Grow Chamber Components
How each system keeps your plants thriving
Temperature Regulation Systems
Maintaining proper temperature for your plants is vital for maximizing yield. Offsetting the heat generated by the Grow Lights and maintaining proper day/night temperature swings are the primary goals. Most systems just exchange air with the room to control heat buildup — your Farm-Ed Garden actively cools or heats the system with a water-cooled radiator and its own heater. It has an Air Exchange/Circulation system that maintains consistent temperatures throughout the Garden, brings fresh air into the system at regular intervals, and purifies the air while eliminating odors. The active Cooling System finitely regulates the temperature inside the Garden, maximizing control and yields. The System AI measures the Garden's temperature and adjusts the system to maintain the Target Temperature from your Active Recipe. Finally, the Heater actively raises the temperature when needed to maintain Target temperatures (usually at night); it also runs at times when the system is adjusting Humidity.
Air Exchange
The Air Exchange/Circulation System maintains consistent temperatures throughout the Farm-Ed Garden, brings fresh air into the system at regular intervals, and purifies the air while eliminating odors from entering the outside air.
Heating
The Heater actively raises the temperature inside your Farm-Ed Garden when needed to maintain Target temperatures (usually at night). It also runs at times when the system is attempting to adjust Humidity. You can test your Heater directly from the Temperature System Details section on your Farm-Ed Garden's Control Panel.
Cooling
Your active Cooling System finitely regulates temperature inside the Farm-Ed Garden, maximizing control and yields. The System AI measures the Garden's temperature and adjusts the system to maintain the Target Temperature from your Active Recipe.
Water Regulation Systems
The System AI controls water quality and delivers perfect water to your plants at regular intervals — exactly what your plant needs, at exactly the right time. Your system uses “Flood & Drain” growing technology: the Irrigation Pump periodically irrigates (floods) the Grow Tray, delivering perfectly adjusted Nutrient Solution to your plant roots. When the pump stops and the water drains, needed oxygen is pulled into the roots. With this technology, roots stay healthier and better oxygenated than with any other growing system.
Grow Tray & Deck
Your Grow Tray and Grow Deck support plants and periodically irrigate, or “flood,” the plant roots. Nutrient-rich water is pumped into the Grow Tray by the Irrigation Pump and drains back into the Nutrient Reservoir via the Grow Tray Overflow and, once the pump shuts off, back through the Irrigation Pump to drain it fully. You can see these components through the Root View Port. It is important to keep the Grow Tray Overflow and Irrigation Pump Inlet clear of large masses of roots through periodic trimming.
Nutrient Reservoir
Your Nutrient Reservoir holds about 7.5 gallons of water to the Fill Line. The water is measured continuously for PPM and pH, and controlled to the current Target by your Active Recipe. Water from the Reservoir is periodically irrigated into the Grow Tray. You can see how much water is in your Reservoir (Low, Medium, High) on your Home screen or by looking through the Nutrient Reservoir Fill Cap. To prevent overfilling, do not add water to the Reservoir while the Grow Tray is flooding.
Irrigation Pump
Your Irrigation Pump is located inside your Nutrient Reservoir. It periodically irrigates the Grow Tray, delivering Nutrients to your plant roots. You can adjust the Pump Irrigation flood times in Advanced Settings. The water-level indicator is disabled while the pump is running. The Irrigation Pump stops running when the door is opened, except during “Test Mode.” You can test it directly from the Water System Details section on your Farm-Ed Garden's Control Panel.
Mixing Pump
Your Mixing Pump is inside the Nutrient Reservoir. It runs 24/7 to mix your Nutrients and to circulate your nutrient-rich solution through the Sensor Chamber for continuous monitoring of pH and PPM Targets. After passing through the Sensor Chamber, the solution is pumped through the Mixing Tube and back to the Reservoir via the Mixing Pump Outlet tube. The Mixing Pump also acts as a drain pump during a Water Change or when draining the Garden, and is disabled when the door is open, except during “System Check.” To drain using the Mixing Pump, follow the Drain Reservoir option from the Home Menu on your Control Panel.
Water Level Float & Temp Sensor
Your Water Level Float insets into the Nutrient Reservoir Cover and measures the level of water left in the Reservoir (Low, Medium, High). The float must be removed prior to removing your Nutrient Reservoir. Your Farm-Ed Garden also has a sensor that measures the temperature of the water inside the Reservoir — monitoring water temperature helps the AI balance pH levels and lets you see if there are any issues in the Reservoir that may need attention.
Light Systems
Your Grow Lights provide ideal spectrum and intensity for healthy plants and huge yields. The Lights On Period is the number of hours your Grow Lights are on per day — light hours can greatly impact plant growth, blooming cycles, and the shape and growth habits of the plant. Lights dim when the door is opened. From your Farm-Ed Garden's Control Panel you can customize the On or Off time of your Grow Lights, and troubleshoot the individual components.
Top Light
The 250 Watt Top Grow Light provides the most power for plant growth. It uses different LEDs with targeted spectrums to maximize plant growth in vegetative and blooming stages. It has a fan that reduces heat to the Grow Lights, extending their lifespan and intensity. The Top Grow Light turns off when the door is opened.
