Automated pH Controller System for Hydroponic

Cultivation
Saaid, M.F., Sanuddin, A., Megat Ali, M.S.A. I.M Yassin
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Shah Alam, Malaysia
[email protected]
Abstract Hydroponics is a technique to grow the plant
without using the soil. This technique ensures the plant gets all
nutrients needed from the water solution. There are many types
of hydroponics technique. The Deep Water Culture (DWC) is one
of the hydroponics technique types. DWC is a technique that
grows the plant by supplying the nutrient direct to the root of the
plant until the plant can be harvested. By using this technique,
the plant root will be always submerged into the water that
contains nutrient and oxygen. However, this technique manually
controlled the pH water, which can give bad effect to growing of
plant. In this research, the pH level in water solution will be
automatically maintained by microcontroller and measured by
sensor. Next, the period of pH level started to change and the
effects of pH adjuster solution to the water solution are
determined. Lastly, this research also focuses on the ability of the
system can adjust the pH value in water solution for DWC. The
water solution from the DWC container is transferred to the
main tank to measure the pH level by sensor and make
adjustment if needed and then transfer back to the deep water
culture container to continue growing the plant. There are six
stages in methodology for this project, which are details of study,
hardware identification, software identification, hardware and
software interfacing, analysis and troubleshooting, data and
result collection. The result from the experiment test showed that
the system able to decrease the pH level by 0.58 pH and increase
the pH level by 1.15 pH.
Index Terms Hydroponic, pH level, Arduino microcontroller,
Deep Water Culture

I. INTRODUCTION
Hydroponics is a technique to cultivate the plant without
using soil as a growth medium [1]. This technique supplies the
nutrient needed by plant through the water solution. There are
many types of hydroponics technique such as deep water
culture, aeroponic system, drip system, EBB and flow (food
and drink) system, N.F.T (nutrient film technique) and wick
system [2]. Deep water culture (DWC) is one of the
hydroponic system techniques that prepare the nutrient in water
solution into the plant [3]. This technique will ensure the root
of plant will absorb the nutrient in water solution to grow
wisely [4]. By using this technique, there are several
environmental factors that should be considered such as
oxygenation, salinity, pH and conductivity of nutrient solution,
light intensity temperature, photoperiod and air humidity [5].

978-1-4799-8969-0/15/$31.00 2015 IEEE

There are two variables must be considered when growing the

plant in nutrient solution, which is electrical conductivity (EC),
potential of hydrogen ion (pH) [6].
Based on S. Nakoaka and A. Yamada in their research, they
state the changing of pH level will affect to the photosynthetic
activity of plants, due to CO2 is readily soluble in water and
decreases the pH [7]. The maximal growth of plant can be
achieved by increasing it capacity [8]. Since the pH value can
give effect to the photosynthetic activity of plant, the pH level
in water solution should be controlled to avoid the plant will be
damaged. However, the DWC technique is not equipped with
an automatic system that able to maintain the pH level in water
solution, and the user need to adjust the pH level in water
solution manually [9]. Therefore, this research was conducted
to design a system that could maintain the pH level in water
solution for DWC system, which could decrease and increase
the pH level in water solution automatically. In order to make
the system operate automatically, a microcontroller that can
control the operation is required in this system. There are many
types of microcontroller can be used in this project such as PIC
controller, PLC controller and Arduino microcontroller [10,
11].
However, this project uses the Arduino mega 2560
microcontroller to control all of operation systems and to make
the system automatically operate. This type was chosen
because it used the low-power supply (7-12V DC) and used the
simple C++ programming language to program it [12, 13]. This
system also was equipped with the sensor to measure the pH
level in water solution and transferred the compatible signal to
microcontroller to process and provided an output signal to the
actuator (valve) to drop the pH adjuster solution if required.
This system can provide benefits to the production
development for being more accurate, better control, high
safety and reduce of manpower.

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II. SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS

The pH level in water solution to the deep water culture is
should be maintained to ensure the plant grows wisely. In this
research, the mustard green was taken as a plant sample. The
suitable range pH level for mustard green is 6.0 to 7.5 [14].
The nutrient is supplied to the plant by mixture the water
solution with fertilizer before started to grow the plant. After
that, the suitable of pH value of the plant must be set up first by
using a keypad button that connected with the Arduino Mega
2560 microcontroller. Once, the pH level was entered the
system will automatically make a comparison between pH
level value in water solution with range of suitable pH level
value. The pH level in water solution in the main, tank is
measured by sensor (Atlas sensor brand), and the sensor
provided an output signal then send to the microcontroller to
make comparison and analysis. If the pH level value in water
solution higher than pH level value, the microcontroller would
send the signal to DC servo motor to drop the pH down to
decrease the pH level value in water solution so that the pH
level value in water solution within range of suitable pH level
value for plant and vice versa.
Next, the system will transfer the water solution that
contains pH level value that appropriate for plant to the
container hydroponics to start growing the plant if the pH level
in water solution in range of suitable pH level for plant. The dc
pump is used to transfer the water solution to the hydroponics
container to start growing the plant. After a certain period, the
water solution in container hydroponics would be transferred to
the main tank to check and measure the pH level in water
solution back. This is because according to the experiment
conducted, the pH level in water solution would change to
exact value after a certain period. Figure 1 below shows the
block diagram of an automated pH controller system for DWC.

