Solve your problems
- Low yields
- Nutrient deficiencies
- High nutrient costs
- Inconsistent results
Services
- Hourly consultation
- Nutrient solution design
- Growing setup optimization
- Custom crop monitoring automation
My Blog
Through my blog – a top 50 hydroponics blog according to feedspot – I share my insights, research and experience in hydroponic culture. I strive to make this blog a reliable source of high quality, practical information for both commercial hydroponic growers and hobbyists alike. These are some of the blog’s most popular posts:
Welcome to my site!
My name is Dr. Daniel Fernandez, and I have been a consultant in the hydroponic industry since 2009. I specialize in nutrient formulations, crop management, and automation, providing tailored solutions to optimize growers’ results. I hold a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, as well as a master’s and Ph.D. in nanoscience and nanotechnology. With over 15 years of experience in nutrient solution chemistry and crop management, I am dedicated to helping you elevate your crop production to the next level.
Our services
I provide different types of services to suite your particular needs.
I understand that not everyone needs the same type of assistance and I have therefore designed three specific type of services depending on your needs .
- An hourly consultation service where you can ask any questions and get answers to help you solve problems (250 USD/hour).
- A service for the formulation of a specific hydroponic nutrient recipe for your particular needs coupled with guidance in preparing this formulation.
- An on-going consultation service where you will have me available to answer questions and help guide you through your nutrient needs as your crop or hydroponic project progresses.
Hydrobuddy - Open source software for Nutrient Formulations
This site hosts HydroBuddy – a software I programmed – which is the most popularly used open source calculator for the formulation of hydroponic nutrient solutions and fertilizers. This software has been helping hobby and commercial growers prepare their own fertilizer formulations from 2011 with more than 10 thousands downloads in its lifetime. There are also many peer reviewed academic publications that have used hydrobuddy. Feel free to use or modify this software for your nutrient preparation needs. It’s free and OpenSource! Get the software here.
Latest blog posts
Peptide Biostimulants in Plants: What They Are and What They Actually Do
Peptide biostimulants have gained significant attention in horticulture and hydroponics, with claims ranging from modest growth improvements to dramatic yield boosts. In this post, I want to examine what the peer-reviewed science actually tells us about these products. The evidence shows that peptide-based biostimulants can deliver measurable benefits under specific conditions, but their mechanisms remain […]
Aquaporins and Water Flow Regulation: A Microphysiological View of Plant Water Uptake
Water moves from nutrient solution into plant roots through a process that growers rarely examine at the molecular level. Yet the rate of this movement depends heavily on aquaporins, protein channels embedded in root cell membranes that open and close in response to conditions in the root zone. Research shows that aquaporins can contribute to […]
Electrolyte Conductivity vs. Ionic Activity: Why EC Alone Can Mislead Your Nutrient Decisions
Your EC meter is telling you only part of the story. Two nutrient solutions reading identical EC values can produce dramatically different plant growth outcomes in controlled studies. The reason lies in a fundamental measurement limitation: electrical conductivity reports total dissolved ions without distinguishing nutrient species from growth-limiting salts. This bulk measurement masks the specific […]
Foliar Sprays in Hydroponics: What Actually Enters the Plant?
Foliar feeding occupies a paradoxical space in hydroponic cultivation. Growers routinely spray nutrients on leaves expecting rapid correction, yet the science reveals a much narrower window of utility. The plant cuticle evolved as a barrier to prevent water loss, and this same barrier severely restricts nutrient entry. The answer is neither “foliar feeding is useless” […]
