SNAP Nutrient Solution for Hydroponics is an outstanding product. Many would be surprised by the fact that SNAP is still only a research output of the Institute of Plant Breeding. The Institute and the SNAP developers has prioritized the continuous improvement of SNAP instead of pushing for its commercialization. Despite this, SNAP has been jump starting successful hydro-negosyos all over the country.
Pogi’s Farm in Sariaya, Quezon
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed many to look for alternative sources of income. Consequently, interest in SNAP nutrients has increased. This renewed clamor for SNAP nutrients has revealed many areas for improvement for SNAP Hydroponics most of which are best resolved by going commercial.
The commercialization of SNAP has been spun off as a separate project and there has been lots of developments recently.
SNAP Authorized Resellers General Meeting
Last January 28th, a Zoom meeting was held among SNAP Authorized Resellers with SNAP commercialization on the agenda. Listed below is a summary of the meeting’s minutes:
Standardization of SNAP nutrients’ price
Annual renewal of accreditation as a reseller
Bracketing of resellers based on location
Enhancing the promotion/commercialization of SNAP technology
Conducting regular webinars on research developments on hydroponics using SNAP
Authorized reseller validation during purchase of SNAP solution
Improvement of packaging vis-a-vis price consideration
Coordination with established courier services regarding shipment of SNAP solutions to with the aim resolving common issues
Updated materials safety data sheet (MSDS)
Established protocol for issuing official receipts.
Official SNAP Hydroponics Facebook Page
As part of the commercialization project’s goal of further improving the promotion of SNAP Hydroponics. The Institute of Plant Breeding launched an official Facebook Page for SNAP Hydroponics.
Facebook Page cover photo of “SNAP Hydroponics by UPLB IPB” the official Facebook Page of SNAP Hydroponics
SNAP Sales Office
Beginning on February 22, 2020 the SNAP sales office will be in the National Seed Foundation (NSF). The location of the NSF is shown on the map below:
Conclusion
This is only the beginning. The future of SNAP Hydroponics is ever brighter. Hydroponics is the future.
In this video Dr. Santos talks about SNAP Hydroponics. A transcription in English follows.
Hydroponics from the Greek word “hydro” or water and “phonos” that means labor. It is a system of growing plants that uses mineral nutrient solution in water and without soil.
We grow plants in hydroponics in order to avoid using soil. Because, there could be issues with your soil. If your land is flood prone or you don’t own land around your area where you can grow plants, you resort to hydroponics.
That means, instead of soil, you grow plants using for example, coconut coir dust, sand or gravel or a mixture of them. And you grow plants on them. However, the problem is, they are almost devoid of nutrients. Therefore, you need to use a nutrient solution. You use nutrient solutions so that they can provide the nutrients that the soil is supposed to provide the plants in order to grow.
Hydropononics is a very useful technology. Particularly to those do not own farmlands. However, traditional hydroponics is labor intensive and expensive. They require a greenhouse that costs millions.
With the goal of introducing hydroponics to the public, Dr. Primitivo Jose Santos and Dr. Eureka Teresa Ocampo of UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding Developed Simple Nutrient Addition Program or SNAP Hydroponics.
We developed SNAP Hydroponics with the help of Bureau of Agricultural Research of the Department of Agriculture. It has been around since 1999. Many has already benefited from it because, in my opinion SNAP is very simple compared to commercial hydroponic systems that can cost millions if not thousands. But in SNAP Hydroponics, you can do hydroponics in a box that only costs less than a hundred pesos (USD 2).
What makes SNAP Hydropononics system unique is that, you can build it out of materials around you. Just look around and you can get the materials you need.
Just like these. These, as you can see are just styrofoam boxes that were used in imported grapes. You can get them for free or at a very low price. You can’t do the same if you use other hydroponic system.
You even help in recycling. Because in super markets these are just dumped or thrown away. They are almost non-biodegradable.
That is why this is very useful to us in reducing the waste products of imported grapes.
Secondly, because it is very simple, it doesn’t use electricity. It doesn’t use pumps. So you can save on electricity while still be able to grow plants.
