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What Kind of Atomizers Do I Use With My Aeroponic System?

Aeroponics is a form of hydroponics that uses spray nozzles to deliver nutrient-enriched water instead of having the plant roots sitting in water, as in typical hydroponic systems. Within the aeroponics category, there are at different types of systems including the original aeroponics set up, nutrient film technique, deep-flow aeroponics and bubbler aeroponics. All of these aeroponic systems use spray nozzles as a device to deliver the nutrients.
  1. About Atomizers

    • Atomizers are used within many types of gardening setups, not just aeroponics. Atomizers are used with drip irrigation systems to give delicate plants a good watering without fear of damaging the plant. Basically, an atomizer is a device that is used to turn a liquid from a drop into a very fine spray. The size of the spray droplets varies according to the specifications of the atomizer.

    Droplet Size

    • When deciding on which atomizers to use within your system, one of the biggest concerns is the droplet size. The finer the size of the spray droplets, the easier the nutrient solution is able to penetrate a plant's root system. While this may lead you to immediately choose the smallest droplet size atomizer available, there are other considerations. The nutrient solution is the main factor. What is the particle size in your solution? If it is the same size or bigger than the atomizer opening, you can expect your system to be constantly clogged and your plants to be nutrient-deficient. The size of the nutrient particles should be located on the label; if not, contact the manufacturer and ask.

    Misting Area

    • Under the specifications about a particular atomizer, it will list a number of degrees. This is the misting area of that particular nozzle. Those that specify 360 degrees mist in a whole circle around the nozzle opening. One-hundred and eighty degrees will be a half-circle. For corners, a 90-degree nozzle is ideal. While hard to find and quite expensive, 45-degree nozzles are available as well. These are used if you want a very specific area to receive nutrients.

    Other Factors

    • Other factors to consider include the size of the adapter and operational PSI. If you find a nozzle that is perfect for your system but the adapter size is different from the size of the tubing in your system, fitting adapters are available that either enlarge or reduce the fitting on the nozzle. If they are of different sizes, you may end up spending more money because you will be purchasing two pieces instead of just one. The operational PSI is important so that your system receives the proper amount of water it needs to run. Within an aeroponics system, you can find out the operational PSI in the specifications of the pump you are using. If the PSI is lower than the recommended for the nozzle, the water flow will be considerably less; if it is higher, it may blow the nozzle off the tubing.