To keep your plants healthy, it's crucial to clean your water tank and refill it with fresh water and dissolved plant food monthly to maintain the right balance of nutrients in your system. Follow these steps to change the water in your tank.
1. Prepare
- Place a towel on the floor.
- Open the compartment in your lid to lift the water pump into the upper position.
- Unlock the lid's sides from the tank.
- Switch off your Gardyn and unplug the power supply.
- Lift the top half of your Gardyn off your tank by grabbing the columns (never the lights!) and placing it vertically on the towel on the floor.
2. Clean the tank
- Empty the tank and gently clean it with water and a sponge.
- You can use either baking soda OR 3% hydrogen peroxide (not both!) to help sterilize your tank as you clean it.
3. Fill your tank with plant food dissolved in water
- Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of plant food in 1 gallon of water before adding it to your tank.
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- How: To dissolve, simply place 1/2 teaspoon of plant food in a 1-gallon container, fill with tap water, and shake to mix. Adding a little warm (not hot!) water can help dissolve the plant food faster. We suggest reusing common 1-gallon containers, such as milk cartons or other similar containers. Just make sure the container is clean before using it for the first time!
- Why: Dissolving your plant food first ensures the nutrients remain bioavailable, or ready, for plant uptake and healthy growth.
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- Continue adding dissolved plant food within the ratio until your waterline reaches 1 of the 2 following places:
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- How: If you're filling your tank with the lid off, add your dissolved plant food solution until the waterline reaches the top of the smaller ribs inside the tank, as shown below.
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- If you're filling your tank through the opening in the lid, add your dissolved plant food solution until it reaches just below the bottom opening of the plastic funnel in the open compartment, as shown below. Stop before the water reaches the plastic funnel.
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- Why: Adding water beyond these points can potentially damage your device.
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TIP: Have leftover pre-mixed plant food solution after filling your tank?
Keep it for up to one week and add it during your next weekly top-off, or dilute it slightly to use it on your other indoor or outdoor plants.
4. Reassemble your Gardyn
- Place the top half of your Gardyn back on the tank by lifting from the columns once again.
- Return the pump to the lower position.
- Plug your Gardyn back into the power supply and switch it On.
- Your Gardyn may take a few minutes to wake up after it has been turned on again. The Gardyn will remember its stored WiFi credentials and automatically reconnect once it has time to fully reboot after about 15-20 minutes.
- The lights will come on at the next scheduled time, or you can tap the Light tile to get your Gardyn glowing again! Resist the temptation to touch the silver button, as long-pressing it will disconnect your Gardyn and erase your stored WiFi credentials. Grab a snack, relax, and check on your Gardyn via the app home screen.
5. Log your tank refresh date in the app
- On the app home screen, tap the "Refresh your tank" tile
- Tap "Log now"
- Select the date you refreshed your tank and tap "Save".
- Check your home screen any time for your countdown until the next refresh!
How often does water need to be changed?
- At least every 4 weeks to ensure balanced nutrients in your tank.
- If you are growing larger, mature plants and heavy fruiting crops that require lots of nutrients, we recommend a refresh up to every 14 days.
Why is it important to change the water?
When you add a fresh tank of water and plant food using our recommended ratios, you're letting your plants reset with a balanced pH, allowing them to absorb all of the minerals and nutrients they need.
Over time, as the pump recirculates the water and you top off the tank, the ratios of those nutrients can fall out of balance, making it harder for the plants to get the food they need to stay healthy.
Your plants will also tell you that the water needs to be changed.
Forgetting to change your water and clean the tank is one of the most common issues for general plant health. If you notice burning or yellowing on lower leaves, around new leaf edges, or yellowing between leaf veins, it’s a good indicator that the tank needs a refresh!
By following our plant food guidelines, refreshing your tank monthly, and topping it off weekly, you can grow with confidence knowing your Gardyn's water is as clean and balanced as a Master Gardyner's. For a more intensive cleaning, click here to learn how to sterilize your Gardyn with a Light Cleaning.
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us. We're here to help!