Imported hydroponic technologies depends on electricty. You can’t run them without using electricty. Now why aren’t we using electricity when plants require aeration in their roots.
How are we able to grow them without pumps? Well, we discovered that you can train plants to grow on water when you start training them young. That means, plants can develop floating roots. Floating roots because they float on the surface of water. So they are not underwater and they can breathe. In that situation, the plant is able to breathe that is why it grows. That is the secret of SNAP Hydroponics.
Third, SNAP Hydroponics is very low cost and very efficient. For example, one head of mustard such as this uses less than 2L of water until harvest. Whereas, when you grow them in soil, they’ll use at least 50L. Especially during the dry season.
Being soilless, you don’t affect the surrounding soil while you grow plants. Some use fertilizers as they grow plants. That can ruin the soil environment. Because, we are not not using soil, we can say SNAP is eco-friendly. Because soil stays virgin if it is untouched, yet you produce vegetables.
Those are just some of the advantages of SNAP Hydroponics.
SNAP Hydroponics is suitable for growing lettuce, pak choi, mustard, swamp cabbage, tomatoes, melon cucumber, egg plant and many more.
Many are interested in SNAP Hydroponics because they have seen that it is set-and-forget. Once you set it up you are not required to keep an eye on them because you don’t have to water them everyday, you don’t have weeds to remove, you won’t be exposed to chemical sprays, and your harvest therefore will be pesticide free. In addition, even when you are physically challenged. For example, if you are a senior citizen or you have a disability. You can set this up. In fact, we had trained groups of people with disability and senior citizens. They make projects out of this.
SNAP Hydroponics have huge potential to help reduce food shortage, specially vegetables, for our people.
The developers of SNAP Hydroponics regularly conduct a one day training course on hydroponics vegetable production with emphasis on SNAP Hydroponics at the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding in Bay, Laguna.
HOW MUCH: ₱2,000 (subject to change) per Participant
The training course teaches the participants the theoretical and practical aspects of hydroponics with emphasis on setting-up and running a SNAP hydroponics system; identification of different nutrient deficiency and toxicity symptoms; basic concepts in plant nutrition relevant to hydroponics vegetable production. The training also comes with a starter kit which includes a pair of SNAP A and SNAP B nutrient solution for hydroponics, training manual, established seedlings, coco coir, styrofoam box and styrofoam cups. The training fee is ₱2,000.00.
Upon completing the training course, participants are awarded a certificate of completion, a proof of having been trained and taught by the best minds in the growing hydroponic vegetable production industry.
Completing the training also qualifies a participant to be an authorized reseller of SNAP nutrient solution for hydroponics provided that they practice what they learn in the training course, i.e, a SNAP Hydroponics practitioner.
Lettuce are normally grown in areas with relatively low temperatures. High temperatures can cause them to flower and turn bitter sooner. In the tropical environment of the Philippines lettuce can be successfully grown using hydroponics. This is because even though the high temperature environment keeps their vegetative period short, hydroponics makes them grow fast in this short vegetative window making them reach marketable size before they switch into their flowering stage and turn bitter. However, the summer months can be very punishing and in many areas SNAP Hydroponics growers must use their creativity to beat the summer heat.
Summertime 5-day weather outlook for Metro Manila
The biggest problem a hydroponics grower encounters in the summer is of course the heat. The ambient temperatures can easily go over 35°C (90°F). Although most plants can handle these temperatures, plants growing in hydroponics systems can fail because of this. The temperature of the nutrient solution can significantly affect the growth of plants in hydroponics. Higher temperatures lessens the amount of dissolved oxygen in the solution. It also affects other biological processes in the root system resulting in stunted growth and even crop loss.
Another problem during the summer is the intense sunlight. Sunlight intensity can be so high during the summer that it can easily penetrate through the styrofoam boxes and allow algae to grow on the nutrient solution. This is an issue because algae uses up nutrients from the solution.
The Modified System
Mr. Robert Iglesia of Farm in the City in Gumaca, Quezon, shares his method of growing lettuce in the summer months using the same materials one would use in the standard SNAP Hydroponics setup.
