HNSA: Hydroponic Nutrient System Assistant

1) Rafi Aidan Aribawa Putra, SMAS IT Al Binaa Islamic Boarding School, Bekasi, Indonesia
2) Daffa Muhammad Rizki, SMAS IT Al Binaa Islamic Boarding School, Bekasi, Indonesia
3) Muhammad Najib Musyaffa, SMAS IT Al Binaa Islamic Boarding School, Bekasi, Indonesia

ABSTRACT
The growth of human population increases rapidly, accompanied by the
rise of vegetables demand. While the area of infertile land is getting wider,
farmers started moving to another way of agriculture called hydroponics.
Some farmers have difficulty regarding the right measurements of the
nutrients and the plant-friendly water quality. So, the researchers made a
device called HNSA (Hydroponic Nutrient System Assistant). HNSA uses
TDS meter sensor and the Gravity Analog pH Sensor Meter v1.1 measure
ppm and the pH of the solution contents in the hydroponics and converts it
into digital data. These data will be sent to NodeMCU microcontroller.
NodeMCU will show the amount of nutrients in ppm and pH on the I2C
LCD display and user’s smartphone apps called Blynk. The device uses
mini pumps controlled by NodeMCU so that user will be able to add
nutrients from their own smartphone remotely.
Keywords : Agriculture, Hydroponics, Nutrition, Device, Control
I.INTRODUCTION different method of planting their
I.1 PREFACE crops, that is hydroponics.
Praise and gratitude are Hydroponics is the practice of
dedicated to Allah SWT, The growing plants in a nutrient
Almighty God. Because of His solution with or without a soilless
grace, the researchers were able substrate to provide physical
to complete a scientific work support. The word hydroponics
entitled HNSA (Hydroponic comes from the root words “hydro,”
Nutrient System Assistant). This meaning water, and “ponos,”
scientific work was made to meaning labor, literally “working
improve the Hydroponics water.” The concept of hydroponics
cultivating method by using the existed thousands of years ago,
Internet of Things (IoT). The with the earliest examples of
researchers are aware of Hanging Gardens of Babylon and
shortcomings in this study and are the Floating Gardens of China.
open to any inputs and critics to However, modern hydroponic
improve this project. systems did not thrive until the
I.2 BACKGROUND advent of the greenhouse and
Farmers in Indonesia are running plastics industries. Since then,
out of fertile land to plant their scientists have developed many
crops, also the problem about the hydroponic systems for various
impact of the spread of intensive crops based on locally available
agriculture. It because the soil resources. Currently used
medium lost its fertility and loss of commercial hydroponic systems
natural organic matter in the soil. are the improved versions of these
Eventually overtime the crops will early systems.
facing a downgrade and soil In a broad sense, hydroponics
degradation. To resolve this can be divided into two types:
problem farmers are moving to a solution culture and soilless
medium culture. Soilless medium is no room for shortcoming such as
culture is sometimes not forgetting to add essential nutrients
considered as “true” hydroponics, to the water or even forgetting to
while solution culture is. Main water the plants.
types of solution culture include The provision of nutrients to
nutrient film technique (NFT), deep hydroponic plants is very important
water culture or floating raft for the survival and development of
culture, and aeroponics. Soilless plants. Nutrients must be given at
medium culture uses a solid the right time. Delay in providing
medium (also called substrate) to nutrition is one of the obstacles to
anchor plant roots while the plant growth, it can be caused by
nutrient solution is provided busy activities, lack of supervision
through sub or top irrigation. of nutrient content, or the laziness
Substrate and growing media are of hydroponic farmers to check
often used interchangeably. In this nutrient levels. Inaccurate dosing
book hereafter, the term substrate of nutrients also affects plant
is used. development in terms of color and
For plant factories, almost all taste.
production stages use solution I.3 PROBLEM FORMULATION
culture, while substrate is often 1. How does the device monitor
used in the propagation stage. nutrient saturated concentration
Plant factory is an emerging and and the stable pH in plants,
innovative system for plant especially in hydroponics?
production that commonly uses 2. Can the NodeMCU utilize
vertically stacked hydroponic water pumps as the nutrition
systems in an indoor controlled dispenser through Blynk mobile
environment. The basic knowledge application?
of hydroponics and the general I.4 PURPOSE
understanding of plant nutrition 1. To create a device that can do
and nutrient management for crop automatic nutrition-giving system,
production in plant factories are monitored and controlled through
derived from prior studies on Arduino and Blynk app using TDS
greenhouse and growth chamber and pH meter sensor.
hydroponics. That is, the basic 2. To utilize electromechanical
concept and principles are the machine and mobile application to
same: to provide essential help maintain the nutrition amount
nutrients, water, and oxygen to the I.5 AIM
root zone, and to create a uniform For the community, these devices
aerial growing environment to can easily monitor water quailty,
maximize plant growth and quality. detect and control the dose of
One of the benefits of nutrients that will be given to plants
hydroponics is high quality food for in their hydroponic systems
people, fresh food is easier to through the internet and mobile
produce for these who live in phone applications.
places where the soil isn’t ideal for For farmers, this tool can
growing plants and for the increase efficiency and production
downside. Hydroponic demands an capacity so that it can increase
undivided care for attention. There profits.
 Meanwhile, for scientific who is interested in creating
purposes, this device can enrich interactive objects or
scientific and environments. An Arduino
board can be purchased or
Technological innovation in accessed pre-assembled users
Agricultural regarding IoT, can adapt the boards
particularly in improving the according to their needs, as
hydroponic planting system. well as update and distribute
II. Basic Theory the versions
1. Hydroponic 4. NodeMCU
Hydroponic is
one of the
farming
techniques
where systems
only use water
without dirt or NodeMCU is a low-cost open-
we call it source IoT platform. It initially
soilless, it is one of the most included firmware that runs on
modern ways of agriculture the ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC from
2. Internet of Thing expressive systems and
The hardware that was based on
Internet of the ESP-12 module. This
Things (IoT) module also programmable
is an using Arduino Software
interrelated 5. Relay 2 Channels
system of The 8
computing devices, channels
mechanical, digital machines, relay
and objects that are provided module is
with unique identifiers and the an
ability to transfer data over a operating device based on
network without requiring electromagnetic principles
human-to-human or human-to- equipped with the ON/OFF
computer interaction. IoT can button. This closed and
also make use of artificial opened event of the contactor
intelligence (AI) and machine occurs because of magnetic
learning to aid in making data- induction arising from the
collecting processes easier electric induction coil. The
and more dynamic most basic difference between
3. Arduino a relay and a switch is when it
Arduino is is moved from the ON to the
an open- OFF position or vice versa, the
source relay will automatically transfer
electronics with an electric current, while
platform the switch did manually
designed to make electronics 6. Gravity : Analog TDS sensor
more accessible to everyone
 The TDS sensor probe in the form of a
(Total glass electrode with a
Dissolved measures the number of H30+
Solids) ions in solution.
sensor is a
sensor that 9. Water Pump
detects the content contained The water
in water samples. The pump
workings of the TDS sensor by pumps
using the working principle of water by
two separate electrodes to using an
measure the electrical
electromechanical machine
conductivity of the sample
used to increase the pressure
liquid. The unit for TDS is ppm
of water to flow the water
(parts per million).
through the hydroponic flow
7. DS18B20 Temperature sensor system.
The
10. Mini Water Pump
DS18B20
is a One The
Wire vertical

