer pre-filter and place the pre filter prior to the air entering the carbon bed.
What is the warranty on the filters?
Filter products are warranted against defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase.
See terms and conditions of business.
Secret Jardin Light Level FAQ (specs.)
Secret Jardin Tents use use 5 levels, to describe the light proof of the tents, L1 being similar conditions than
full moon at night and L5 being 100% light proof.
We use 2 conditions for all the levels:
1) 600W HPS light inside / completely dark outside:
This condition is representative of what the customer will see when he observes his tent the night with
the HPS bulb inside switched on. This condition is very strict and allows showing all the light leakages.
2) Sun light outside:
These conditions are the indication of the darkness the tent can reach under the strictest condition of use (Sun light outside).
These conditions are more representative of the tent requirements in terms of Light Proof.
Table representative of the light proof requirements:
Level
Conditions
Criteria
L1
Sun Light Outside
Night with Full Moon Inside
L2
Sun Light Outside
Night without Moon Inside
L3
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
Less than 10 spots more than 0.1 mm2 per m2
L4
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
No spot more than 0.1 mm2 per m2
L5
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
No spot
Table representative of the light proof requirements:
Level
Conditions
Criteria
L1
Sun Light Outside
Night with Full Moon Inside
L2
Sun Light Outside
Night without Moon Inside
L3
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
Less than 10 spots more than 0.1 mm2 per m2
L4
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
No spot more than 0.1 mm2 per m2
L5
600W HPS Light inside / Dark Outside
No spot
Tent range at a glance
L1 - Dark Steeet II, Dark Room Twin, Dark Propagator and Dark Dryer
L2 - Dark Room I (Vintage), Dark Room II
L3 - INTense
