Water treatment for hydroponics and soilless farming
Hydroponic and soilless growers mix their nutrient solution from scratch, so the water underneath has to be low in salts and consistent. AFG manufactures the RO, filtration, boron removal and disinfection systems that deliver it, supplied by AFG Dubai in the UAE and GCC.
Well water and some network water carry more dissolved salts, sodium, chloride and boron than nutrient recipes allow. Every extra milligram in the source water takes room the grower would rather give to fertiliser, and a salinity that drifts makes the nutrient solution hard to control.
Reverse osmosis gives a low-TDS, repeatable base water. Drain water from substrate and NFT systems can be filtered, disinfected and returned to the mix, which saves both water and fertiliser. Each system is sized from your water analysis, daily demand and how much drain water you want to recover.
Problems we solve
High TDS and salinity
Salty source water limits nutrient dosing and leads to salt build-up in substrates.
Boron and specific ions
Boron, sodium and chloride above crop tolerance damage leaves and cut yield.
Pathogens in recirculated solution
Root diseases spread quickly when drain water is reused without disinfection.
Drain water discharge
Discarding drainage wastes water and fertiliser and has to meet local rules.
Which systems we use
Banana greenhouse RO and UF
Antalya, Türkiye · AgricultureFurther reading
Questions buyers ask
Why use RO water for hydroponics?
RO removes most dissolved salts, so the grower starts from a low-TDS, consistent base and builds the nutrient solution exactly to the recipe. That makes EC control easier, prevents salt build-up in the substrate and leaves room for the nutrients the crop actually needs.
Can RO water be blended with raw water?
Yes. Where the source water is only moderately saline, part of it can be blended with RO permeate to reach the target EC and keep useful minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The blend ratio is set from the water analysis and the crop's needs, and can be automated.
Can drain water be reused?
Often, yes. Drain water is filtered to remove particles and disinfected, for example with UV or ozone, to stop root diseases spreading, then returned to the nutrient mix. How much can be recycled depends on how quickly sodium and other ions build up, which the water analysis shows.
Do you have a greenhouse reference project?
AFG supplied an RO and ultrafiltration system with filtration for a banana greenhouse in Antalya, Türkiye, treating 36 m³/h, which is 864 m³/day. New systems are sized for each grower's own water and demand. The project is listed with the other references, drawn to one scale, on the projects page.
What information do you need for a quote?
A recent water analysis including EC or TDS, sodium, chloride and boron, the daily water demand or growing area, the crop, the growing system and whether you want to reuse drain water. Send these through the quote form and we will reply with the next steps for your site.
Ready to talk about your water?
Capacity and source water are enough to start. A full analysis lets our engineers choose the right membranes and pre-treatment.