Our substrate monitoring system delivers precise, data-driven control over the root zone environment—optimizing irrigation and climate for superior crops like tomatoes, strawberries, and cannabis.

What is Substrate Soil?

Substrate soil (or growing media) is an artificially formulated soilless cultivation medium composed of organic or inorganic materials. It serves as an alternative to traditional soil, providing root support, water retention, and nutrient delivery. Common substrate materials include:

Organic Substrates: Coco coir, peat moss, wood fiber, rice husk biochar, compost.

Inorganic Substrates: Perlite, vermiculite, rockwool, clay pellets, sand.

Precision in the Media. Excellence in the Harvest.

Compared to conventional soil, substrate soil offers several advantages:
✅ Superior Aeration: High porosity (30%–70%) ensures better root oxygenation, reducing rot risk.
✅ Controlled Water & Nutrient Retention: Adjustable composition (e.g., strawberries prefer moisture, tomatoes need drainage).
✅ Disease-Free: Minimizes soil-borne pathogens (e.g., root-knot nematodes, fusarium wilt).
✅ Lightweight: Ideal for vertical farming (e.g., rack systems, bag culture, trough cultivation).
⚠️ Requires Precision Management: Substrates lack inherent nutrients, necessitating fertigation with close EC/pH monitoring.

Substrate-Based Crop Cultivation and Monitoring-bgt

1.Tailored for Your Media: Specifically designed for coir, rockwool, and other common substrates, delivering insights that matter for your specific growing environment.

2.The Complete Climate Picture: Monitors key variables from light intensity and CO₂ to root-zone temperature and moisture, giving you unparalleled control.

3.Automate for Optimal Uptake: Integrates LoRa wireless networking with automated irrigation to deliver water and nutrients with perfect timing and efficiency.

4.Data-Driven Cultivation: Move beyond guesswork. Use real-time data to optimize drip irrigation and lighting schedules for crops like cannabis, basil, and strawberries.

◀◀ Product Parameters ▶▶

Essential Sensors for Substrate Environment Monitoring

Substrate cultivation hinges on maintaining water-air-nutrient balance, requiring monitoring of:

(1) Substrate Related Sensors Parameters

Output Interface	SDI-12, V1.3
Power Supply	3.6-16V/DC
Power Consumption	Quiescent Current : 30uA Measuring Current : 10mA during 150ms measurement
Soil Moisture Measurement	Apparent dielectric permittivity (xa): Range:1-81 (air - water) Resolution:1.00-40.00:±0.1,40.00-81.00:±0.5 Accuracy:1.00-40.00:±2%,40.00-81.00:±5% Soil Moisture(VWC): Range:0%-100% (air - water) Resolution:derived by the conversion function from epsilon to VWC Accuracy:derived by the conversion function from epsilon to VWC
EC Measurement	Range: 0-23ds/m Resolution: 0-7ds/m, 0.01ds/m; 7-23ds/m, 0.05ds/m Accuracy: 0-7ds/m, 5%; 7-23ds/m,15% EC temperature compensation: 0-50°C
Temperature Measurement	Range: -40~80°C, Resolution:0.1°C, Accuracy:±0.5°C
Measurement Technique	Moisture by FDR and EC by AC excitation
IP Ratings	IP68
Operating Temperature	-40~85°C
Sensor Rod	Stainless steel
Sensor Sealed	Epoxy resin
Installation	Surface or buried installation
Cable Length	5 meters or Customize
Dimension	887126mm

(2) Ambient Parameters

Category	Details
Temperature Range	-40°C to 75°C (±0.2°C accuracy)
Humidity Range	0–100% RH (±3% accuracy)
CO2 Range	0–5000ppm (±50ppm +5% accuracy)
Illuminance Range	0–200,000 Lux (indoor: 0–65,535 Lux)
Outputs	4–20mA / 0–10V / RS485 (Modbus-RTU) / RS232
Power Supply	9–30V DC (12V recommended)
Protection Grade	IP65 (dust/waterproof)
Probe Options	Built-in (standard, PE, metal) / External (high-temp, threaded)
Dimensions	Compact wall-mount design (105mm hole spacing)
Communication	Modbus-RTU protocol, 9600 baud rate

Also support other parameters, please contact sales!

◀◀ Recommended Setup solution▶▶

Recommended Setup for Small-Scale Substrate Cultivation (Strawberry Example)

System Overview

Cultivation Method: 3-tier vertical rack (20 pots/layer, coco coir + perlite substrate).

Area: 10㎡.

Automation: Fertigation triggered by EC/pH, cloud-based data logging.

Sensor Configuration

Equipment	Example Model	Qty	Role
Substrate Moisture/Temp/EC	BGT-SEC(Z2)	6	2 per layer (mid-depth monitoring).
Substrate pH Sensor	BGT-PH1	3	1 per layer, linked to fertigation.
Canopy Temp/Humidity	BGT-AWS(Wall mounted)	3	1 per layer, with radiation shield.
CO₂ Sensor	BGT-WSQ	1	Centrally mounted for full coverage.
PAR Sensor	BGT-PAR1	1	Height-adjustable at canopy level.
Controller		1 set	Data processing & irrigation/light control.

Automation Logic

Irrigation: Triggered when substrate moisture <30% (10-minute fertigation).

Nutrient Control: Reduce fertilizer if EC >2.5mS/cm; adjust pH if <5.5.

Environment Control: Inject CO₂ if <800ppm; activate grow lights if PAR <200μmol.