At Integrated Water Process, we provide custom hydroponic system design and drafting of water systems and solutions for commercial-sized hydroponic growers in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry.
We cater to progressive horticulturalists who choose to deploy advanced water technology when cultivating in a greenhouse or producing in a vertical farm. Our Design and Drafting services deliver drawings that are included in water programs and plans to guide your team through the intricacies of hydroponic water system development to help you achieve your agricultural and business goals.
Hydroponic Systems: Designed to Your Needs
During the planning phase we develop concepts and communicate the functionality and costs of varying systems after assessing your facility’s goals. Hydroponic grow systems are varied and intricate; therefore, our Total Water Management approach begins with a comprehensive analysis of your space, source water, crop selection, and budget.
We create water system designs that not only maximize yield with improved water quality but also focus on robustness, maintainability, ease of use, resource efficiency, and prevention of waterborne disease. From water systems that support Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), perfect for leafy greens, through to more complex Drip System precision irrigation or “crop steering” capabilities for cannabis cultivators, our designs cater to commercial growers who want to take control of their crop with their water systems.
Our designs are a blend of innovation and practicality, ensuring that every aspect of your grow system meets your specific demands while maintaining sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
Ready to grow? Let’s talk about designing and drafting your commercial hydroponic system.
Speak directly with one of our in-house experts and we’ll help you turn your plans into reality. Book a free consultation by clicking the button below to schedule an appointment.
Our team of expert drafters and engineers employ cutting-edge CAD design tools to create detailed drawings for planning or construction. These plans consider every aspect of your water infrastructure and hydroponic grow system, from spatial layout of water storage, to water treatment and nutrient delivery systems. Our meticulous attention to detail ensures a seamless transition from concept to reality, minimizing potential challenges, unknowns, delays, as well as mistakes during system installation and operation.
Incorporating Technology and Sustainability into your Hydroponic System
In an era where technology and sustainability are paramount, our water and hydroponic system designs integrate the latest advancements in CEA technology. We are committed to eco-friendly and cost-saving practices that contribute to more sustainable farming methods as well as cost reduction. This includes water-saving automation systems and techniques that you can trust to improve yield, reduce labor, to improve water management and water-use efficiency.
Why Partner with Integrated Water Process for your Hydroponic System Design?
Industry Expertise: With a deep understanding of the CEA and cannabis markets, we bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to every project.
Customized Solutions: Recognizing that no two operations are alike, we offer fully customized design and drafting services to bring your vision to life.
Ongoing Support and Consultation: Beyond design and implementation, we provide ongoing support and preventative maintenance, as well as advice to ensure the long-term success of your water and hydroponic systems.
The way we approach hydroponic system design and drafting is more than just a one-off service–we’re committed to building a partnership with you and your team to ensure your indoor grow operation is successful now and in the future.
Ready to grow? Let’s talk about designing and drafting your commercial hydroponic system.
Book a free consultation with one of our in-house hydroponic experts by clicking the button below to schedule an appointment.
What type of hydroponic system is ideal for indoor cannabis growers?
For indoor cannabis growers, the best hydroponic system often depends on the grower’s crop type, budget, production goals, experience level, and space available. However, Top Feed, Deep Water Culture (DWC), and Ebb and Flow systems are popular choices.
Top Feed: allows for precise control over the amount and frequency of nutrient solution delivered directly to the roots, ensuring optimal nutrient uptake for cannabis plants. As the nutrient solution is dripped onto the top of the medium, it can be delivered with precise control and enhanced oxygenation at the root zone, which is crucial for healthy cannabis growth.
DWC is favored for its simplicity and effectiveness. In this system, plants are suspended in nutrient-rich water, providing roots with constant access to nutrients and oxygen. DWC is also a good choice for beginners because it has low maintenance requirements.
Ebb and Flow, on the other hand, periodically floods the plant roots with nutrients before draining them back. This system offers greater control over nutrient and water exposure, making it ideal for growers looking to optimize their cannabis plants’ growth cycles and nutrient intake.