This method uses the same seedling raising method in the SNAP manual. However, instead of using only enough growing media to fill a quarter or up to a third of the seedling plug, we fill the entire seedling plug with growing media and transfer a healthy seedling on it. The seedling plugs are then arranged in a compact manner on the bottom half of the grow box.
Completed lower half of the grow box.
Up to twenty-eight (28) seedling plugs can fit in a standard sized (20″⨉16″) grow box. Working solution is then added onto the grow box. The growing medium on the seedling plugs will wick the working solution moistening the entirety of the seedling plugs. Keep adding the working solution until its level is about 2-3 cm high.
Filling up the seedling plugs with growing media insulates the root system better than bare roots immersed in nutrient solution. The seedling plugs arranged in this manner acts like a wick system hydroponics. This allows the seedling plugs to draw up working solution from the lower half of the grow box which acts as a reservoir. The compact arrangement of the seedling plugs also limits the amount of light reaching the working solution further decreasing its temperature and also preventing algae from growing on it.
Plant transpiration and evaporation will lower the level of the working solution and must be replenished regularly. You may allow the working solution in the reservoir to dry up and the seedling plugs will still contain moisture. However, never allow the medium in the seedling plugs to totally dry up. Alternate adding plain water and working solution in the reservoir. This is because nutrients are left over as the plant transpires and the water from the working solution evaporates. Constantly adding working solution will increase the nutrient concentration and can cause nutrient burn or nutrient imbalance.
When the lettuce plants are bigger, limit the seedling plugs to twelve for every grow box. This will allow us to manage them easier and gives them more room to grow. Bigger plants take up more water and will require us to refill more frequently. Limiting the number of seedling plugs per box will also limit the water uptake. The amount of light reaching the nutrient solution is still limited because even though the seedling plugs are now more spaced apart the lettuce plants now have bigger leaves.
Lettuce grown in this method.
Additional Notes
This method requires additional test and experimentation as each grower has their own growing environment. Shading net is extremely helpful during the summer months when the sunlight can be intense enough to scorch lettuce leaf. Growing heat resistant lettuce varieties is also strongly recommended.
That is it! If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below. As always good luck and happy growing!
The correct mixture of water and SNAP Nutrient Solution for Hydroponics A and B is called the working solution. This diluted mixture contains all the nutrients a plant needs in order to grow. The working solution also regulates its own pH making sure it is in the proper range for optimal nutrient uptake.
How to Prepare the SNAP Working Solution
Start with ten liters (10L) of clean water. Water from regular sources, tap water, well water, etc., works well. The use of pure rain water and pure distilled (reverse osmosis) water is discouraged because pure rain water and pure distilled water has a neutral pH. Sometimes they are even slightly acidic due to the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide gas.
Adding ten liters of clean water.
SNAP is designed for regular water sources which in the Philippines are often slightly alkaline. If the working solution is prepared from water with neutral to slightly acidic pH the resulting working solution will be ineffective because the resulting solution will have a pH level that is way below the optimal range. Please see this video that demonstrates the effect of water quality to the pH of the resulting working solution for more information.
Add 25mL of SNAP A. Mix well. Add 25mL of SNAP B. Mix well. Please note the emphasis on mixing well after adding SNAP A and SNAP B. Either SNAP A or SNAP B can go into the mixture first but do not add both at the same time nor mix SNAP A and SNAP B together before adding them in water. This is because the components of SNAP A and SNAP B will react with each other and will render the resulting solution useless. This is also the reason why SNAP A and SNAP B are in separate bottles.
When properly mixed the resulting working solution has a slightly yellow and cloudy appearance.
Ten liters of properly mixed SNAP working solution.
Additional Notes
Different volumes of working solution can be prepared by mixing SNAP A/B and water in a 2.5mL per L ratio, i.e, 2.5mL of SNAP A and 2.5mL of SNAP B for every liter of water.
To prepare one (1) liter of working solution half a teaspoon may be used because one teaspoon is equivalent to 2.46mL.
SNAP nutrient solution sets from authorized resellers usually comes with measuring cups. To use them fill up the cup with nutrient solution up to the level indicated in the picture below.
The line in the picture above is at 25mL.
