NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS

International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]

ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
SMART FERTIGATION SYSTEM FOR HYDROPONICS FARMING
MR.RAHUL NALWADE
M.E (Digital System), JSPM’s JSCOE Pune, India, rn.aryan2809@gmail.com

MR.TUSHAR MOTE
Assistant Professor, JSPM’s JSCOE, Pune, India. motetushar@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: needed. The greater part of the papers means the

Agriculture is the heart of India's monetary utilization of remote sensor organize which gathers the
action and our experience amid the most recent 70 information from various sorts of sensors and after that
years has shown the solid connection between rural send it to principle server utilizing remote convention for
development and financial riches. The present agriculture system. The collected information can be used
agricultural framework is a blend of extraordinary to decide irrigation, harvesting parameters of that plant.
accomplishments and missed open doors in India. In Observing natural parameters are insufficient and finishes
the event that India need to wind up plainly capable answer for enhance the yield of the harvests. Require
monetarily on the planet, our agrarian efficiency ought automation to make strides the yield of the harvests.
to be equivalent to those nations, which are right now In this particular paper our system does automation of
appraised as financial energy of the world. We require hydroponics farming for tomato plant completely. In
another and rising innovation which can enhance which, Automation of water supply along with nutrient
persistently the efficiency, productivity, nature of our solution, maintenance of tomato farm temperature &
significant cultivating frameworks. One such solution temperature at required level, maintenance of
innovation utilized as a part of India is the nursery nutrients pH level and EC (Electrical conductivity) at
innovation. In spite of the fact that it is hundreds of required level, automation providing sufficient light for
years old, it is new to India. proper tomato plant growth. Also it displays values of
In India, reliance on farming efficiency and different parameters like pH, Temperature, EC etc. on
geological conditions contribute majors to display panel and related info will be send to owner mobile
underdevelopment and destitution. These can be through GSM.
accomplished by option new and most recent
innovation of cultivating, for example, hydroponics. II. LITERATURE REVIEW:
The objective of this venture is to outline and develop Hydroponics by department of agriculture Sri-Lanka
a hydroponic framework which is completely proposes different methods of hydroponics farming for
programmed that can be coordinated into the different plant in which they have mention different
agricultural educational modules while presenting reliable operating conditions for tomato plant in
business aptitudes. hydroponics along with basic requirements of nutrient
KEYWORDS: Hydroponics farming; Non-circulating solution at different stages of growth. They have also
method; Soil-less culture. proposes How time to time pH and EC monitoring of
nutrient solution affect the growth of plant but that is to be
I. INTRODUCTION: done here in manual method. [1]
Agriculture is a very important piece of life for the Hydroponic Lettuce Handbook by Dr. Melissa
human species which is the fundamental necessary Brechner & Dr. A.J. Both propose hydroponic greenhouse
wellspring of sustenance grains what's more compare to production system was designed for small operations to
other fundamental materials required for human being. It provide local production of head lettuce as well as
plays vital role in the development of nation's economy, employment to the proprietors. Their research groups
modernization and improvement. It also acts as a very big have experimented with many forms of hydroponics but
option for business to the general population. have found this floating system to be the most robust and
Development in agriculture filed is fundamental for the forgiving of the available systems. Their system is built
improvement of financial state of the nation. Tragically, around consistent production 365 days of the year. Their
numerous farmers still utilize the conventional methods of system quires a high degree of environmental control
cultivating which brings about low yielding of harvests, including supplemental lighting and moveable shade to
natural products and money too. Be that as it may, provide a target amount of light which, in turn, results in a
wherever automation had been actualized and human predictable amount of daily growth. [2]
creatures had been supplanted via programmed Field Monitoring and Automation utilizing IOT in
apparatuses, the yield has been enhanced and less work Agriculture Area proposes the upsides of having
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 NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS
International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]
ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
Information and Correspondence Technology (ICT) in
Indian agrarian area, which demonstrates the way for
provincial ranchers to supplant a portion of the ordinary
systems. Observing modules are exhibited utilizing
different sensors for which the data sources are nourished
from Knowledge base. A model of the system is done
utilizing TI CC3200 Launchpad interconnected sensors Fig.1. Soil based culture
modules with other vital electronic devices. The Hydroponics offers chances to give ideal conditions for
framework conquers confinements of customary farming plant development and along these lines; higher yields can
strategies by using water asset productively and be acquired contrasted with open field farming.
furthermore diminishing work cost. [3] Hydroponics or soil less culture offers methods for control
In our paper how one can do automation of Tomato over soil-borne maladies and nuisances, which is
plant hydroponics farming is explain completely. In which, particularly alluring in the tropics where the life cycles of
Automation of water supply, maintenance of farms these living beings proceeds continuous thus does the
temperature at required level, maintenance of nutrients danger of invasion.
pH level and EC (Electrical conductivity) of nutrient In this way the expensive and tedious undertakings of
solution at required level, provide required light for farm soil cleansing, soil improvement, and so on can be
along with displaying all required parameter value on maintained a strategic distance from with hydroponics
display panel and related info will be send to owners arrangement of development. It offers a perfect working
mobile through sms. condition and in this way enlisting work is simple.

