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most growers frustrated since they cannot eliminate
mere pests.
An effective solution to resistance and super
bugs is to regularly change and rotate various control
options, especially when dealing with insect pests
and disease outbreaks. It is also advisable to involve
some environmental control options like traps and
resistant cultivars, integrated pest management and
biological pest control.
Algae Growth
Every hydroponic gardener uses plant nutrients
and water. Unfortunately, once you have light, water
and nutrients in one place, you’ll eventually have
algae development and growth. This is a common
hydroponic gardening problem since algae usually
attract fungus gnats. The fungus gnat damages plant
roots that can eventually destroy the garden.
To avoid and prevent algae growth, limit the
exposure of nutrient solutions to the hydroponic
system as much as possible. Make sure the nutrient
reservoirs are made from an opaque or dark material
to avoid light penetration. It should have a lid, and
the holes made on the tank’s cap should be smaller
when compared to the hydroponic pump hose and
water return pipe.
Leaking
High-pressure hydroponic systems are more
likely to leak when compared to the low-pressure
systems. Leakages within the hydroponic system
24
are another common problem. The most frequent
source of leakages found in a hydroponic system is
drip or spray emitters and stab fittings flipping out
of the correct position. Root growth may also cause
leaks in a regularly flowing hydroponic system and
can result in water backing up and spilling out, es-
pecially when there isn’t enough area in the tubes.
In fact, during the periods of power failure, nutrient
solutions normally drain from the system and flow
back to the reservoir. This can lead to high-pressure
pumps that are not tightly connected, blowing off its
exhaust hose.
Many of the leak problems can be prevented by
using a hydroponic system that is designed around
a low-pressure pump. Furthermore, you can prevent
leaks by using a large nutrient reservoir, which is
capable of holding all the water in the hydroponic
system. Using large pipes that handle the water flow
in the system even after substantial root growth can
also prevent leak problems.
Invisible Pests
Some insect pests are easy to spot and elimi-
nate. However, some of them are tiny and difficult
to see, and their damages and presence are often
overlooked. These pests include mites which can be
difficult to spot. Look for tiny orange dots, specifi-
cally on the underside of the leaves. Mites can also
produce leaf silvering or bronzing, dullness to the
leaf and webbing on the foliage underside. If left
unchecked, a severe mite infestation can destroy
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
August 2017