International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 - 8887)
Volume - No.,
Automated Hydroponic Farming
Prakash Kumar Ranjane Aditya Sudhakar1
Asst. Professor Dept. of ENTC
Dept. of ENTC Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India
Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India
[email protected] [email protected] Powar Ved Chandrakant 2 Wadkar Shruti Vijay 3
Dept. of ENTC Dept. of ENTC
Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India
[email protected] [email protected] Raut Shreyas Sunil 4 Phand Digvijay Harishchandra 5
Dept. of ENTC Dept. of ENTC
Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India Shri Chhatrapati Shivajiraje College of Engineering Pune, India
[email protected] [email protected] Abstract: Hydroponic farming provides a soil- justments. The core aim of this project is to bring
free way to grow plants by delivering nutrients di- together IoT and smart agriculture to build a reli-
rectly through water. This project focuses on au- able, scalable, and affordable hydroponic solution.
tomating and improving the efficiency of such sys- It’s especially suited for growing food in urban or
tems using the ESP8266 microcontroller as the indoor environments where space and natural re-
central control unit. Equipped with Wi-Fi, the sources are limited.
ESP8266 facilitates live data updates and remote
system access. Various sensors are integrated to I. INTRODUCTION
keep track of environmental factors including pH,
As the global population continues to grow
electrical conductivity (EC), water level, temper-
and cities expand, the need for efficient
ature, humidity, and available light. The system
and sustainable farming methods has be-
uses this data to trigger devices like pumps, nu-
come more urgent than ever. Traditional
trient injectors, lights, and fans to maintain sta-
agriculture often requires vast amounts of
ble, plant-friendly conditions. All sensor data is
land and water—resources that are be-
uploaded to cloud-based platforms such as Blynk,
coming increasingly limited. In response
Firebase, or ThingSpeak. These platforms allow
to these challenges, hydroponic farming
users to visualize real-time conditions and receive
presents an innovative solution. By grow-
notifications if any parameter goes out of range.
ing plants without soil and relying on
This not only makes the system more efficient but
nutrient-rich water instead, hydroponics
also minimizes the need for manual checks and ad-
offers a highly space-efficient and water-
1
conserving method ideal for both urban and A. IOT Enabled Hydroponic
indoor environments. A number of projects have success-
Despite its advantages, managing a hydro- fully used microcontrollers, such as the
ponic setup still requires constant attention ESP8266 and Arduino, to automate hy-
to environmental factors like pH, tempera- droponic setups. For instance, researchers
ture, light, and moisture. Inconsistent mon- have shown how ESP8266’s Wi-Fi connec-
itoring can negatively impact plant growth tivity can be utilized for live data stream-
and yield. To simplify and improve this ing and control. In one such case, pH and
process, smart automation through Internet temperature sensors were monitored wire-
of Things (IoT) technology can be used. lessly, leading to healthier plants and better
This project focuses on building an in- crop output. These setups offer a budget-
telligent hydroponic farming system pow- friendly route to automation without sacri-
ered by the ESP8266 microcontroller. With ficing functionality.
built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, the ESP8266
enables wireless communication between B. Real-Time Sensing and Environmental
sensors, actuators, and cloud platforms. Control
The system tracks essential parameters The role of sensors in hydroponic systems
such as temperature, humidity, water level, is well established. Studies have focused on
pH, and light intensity in real time. Based integrating modules to measure pH, elec-
on the collected data, it automatically trical conductivity (EC), temperature, and
adjusts growing conditions through con- humidity. Feedback from these sensors is
nected devices like pumps, lights, or fans. used to automatically manage devices like
At the same time, all information is up- nutrient pumps and fans. Implementing this
loaded to an IoT dashboard, allowing users kind of closed-loop control has been found
to monitor and control the system remotely. to reduce water and nutrient waste signif-
By automating key functions and enabling icantly—sometimes by as much as one-
remote access, this approach not only im- third—while optimizing plant growth.
proves crop health and consistency but also
reduces the manual workload—making it C. Cloud Connectivity and Remote Access
a practical, scalable solution for modern With the help of platforms like Blynk,
farming. ThingSpeak, and Firebase, farmers and
II. Literature Review hobbyists alike can now access real-time
system data from anywhere. These cloud
services not only allow users to visualize
Recent advancements in agriculture have trends but also send alerts when conditions
highlighted the potential of smart farm- go out of range. This has made precision
ing technologies, particularly hydropon- farming more accessible, even for those op-
ics, to meet the growing food demand in erating on a small scale or in urban environ-
urban and resource-constrained environ- ments.