III. HYDROPONICS: 3.2 WHAT IS HYDROPONICS?

3.1 WHY HYDROPONICS? Hydroponics or soil-less culture is an innovation for
Soil is generally the most accessible developing medium developing plants in supplement arrangements that
and plants ordinarily develop in it. It gives dock, supply every supplement component required for ideal
supplements, air, water, and so forth for fruitful plant plant development with or without the utilization of an
development. Change of a soil another developing medium latent medium, for example, rock, vermiculite, shake fleece,
has a tendency to be costly. Notwithstanding, soils do peat greenery, saw tidy, coir clean, coconut fiber, and so
posture genuine constraints for plant development, at on to give mechanical support.
times. Nearness of sickness bringing on life forms and
nematodes, inadmissible soil response, ominous soil
compaction, poor seepage, debasement because of
disintegration, and so forth are some of them.
Further, ceaseless development of harvests has brought
about poor soil fruitfulness, which thus has diminished the
open doors for normal soil ripeness develops by
organisms. This circumstance has prompted poor yield and
Fig.2. Hydroponics/Soil less culture (KVK, Baramati)
quality. Also, traditional yield developing in soil (Open
Initially, the creation framework is disconnected from
Field Agriculture) is troublesome as it includes expansive
the dirt. Planting happens at a helpful stature, where soil
space, parcel of work and extensive volume of water.
contamination has no effect. It takes into account
Furthermore, in a few spots like metropolitan regions, soil
vegetables to be delivered "without land" and in little
is most certainly not accessible for yield developing.
physical spaces.
Another significant issue experienced since generally is the
trouble to contract work for ordinary open field
3.3 BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF TOMATO HYDROPONICS:
agriculture.
i. An answer upkeep of corrosiveness or alkalinity (pH)
Hydroponics or soil-less culture is an arrangement of
and electrical conductivity (EC) in reasonable reaches for
developing plants which decreases a portion of the
plant root framework.
previously mentioned issues experienced in ordinary
ii. Water
harvest development.
iii. The supplement arrangement or the manure blend
utilized must contain all smaller scale and large scale
components important for plant

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 NOVATEUR PUBLICATIONS
International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]
ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
iv. The temperature and air circulation of the developing strategy is modest to build and needs little
supplement arrangement is appropriate for plant root upkeep. Essentially, this procedure does not require costly
framework. things, for example, power, water pump, channels, and so
Table 1. BASIC NEED OF TOMATO HYDROPONICS FARMING on. For root edits be that as it may, a dormant medium
must be utilized.
pH requirement 5.8-6.5
Temperature requirement 20-30 degree Celsius
Light requirements 14-16 hours per day
EC requirement 1.5-2.5 dS/m