All systems can be customized for space efficiency and automated for consistent nutrient delivery. This makes them excellent choices for traditional horticulture and indoor cannabis cultivation.
How to design a large-scale cannabis hydroponic system?
Designing a large-scale cannabis hydroponic system requires careful planning and consideration of several key factors:
Defining Your Goals and Requirements: Determine the scale of your operation and establish goals for yield, quality, resource use, space, and efficiency. It is important to understand local regulations and compliance requirements.
Hydroponic Grow System Selection: Choose a hydroponic system that suits your scale, crop needs, and budget. Popular choices for cannabis include Top Feed or Drip Systems, Deep Water Culture (DWC) for its simplicity and Ebb and Flow for its versatility, cost, efficiency and control. The entire grow system includes growing media, cultivation methods, and plans for irrigation and runoff water.
Understanding Water Source Quality and Expected Demand: Each cultivation site has distinct water needs in terms of both quality and quantity. It is crucial to grasp these requirements early in the development phase through comprehensive water testing and analysis. The outcomes of these assessments can significantly influence the overall cost of setting up an effective irrigation infrastructure.
Water Treatment Requirements: The difference between the water quality you desire and the water quality of your site’s water sources determines your options for the water treatment process.
Nutrient and Water Management: We work to account for every drop of water your plan to use in your cultivation operation. We do this by mapping out the Process Flow Diagram (PFD) or a more detailed Process & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID) to aid in the planning of your next water project.
Automation and Monitoring: Technology should be deployed to make it easier for growers and operators to accomplish their production goals. For critical systems like water and nutrient delivery, this means correct nutrient levels, stable pH, and reliable systems that can be trusted. It also means monitoring tools for real-time tracking of nutrient levels, pH stability, and systems status.
Spatial Planning: Maximize your growing space while ensuring high space utilization for the crop and supporting systems. Water is stored thoughtfully and tanks and water storage tanks and equipment offsets maintained for future preventative maintenance and accessibility. This includes arranging water storage tanks, grow tables, and considering vertical farming and cultivation options if floor space is limited.
Each element above should align with your operational goals and comply with local regulations to ensure a successful greenhouse or legal cannabis hydroponic operation.
What main factors make a good hydroponic system?
Reliability: Above all else, your water management system needs to be reliable to ensure consistent business success. A water system consisting of pumps, valves, sensors, controls must be reliable to not only keep plants alive consistently, but thrive! Uptime is critical when your commercial crops are dependent on high quality water delivery.
Ease of Maintenance: It is important to think about the operation and maintenance of specified equipment to reduce future service requirements and associated labor to keep it running efficiently. To accomplish this, a system needs to be simple, straightforward to operate, with schematics and operations and maintenance plans.
High Water Quality is essential to ensure a healthy plant and ultimately, a high quality product:
Electroconductivity (EC) and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): Electrical Conductivity is a measure of the quantity of electrolytes or salts dissolved in solution and how well water conducts electricity due to salinity. There are many reasons why EC and TDS are important water quality parameters for hydroponic growers. Knowing the salinity of your water sources is a good start but managing your water’s salinity continues into fertigation and is especially important when water is recirculated or recovered.
Reduced Alkalinity (CACO3): Alkalinity is an important water quality parameter that heavily influences pH. It is also a measure of the hardness of water and what steps may be taken to get it into an acceptable range. When alkalinity levels are elevated in the source water, cultivators benefit from planning and implementing measures for its reduction which can be achieved through neutralization, demineralization, dilution, or some combination of these water processes.
High Dissolved Oxygen (DO): Oxygen is a vital component of the hydroponic system. The water circulated through the system is enriched with oxygen to help the plants develop vigorously.grow properly. Without this vital oxygen, the plants may effectively drown if their roots are exposed to an over-saturated substrate. Therefore, oxygen delivery to the rhizosphere is of paramount concern to any grower as it is a necessary element of any hydroponic system.
