Watering systems

[artemisdakitty]

I'm trying to make a timed, measured watering system, to better regulate my grow. I don't have the money for a commercial drip system. Does anyone know how or where I can find/buy the components? :bonghit:

[oldsanclem]

Ah advanced system
1 buy a few books
2 read post in the non advanced boards
Well as a plug and play simple system.
1 use a gravity ebb and flow system, the normal 80-120 gallon supply. My first system was a 100 gallon system. Thats good for a start
2 start out with 20-30 bucket system , then move up to a medium system.
3 use the donut buckets , and normal 1/2 in garden hose
4 plant the tank in the ground , for the drainage after filling
5 make sure to use mag drive pumps , no problems with oil leakage from pump
6 stay with the 1000 watt bulbs a MH works through the full cycle of growing
Or you could get a 5 gallon bucket , cut a hole in it to fit a beach sand bucket with hole in it. fill with 3/8 gravel , a aqua. pump and air stone, some tomato growing ferts, some bloom ferts. and 3 gallon of drinking water. This is a bubbbler system, but not shown in the advanced section.

[rhizome]

Heya- put one together for AFOAF last week

You'll need-
Pump 15
Poly tube 1/2" 20ish
Poly tube 1/4" 10ish
1/2 gph drip emitters .50 per plant
Timer (digital) 20
Resivior(whatever you have) 10
Barbed 1/4" tees(1per 2 plants).35 ea.

Make a manifold from 1/2" tube(you'll have to block 1 end). Insert tees to match plant setup. Run 1/4" tube to each pot, and attach dripper. Mount pump to manifold. Place pump in res, fill w/ nute solution of choice. Set timer to turn on pump for, say, 5 min (1/24th gallon)per hour lights on- no water when lights off. You can adjust watering cycle by adjusting timer on/off intervals.

System assumes that you can drain to waste.
System assumes that your media will drain well enough to allow good leach-thru- coco, cocoperl, RW in a proper tray, Promix/perlite 50/50%.
I like at least 10% run-thru in drip.
Top off res w/ fullstrength nute as needed. Check and adjust pH at each top-off.

You can skip the emitters, but they make water delivery MUCH more consistant- I'd go the $.50 cents.

You can get all of this at any good hydro shop, or Home DePot, Agway, etc- I like the Raindrop brand stuff. Res can be anything that'll hold water- Pickle barrels are the bomb, but you gotta CLEAN them or ph'll be funky and your room will reek of pickles. No metal drums.

Hope this helps

[artemisdakitty]

Hey thanks, rhizome. I'm gonna respond to this tommorow morning, when I'm not so baked. I' d make an ass of myself right now.

[artemisdakitty]

Sorry its been a bit late to respond. Finals suck for ed majors...Thanks for the suggestions. Once I get back in town on the 15th, I'll be trying some stuff out. Thanks again for the time.

Kitty`