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What the hell are we talking about? (part 2) |
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| Still not sure exactly what we're saying? Read part two to complete the alphabet of hydro-babble. Also see part 1 above. |
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Nutrient solution - in a solution solid molecules are mixed discretely with the molecules of a liquid solvent. Here the solid molecules are nutrient element molecules and the solvent is water.
Nano - One thousand, millionth (1,000,000,000) of something.
Necrosis - the dying of tissue, usually in reference to leaves where it shows as brown areas.
Nematodes - are microscopic parasites that are used as a natural predator to eliminate scarid fly, including fungus nat. Applied to the root zone in solution.
Node - a knob on root or branch, including the point at which leaves sprout from branches.
Ohm - a unit of electrical resistance between two points.
Organic gardening - organic growing involves using all natural ingredients and an actively biological root zone environment so the natural organic feeds can break down and release the nutrient elements for absorption by the plant.
Osmosis - the movement of a liquid (water or nutrient solution) through a semi-permeable membrane separating two liquid solutions of differing concentrations. There is, in these situations, a tendency for the solutions to equalize in concentration by passing water through the membrane. This in effect equalizes the pressure on each side of the membrane wall.
Overfeeding - When there is too much concentration of nutrient around the root zone, water will be sucked out of the plant through reverse osmosis across the root membrane (surface), in an attempt to water down the feed and even out the pressure on each side of the root membrane. The plant doesnt like having the water sucked out of it and in response will try and retain moisture by hooking and curling the leaf tips downwards.
Oxygen (O2) these Oxygen molecules are present in the air at about 21%.(Nitrogen 78% and Carbon Dioxide 3% are the other main constituents of air.) At 21C your nutrient solution can hold about 8% O2 (atmospheric oxygen),
Oxyplus (H2O2) this is an unstable solution in as much as when it comes into contact with other elements either in tap water or in a nutrient solution, one of the oxygen atoms beaks off the molecule H2O2 leaving H2O (water) and a spare O (oxygen) atom in the solution to help maximize oxygen content in the root zone.
Over transpiration when leaves are too hot or the lights are too close the leaves may over transpire, losing too much moisture though the leaves can cause colour loss and rusty spots on the effected leaves a week or two later.
Perlite small white granules about 3 to 5mm diameter. Comes in bags and can be used as a sole hydroponic medium or to mix with other media. Has good structure, air content and drainage.
Pests a general term which covers flies, insects, spiders, parasites.
Photo- period this is the amount of light hours a plant has in one cycle.
Photosynthesis in this process, light is used to combine carbon (C) and water (H2O) forming (CH2O) (theoretical carbohydrate), this leaves a spare O2 molecule for re-release back into the atmosphere. One of the simplest forms of carbohydrate is Glucose (C6H12O6) which as you can see is a little more complex than the theoretical molecule created above (CH2O).
Plantlet used to describe a small rooted seedling or cutting that has started to grow.
Propagator Used for rooting cutting, a small semi-sealed environment, usually with a plastic see through lid with vents. The light can come in while the lid enables moisture to be kept around the cuttings until they have some roots.
Pressure the force acting on a unit area of surface.
Pythium a fungal infection that causes root rot.
Quart a quarter of an American Gallon.
Re-circulating a term used to describe an enclosed hydroponic systems that use one main nutrient reservoir. The plants are fed from the main reservoir and the run off is also returned to the main reservoir.
Relative humidity the amount of invisible moisture vapour in the air relative to how much the air can carry. Expressed as a percentage, where at 100% the air is totally saturated and visible moisture droplets will form.
Relay an electrical device often used for timer protection with HID lights.
Reflection the return of all or part of a beam of light (or any electromagnetic wave or beam of particles) when it hits a boundary layer between two media, like air and aluminium.
Reflector for indoor gardening purposes reflectors are usually designed to meet three general criteria, spread, intensity and uniformity of intensity over the spread. Most reflectors designed for high intensity gardening are either open ended or well vented.
Replacement Light as opposed to supplementary lighting where you supplement daylight, replacement light means no natural light is used at all.
Reverse Osmosis a method of obtaining pure water by passing the water through a reverse osmotic membrane.
Rockwool an inert medium ideal for hydroponic gardening. Made from molten volcanic rock.
Root mass only the roots themselves.
Root zone the whole of the root environment.