3.4 SOLUTION REGARDING PROBLEM FLUCTUATION IN

PH & EC RANGE OF NUTRIENT SOLUTION:
At the point when pH strays outside the perfect. It can be
brought down by including weaken centralizations of Fig.4. Concept, real photograph of Hydroponics farm
phosphoric or nitric acids and rose by including a weaken
centralization of potassium hydroxide. V. SYSTEM DESIGN AND REALIZATION:
At the point when plants take up supplements and
water from the arrangement, the aggregate salt focus, i.e.,
the EC of the arrangement changes. On the off chance that
the EC is higher than the prescribed range, new water must
be added to diminish it. In the event that it is lower, add
supplements to raise it.
Hydroponics frameworks are additionally arranged as
open (i.e., once the supplement arrangement is conveyed
to the plant roots, it is not reused) or shut (i.e., surplus
arrangement is recuperated, renewed and reused). Current
hydroponics frameworks of development can be ordered
by the strategies utilized. A hydroponic strategy alludes to
the technique for applying supplement answer for the Fig.5. Architecture of the system
plant roots.
It consists of Arduino Uno board, Solar Panel, Battery,
IV. METHODOLOGY USED FOR HYDROPONICS: Temperature sensor, LDR, Water level sensor, pH level
4.1 NON CIRCULATING METHOD: sensor for nutrients, EC(Electrical conductivity) sensor for
The supplement arrangement is not coursed but rather nutrients solution, LED strip, LCD display, Fan for cooling,
utilized just once. At the point when its supplement focus Motor for water & nutrients, GSM, Alarm & LED indications
abatements or pH or EC transforms, it is supplanted. shown in Fig.5.
As in hydroponics farming, Plants are grows in soil-less
culture means only water along with nutrients in PVC pipe
environment. So it is a very important thing to maintain
water level along with maintaining pH level and EC of
nutrient solution. For sensing water level in PVC pipe
which is to be maintain in such a way that roots of plant
goes under water. When level of water not maintains as
Fig.3. Non Circulating method prescribe motor used to pump water inside PVC pipe.
4.1.1 ROOT DIPPING TECHNIQUE: The optimum pH range for hydroponic nutrient solution
In this method, plants are developed in little pots loaded is between 5.8 and 6.5 maintain using pH level sensor and
with small developing medium. The pots are put such that The ideal Ec range for hydroponics is between 1.5 and 2.5
bring down 2 – 3 cm of the pots is submerged in the dS/m maintain by EC sensor if values are not in prescribe
supplement arrangement shown in Fig.4. A few roots are range then nutrient solution along with water added to
dunked in the arrangement while others linger palpably maintain that. In some cases complete water nutrient
over the answer for supplement and air assimilation, solutions are need to be replaced.
separately. This method is simple and can be created Temperature to be maintained healthy for plant by
utilizing effortlessly accessible materials. This 'low tech' sensing temperature using sensor and cooling fan. LDR
used to detect low light case for plant and maintaining
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International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]
ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
healthy light condition for plant using LED strip. Solar here.
panel to convert solar energy to electrical energy in  Fan for cooling: When the temperature of Farm goes
battery. above required level sense by temperature sensor
LCD display to display information about Temperature, then Fan turns on for cooling under control of
Water level, pH level & EC level of nutrients. Alarm & LED Arduino.12V DC fan used here.
used for indication. Each & every information regarding  Motor for Water and nutrients supply: When
hydroponics farming to Owners mobile via GSM. water/nutrient solution level in PVC pipe goes below
required level and also when EC level of nutrient
5.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS: solution goes below or above required range then
 Arduino Uno: Arduino Uno Atmega 328 motor on to supply water and nutrients to plants
microcontroller used here which is nothing but the under control of Arduino.12V DC operated pump used
heart of system which collects sensor output data; here for water and nutrients supply. 12V operated
process it and controlling functionality of system with relay used here for isolation and switching.
6 analog input pins and 14 digital input pins with TX,  GSM: Used to send message to owner of farm
RX included. regarding pH value, EC value, Temperature and
 Temperature sensor: To sense the temperature of unusual condition alerts.SIM800 GSM module used
water & farm temperature sensors are used. After here for communication.
sensing temperature data given to Arduino.LM35 used  Solar Panel: System use Renewable source of energy
here as an Air temperature sensor and DS18B20 Water for power supply requirements. Solar panel used here
temperature sensor shown in Fig.8.b). is 10W.
 LDR: Light dependent resistor used here to sense light  Battery: 12V DC, 7.5A battery used here for storing DC
intensity of farm and gives out respective data to power supply.
Arduino. This is a very small light sensor. A photocell TABLE 2. HARDWARE SPECIFICATION
changes (also called a photo detector, CdS or pH sensor range 1-14
photoconductive cell) resistance depending on the Temperature sensor LM35 -55 – +150 degree Celsius
amount of light it is exposed to. These little sensors Temperature sensor-
make great ambient light triggers (when light in the waterproof(DS18B20) -55 – +125 degree Celsius
room turns on, does something).Light resistance: ~1k measurement range
Ohm. Dark resistance: ~10k Ohm Operating voltage 3.3 – 12 volts
 Water/Nutrient solution level sensor: Used to sense Quad band
GSM module
the level of water/nutrient solution inside PVC pipe 850/900/1800/1900MHz

