what to do with hydroponics nutrient solution after it has been used?
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The tomato seeds were started in rockwool cubes. They’ll later be moved to the buckets.
Question by Nick: what to do with hydroponics nutrient solution after it has been used?
Just wondering what do i do with the existing hydroponics nutrient when i need to change the nutrient solution. I know for organic solution i can use it on garden plants and veggie patch, but what about the inorganic salt based nutrients?
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
3 Responses to what to do with hydroponics nutrient solution after it has been used?
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You can dump it where it can leach out into sandy soil. Do be careful to keep the solution out of streems, ponds, and rivers. This nitrogen rich fertilizer is ery bad for water systems. So do take care.
olderman
November 15, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Pour it on actively growing plants. Or in winter, pour it on the compost heap. Fertilizer salts aren’t really a bad thing. They occur in nature, and urine is nothing but extra fertilizer salts our bodies don’t need. (plus table salt- plants don’t like much sodium).
It is possible to burn plants with too much fertilizer, but your crops aren’t being burned by it, so I doubt it would harm grass. If in doubt, dilute it more.
The compost heap is a good place to put it because the humus in there will grab the salts, and hold them loosely until plant roots unlock them.
It won’t do any harm to the sewage system or a septic tank, and the amount of nutrients isn’t too big compared to your output of feces and urine. But the hydroponic nutrients are free of pathogens, so why burden the sewage system with them?
Mathew W
November 15, 2011 at 2:39 pm
I would suggest you dilute it down a bit with some plain water and then pump it out and use it on your outdoor plants. As long as you are not dumping it into the same spot every time you change nutrient solutions you should be ok. I run an outdoor hobby NFT system and occasionally I will clean out the nutrient tank by diluting what’s left in the tank and then pumping out over the grass. The grass loves it!
bob
November 15, 2011 at 3:10 pm