Abstract

The purpose of this project is to help the farmers to have a better hydroponic system. Our
project will bring lots of benefits to farmers who practice hydroponic farming.
This project will help to improve the water usage in hydroponic farming. Water which
is used for watering the plants will be reused for a given period of time and changed at
regular intervals. This may prevent overwatering or under watering issues.
Plants will grow without having to face the irregular humidity. Interior humidity can
be controlled by a humidity sensor placed in the hydroponic vicinity. By doing this,
water consumption can be kept under control.
The hydroponic farm will be equipped with a well-designed ventilation to allow air
flow in and out regularly. Ventilation is very essential in supplying sufficient gases and
aiding in the absorption of water and nutrients.
Algal bloom is a major complication faced by most hydroponic farmers. This is almost
unavoidable. Therefore, our project has come up with this innovative idea to reduce
the growth of algae in the hydroponic. Light is blocked thoroughly from reaching the
surface of the roots or the nutrient reservoir. This measure will definitely help to
reduce the algal bloom and subsequently improving the efficiency of the hydroponics.
The basic hypothesis of this project is saving water usage as Malaysia is facing water crisis
during dry season. In addition, the algae growth prevents farmers from getting more crop and
healthy plants. This is due to the characteristics of algae which suck the nutrients in the water
that is supposed to be channeled to the plants for the algae to grow.
Our project will definitely help the farmers society to improve in their crop and their lives as
well. Besides giving benefits to the farmers, our project also offers a great advantage to the
public community.

Table of contents
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Introduction
Materials
Data and Observations
Discussions of Results
Conclusion
Future Expansions
Acknowledgement
Bibliography

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INTRODUCTION
Efficient Hydroponic System
The basic purpose of this project is to help the Malaysian farmers to have a better hydroponic
system. This project will help the farmers to grow crops efficiently as it helps to decrease the
growth of algae in this system. It also saves the water usage by reusing the water in a cycle.
Moreover,this hydroponic system is designed to have a better ventilation which leads the
plants to have good absorption of water and nutrients. As for this, healthy crops will be
produced in a larger quantity.
QUESTIONS
Can the farmers have a efficient hydroponic system without wastage of water?
OBJECTIVES
To reduce water usage and reuse the water in a cycle in hydroponic system
To prepare an efficient hydroponic system by preventing the algae growth
To have a better air ventilation for absorption of water and nutrients
HYPOTHESIS
The main hypothesis is to save water usage and to control the production of algae.

VARIABLES
Independent variable: intensity of light
Dependent variable: the production of algae
Controlled variable: amount of water

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Material

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Data and results

Days

Volume of nutrient solution in litres*

Before

After

5.2

5.2

4.4

4.4

3.5

3.5

2.7

*reused nutrient solution to be changed every four days

Days
1
2
3
4

Percentage of algae growth in the hydroponics(%)

With blockage of light
Without blockage of light
3
3
2.1
3.5
1.4
4.2
0.9
5

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Discussion of results
Based on the results above:
1. How are the nurients supplied to the plants in the hydroponics?
The nutrients solution is channelled to the hydroponics through piping system which is
incorporated with a timer to monitor the watering of plants from time to time.
Therefore, plant watering is automated and does not need any human aid.
2. How do we prevent algae growth in the hydroponics?
Light is the most essential part in algae growth. Without light, algae can never grow or
breed. So, light is blocked to its utmost from touching the roots of the plants in the
hydroponics to prevent algae growth.
3. Why is the nutrient solution changed every four days?
The nutrient solution is changed very four days because plants in the hydroponics
absorb the nutrients as the solution is passed through the system. Therefore, the
nutrients have to be maintained in the solution to provide a healthier environment to
the plants.
4. How is this project beneficial towards the farmers society?
Generally, farmers use a humongous space to fit all their crops through hydroponics.
This projects used a stack-up structure which can hold many plants per unit area.
Therefore, it helps them to reduce cost on building facilities and focus on developing
the hydroponics as well.

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CONCLUSION
The Efficient Hydroponic System is definitely a breakthrough in the world of hydroponics.
Our motive to help the farmers society is achieved. Water crisis faced by the country due to
the Elnino effect can also be averted.Through Efficient Hydroponics System, water is not
wasted by any means as nutrient medium is stored in the reservoir and reused to maximise the
optimal usage of nutrients for the plants. Our project is also highly affordable as the materials
and equipments used to build our project is generally cheap compared to the products in the
market.

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FUTURE EXPANSION
Efficient Hydroponic System definitely provides a brighter future for the entire world.
Therefore, to make our bigger, we would like to expand the usage of Efficient Hydroponic
System not only to the farmers but also to the public. Our project must reach in the hands of
people of the public who wishes to achieve their dream of setting their own hydroponic farm.
This step could help to open up the opportunity for the people to experience the world of
hydroponics from their houses. Statistics shows people would turn to rooftop farming instead
of traditional farming due to the land scarcity caused by the rapid development of the country.
Hydroponic serves the best solution to replace traditional farming. Effecient Hydroponic
System can save the space needed to set up a standard farming system. Taking that into
consideration, we would like to expose the Effecient Hydroponic System to the public by
reducing on production cost as well as designing a multifunctional hydroponic system.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thanks to Creator, whom with His willing giving me the opportunity to complete this project
which is title Efficient Hydroponic System. This project report was prepared for this Young
Inventors Challenge Firstly, I would like to express my deepest thanks to my teachers, as my
supervisor who had guided us. They also had given valuable information, suggestions and
guidance in the compilation and preparation this project report.

Deepest thanks and appreciation to our parents, family, and others

for their cooperation, encouragement, constructive suggestion and full of support for the
project and report completion, from the beginning till the end. Also thanks to all of our friend
and everyone, that have been contributed by supporting our work and help us during the
project progress till it is fully completed.

We would also like to thank the organisers of ASTI for giving us an opportunity to participate in
this Young Inventors Challenge which gave us a new experience on inventing an innovative
project.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Website:
1. Wallheimer, Brian (October 25, 2010). "Rice hulls a sustainable drainage option for
2.
3.
4.
5.

greenhouse growers". Purdue University. Retrieved August 30, 2012.

Understanding pH DutchMaster Hydroponics
HydroBuddy : An Open Source Multi-Platform Hydroponic Nutrient Calculator
HydroCal : A Java Hydroponic Nutrient Calculator
RR Kumar and JY Cho (2014) Reuse of hydroponic waste

6.
7.
8.
9.

solutionhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-014-3024-3
Understanding pH DutchMaster Hydroponics
HydroBuddy : An Open Source Multi-Platform Hydroponic Nutrient Calculator
HydroCal : A Java Hydroponic Nutrient Calculator
RR Kumar and JY Cho (2014) Reuse of hydroponic waste

solutionhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-014-3024-3
10. (2011). "Growstones ideal alternative to perlite, parboiled rice hulls". American
Society for Horticultural
Sciencehttp://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/12/14/growstones.ideal.alternative.perlit
e.parboiled

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SMK Dato Onn

Butterworth

Efficient Hydroponic System

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