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Snap Hydroponics Guide

The document describes a Simple Nutrient Addition Program (SNAP) hydroponics system that does not require electricity or aeration. It uses covered containers that hold about 2 liters of water and SNAP fertilizer. Vegetables like lettuce, sweet pepper, cucumber, and celery can be successfully grown using this system. Trials showed vegetables performed better using SNAP culture than in fields. Economic analysis showed the system requires initial investment of about $66,925 for a 200 sqm area but returns a 51% profit with 10 croppings per year of lettuce averaging $50/kilo. The system prepares seedling plugs and culture pots to transplant seedlings and provide nutrient solution.

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Jun Coraza
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587 views2 pages

Snap Hydroponics Guide

The document describes a Simple Nutrient Addition Program (SNAP) hydroponics system that does not require electricity or aeration. It uses covered containers that hold about 2 liters of water and SNAP fertilizer. Vegetables like lettuce, sweet pepper, cucumber, and celery can be successfully grown using this system. Trials showed vegetables performed better using SNAP culture than in fields. Economic analysis showed the system requires initial investment of about $66,925 for a 200 sqm area but returns a 51% profit with 10 croppings per year of lettuce averaging $50/kilo. The system prepares seedling plugs and culture pots to transplant seedlings and provide nutrient solution.

Uploaded by

Jun Coraza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Practical F F T C Technology

Crops PT2004-08

SNAP hydroponics

ydroponics is an alternative system of growing plants without soil. Instead of soil, an inert media is used into which a nutrient solution containing essential elements is added for a plant's normal growth and development. Existing commercial hydroponics systems vary in terms of form, size, and type of materials. They need electric driven pumps for aeration and irrigation. During a power failure, these systems encounter water logging and consequently lead to the death of plants. Thus, a Simple Nutrient Addition Program (SNAP) (Fig. 1) was developed. This system does not require electricity or aeration, is low cost, and uses simple methods. The SNAP hydroponics system is appropriate in urban areas where soil or space for growing crops is

not adequate. It may be done in apartments or townhouses where small terraces can be used in growing crops for home consumption. The small space is easy to protect against rain and strong sunlight. The system requires covered containers or pots that can hold about 2 liters of water, SNAP fertilizer, and seeds of chosen heat-tolerant vegetables.

Adaptability
Vegetables like lettuce, sweet pepper, cucumber, and celery were successfully grown using the SNAP hydroponics system. The use of this system can improve household income and increase the per capita vegetable consumption.

Mature plant Styrofoam cup Lid air vent Seedling Nutrient solution level at seedling stage Lid Coco coir layer Garden net layer Plastic sheet lining Fig. 1. A SNAP hydroponics setup

Nutrient solution level from 3rd week onwards

Food and Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) 5F, 14 Wenchow St., Taipei 106, Taiwan ROC Tel.: (886 2) 2362 6239 Fax: (886 2) 2362 0478 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.fftc.agnet.org FFTC: An international information center for small-scale farmers in Asia

Cooperating agency for this topic: Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development Los Baos, Laguna, Philippines 4030 Fax: (63 49) 536-0016 E-mail: [email protected]

Effectiveness
In the trials conducted during the cold months on lettuce, the vegetables performed better in SNAP culture than in the field. Economic analysis of adopting SNAP hydroponics for commercial lettuce production in a 200 m2 area showed that it requires an initial investment of P66,925 and an annual production cost of P65,555.83 ($1=P56). Assuming ten croppings per year at the average lettuce price of P50/kilo, the return on investment will be 51%. The investment cost can be recovered in less than 2 years.

How it is done
Prepare materials like seedling plugs (Fig. 2) and culture pot. For seedling plugs, use 6 oz styrofoam cups with the center bottom (2.5-cm diameter) cut off. Place a

garden net in the cutoff portion of the cup. Place 1.5 cm thick coir dust and 1.5 cm sand at the bottom of the cup. For culture pots, use recycled styrofoam grape boxes (Fig. 3). Make holes big enough to hold the seedling plugs by their necks. Line the bottom with polyethylene plastic sheet (0.02 mm thick) to prevent the solution from leaking. Place the culture pots inside the greenhouse. Prepare the seedlings. Sow seeds in seed boxes. Transplant seedlings in seedling plugs 2 weeks after seedling emergence. Place in shallow trays with 1 cm nutrient solution. If root length grows from 1-2 cm, transfer to culture pots. The bottom of the seedling plugs should be submerged by about 1 cm in the culture pot. After two weeks, replenish the water with nutrient solution. Allow the nutrient solution to go below the bottom of the cups from 1-3 cm to enhance passive aeration.

Styrofoam cup Seedling

Coco coir dust layer Garden net Fig. 2. Seedling plug

Hole for holding seedling plug Polyethylene plastic lining

Styrofoam box lid or top Nutrient solution reservoir Styrofoam box bottom Fig. 3. Grape fruit styrofoam box used to hold seedling plug and nutrient solution

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