ments. Several studies and projects have
D. Smart Automation in Agriculture
explored the integration of IoT and au-
tomation to improve the efficiency and Recent developments in precision farm-
scalability of hydroponic systems. ing highlight how automation reduces hu-
man error and improves overall produc- Light Sensor (LDR) – Monitors the sur-
tivity. Compact and cost-effective boards rounding light intensity to help regulate ar-
like the ESP8266 have become a popular tificial lighting.
choice in such systems due to their seam- 3. Actuators and Output Devices These in-
less wireless communication and low en- clude pumps for water and nutrients, cool-
ergy consumption. Studies have shown that ing fans, and grow lights. The ESP8266
automated systems can consistently deliver activates these components based on real-
optimal growing conditions, thus boosting time sensor readings to maintain an ideal
both yield and resource efficiency. environment.
4. Cloud-Based Interface The system is
III.Proposed System connected to an IoT platform such as
This project introduces an intelligent, au- Blynk, ThingSpeak, or Firebase. These
tomated hydroponic farming system cen- platforms allow users to view live sen-
tered around the ESP8266 microcontroller. sor data, review historical records, receive
Designed for efficiency and ease of use, alerts, and control devices remotely using a
the system reduces manual labor, optimizes mobile app or a web interface.
water and nutrient use, and creates ideal 5. Power Source The entire system operates
conditions for plants to thrive—making it on a low-voltage power supply—typically
especially suited for urban or indoor envi- 5V or 12V DC—sufficient to power sen-
ronments. sors, controllers, and actuators efficiently
and safely.
Main Components of the System
1. ESP8266 Microcontroller At the core of How It Works
the setup is the ESP8266—a compact, Wi- 1. The ESP8266 collects sensor data at reg-
Fi-enabled microcontroller. It serves as the ular intervals.
central hub, gathering data from connected 2. Each value is checked against preset lim-
sensors, analyzing it, and sending relevant its to ensure optimal growing conditions.
updates to an online platform. It also con- 3. If any parameter deviates, the system
trols various devices in the system based on takes immediate action—turning on a fan,
the sensor feedback. pumping more nutrients, adjusting lights,
2. Environmental Sensors To maintain opti- or refilling water.
mal growing conditions, several sensors are 4. All data is uploaded to the cloud in
integrated: real-time, allowing users to monitor trends
pH Sensor – Tracks the acidity or alkalinity and make informed decisions—even when
of the nutrient water, which directly affects away from the system.
nutrient absorption.
EC Sensor – Monitors the nutrient concen-
Benefits of This Approach
tration by measuring the water’s electrical
conductivity. 1. Reduced Manual Labor: Automates rou-
DHT11/DHT22 – Measures both tempera- tine farming tasks, saving time and effort.
ture and humidity inside the grow area. 2. Precise and Timely Control: Maintains
Water Level Sensor – Detects if the reser- perfect growing conditions without guess-
voir needs refilling. work.
3. Efficient Use of Resources: Reduces wa- Water and Nutrient Pumps: Activated via
ter and energy waste by only operating relay modules.
when needed. Cooling Fans Grow Lights: Controlled
4. Scalable Design: Can be easily expanded similarly, depending on their power rating.
for larger farms or adapted for small-scale
indoor use. Power Supply:
IV. System Implementation All components run off a regulated 5V or
The smart hydroponic system is brought to 12V DC adapter. Voltage regulators are
life through the combined setup of hard- added to ensure safe and stable power de-
ware and software components. The goal livery across the circuit.
is to ensure all elements—from sensors to
cloud services—work together seamlessly, 2. Software Development
enabling automation and remote access.
Programming Environment: The ESP8266
1. Hardware Setup is programmed through the Arduino IDE.
Microcontroller: Specific libraries are used to handle differ-
ent tasks:
At the core of the system is the ESP8266 1. DHT.h – Reads data from the tempera-
NodeMCU board. It’s compact, energy- ture/humidity sensor.
efficient, and features built-in Wi-Fi, mak- 2. ESP8266WiFi.h – Manages Wi-Fi con-
ing it ideal for wireless applications. It also nectivity.
integrates well with the Arduino IDE for 3. BlynkSimpleEsp8266.h or ThingS-
easy development and debugging. peak.h – Facilitates real-time data sync
Sensor Integration: with cloud platforms.
