Many nutrient solutions are available for hydroponics i.e., Cooper formulation, Larsen formulation, Steiner formulation and Hoagland and Arnon Formulation. When you see all the nutrient formulation there will be a difference. What is the basis in these formulation and why these formulation are varying?
The nutrient demands for numerous crops have been formulated into specific hydroponic fertilizers. Unless you are starting from scratch, you can buy a concentrated complete fertilizer and apply it to the crop at between 600-1200 ppm depending on the crop. The concentration of the solution and the ratio of the different nutrients depend very much on the crop at hand, and literature will be available for major crops. For example, strawberries are given much more calcium and iron compared to lettuce. Crops that simply vegetate will have one fertilizer regimen with a lot of nitrogen, while fruiting or flowering crops will likely require added potassium and micronutrients. Please let me know if I can clarify anything further. Good luck!
Dear Craig and Joseph
Thank you so much for your useful answer. Complete fertilizer means how many nutrients will be there in that.. whether all the essential nutrients or limited number of nutrients? I agree rwith Joseph regarding the requirement of nutrient by different crops during different critical stages of crop growth. Kindly give the trade name of cropwise concentrated complete fertilizer which are avaialble in the market for hydroponics or soilless cultivation
If you do not want to prepare your own nutrient solution according to your needs you can find some web pages in internet where you can find nutrient solutions for hydroponics, for example http://americanhydroponics.com/
regards
If all the nutrients must be included depends if you have a substrate that add something to the solution. If you mean a pure hydrophonic system you have to add all the essential nutrients. If you mix them with tap water you will get enough Ni and Cl from the water so you don´t have to think about them. But to be on the safe side you should add. N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu, B, Mo, Zn and Mn. Find a recipe for your crop (e.g. look at references by Sonneveld et al.). When you add it the best way to make sure that you don´t add to much is to measure the EC of the solution. Most crops can handle an EC of 2 mS/cm and it will be sufficient for a relative good growth.
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