While our core focus is Bioponics and Aquaponics, nearly every tool we develop—or recommend—applies just as well to greenhouses, vertical farms, and even open-field horticulture. Our goal is to provide a holistic, interoperable framework that keeps operations both ecologically sound and financially viable.
We design for two principal user groups:
- Commercial or community-supported farms (≈ 0.5 ha and up, horizontal or vertical) that run greenhouses or other controlled-environment facilities.
- Enthusiasts and smallholders who want climate-resilient, local food production without relying on mineral fertilizers.
Because the underlying principles translate well, many of our tools are also used by organizations that monitor natural water bodies or other ecosystems.
Ecosystem Sensing
Why it matters: Plants—and the microbes that feed them—thrive only when air, water, and root-zone conditions stay within narrow ranges. Early, continuous insight lets growers correct small drifts before they become costly crop losses.
What we provide: A modular sensor suite that tracks core variables in real time:
- Air: temperature, humidity, light intensity (PAR), CO₂, methane, airflow/wind.
- Water / nutrient solution: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), nitrate and ammonium.
Data move over wired or wireless links (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, LoRa, RS-485), and the nodes can be mains-, solar-, or battery-powered to suit remote or retrofit scenarios.
Projects and Articles
- [Article] Variants and qualities of pH probes
- [Article] pH probe readings and the environment temperature
- [Article] Approaches for sensing Nitrate and Ammonium
- Environmental Sensor Node (Ecobium Node PT)
- Nitrate and Ammonium Sensor (Ecobium Node NTA)
- Edge Compute Box (Ecobium Edge)
Fermentation Monitoring And Control
Why it matters: Turning local organic waste into safe, potent liquid fertilizer is the engine of a closed-loop system—but only if temperature, pH, and microbial activity stay within tight limits.
What we provide: Instrumented, small-footprint bioreactors that can run anaerobic ferments (for concentrated nutrients) or aerobic compost teas (for microbial inoculants). Integrated sensors and low-cost controllers:
- keep temperatures in the sweet spot,
- suppress pathogens by holding pH and ORP in safe zones,
- minimise nitrogen loss and methane formation, and
- alert the operator—on-site or remotely—when a brew is ready to dose.
Projects and Articles
- (Article) From grass clippings to a liquid organic fertilizer: a deep dive
- (Article) Comparing fertilizers made of comfrey, nettle, and gras clippings
- (Project) Smart Fertilizer Reactor (Ecobium Reactor)
Plant Nutrition
Why it matters: Organic inputs are naturally variable. Automated dosing ensures plants receive consistent nutrition without waste or environmental leakage.
What we provide: A reference design and concrete implementation for a closed-loop dosing skid that:
- buffers and mineralizes the fermented fertilizer,
- injects it on pH (and, when useful, nitrate) set-points,
- adds make-up water or pH adjusters as required, and
- delivers fine-bubble aeration to keep microbes active and roots oxygenated.
The blueprint is open-source, so farms can build in-house or procure from local fabricators.
Projects and Articles
- [Article] Optimal feeding of plants with liquid organic fertilizer
- [Article] A working draft for a closed-loop Bioponic system
- [Project] Closed-loop Bioponic System (Ecobium Loop)
Pest And Disease Monitoring And Control
Why it matters: Early detection of pests or pathogens avoids chemical interventions, crop downgrades, and lost revenue.
What we provide: Layered, non-invasive surveillance:
- Visual crop scans by fixed cameras or lightweight drones feed an AI model that flags stress signatures before symptoms reach the human eye.
- Liquid sample modules draw small volumes from nutrient lines for on-site microscopy; image recognition highlights spores, zooplankton, or other indicators.
- Output can trigger alerts, recommend biological controls, or log data for regulatory compliance.
Monitoring And Control Platform
Why it matters: Disconnected devices create data silos; integrated platforms turn raw numbers into actionable insight and automated responses.
What we provide: An open, extensible software stack that:
- ingests sensor streams, fermentation metrics, and manual observations,
- visualises trends on any device (desktop, tablet, phone),
- offers REST/MQTT APIs so growers can integrate with ERP, energy-management, or carbon-accounting tools, and
- orchestrates pumps, valves, aerators, and lighting from a single cockpit—locally or via the cloud, with fine-grained access control.
Get Involved
Whether you run a hectare of greenhouse tomatoes or a balcony herb garden, you can adopt the parts of this stack that fit your context. All hardware schematics, firmware, and software are released under permissive licences, and our team is available for workshops, on-farm pilots, or policy briefings. Together we can build a resilient food system—open, circular, and ready for the climate ahead.