Water Pumps for Hydroponic Irrigation

Water Pumps for Commercial Greenhouse Irrigation

At Integrated Water Process, we deliver the best irrigation pumping solutions for your commercial greenhouse or large-scale cannabis indoor grow. Our tailored pumping solutions are engineered and designed for a wide array of fluid transportation applications including fresh water supply, irrigation, recirculation, recovery, and chemical metering to meet the rigorous demands of commercial greenhouses and indoor grow facilities.

Different Pumping Systems and their Benefits

Reliable Freshwater Supply (FWS) Pumps

A reliable pump delivers a continuous freshwater supply that is crucial for commercial hydroponic grow systems, to ensure consistent water delivery to plants. Overall, employing two pumps in parallel for fresh water supply provides critical benefits to a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) greenhouse and indoor grower. The most critical benefit is the enhanced reliability and consistency of the water source to reduce any risk of a failure point in the system.

Dual pump sets also improve efficiency and range of flow in the management of the building’s water supply. With two pumps operating in parallel, maintenance and servicing can be performed on one pump while the other remains operational, minimizing disruptions to the critical water supply to ensure that maintenance activities can be scheduled without disruption to your operations.

Irrigation Water Supply (IWS) Pumps

Irrigation for hydroponic grow systems can come in several forms but ultimately a pump is there to ensure an even water distribution and delivery to your crop. A well-designed and quality irrigation water supply has the potential to optimize water delivered to your crop through the application of precision irrigation resulting in successful crops and positive business results.

With feedback from your crop, climate, or the growing substrate, it is possible to simultaneously improve plant health and yield while reducing fertilizer, additives, and water inputs and associated costs. Automated irrigation recipes, starting conditions, valves, and pumps can be easily controlled and adjusted, providing growers with precise control over the growing conditions for optimal plant growth and development.

Water Recirculation Pumps

Water recirculation pumps are typically used to prevent stagnation in reservoirs or piping systems. These types of pumps should be energy efficient and rated for continuous duty operation and easy to maintain.

  • Rated for continuous use
  • Reliable and consistent performance
  • Energy efficient
  • Durable and low maintenance
  • Robust and long-lasting

We incorporate these key features into your recirculation pump design to ensure optimal performance and longevity.

Water Recovery Pumps

Water recovery pumps come in many forms depending on the waste stream being recovered. However, typically a reliable recovery pumping system will have speed control capacity allowing for intermittent duty and variable fluctuations in waste streams.

  • Variable speed control
  • Intermittent usage capability
  • Durable and low maintenance

By implementing a customized recovery pumping system, you can effectively manage your waste stream while maximizing efficiency and minimizing environmental impact.

Chemical Metering Pumps

Chemical metering pumps have an array of essential features and benefits, including accuracy, adjustability, chemical compatibility, durability, control options, and safety mechanisms; making them an important aspect in precision fertilizer and additive dosing applications.

  • Accuracy in metering pumps leads to reliability, stability, and consistency required to produce a consistently great crop. Chemical metering in hydroponic grow systems enables precise control over nutrient concentrations, ensuring that plants receive the ideal balance of essential elements for optimal growth. The more accurate your metering, the more successful your crop.
  • Adjustability of your metering pump allows for control of what and how much is being metered into the respective water process. For example , pump-driven chemical metering allows you to easily adjust nutrient or additive levels based on plant growth stages, environmental conditions, and specific crop requirements, leading to more efficient and sustainable cultivation practices.
  • Control options in a metering pump should include both manually adjustable as well as a tunable automatic system to dynamically control the metered flow rates based on sensor feedback. Manual control, or “hand” operation mode, is straightforward and easy to understand, making it ideal for basic hydroponic applications or situations where automation is not required – Think set it and forget it. There are other controls and interfaces that enable precise adjustment of flow rates, allowing for accurate dosing of additives to meet your specific water system requirements.
  • Chemical compatibility in metering pumps ensures longevity, reliability, and durability. Chemical metering pumps constructed from materials that are compatible with the chemicals being pumped experience less wear and degradation over time resulting in extended pump life and reduced maintenance requirements, saving time and money for operators. Chemical incompatibility can even become dangerous as it will eventually lead to degradation and release of caustic and volatile water treatment additives.
  • Safety alarms should be thoughtfully placed, tested, and validated to provide early warning of system malfunctions when a system is acting outside of its operable bounds. By planning ahead and alerting operators to critical issues promptly, these systems serve to prevent costly downtime and crop disruptions.

