Water. Fertilizer.
Precisely dosed.
A fully automatic irrigation platform for professional indoor cultivation - with its own control cabinets, software and remote-capable HMI. Drip irrigation with tank automation, phase-accurate interval control systems for crop steering and a multi-component fertilizer mixing system for fertilizers, acids and hygiene additives.
More than just water on plants.
In indoor cultivation, irrigation is one of the few levers with which yield and quality can really be influenced - if you can master it. CarbonActive now also offers an integrated platform for the most important parameter in crop steering: from the fresh water connection to the tank, sensors, fertilizer dosing and pump to the dripper on the substrate.
Own control cabinets, own control systems software, own HMI - everything from a single source and remote-capable. No black box software, no external cloud dependency, just a platform that we know, support and develop ourselves. Fully integrated into the CarbonActive climate control systems - because crop steering goes far beyond irrigation.
What the facility can really do.
Each component is designed for specific tasks in daily cultivation operations - from simple tank filling to phase-specific crop steering strategies. Modularly scalable, depending on the cultivation philosophy.
Automatic tank &
Drip irrigation.
The watering basis: automatically filled tank, safe drip irrigation at the bench, continuous monitoring - even when on the move.
- Automatic tank filling with min/max logic
- Idle protection: Pump stops before running dry
- Leakage detection with height detection & auto-shutoff
- Remote tank monitoring via HMI & push alarm
- Table-side drip irrigation with volume measurement per zone
Interval control systems for
CropSteering.
Phase-based precision irrigation as a tool for active plant control systems - vegetative or generative, depending on strategy and strains.
- Three phases P1, P2, P3 with individual pulses & pauses
- Dry-back control systems via VWC values from the substrate
- Pre-testing of EC, pH and tank level per irrigation surge
- Target value timeout: Facility stops safely in the event of a deviation
- Planned/actual comparison displayed live in the HMI
Multi-component
fertilizer mixer.
Highly accurate dosing of fertilizers, acids and hygiene additives directly into the tank - several independent components, individually parameterizable.
- Four or more separate water jet pumps, magnetically switched
- Dosage configurable in ml/L per component
- Acid correction for a stable pH value
- Add hygiene additives (e.g. H₂O₂) in a controlled manner
- Recipes can be stored per growth phase and strains
From the connection
to the dripper.
Water, sensors and control signals in a closed circuit - from the fresh water connection to treatment, tank, fertilizer mix and pump to table-side drip irrigation. All components communicate with the CarbonActive control cabinets.
Daily profile with
P1- P2 - P3.
The VWC curve from the substrate - planned and measured. The three phases control irrigation shocks and dry-back. Three levers during the course of the day, designed to be generative or vegetative depending on the strategy.
Three phases, one day.
Each phase controls pulses, pauses and target values separately. The crop steering lever: the plant is steered in a generative or vegetative direction via the division of the phases.
Swiss engineering -
so that the water never overflows
again.
We choose components that we know - from suppliers that we have worked with for a long time. Each component fulfills a clear purpose and communicates with our control cabinets.
Level sensor
Non-contact, continuous tank monitoring. Range up to 1.30 m, insensitive to foam and turbidity. Low maintenance.
DAB Esybox Mini
Pressure and speed-controlled pump with integrated electronics. Delivers constant pressure regardless of the number of open drippers and switches off safely when running dry.
Automatic feed
Motorized ball valve with spring return. Closes automatically when de-energized - failsafe in the event of a leak or power failure.
Heating mat
Aluminum-coated heating mat with thermostat - brings the water to the optimum temperature for plants. Heats 1000 liters of tap water to 20 °C in approx. 8 hours.
METER TEROS-12 / 21
Substrate sensors for VWC, EC and temperature - soil such as rock wool. Up to 20 sensors in parallel via SDI-12.
CarbonActive PLC
Own control cabinets with Siemens PLC, own CarbonActive software and web HMI. Modbus bus for sensors and actuators.
Leakage detector
Water sensor chain with height detection. Automatically closes the main valve in the event of a leak and issues an alarm via the HMI.
Irrigation
in the background.
Focus on cultivation.
Instead of integrating third-party cloud software, we develop the irrigation platform ourselves - from the control cabinets to the PLC code to the web HMI. This means short paths for adjustments, clear responsibility and no external dependencies.
-
01
Own control cabinets Designed, manufactured and commissioned by CarbonActive. Standardized superstructures, documented.
-
02
Web-based HMI Locally & remotely accessible. Live values, planned/actual comparison, alarm overview, configuration of all phase parameters.
-
03
Push alarms Tank level, leak, EC/pH deviation - notification by email or push. Configurable per user.
-
04
Service & Updates We deliver updates, document changes and are available to answer questions directly.
Failsafe by default.
Every critical path is secured in multiple ways - mechanically, electrically and on the software side. Safety logic is not an add-on, but the basis of the design.
Water temperature
Heating mat brings the water to the optimum temperature for plants. Software stops heating when the tank is empty - no damage possible.
Leakage detection
Water sensors at several heights detect escaping water, localize the level and close the main valve automatically.
Spring return valves
Motorized ball valves with spring return automatically move to the safe closed position in the event of a power failure. No pump activity without active control systems.
EC/pH-Pre-Check
The facility automatically checks the EC and pH in the tank before each irrigation pulse. If there is a deviation from the target value: stop, correct via fertilizer mixer and check again.
Auto-Refill
User sets minimum tank level, the facility refills automatically. Fresh water / osmosis mixing ratio adjustable per step.
Remote HMI
Web-based interface - access from the office or on the move. Multiple user roles, alarm push and detailed logging.
At a glance.
Overview of the most important key data of the irrigation platform. All values are standard designs - we adapt the facility to the space, number of plants and cultivation strategy on a project-specific basis.
| Component | Function | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| IBC tank | Central water storage tank with auto-refill and heating | 1000 L |
| Level sensor | Continuous non-contact tank monitoring | Ultrasonic - ±0.5 mm |
| Irrigation pump | Pressure and speed-controlled supply to the benches | 0.8 kW - 230 V |
| Automatic inlet | Failsafe, closes in the event of power or pressure loss | Motorized - NC - Spring Return |
| Heating mat | Brings the water to the optimum temperature for plants | 1400 W - 1000 L → 20 °C in 8 h |
| Soil moisture | VWC, EC and temperature in the substrate | METER TEROS - up to 20 pcs. |
| Fertilizer mixer | Optional - metered addition of several components | 4+ water jet pumps |
| Osmosis | Optional - treatment with pressure buffering | 120 L/h - 10 L tank |
| Control systems | Own control cabinets with PLC and web HMI | Siemens - CA software |
| safety | Leakage, dry running, EC/pH pre-check, auto-refill | Multi-stage - Failsafe |
Your facility.
We build it.
From cultivation strategy to design and commissioning - CarbonActive plans, builds and supports the irrigation platform for your facility. Talk to us about your use case.
Arrange a consultation appointment