and gives out respective data to Arduino. For sensing

water level in PVC pipe which is to be maintain in such 5.2 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS:
a way that roots of plant goes under water. Float  1.6.8, an Arduino programming environment is used
sensor used which detect required level of for writing code in the Arduino programming
water/nutrient solution. language to instruct the Arduino, writes embedded c
 pH sensor: Used to sense the pH level of nutrient code, compile and execute them.
solution inside PVC pipe and gives out respective data  Proteus 8.1 used here for circuit simulation and
to Arduino shown in Fig. 8.a). The optimum pH range results verification.
for hydroponic nutrient solution is between 5.8 and  Eagle 5.7 used here for PCB layout preparation.
6.5 maintain using pH level sensor.pH sensor have
range of 3 to 10. 5.3 ADVANTAGES OF SYSTEM:
 EC sensor: Electrical conductivity sensor used to sense  Limitations of conventional manual method
EC of nutrient solution inside PVC pipe and gives out Hydroponics farming are solved using automation of
respective data to Arduino. The ideal Ec range for hydroponics farm.
hydroponics is between 1.5 and 2.5 dS/m maintain by  pH and EC of nutrient maintain here using this
EC sensor. system.
 LCD: To display pH level, Temperature of farm and  Need not to be go to farm and measure pH & EC
water, EC level of nutrient solution LCD display is  Measurement of pH and EC does automatically and
used.16x2 LCD display used here. inform to Farm owner about values through GSM.
 LED strip: When light inside farm goes below required  If pH & EC are not in required range then maintain
level sense by LDR in that case LED strip turns on automatically in required range by adding fresh
under control of Arduino.12V operated LED strip used water or nutrient solution.
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International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]
ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
 If temperatures of farm and solution rise above range owner about happenings of hydroponics farm. In this way
that can be maintain using cooling Fan so limitation proposed system has many advantages over conventional
of manual hydroponics of yield decrease solved. manual hydroponics.
 Energy input problem solve using Solar panel
technology. ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
 Aeration problem solved by using oxygen pump. We sincerely thankful to all teaching staff as well as ME
 In winter season and rainy season problem of low students for their kind support. We thankful to E&TC HOD
light is there that can be also solved using LED strip. Dr.D.B.Salunke, Principal Dr.M.G.Jadhav and campus
director of JSPM’s JSCOE, for providing us all necessary
5.4 LIMITATIONS OF SYSTEM: facilities.
 Higher initial capital expenditure.
REFERENCES:
VI. RESULTS AND MEASUREMENTS: 1) Ministry of Agriculture, “Hydroponics,” Department of
I got favorable results regarding my hydroponics Agriculture, Sri-Lanka.
farming which are shown below. This shows display of 2) Dr. Melissa Brechner, Dr. A.J. Both, “Hydroponic Lettuce
