aquatherm black in hydroponic soil for Basil cultivation used – Weue to its aromatic taste, basil is one of the most popular spices in the world and it is hard to imagine Italian cuisine without it. The cultivation is quite uncomplicated, but the plant needs one thing in any case for good growth: uniform heat.
Stefano Giusto, owner of the family business Giusto Basilico, knows this too. Since 1985, he has been growing the plant in his two greenhouses in Cogoleto, some 30 kilometres from Genoa in Italy. In order to provide the basil with the right temperature at all times, he previously used a heating system with polyethylene pipes installed directly under the cultivation areas. Over time, this solution proved to be less than optimal for homogeneous basil cultivation and for energy consumption in the greenhouses. For this reason, Stefano Giusto was looking for an efficient system for even heating. During his research he came across piping systems from aquatherm.
In intensive consultations Giusto, together with the Italian aquatherm branch, developed an unusual solution for heating his greenhouses: The previous polyethylene pipes under the cultivation areas were replaced by the surface heating system aquatherm black, which was directly inserted into a hydroponic floor. The black registers made of the corrosion-resistant material polypropylene lie constantly in the four centimetre deep water and heat it evenly to 28 degrees Celsius. Without the need for a further heating system, the warm hydroponic soil keeps the ambient temperature in the greenhouses at a constant 18 degrees Celsius. This provides basil plants with optimal growing conditions – even during the winter season.
A total of 544 registers were installed in the two greenhouses on a cultivation area of around 1500 square metres. These range in length from 48 x 80 cm to 100 x 475 cm and were fitted accurately and quickly into the individual areas. This was made possible by the object-specific production of the system at the aquatherm headquarters in Attendorn.
With a water flow temperature of 36 degrees Celsius and a return temperature of 31 degrees Celsius, the desired ambient and water temperature is achieved, confirms Stefano Giusto, who is also pleased with the reduction in energy consumption of around ten percent.