Run off the amount of solution exiting the system, pot or slab after one irrigation cycle. Usually expressed as a percentage of the amount of solution entering the system, pot or slab.
Silicon an essential nutrient element, with generally enough in our water. Helps give rigidity to molecular structure, in practice extra silicon will build strong cell walls helping to reduce risk of rot or infection. Its difficult to use added Silicon in hard water as it will keep raising the pH of the nutrient solution.
Speed controllers generally used on input and extractor fans to control their speed. Please be aware speed controllers should not be used on acoustic fans. Lti fans and other in line or mixed flow fans should not be slowed to less than 60% of full speed.
Spider mite a tiny spider that lives on the underside of the leaf and is about the size of a tiny dot, you may have to look closely to see them. They are the main problem pest for the indoor gardener and must be deal with immediately before they get out of control.
Sodium in a sodium lamp a stream of electrons is passed between tungsten electrodes in a tube containing sodium vapour. The passage of the stream through the gas causes a luminous discharge. A small amount of neon facilitates starting the reaction.
Soft water This generally refers to water that is fairly free of any added elements like calcium bicarbonates that make water hard. This gives the water a low cf and low ph. Generally the ph of soft water would be between 5.6 and 7
Soft water feeds feeds designed for use in soft water. These feeds will generally work in any water, hard or soft.
Spectrum usually used in reference to light. The spectrum refers to a range of light energies arrayed in order of increasing or decreasing wavelengths, these different wavelengths are seen as different colours.
Stimulants there are many stimulants on the market and some in our catalogue. None of the stimulants like Top-max Bloom Stimulant, BCuzz Bloom and Root Stimulants contain any noticeable nutrient elements, but are all designed to improve you crop and contain other natural ingredients to use with your chosen nutrient.
Stock this is the genetic pool you draw from every crop, usually your mother plants. New stock refers to starting some new genetic stock from seed.
Supplementary Lighting this is when we use artificial lighting to supplement daylight, this could be in a greenhouse, conservatory or room with a skylight.
Stress Plants can suffer from stress too, especially when transplanting, changing light sources, in very demanding growing environments. Products with good vitamin complexes like Superthrive are very effective at relieving the stress and its symptoms.
Surfactant - (surface active agent) . A substance, like Wetting Agent, that when added to a liquid will increase its spreading and wetting capabilities by reducing the surface tension of the liquid.
Surface tension the property of a liquid to behave as though it had an elastic skin. This skin like effect is caused by inter molecular forces.
Temperature Celsius temperature scale uses the freezing and boiling point of water as two fixed points, then assigns the values 0 C and 100 C to these events and assumes a linear scale between these two points.
Tepid around 75 to 80C. Water at this temperature should feel a nice temperature to the touch, not cold and not warm.
Thermometer an instrument used for measuring the temperature of a substance.
Thermostat consists of a temperature sensing device and a switching device. Designed to control heating and cooling.
Tip burn sometimes the very tips of the leaves can lose their colour.
Timers Grasslin mechanical and digital timers will switch most equipment easily except for high output light systems where relays or contactors must be used to protect the timer from the large inductive current these lamps require on fire up.
Top-up systems These are usually gravity operated float valve systems which require no electric. More expensive electronic automated top-up systems are also available.
Transplanting moving the plant from one system to another, or from one cube or pot to another. Do this as gently as possible, and use stress relievers like Superthrive where possible.
Underfeeding symptoms include large leaves losing colour. The whole plant may lighten in colour with no associated leaf curl.
Universal hydroponic feeds these feeds are for mid range water, and arent recommended in very soft water as the feed will drop your pH to low.
UV sterilization water sterilizer treatment using ultra-violet light.
Ventilation this refers to circulation and exchange. It can be natural or forced.
Volt unit of electrical potential, or potential difference between two points.
Volume the space occupied by a body or mass, of liquid or gas.
Vertical at right angles to the horizon. Straight up and down.
Watt a unit of power, equal to one joule per second.
Webbing the webs left around leaves and flowers by spider mite.
Wetting agents these are surfactants that when applied to solutions reduce their surface tension. This enables better spread and absorption of foliar sprays, and wider drip zones in drip systems.
Wind burn - This is common and caused by blowing oscillating fans too heavily on the tops of leaves where there is a lot of light and heat. The fans can suck all the moisture out of the leaf causing the leaf tips and margins to curl up, die back from the tip, go a golden colour and go crispy.
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