White and powdery precipitates may appear in the working solution just after mixing or after a few days or weeks after transplanting seedlings onto the working solution. This is normal, it is not harmful and in will not effect the growth of the plants.
For larger applications, the use of a large 200L drum is recommended. A drum with a 200L capacity can be used to prepare a 201L working solution by simply mixing 500mL of SNAP A (the whole bottle) and 500mL of SNAP B (again, the whole bottle). This 200L working solution is enough for 20 styrofoam boxes which can grow a total of 160 heads of lettuce or other leafy vegetables.
A generic 200L container.
That’s it! If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below. Good luck and happy growing!
The cold early morning days are still upon us as February comes to a close. We are expecting a weak El Niño in the following months and the days will be hotter and drier than usual.
There is Still Time to Grow the Perfect Lettuce
There is still time to catch the early morning cold breeze for your lettuce plants. The morning temperatures in the low lands still drops below 25°C. Lettuce thrives in cold temperatures. Lettuce grown in cold environments are compact, crisp and sweet. Most red varieties also show their red color when grown in cold environments.
Different lettuce varieties grown in SNAP Hydroponics.
Take Extra Measures to Protect Your Grow this Summer
The summer heat can warm your nutrient solution which can result in lower dissolved oxygen concentrations and reduce yield significantly. Adding insulating materials to protect the nutrient solution from heat is also recommended.
Plan your grow and prepare your shading net for the hottest part of the day. The summer temperatures can cause heat stress to your plants.
Beware of plant varieties that can bolt and turn bitter when the temperature is too high.
Grow Plants that Can Take the Heat
Lettuce can be a challenge to grow during the summer unless you can find a heat tolerant variety. Mustasa, kang-kong and pechay grows well in SNAP Hydroponics nutrient solution even during the hottest summer months.
The developers of SNAP Hydroponics regularly conduct a one day training course on hydroponics vegetable production with emphasis on SNAP Hydroponics at the UPLB Institute of Plant Breeding in Bay, Laguna. The training course teaches the participants the theoretical and practical aspects of hydroponics with emphasis on setting-up and running a SNAP hydroponics system; identification of different nutrient deficiency and toxicity symptoms; basic concepts in plant nutrition relevant to hydroponics vegetable production. The training also comes with a starter kit which includes a pair of SNAP A and SNAP B nutrient solution for hydroponics, training manual, established seedlings, coco coir, styrofoam box and styrofoam cups. The training fee is ₱2,000.00 (subject to change).
Upon completing the training course, participants are awarded a certificate of completion, a proof of having been trained and taught by the best minds in the growing hydroponic vegetable production industry.
Completing the training also qualifies a participant to be an authorized reseller of SNAP nutrient solution for hydroponics provided that they practice what they learn in the training course, i.e, a hydroponics practitioner.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is the training seminar conducted? Is there a schedule?
According to CAFS’ list of IPB Short Training Courses pictured below the schedule is officially to be announced (TBA). Schedule is subject to the availability of the resource speakers. Interested parties are advised to contact UPLB-IPB to inquire about the schedule.
Details about the date of the SNAP Hydroponics training.
Can the training be conducted elsewhere?
A number of hydroponics practitioner, some of whom are trained in UPLB-IPB conducts their own training seminar on hydroponics in different parts of the country. However, only the ones conducted UPLB-IPB or presented by SNAP developers qualifies as authorized resellers of SNAP nutrient solution for hydroponics.
Screenshot of the IPB Short Training Courses Online Registration Form. To sign up for the SNAP training course, please choose the highlighted item.
What is the training like?
It is a one day training that typically starts at 8:00AM and ends at around 4:00PM with a one hour lunch break. Light snack and refreshments are provided for free. Lunch however is not. You can bring your own meal or your can buy your one in the venue. Please see these pictures from the training for more information.
Where can I get more information about the short training courses offered by UPLB-IPB?
Getting to UPLB-IPB to participate in the SNAP Hydroponics training or buying supplies can be tricky. In a previous post I discussed how to get to UPLB-IPB by taking the UPLB-IPB shuttle that leaves UPLB at 8:00AM daily. In case you missed the shuttle you have the option to take public transportation on your way to UPLB-IPB which will also involve a 1.2km walk along Pili Drive. The same route can be taken if you are driving to UPLB-IPB.