Overall, chemical metering pumps play a crucial role in precise dosing applications like water treatment, fertilizer and additives.

Got a question about water pumps?

Contact us today to talk directly to one of our experts and discover how our long-term expertise can help you decide on the correct water pump for your controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility. Clicking the button below to schedule an appointment.

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Why choose the very best in hydroponic water pump technology?

High-quality hydroponic water pumps are integral to the success of commercial greenhouses and indoor cannabis cultivation, providing a range of benefits designed to optimize plant growth and operational efficiency.

The hydroponic pumping solutions that we specify for your application provide precise water and nutrient delivery, ensuring that each plant receives the resources it needs to thrive. This precision simultaneously improves plant health and yield while conserving water and nutrients, making your grow operation more cost-effective and sustainable.

By maintaining an optimal flow rate, our recommended pumping solutions prevent the stagnation of water, reducing the risk of root diseases and promoting the overall health of the hydroponic ecosystem.

We only recommend water pumps that are designed with energy efficiency in mind. Operating at lower power consumption levels without compromising on flow rate or pressure, they help reduce the overall energy costs associated with large-scale hydroponic operations.

Additionally, the versatility of our water pumping solutions means they can be integrated into virtually any hydroponic system setup, from deep water culture (DWC) to nutrient film technique (NFT), with adjustable flow rates and pressure settings to meet the specific needs of each setup.

Let’s talk about water pumps!

Contact our in-house engineering team to discuss your unique needs and discover how our expertise can benefit your CEA greenhouse or cannabis grow facility.

Book a free consultation by clicking the button below to schedule an appointment.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

What size water pump do I need for my commercial hydroponics system?

The size of the water pump needed for your commercial hydroponics system depends on several factors, including the number of plants, the type of hydroponics system being used (e.g., NFT, DWC, Ebb, and Flow), and the total volume of water that needs to be circulated. Calculating your system’s total water volume and consulting with pump sizing charts provided by manufacturers can help determine the appropriate size. If you need help to make these calculations, please contact us.

How do I maintain a hydroponics water pump?

Maintenance for a hydroponics water pump involves regular servicing to ensure it continues to operate efficiently. This includes disassembling the pump according to the manufacturer’s instructions to remove debris or buildup, checking the intake screen, seal condition, and ensuring the impeller moves freely. It is essential to regularly monitor a pump’s performance. Looking for leaks and listening for unusual noises serve as early warning indicators for inevitable problems. Regular maintenance schedules can vary depending on the model and usage but checking the pump monthly is a good practice. Learn more about our hydroponics system maintenance services.

Can I use any water pump for hydroponics, or must it be designed explicitly for hydroponics?

While any submersible or inline water pump can technically be used in a hydroponics setup, pumps specified for hydroponic applications are preferred and are often more durable and efficient. They may also have features tailored to hydroponic applications, such as rugged and capable of handling nutrient solutions or treated water without corrosion or damage.

What is the difference between submersible and inline water pumps for hydroponics?
  • Submersible water pumps like their name would suggest are designed to operate while fully submerged in water. This feature makes them ideal for applications where there is limited space and requires the pump to be placed directly into a reservoir. This is often the case with floor drain water collection systems.
  • Inline water pumps, on the other hand, are placed outside of the water reservoir and often require a penetration and piping system to pump the nutrient solution from the reservoir to the plants. Inline pumps are generally more serviceable and suitable for larger or more complex hydroponic systems that require water to be moved over greater distances or heights.
How do I calculate the flow rate and pressure my hydroponics system requires?

Calculating the flow rate in gallons per hour, (GPH) and pressure (measured in psi, pounds per square inch) required by your hydroponics system depends on the layout, size, and type of hydroponic system. Start by determining the flow rate of each required flow event. If the pump is to be continuously recirculating, then the flow rate should be enough to circulate the total system volume several times a day.

Once the required flow rates have been characterized, the pressure must be sufficient to deliver the water and nutrients to the highest and furthest points in your system. To ensure a pump is specified with the required supply pressure, it is important to understand the piping design and accounting for the fluid resistance of each plumbing component in the hydroponic system including water filters and instruments. Then, the pump can be selected by combining the flow events and respective flow rates along to estimate the required supply pressure, or pump head height (the vertical distance the water needs to be pumped).

Please contact us if we can help determine the correct pump specifications for your system.