Cannabis fertigation: a precision challenge
Cannabis is one of the most demanding crops in terms of plant nutrition: the quality of the final product, the yield and the concentration of active compounds depend directly on how precisely water and nutrients are delivered throughout the entire growth cycle. For this reason, in the cannabis sector fertigation is not a simple support to irrigation, but a true cannabis dosing system. It is therefore essential to maintain a constant ratio between water and nutrient solution at every stage of the plant's development.
Cannabis is almost always grown in highly controlled environments, such as greenhouses, polytunnels or indoor setups, where the pH of the nutrient solution must stay within very narrow ranges. A single fluctuation in dosing can lead to nutritional stress, deficiencies, loss of crop uniformity or failure to meet the standards required by the medical market. It is in this context that dosing pumps for cannabis cultivation become a decisive technology: only precise, constant dosing allows a high-value crop like this one to express its full potential.
The context: cannabis cultivation in Thailand
In Thailand, with the legal opening to the controlled cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, demand has grown rapidly for reliable, technologically advanced fertigation systems for cannabis. The agricultural businesses operating in this sector need solutions that guarantee dosing repeatability and full compatibility with fertilisers and additives that are often aggressive or highly concentrated.
It was in this scenario that a leading local agricultural company turned to Mixtron to optimise the fertigation system within its greenhouses.
The client's challenge
The main challenge was to deliver precise, constant dosing of nutrients and fertilisers in a highly controlled environment. The client's cannabis crops were sensitive to the slightest changes in pH and chemical concentration of the nutrient solution: any imprecision in dosing risked compromising plant health, harvest uniformity and compliance with the standards of the medical market.
The client therefore needed a dosing system able to work with absolute consistency and to integrate easily into the hydraulic line already present in the greenhouse.
Mixtron's response: proportional, volumetric dosing
Mixtron introduced its own volumetric proportional dosing pumps, fitted with the optional On/Off: a solution that lets the grower choose whether to dose the additive (ON) or let the water flow through without any dosing (OFF), without having to remove the pump from the hydraulic line.
Why the volumetric proportional dosing pump is ideal for cannabis
At the heart of the Mixtron solution is the volumetric proportional dosing pump: installed inline on the hydraulic system, it injects the additive into the water in a way that is proportional and constant to the flow rate, drawing solely on the driving force of the water flow, with no electrical power supply. This working principle guarantees an injection ratio that stays uniform even as the flow rate or mains pressure varies, with an average dosing accuracy of ±5% and an average repeatability of ±3%: figures that are fundamental in a crop like cannabis, where pH stability is a non-negotiable requirement. The absence of an electrical supply is also a concrete advantage in growing environments, where it simplifies installation and reduces points of failure.
The On/Off option for flexible dosing management
The optional On/Off completes the system by offering flexible dosing management that can be switched on or off at will. This feature ensures precise control of operations and allows water to flow through without additive, with no need to remove the doser from the hydraulic line when dosing is not required.
The technical characteristics of a dosing pump for cannabis fertigation
Choosing the right dosing pump for the cannabis sector depends on a few key technical parameters, which this project brought clearly into focus.
Flow rate and dosing range
Since cannabis is grown mainly in controlled environments, the required flow rate is generally contained and scalable according to the cultivated area. For this sector Mixtron indicates as most suitable the models with a flow rate between 2.5 and 5 m³/h and a working pressure between 0.3 and 8 bar. The dosing range, on the other hand, should be selected according to the concentration of the nutrient solution: in fertigation, as a rule, dosing does not exceed 5%, and the availability of different ranges makes it possible to match the doser to the specific nutrient recipe, from the more dilute and precise solutions (0.2 to 2%) to the richer ones (1 to 5%).
Mixtron models recommended for cannabis fertigation
Drawing on its experience in the sector, Mixtron recommends four models for cannabis fertigation, to be chosen according to the cultivated area and the concentration of the nutrient solution:
Model MX.250.P022
The MX.250.P022, with a flow rate of up to 2.5 m³/h and a dosing range from 0.2 to 2%, is designed to deliver precise dosing at low percentages. It is the ideal choice for small greenhouses and for more dilute nutrient recipes, where the utmost accuracy in delivery is required.
Model MX.250.P150
The MX.250.P150, with a flow rate of up to 2.5 m³/h and a dosing range from 1 to 5%, shares the same flow rate as the MX.250.P022 but extends the dosing range up to 5%, making it suitable for compact cultivations that use more concentrated nutrient solutions.
Model MX.500.P022
The MX.500.P022, with a flow rate of up to 5 m³/h and a dosing range from 0.2 to 2%, is intended for larger greenhouses where contained, precise dosing is needed across higher water volumes.
Model MX.500.P150
The MX.500.P150, with a flow rate of up to 5 m³/h and a dosing range from 1 to 5%, is the most versatile option in the selection: it combines a high flow rate with a wide dosing range, ideal for large systems and richer nutrient recipes.
Seals, chemical compatibility and the ByPass version
The fertilisers, acidifiers and biostimulants used in cannabis cultivation can be chemically aggressive, which is why the choice of seals is decisive for the service life and reliability of the doser. For cannabis fertigation Mixtron recommends, as a minimum configuration, Viton Premium seals, with Viton and Viton Extrem on the three seals most in contact with the additive, namely those subjected to the greatest chemical stress. When the dosed solution is particularly aggressive, the ByPass version may also be recommended: it carries out the injection of the additive in a dedicated chamber and protects the motor body from direct contact with the product. In every case, the body of the doser is made from polypropylene (PP) and polyoxymethylene (POM), technical plastics that resist most agricultural additives.
Reliability and build quality
Specific construction solutions contribute to dosing reliability: the stainless steel piston shaft, the double one-way valve that protects against leaks, blockages and backflow towards the water mains, and the assembly with stainless steel screws coupled to metal inserts moulded into the pump body, for a perfect mechanical seal even after repeated maintenance cycles. The optional On/Off, finally, adds the flexibility needed for a crop that works in phases and seasons.
Results and benefits for the client
The introduction of Mixtron dosers marked a decisive step forward in fertigation management. After a few months of use, the system delivered a tangible improvement in dosing accuracy, allowing a more targeted and optimised delivery of nutrients.
This translated into a reduction in operating costs, thanks to more efficient use of resources. At the same time, crop yield increased noticeably, with plants that were more robust, uniform and able to meet the strict standards of the medical market.
Key benefits
These advantages confirmed the effectiveness of Mixtron solutions in supporting high-quality cultivation in a sustainable and efficient way:
- Superior crop quality: plants that stand out for their robustness and consistency, essential requirements for the medical market.
- Improved operational efficiency: with a proportional, volumetric dosing pump, the set percentage does not change even as the volume of incoming water varies.
- Environmental sustainability: lower use of water and chemical resources thanks to optimised dosing.
Innovation and sustainability for high-value crops
Mixtron dosers have proven to be an outstanding solution for precision fertigation, showing how technology and innovation can transform the management of complex, high-value crops such as cannabis. This project represents a further milestone for Mixtron and confirms its role in promoting sustainable, technologically advanced cultivation worldwide.
Designed and manufactured entirely in Italy, Mixtron dosing pumps combine precision, build reliability and operation with no electrical power supply in a single solution, designed to support growers in the daily challenge of getting the most out of every harvest.
Would you like to find out more? Discover how Mixtron can transform the fertigation of your crops.
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