Take the UP College-Kaliwa jeep which will take you to UPLB gate. The jeep will turn left (kaliwa) which will take you to College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT, se-yat) which is along Pili Drive. If you’re driving you may need to leave an ID for a pass.
Your stop is hard to miss because lots of engineering students will alight in CEAT and Pili Drive is the road just beside it. Right across Pili Drive, opposite CEAT is the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS). When facing CAFS turning left along Pili will take you to IRRI.
College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) along Pili Dr.
It’s 1.2km to IRRI. Fortunately, the road is flanked by pili trees (thus the name) to provide shade. UPLB students regularly walk along Pili Drive too so you’re in good company.
Pili Drive towards IRRI.
At the intersection of Pili Drive and IPB Road is IRRI Headquarters.
Welcome to IRRI Headquarters.
When facing IRRI HQ, turning right along IPB Road will take you UPLB-IPB which is 1.4km away. You can ride a tricycle to UPLB-IPB.
Then make your way to Plant Physiology Lab.
Just follow the same route to make your way back. That’s it!
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy growing!
SNAP working solution is a mixture of water and SNAP Hydroponics nutrient solution that is used to grow plants. The working solution provides the nutrients a plant needs in order to grow. This post contains information on how to prepare a SNAP working solution.
A typical use case is to prepare 10L of working solution for a standard sized growbox. To prepare 10L of working solution:
Start with 10L of tap or well water.
Add 25 mL of SNAP A.
Mix well.
Add 25 mL of SNAP B.
Mix well.
The video below demonstrates:
The order by which SNAP A and SNAP B is added doesn’t matter. What is important is that they are not mixed together before being added to water. It is also important that the solution is mixed well before adding the next nutrient solution. SNAP comes in two bottles because it has components that will chemically react with each other if mixed in high concentrations. The components will form soluble and insoluble salts that will render them useless for hydroponics use. The video below demonstrate what would happen if SNAP A and SNAP B is mixed together.
Smaller volumes of working solution can also be prepared if needed. Simply add 2.5mL of SNAP A and SNAP B for every liter of water (diluting in between).
Common Questions
Can I use distilled water?
Using distilled water is not recommended. SNAP is designed to work with Philippine municipal water sources which are typically alkaline (pH values above 7). SNAP is designed to lower that to a pH range that plants require. Distilled water is neutral and using this to prepare the working solution will result in a solution which is extremely acidic.
The pH of the working solution when distilled water is used.
Can I use rainwater?
It depends on the conditions on how the rainwater is collected. Pure rain water is very similar to distilled water and is not recommended for the same reasons mentioned above. The video below demonstrates this:
A 1:1 mixture rainwater and tap water can be used.
How do I use the measuring cup that is included in my SNAP Hydroponics Kit?
Please refer to the picture below:
How to use the measuring cup included in SNAP Hydroponics Kit
I’ve seen an instructional video saying I need to add 75mL of SNAP A and SNAP B. Is that correct?
Old formulations of SNAP Hydroponics uses 75mL. Current formulation requires only 25mL of SNAP A and 25mL of SNAP B.
If you have any questions please leave a comment below. Good luck and happy growing!
Because of the increased interest in SNAP Hydroponics, I’m often asked: “What is the SNAP Hydroponics training/seminar like?” In this post I attempt to answer this question in pictures. The seminar entitled “Training on Hydroponics Vegetable Production with Emphasis on SNAP Hydroponics” is held in UPLB-IPB every second and fourth Tuesday of each month. It starts at 8:00AM and ends at around 4-5PM.
An introduction by Tita Susan.Doc Boy’s lecture on the principles of hydroponics.Doc Weng’s Lecture on how SNAP works.Trainees working on their growboxes. Imagine how squeaky it is in the room.Trainees working on their seedling plugs.Doc Boy showing trainees plants grown in SNAP HydroponicsDoc Boy and SNAP traineesDoc Boy discussing the importance of sunlight.Doc Boy showing trainees SNAP grown kangkong.Doc Boy showing trainees a couple of NFT systems.Group picture.