Multiple sensors are wired to the ESP8266
to gather real-time environmental data: Workflow Logic:
1. pH EC Sensors: Connected through ana- 1. Collect sensor data at regular time inter-
log pins, often with signal amplifiers to im- vals.
prove accuracy. 2. Compare readings against preset safe
2. DHT11 or DHT22: Measures tempera- ranges (e.g., temperature: 18–28°C, pH:
ture and humidity; uses a digital pin for in- 5.5–6.5).
put. 3. If any reading is outside its optimal
3. Water Level Detector: Uses float range, the system responds—by turning on
switches or capacitive sensors to check if a pump, adjusting lighting, or activating a
the tank needs refilling. fan.
4. LDR (Light Sensor): Wired to an analog 4. All data is transmitted to the cloud for
pin using a voltage divider circuit to read real-time monitoring and historical track-
light intensity. ing.
5. Through a smartphone app or web in-
Actuators Controls:
terface, users can view conditions, receive
Relays and MOSFETs are used to manage alerts, or even manually control the system
output devices based on sensor feedback: remotely.
V. Future Scope ing a balanced and consistent growing en-
Although the current hydroponic system vironment.
achieves its goal of automating plant care 5. Vision-Based Plant Health Monitoring
and environmental monitoring, there’s sig-
nificant potential for enhancement and Installing cameras with image processing
scalability. The following upgrades could capabilities could help track plant growth
further improve the system’s performance, visually and detect problems like leaf dis-
efficiency, and usability: coloration or stunted growth. This would
add another layer of precision to the mon-
1. Integration of Artificial Intelligence and itoring process, reducing reliance on man-
Machine Learning ual inspections.
By incorporating AI and machine learn- 6. Commercial Expansion and Multi-Zone
ing, the system can evolve from reactive Control
automation to intelligent prediction. This
would allow it to fine-tune nutrient deliv- With some modifications, the system could
ery, identify early signs of pests or dis- be scaled to manage larger hydroponic
eases, and adjust conditions based on spe- farms. A central controller could oversee
cific crop types and their growth stages. multiple zones or greenhouse sections, of-
fering an efficient solution for commercial-
2. Custom Mobile Application scale food production.
Building a dedicated mobile app would VI.Conclusion
provide a smoother and more intuitive user
interface. The app could offer real-time sta- This project successfully showcases how
tus updates, alerts, manual override con- a smart hydroponic system powered by
trols, and even live video feeds, making it the ESP8266 microcontroller can trans-
easier for users to manage the system from form traditional farming into a more effi-
anywhere. cient and automated process. By keeping
a constant check on essential environmen-
3. Solar Energy Utilization tal parameters—like temperature, humid-
ity, water level, pH, and light—the system
Incorporating solar panels could reduce re- ensures that plants grow under consistently
liance on traditional power sources, low- ideal conditions, all without requiring con-
ering operational costs and enhancing sus- stant human oversight.
tainability. This would be especially useful The built-in Wi-Fi functionality of the
in rural or off-grid locations where consis- ESP8266 plays a key role, making it possi-
tent electricity isn’t always available. ble to send real-time data to IoT platforms
such as Blynk or ThingSpeak. This allows
4. Smart Nutrient Mixing System users to monitor and manage their system
A future version of the setup could include from anywhere, adding both convenience
a fully automated nutrient mixing mecha- and flexibility. Automated management of
nism. By reading live pH and EC values, devices like pumps, fans, and lighting fur-
the system could calculate and dispense the ther boosts productivity while minimizing
exact amount of nutrients required, ensur- resource waste.
The project highlights how such a setup is
not only affordable and practical but also
ideal for urban or indoor farming where
space and soil availability are limited. With
room for future upgrades—such as AI-
driven decisions, camera-based monitor-
ing, or integration with solar energy—this
system holds great promise for sustainable
food production and smart agriculture on a
broader scale.
VII. Acknowledgment
I am genuinely thankful to everyone
who contributed to the successful devel-
opment and completion of my project,
“Smart Hydroponic Farming System using
ESP8266.”
To begin with, I would like to express my
heartfelt appreciation to my project mentor,
[Guide’s Name], for their unwavering sup-
port, expert advice, and thoughtful guid-
ance at every stage. Their encouragement
and technical insights were instrumental in
bringing this project to life.
I am equally thankful to [HOD’s Name],
the Head of the Department, as well as all
the faculty members of the [Department
Name], for offering a positive learning en-
vironment and access to the resources that
made this project possible.
A special thanks goes to my peers and
classmates for their helpful feedback, col-
laboration, and motivation throughout the
process.
Lastly, I am deeply grateful to my family
for their constant encouragement, patience,
and support, which kept me focused and
driven during the entire project journey.