temperature sensor. This sensor submersible mini water pump

is capable of measuring is suitable for pumping small
temperature. The temperature amounts of water and its
measurement results will be used whole assembly can be
to help calibrate the TDS sensor submerged into the water
to produce more accurate nutrient
with a flow rate of about 80-
levels. The unit used in this
module is Celsius. 120 liters per hour.
11. LCD (Liquid Crystal
8. Gravity Analog pH sensor meter v 1.1 Display)
LCD
This pH
(Liquid
meter is a
Crystal
tool used
Display)
to
is one
measure
of the
the acid-
outputs
base level
that can be used to display
of a solution. It functions to
data as ordered. This LCD
determine the acidity or the
will be used as a display for
alkalinity of a solution, ranging
TDS data and temperature
from clean water, drinking
calculated via the Gravity
water, river water, waste water,
TDS and DS18B20 sensors.
hydroponic water and so on.
The main working principle of 12. Blynk App
the pH meter is located on the
 Blynk is components, namely blynk
software app, blynk server, and blynk
designed libraries. These three
for IoT components are important
projects. components to run the
Blynk can be program properly.
used as a controller or as a
data viewer for sensor results
controlled by a
microprocessor such as
Arduino, nodeMCU, etc.
Blynk has 3 important
III. METHOD
III.1. Time and Place
The study was conducted on November 2022 in SMA IT Al Binaa
Islamic Boarding School Jl. Raya Pebayuran, Kertasari, Kec.
Pebayuran, Kab. Bekasi, Jawa Barat 17710. Then continued on April
2023 in the same place.