Fig. 2. Automated pH controller system

This system was used two tanks, which were main tank and
hydroponics tank. The position of the hydroponics tank was
placed above the main tank so that the water solution in the
hydroponics tank could be easier to transfer back into the main
tank for the rechecking the pH level in water solution after a
certain period. By this way, to transfer the water solution into
the main tank can be done by solenoid valve. It made the cost
of the project can be reduced. To stand the pH adjuster
dropper and stirrer, the PVC pipes were used.
III. EXPERIMENTAL TEST
In order to ensure the project operates based on the theory
and ideas the experimental test step must be applied. In this
step, there are several experiments are conducted to find the
relationship between manipulated variable and control variable.
Besides that, the experimental also is important in case to find
the behavior of operation or discovering the something
unknown that can give influence to the operation and the result.
In this project, there are three experiments are conducted:
A. Measurement of an amount of pH down and pH up are
dropped by the actuator..
This experiment was conducted to obtain the amount of pH
down and pH up dropped by the actuator when the number of
rotation of a servo motor increase. The reading amount of pH
down and pH up was taken until the number of rotation of
servo motor achieved five rotations.

Fig. 1. Block diagram of an automated pH controller system

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Day

Fig. 3. Amount of pH down and pH up are dropped by the actuator.

Figure 3 shows relationship between numbers of rotation of

servo motor and amount of pH adjuster dropped (pH Up and
Down solution). The reading of an amount of pH adjuster
dropped by the actuator was taken until the rotation of motor
equal five. From the graph, the minimum amount of pH
adjuster could be dropped by the actuator was 2.6ml for one
rotation of motor. Based on the figure 3 above the amount of
pH adjuster (pH Up and Down solution) can be changed by
adjusting the number of rotation of motor. These data were
important in order to find the suitable amount of increment or
decrement of pH value when the pH adjuster dropped into
water solution. These data have been used as a reference in
case to find the suitable number rotation of motor to drop the
pH adjuster.
B. Measurement of changing on pH value in the main tank
with two different pH sensor
The purpose of this experiment was to find a relationship
between pH value in water solution that contained of 500ml
nutrient vary with time. This experiment gave the data that
required to finding the period of pH value began to vary. This
experiment was tested for 10 litters of water solution in the
main tank.
TABLE I. MEASUREMENT OF PH VALUE IN 10 LITTERS OF WATER
SOLUTION USING ATLAS SENSOR AND PH-0091 PEN TYPE SENSOR.
Day

