Design and develop an IoT automated nutrient control in a hydroponic system

Abstract

Hydroponics farming is becoming increasingly popular due to its consistent ability to produce healthier plants in a controlled environment and nutrient solution. However, precise and frequent monitoring of the pH, temperature, and nutrient level is required in traditional hydroponic systems, which makes the labor monitoring process more complex and time-consuming. The aim of this study is to present the prototype of an automated nutrient control system that is applied in Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic systems. The control system combines different sensors to monitor pH and EC levels continuously with the assistance of an Arduino Uno R3 microcontroller to process real-time monitoring data to adjust nutrient ratios dynamically. Meanwhile, the observation of lighting duration on indoor plant growth was recorded to justify the usage of indoor lighting for growing commercial crops. In this study, we used Dwarf Bak Choy (Brassica rapa chinensis) to evaluate the effects of various nutrient solution concentrations and lighting on plant growth.