Side Lights
Studies show that Side Grow Lights dramatically increase plant health and yields compared to the Top Grow Light alone. Your Side Grow Lights include variable spectra to introduce different light wavelengths to plants in the vegetative and flowering areas of the plant. The Side Grow Lights dim when the door is opened.
Humidity Regulation Systems
Your Farm-Ed Garden has active humidifying and dehumidifying to finitely create the optimal environment for your plant. Humidity Targets are auto-set by your Garden. Humidity can take longer to adjust than other Targets, and in certain circumstances (extreme humidity or large, rapidly growing plants) may be more difficult to maintain at exact values. Controlling humidity helps with germination and disease control, and ideal humidity levels help move nutrients and water through plants.
Humidifier
The System AI measures the Garden's Humidity and adjusts the system to maintain the Target Humidity from your Active Recipe. Fill the Humidifier with water by removing the Diffuser and Humidifier Cover and pulling straight up on the Humidifier Reservoir, then reassemble. Your Garden will only need to raise Humidity levels in the early growth stages of your plant; after that, the plant supplies its own moisture to the system. You can test your Humidifier from the Humidity System Details section on your Control Panel.
Dehumidify / Exhaust
The system dehumidifies by blowing warm, moist air across the Radiator; water is removed from the air to lower the humidity, drained out of the Garden, and evaporated into the Evaporative Bin. As your plant grows, the system works to remove the moisture created by its respiration. The Exhaust Fan exchanges air with the outside environment at specified times (once or twice a day) and when the System AI determines it is needed to control Humidity. Both the Air Intake and the Exhaust Fan run air past the Carbon Filters; the Air Intake is passive, pulling air in when the Exhaust Fan runs. You can test the Exhaust Fan from the Humidity System Details section on your Control Panel.
Humidity Sensor & Evaporator
Your Humidity Sensor is located behind the Garden's Left Cover. The System AI measures the Humidity and then adjusts the Humidity Systems to maintain the Target Humidity indicated in your Active Recipe. Your Garden also has an Evaporator, located behind the Nutrient Reservoir, used to pull additional water created by the humidifier through a sponge material and out the back of the Garden to be absorbed by the air. The Evaporator sponge should be replaced every grow, or at least every six months.
pH Regulation Systems
Your system actively controls the pH in your Nutrient Reservoir to create the perfect water for your plant at each stage of growth. pH shows the relative acidity or base level of the Nutrient Solution. Targets are set in your Active Recipe.
pH Sensor
Your pH Sensor is located in your Sensor Chamber. It measures pH in your Nutrient Reservoir, and the System AI then uses the pH Solutions to maintain the Target pH from your Active Recipe. Your pH Sensor should be calibrated every four months — select the Calibration Routine from the Home Menu on your Farm-Ed Garden's Control Panel to calibrate it.
pH Up / Down Dosing
Your Farm-Ed Garden uses pH Up and pH Down to adjust your pH to maintain the Target pH level from your Active Recipe (we recommend General Hydroponics pH solutions). You can check the current level of the solutions in the Dosing Bottles — it is important to put the right Solution in the right Bottle to keep the system working correctly. The System AI measures the pH and slowly adds solution to increase or decrease pH toward the Target; the Dosing Pumps inject the proper amount of pH Up or pH Down into the system through the Mixing Tube. You can test each pump from the pH System Details section on your Control Panel.
Nutrient Regulation Systems
Your System AI automatically controls Nutrient levels (PPM) and Ratios to hit the Target set in your Active Recipe. PPM (Parts Per Million) is controlled by how much total Nutrient is added; the Ratio is controlled by how much of each Nutrient (Grow, Micro, and Bloom Garden) is added. Nutrient Ratios control the balance of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium) as well as micronutrients, to optimize growing conditions for your plant at each stage of growth. Target Ratios are set in your Active Recipe, and the System AI automatically doses to achieve the Target Ratio at the Target PPM.
PPM Sensor
Your PPM (Parts Per Million) Sensor is located in your Sensor Chamber. It measures PPM in your Nutrient Solution, and the System AI then uses the Nutrient Solutions to maintain the Target PPM at the correct Ratio (Grow, Micro, Bloom Garden) from your Active Recipe. Your PPM Sensor should be calibrated every four months — go to the Main Menu on your Control Panel and select ‘Calibrate Sensors,’ and it will walk you through the steps.
Nutrient Dosing (Grow/Micro/Bloom)
Your Farm-Ed Garden uses Nutrient Solutions (Grow, Micro, and Bloom Garden) to adjust your PPM and Nutrient Ratios to the Target levels from your Active Recipe (we recommend General Hydroponics Flora Series). Check the current level of the solutions in the Nutrient Bottles, and always put the right Solution in the right Bottle. The Dosing Pumps inject the proper amount of each through the Mixing Tube: if the Recipe targets a 3/2/1 ratio, the pumps deliver 3 parts Grow, 2 parts Micro, and 1 part Bloom to slowly adjust PPM to the Target. The system can adjust PPM UP to the Target but cannot bring it DOWN if it goes over — if your PPM is over Target, add fresh water to the Reservoir (do not overfill) to lower it.