farms parameters and also shows result on owners mobile Handbook”, Cornell Controlled Environment
through SMS using GSM module. Agriculture (CEA).
Fig.6. shows actual system of Hydroponics farming in 3) Mohanraj I, Kirthika Ashokumar, Naren J, “Field
which Arduino Uno, pH sensor, Temperature sensors, Monitoring and Automation using IOT in Agriculture
LDR,EC sensor, Pump, Stirrer, Fan, LED strip etc. Domain,” ScienceDirect,6th international conference
on advances in computing & communications, ICACC
2016, 6-8 September 2016, Cochin, India.
4) Nikesh Gondchawar, Prof. Dr. R. S. Kawitkar, “IoT
based Smart Farm,” IJARCCE, Vol. 5, Issue 6, June 2016.
5) Hirofumi Ibayash, Yukimasa Kaneda, Jungo Imahara,
Naoki Oishi, Masahiro Kuroda and Hiroshi Mineno “A
Reliable Wireless Control System for Tomato
Hydroponics“, MDPI, Basel, Switzerland, 5 May 2016
6) Nicholas A. Heredia “Design, Construction and
Evaluation Of A Vertical Hydroponic Tower”, Bio
Fig.6. Actual system of Hydroponics Farming
Resource and Agricultural Engineering, Department,
Fig.7. shows result of system on LCD display panel
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
regarding control system and conditions; it also sends sms
Obispo, 2014.
of operating conditions using GSM on owners mobile
7) RR Kumar and JY Cho, “Reuse of Hydroponic waste
solution”, Environ Sci Pollut Res (2014),
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-
014-3024-3,2014
8) M.F. Saaid, N.A.M. Yahya, M.Z.H. Noor, M.S.A. Megat Ali
“A Development of an Automatic Microcontroller System
for Deep Water Culture (DWC)” IEEE 9th International
Colloquium on Signal Processing and its Applications,
8 - 10 Mac. 2013,
Fig.7. Result on LCD display & mobile 9) L. A. Velázquez, M. A. Hernández, M. León R. B.
Dominguez, J. M. Gutiérrez “ First Advances on the
VII. CONCLUSION: Development of a Hydroponic System for Cherry Tomato
Automation of Tomato Hydroponic farming done to Culture” 10th International Conference on Electrical
have many advantages for healthy growth of plants which Engineering, Computing Science and Automatic
leads to increase in yield of farm with proper amount of Control (CCE) Mexico City, Mexico. September 30-
nutrient, light, water and in healthy temperature October 4, 2013.
conditions. That can be done here using Arduino based 10) Mamta D. Sardare, Shraddha V. Admane “A Review On
automation of water and nutrient solution with proper Plant Without Soil – Hydroponics”, IJRET, Mar-2013.
management of temperature. It also shows indicators and
alarm system in unusual conditions. Also inform to farm

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International Journal of Research Publications in Engineering and Technology [IJRPET]
ISSN: 2454-7875
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 6, Jun.-2017
11) Cheryl Kaiser, Matt Ernst, “Hydroponic Lettuce”,
University Of Kentucky College Of Agriculture, Food
and Environment, Dec 2012.
12) Yang Chenzhong, Huang Yinchuan, Zheng Weihong,
“Research of hydroponics nutrient solution control
technology”, 5" World Congress on Intelligent Control
and Automation, Vol.1, June 15-19, 2004.

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