III.2. Timeline
Planning - Starting to learn and think about titles.
- Time = 2 weeks.
Programming - Programming the tool sensors and NodeMCU.
- Time = 3 weeks.
Designing - Drawing design and designing the tool.
- Time = 1 week.
Testing - Test the tool sensor and record the data.
- Time = 1 week.
Analyzing - Analyze respondent’s opinions data for SUS analyze
problems or bugs in the tool and application
- Time = 2 weeks.

III.3. Flowchart
IV. Analyze Method Materials : Adaptor, Cable,
IV.1. SUS Table LCD 16 x 2, Jumper
The System Usability Scale Cable, Relay 4
(SUS) is a questionnaire to channels, Gravity
measure perceived usability. TDS sensor,
Invented by John Brooke in DS18B20 sensor,
1986 and was formerly used to NodeMCU
test office electronic systems. ESP8266, Gravity
IV.2. Black Box Analog pH sensor
The Black Box method is a meter v1.1
test of the functionality or
usability of an application. V.2. How It Works
Black Box trials are essential The device made in this
to finding bugs or problems project is expected to work well
with the tool or application. through the following steps:
V. DISCUSSION First, make sure the laptop or
V.1. Tools and Materials your mobile phone are turned
Tools : Laptop, Mobile on and connected to the
Phone, Wi-Fi internet.
connection, Second, make sure the TDS
soldering iron, sensor and the temperature
screwdriver, scissor, sensor (DS18B20) are
cutter, pliers. connected to the pins
accordingly.
Third, make sure that the
NodeMCU and Blynk are coded
correctly.
Fourth, make sure that the device
is plugged into the electricity
source safely.
Fifth, turn on the device when the 4. The module detects TDS
sensors are submerged in the in ppm, the pH of the
solution. solution, and thermal in
Finally, the device will operate units of celcius.
and work when the TDS sensor
and the thermal sensor detects
and calibrates the solution. When
the device detects that the ppm
levels are below the desired
number, the blynk app will inform
the ppm level, pH level, and the 5. The LCD displays the
temperature, then the pumps amount of the TDS and
could be manually turned on and thermal value.
pump out the amount of nutrition
needed until the ppm level reach
the desired levels (the pumps can
be activated through blynk or
could be manually turned on).
V.3. Module Simulation
1. Plug the module to the 6. The module sends the
electricity source. data to the cloud

2. Insert the gravity TDS

7. The amount of TDS and
sensor and the DS18B20
thermal displayed on the
sensor inside the water
dashboard and mobile
reservoir.
dashboard.

8. If the amount of
ppm below the desired
ppm, the user can add the
nutrient by turning on the
3. The module has been switch on the Blynk app.
activated
 9. Flowing nutrients into the
hydroponic system

NO RESONDENT Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10 AMNT SCR

1 Respondent 1 4 3 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 3 34 85
2 Respondent 2 3 3 3 2 4 4 3 4 2 2 30 75
3 Respondent 3 3 3 4 2 2 4 4 2 3 0 27 67,5
4 Respondent 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 27 67,5
5 Respondent 5 4 2 3 1 4 4 2 3 3 1 27 67,5
6 Respondent 6 4 2 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 1 34 85
7 Respondent 7 3 3 4 3 3 4 1 3 3 2 29 72,5
8 Respondent 8 4 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 28 70
9 Respondent 9 4 2 4 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 35 87,5
10 Respondent 10 4 2 4 2 3 2 4 3 3 0 27 67,5
TOTAL SCORE 745
AVERAGE SCORE 74,5
V.4. SUS Table

