Short answer: Test greenhouse water before finalizing irrigation, fertigation or hydroponic equipment. At minimum, the supplier needs a recent laboratory report covering salinity, pH, alkalinity, major ions, suspended solids and any local contamination risk. The treatment system should be selected from the crop, source water and whether drainage is discharged or recirculated.
Water affects filters, emitters, nutrient recipes, dosing equipment, pumps, channels, substrates and crop health. Two farms growing the same crop may need different treatment because one uses rainwater and the other uses a mineral-rich well. A supplier cannot responsibly confirm filters, acid dosing or reverse osmosis from the word borehole alone.
| Test group | Why buyers need it |
|---|---|
| pH and electrical conductivity | Provide a first view of acidity and total dissolved salts, but do not identify individual ions. |
| Alkalinity and bicarbonate | Influence acid demand and nutrient-solution pH stability. |
| Calcium and magnesium | Affect nutrient formulation, hardness, scaling and treatment decisions. |
| Sodium and chloride | Can accumulate in root zones or recirculating systems. |
| Iron and manganese | May create deposits, staining or emitter blockage after oxidation. |
| Suspended solids and turbidity | Influence settling, screen, disc, sand-media and flushing requirements. |
| Microbiological risk | May require review for recirculation, food safety or pathogen control. |
Record whether the water comes from a well, river, municipal supply, reservoir, rain collection or a mixture. Note seasonal changes, daily available volume, storage capacity and pump conditions. A single test from the wet season may not represent dry-season quality, so buyers should identify the worst expected source condition.
Screen, disc and sand-media filters remove different physical particles. They do not remove all dissolved salts. Acid dosing can manage alkalinity or scaling under controlled conditions but does not replace desalination. Reverse osmosis may be evaluated when dissolved salts are unsuitable, while ultraviolet, ozone, heat or chemical methods may be considered for disinfection. Final selection needs the laboratory report and operating plan.
Hydroponic systems require coordination between source water and nutrient formulation. The water contributes calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sodium and other ions before fertilizer is added. Recirculating systems also need monitoring of return solution, sanitation and accumulation. Ask who will provide the nutrient recipe and how it will be adjusted from laboratory and crop data.
Source type and recent laboratory report
Crop, growing system and target area
Peak daily irrigation requirement if available
Storage tank and raw-water pump information
Number of irrigation zones and required pressure
Discharge or recirculation plan
Local power supply and automation level
Required spare filters, membranes, lamps or dosing parts
No. EC shows overall conductivity but not which ions create it. A laboratory ion analysis is needed for a reliable decision.
No. A disc filter removes physical particles above its filtration rating; dissolved salts require a different treatment decision.
No. Reverse osmosis should be evaluated from source-water analysis, crop sensitivity, nutrient strategy, recovery rate, reject-water management and cost.
Use a representative current test and consider seasonal variation. Retest when the source or operating condition changes.
Review the greenhouse water-treatment system category and the commercial hydroponic system category.
Send the laboratory report, crop, area and water source through the contact page for a treatment and fertigation checklist.