A sharper focus on fresh water conservation and careful use of nutrients and additives are crucial for commercial growers to stay in business, especially those cultivating thirsty crops like cannabis. Stone wool is ubiquitous in commercial agriculture for many reasons, but its ability to vastly improve water efficiency while enhancing plant health and yield surely ranks top of the list.
Here at Grodan, we understand that the decision to switch to stone wool is important with multifaceted consequences for your whole cultivation operation. However, the sooner you make the decision, the sooner you can transform your cultivation practices, decrease your water and nutrient usage, and lower your bottom line.
Efficient water use starts with Grodan stone wool
Grodan stone wool has been purposefully designed to optimize water retention and distribution, leading to significant reductions in irrigation needs. Compared to traditional growing media, stone wool can cut water usage by up to 40%.
Calculating your water savings
To understand the potential savings, let’s break it down for an operation with 50,000 plants:
Current Water Usage: Calculate the total water volume you currently use per plant annually. Assume an average of 22.5 gallons (85 liters) per plant over its life-cycle.
Estimate Savings: With Grodan stone wool, growers can expect to save about 30–40% of their current water usage compared to peat and coco coir based soilless potting mixes, saving 6.75–9 gallons (25.5–34 liters) per plant.
Annual Savings: For a facility growing 50,000 plants each year, switching to stone wool could save 337,500 to 450,000 gallons (1,275,000 to 1,700,000 liters) of fresh water annually. Furthermore, if the facility is purifying water with reverse osmosis, the actual amount of water saved could be two or even three times this figure.
Correlating nutrient savings with water savings
Reduced water usage directly impacts nutrient savings since less water means fewer nutrients needed. To determine the financial savings, consider both water and nutrient costs:
Water cost savings
Cost of water: $0.002 per liter ($0.0076 per gallon)
Estimated savings: 337,500 to 450,000 gallons (1,275,000 to 1,700,000 liters)
Annual water cost savings: $2,550 to $3,400
Nutrient and additive cost savings
Cost of nutrients/additives: $0.02–$0.04 per liter ($0.07–$0.15 per gallon)
Estimated savings: 337,500 to 450,000 gallons (1,275,000 to 1,700,000 liters)
Annual nutrient cost savings: $23,625 to $67,500
Total water and nutrient cost savings per year: $26,175 to $70,900
Switching to Grodan stone wool not only reduces water and nutrient consumption. It also opens the door to recirculating your nutrient solution, cutting water use and waste even further. Some of the biggest savings cannabis growers see come from recycling their drain water.
Ready to make the switch?
Grodan stone wool offers a straightforward path to improving water efficiency and plant health. Contact us today to request a quote and explore how Grodan can elevate your cultivation practices.