No Testing Test case Expected Results Result

1. Gravity TDS Can TDS sensor detect TDS meter can detect the ppm Valid
sensor the amount of electrical value of the nutrient solution.
conductivity in the
nutrient solution?
2. DS18B20 sensor Can DS18B20 sensor The DS18B20 can count the Valid
count the temperature temperature of the water to help
and help calibrate the calibrate the TDS meter.
TDS sensor to produce
more accurate nutrient
levels inside the water?
3. Gravity analog Can the pH sensor The pH sensor detects the pH Valid
pH sensor v1.1 detect the quality of the inside the solution.
water in pH?
4. Mini water pump Can the water pump, The water pump can pump the Valid
pump the nutrient into nutrient as much as the system’s
the system water tank? command.
5. LCD Can the LCD display The LCD can display the amount Valid
the amount of the ppm of the ppm value and the
value and the temperature of the water as same
temperature of the as amount of what the sensors
water? detect.
6. Blynk App Can Blynk app show Blynk can show the value of what Valid
the sensor value and the sensor get and interact the
interact? switch to the module.
V.5. Black Box

VI. CONCLUSION 2. NodeMCU is a smart device that

can be used in many projects,
1. The device can monitor the especially based on IoT. Blunk is
amount of ppm and pH inside the one of the softwares that can be
solution and control the amount of used to communicate the
nutrition given based on certain NodeMCU. As these programs and
value of ppm. These sensors device are codded correctly as
detects when nutrients are how the project works, the
dissolved in optimal doses or NodeMCU and Blynk can utilize
running low based on electrical the water pumps as the nutrition
conductivity of nutrient solution and dispenser.
converted into digital data. The
data sent to the microcontroller to VII. RECOMMENDATIONS
be processed with a series of
algorityhms then displayed to the 1. Add another pump to pump out the
user’s smartphone application via water solution if the solution is
the internet. Users can perform over-fertilized or wanting to have a
follow-up actions on the device water change.
based on the information displayed 2. Test this device on the hydroponic
in the application. system to see further resluts of the
device being put into the task.
3. Make the device automatically add Issues and Opportunities in a
the nutrient by itself without Smart Agriculture Perspective,
causing over-fertilization. 2019 University of Padova
https://www.frontiersin.org/
VIII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS articles/10.3389/
This endeavor would not have fpls.2019.00923/full
been possible without the support
from our parents so that we have
the enthusiasm to carry out this
project. We also be very thankful to 6. Hydroponic Problems in
our mentor, Mr.Ir. Rayis Syamlan Indonesia, 2022 Medan Area
who have accompanied us with University
this project. Lastly, we would like to https://pertanian.uma.ac.id/
mention our brothers, sisters, hidroponik/
friends, and respondents who
helped us in carrying out this 7. Pros and Cons of Hydroponics
project. https://
www.baywaterfarms.com/
IX. REFERENCES blog/pros-cons-hydroponics/
1. A Review on Hydroponics and 8. Robbins, Ocean 2021 Benefits
the Technologies Associated and Downsides of Hydroponics
for Medium- and Small-Scale https://foodrevolution.org/blog/
Operations, 2022 Instituto hydroponics/
Politécnico Nacional 9. Sanchez, Elsa, PhD. (2020)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077- Pennsylvania State University.
0472/12/5/646 Hydroponics Systems and
2. Blynk Principals, Diseases caused by
https://eprints.utdi.ac.id/ Nutrient Problems
4894/3/3_143310011_BAB https://extension.psu.edu/hydr
%20II.pdf oponics-systems-and-
3. Electronic Clinic, (2022) principles-of-plant-nutrition-
ESP8266 with TDS Sensor or essential-nutrients-function-
EC Sensor or Electrical deficiency-and-excess
Conductivity Sensor for Water 10. Soil: The Foundation of
Quality Monitoring Agriculture
https://www.youtube.com/watc https://www.nature.com/
h?v=8zO1mh2khCI/ scitable/knowledge/library/soil-
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esp8266-for-water-quality- 11. The importance of pH in
monitoring/ hydroponic nutrient solution
4. Guide for Relay Module https://
https:// www.researchgate.net.publicat
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guide-for-relay-module-with- 221928014_Nutrient_Solutions
arduino/ _for_Hydroponic_Systems
5. Hydroponic Solutions for 12. Hydroponic problems that
Soilless Production Systems: usually happens
https://pertanian.uma.ac.id/
kendala-budidaya-hidroponik-
yang-sering-dialami/