pH Value
ATLAS sensor

pH-0091 Pen type

sensor

Different

7.44

7.74

0.30

6.88

7.40

0.52

6.70

7.41

0.71

6.80

7.28

0.48

6.84

7.45

0.61

6.89

7.42

0.53

6.86

7.45

0.59

pH Value
ATLAS sensor

pH-0091 Pen type

sensor

Different

6.86

7.53

0.67

6.73

7.41

0.68

10

6.95

7.48

0.53

11

6.85

7.45

0.60

12

6.81

7.50

0.69

13

6.82

7.62

0.80

14

6.87

7.72

0.85

15

6.88

7.82

0.94

16

6.92

8.05

1.13

17

6.81

7.91

1.10

18

6.67

7.30

0.63

19

6.39

6.59

0.20

20

6.02

6.29

0.27

21

6.03

6.31

0.28

22

6.05

6.35

0.30

Average

0.59

This experiment was conducted for 10 litters water

solution in main tank and mixture with 500ml fertilizer. The
measurements were taken by two different sensor, which using
ATLAS sensor and ATC sensor in order to compare accuracy
of ATLAS sensor. The pH-0091 Pentype PH meter is a sensor
that has 0.2 pH value. As shown in table I there was a slightly
different measurement between ATLAS sensor and ATC
sensor. Based on the Table I, the ATLAS sensor has average
error factor +0.59 respect to pH-0091 pen type PH sensor. The
data was recorded and forward to be as a reference when
growing the plant. From the result of this experiment, the
increasing in time is decreased the pH level in water solution.
The changing of pH value in water solution started to have
dramatically changed at day 16th. This was because the
fertilizer starts to give a response to the water solution and
influence the pH level in water solution. The chemical of
fertilizer caused the pH level in water solution has dramatically
been changing. Therefore, the pH level in water solution must
be controlled or adjusted before day 16th.
C. Measurement of changing on pH value in a main tank
effected from pH down and pH up solution.
This experiment was conducted to find the changing of pH
value in a main tank when the 2.6ml of pH down and pH up are
applied. In this experiment, 10 litters of pure water were put
into the main tank. A pH value in the first reading was
recorded after 10 minutes. Stir the solution with a stick stirrer
and after ten minutes the value of pH condition in the main
tank was recorded. The reading of pH value in the main, tank
was continued recorded after four hours and eight hours. The
experiment was started by dropped a 2.6 ml of pH down/pH up

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solution first into the main tank. The measurements of pH

value were measured for five days.
TABLE II. MEASUREMENT OF PH VALUE BY APPLIED PH UP SOLUTION.

Day

pH
up
(ml)

pH value
(ATLAS Sensor)
Before

After

7.44

8.58

Differ
ent

pH value (pH0091 Pen type

sensor)

Differ
ent

Before

After

1.14

7.77

9.02

1.25

ATLAS sensor has average error factor +0.59 respect to pH0091 pen type pH meter. The increasing in time is decreasing
the pH level in water solution. The changing of pH value in
water solution started to have dramatically changed at day
16th. In this experiment, the average of changes in pH for
applied pH up solution is approximately to 1.15 and the
average of changes in pH for applied pH down solution is
approximately to 0.58 pH. The both of a result showed the
different between before and after were not constant for every
measurement.

2.6

2.6

7.44

8.68

1.24

7.70

9.35

1.65

IV. CONCLUSION

2.6

7.49

8.34

0.85

7.69

9.25

1.56

2.6

7.46

8.78

1.32

7.68

9.39

1.71

2.6

7.45

8.65

1.20

7.73

9.46

1.73

Average

1.58

In conclusion, development of an automatic pH level

controller system for deep water cultivation (DWC) technique
using Arduino Mega 2560 as microcontroller was successfully
done. The system was successfully dropped the pH solution
(Up/Down) into water solution in case to maintain the pH
value. Besides that, this system also successfully ensures the
level of water solution would be transferred to the hydroponics
container at a desired level. From the experiment 1, the amount
of pH adjuster can be increased by increasing the rotation of
motor depends on the changing of pH value versus time. In this
case, one rotation of motor was already enough to maintain the
pH value back. From the second experiment, the increasing of
time would be resulting to decreasing of pH level in water
solution. Therefore, there was a need to increase the pH level
of water solution back since it changes versus time. Based on
the third experiment, there was enough to increase the pH level
to a suitable pH level for plant after it changes with time if
using one rotation of motor to drop the pH up solution.

Average

1.15

TABLE III. MEASUREMENT OF PH VALUE BY APPLIED PH DOWN

SOLUTION.

Day

pH
Down
(ml)

pH value
(ATLAS Sensor)
Before

After

7.41

6.93

Differ
ent

pH value (pH0091 Pen type

sensor)

Differ
ent

Before

After

0.48

7.43

6.65

1.18

2.6

2.6

7.46

6.91

0.55

7.72

6.74

0.98

2.6

7.48

6.98

0.50

7.69

7.01

0.68

2.6

7.43

6.70

0.73

7.68

6.82

0.86

2.6

7.44

6.81

0.63

7.72

6.75

0.97

Average

0.58

Average

0.93

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Table II showed the increment of pH value when 2.6ml of

pH up solution was applied into 10 litters of pure water. Table
III showed the decrement of pH value when 2.6ml of pH down
solution was applied into 10 litters of pure water. The
measurements were taken within five days as shown in Table II
and III. In this experiment, Table II shows that the average of
changes in pH about 1.15 and the Table III shows that the
average of changes in pH about 0.58. The both of tables
showed the different between before and after were not
constant for every measurement. Therefore, the average for
data set above was determined to easier making analysis. There
was a slightly different of average between measurement of pH
value by applied pH down solution and pH down solution.
The result from every experiment will be discussed to find
the relationship and to make a conclusion to find the final
solution from the result. The minimum amount of pH adjuster
could be dropped by the actuator was 2.6ml for one rotation of
motor. The result from a first experiment showed the amount
of pH solutions (pH up and down) can be changed by adjusting
the number of rotation of motor. There was a slightly different
measurement between ATLAS sensor and ATC sensor. The

The authors would like to thank Faculty of Electrical

Engineering; and, Research Management Institue (RMI),
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor,
Malaysia for the grant awarded to present these research
findings. Grant file: 600-RMI/RAGS 5/3 (55/2013)
.
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