SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

frankslan said:
So you dont even wait till a mat forms you just cover it right up with compost maybe Ill do that
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I don't introduce the barley until the first time I chop the cover crop and mulch over it. Then from that time on when I do use it I just too dress it under the mulch and water with whatever the feed for the day was.
 
The SIPs modified Autopots are working pretty well. The organic grow is healthy and green. Now I'm just trying to get the net filled as much as possible.
 

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I'm getting a good rate of growth now. This is four days of growth since the last post. I'm hoping I can flip in a couple more weeks. These are pretty bushy indica, so I'm not sure how much stretch I'll get. This is three weeks of veg. I'd like to keep the veg. phase down to around 5-6 weeks... just not sure if that will allow a full screen. IMG_0168.JPG
 
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Quick question guys.......

For any of you using 5 gallon buckets for SIP's, is it necessary to drill a couple of holes in the sides of the bottom bucket/res, or just leaving the gap between the water line and upper bucket is enough?

Don't remember how I did this last time. I am going to use one of my DWC buckets for the bottom because they have the sight tube already so not worried about too much water going in............

Thanks (:
 
Evil-Mobo said:
Quick question guys.......

For any of you using 5 gallon buckets for SIP's, is it necessary to drill a couple of holes in the sides of the bottom bucket/res, or just leaving the gap between the water line and upper bucket is enough?

Don't remember how I did this last time. I am going to use one of my DWC buckets for the bottom because they have the sight tube already so not worried about too much water going in............

Thanks (:
Click to expand...
When I used them, I did drill a bunch of 1/4" holes above the the 1/2" overflow drain hole... but I really don't know if they were necessary. The overflow hole might be enough, as the water lowers the vacuum will pull in fresh air.

I ended out using what was marked as a "#7" plastic planting pot in my 5 gallon (homer bucket) res, and that ratio was disappointing for me -- the res only held about a gallon of water and matched with approximately 5 gallons of soil I had to fill it every day. Granted, they were outside and the plants got to be about 5' tall past the soil line, but personally I'd still like a bigger res with that much soil. If I could find a shallow 3 gallon pot that would fit in a 5 gallon bucket (without "falling in"), that might leave enough room for 2 gallons of water which I think would be a better balance.

We're just making it up as we go, whatever works for you is what matters.
 
Humanrob said:
When I used them, I did drill a bunch of 1/4" holes above the the 1/2" overflow drain hole... but I really don't know if they were necessary. The overflow hole might be enough, as the water lowers the vacuum will pull in fresh air.

I ended out using what was marked as a "#7" plastic planting pot in my 5 gallon (homer bucket) res, and that ratio was disappointing for me -- the res only held about a gallon of water and matched with approximately 5 gallons of soil I had to fill it every day. Granted, they were outside and the plants got to be about 5' tall past the soil line, but personally I'd still like a bigger res with that much soil. If I could find a shallow 3 gallon pot that would fit in a 5 gallon bucket (without "falling in"), that might leave enough room for 2 gallons of water which I think would be a better balance.

We're just making it up as we go, whatever works for you is what matters.
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Thanks for the input brother much appreciated.................
 
Evil-Mobo said:
Quick question guys.......

For any of you using 5 gallon buckets for SIP's, is it necessary to drill a couple of holes in the sides of the bottom bucket/res, or just leaving the gap between the water line and upper bucket is enough?

Don't remember how I did this last time. I am going to use one of my DWC buckets for the bottom because they have the sight tube already so not worried about too much water going in............

Thanks (:
Click to expand...

Yeah, a couple holes should be fine to let air in.
 
Back where I was when I first started lol still more to do just the first but here goes nothing I understand in these I will water more frequently but for my current situation I feel this is what will work best. Can always upgrade or modify as needed but I'll be sipping again now :)

IMG_20170413_154333.jpg
 
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Humanrob said:
When I used them, I did drill a bunch of 1/4" holes above the the 1/2" overflow drain hole... but I really don't know if they were necessary. The overflow hole might be enough, as the water lowers the vacuum will pull in fresh air.

I ended out using what was marked as a "#7" plastic planting pot in my 5 gallon (homer bucket) res, and that ratio was disappointing for me -- the res only held about a gallon of water and matched with approximately 5 gallons of soil I had to fill it every day. Granted, they were outside and the plants got to be about 5' tall past the soil line, but personally I'd still like a bigger res with that much soil. If I could find a shallow 3 gallon pot that would fit in a 5 gallon bucket (without "falling in"), that might leave enough room for 2 gallons of water which I think would be a better balance.

We're just making it up as we go, whatever works for you is what matters.
Click to expand...

How about a remote reservoir connected to the homer buckets with a float valve? The system I have is basically this way. The reservoir in the SIPs pots is only about 1/2 gallon. But my remote reservoir can hold up to 12 gallons. Although I only put about 5 gallons at a time into it. I've heard of people doing hempy buckets this way too.
 
PDX Joe said:
How about a remote reservoir connected to the homer buckets with a float valve? The system I have is basically this way. The reservoir in the SIPs pots is only about 1/2 gallon. But my remote reservoir can hold up to 12 gallons. Although I only put about 5 gallons at a time into it. I've heard of people doing hempy buckets this way too.
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Funny you mention this as I was toying with the idea but would need a float valve that would work for the application ..........
 
PDX Joe said:
How about a remote reservoir connected to the homer buckets with a float valve? The system I have is basically this way. The reservoir in the SIPs pots is only about 1/2 gallon. But my remote reservoir can hold up to 12 gallons. Although I only put about 5 gallons at a time into it. I've heard of people doing hempy buckets this way too.
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That is a great idea! I've thought about it before, but I've always been moving my grow around (from one room to another, etc) and experimenting, so I personally haven't built out anything like that -- yet. If the summer goes as planned I'll have a more permanent space, and then I'll think about building a more integrated system like that. But definitely, those are awesome self-regulated systems. As a side note, I won't use the 5 gallon buckets, they are unnecessarily tall, I'll go with something like a 10 gallon Rubbermaid totes.
 
Ok, I got two of those garden boxes foxy posted above. I'm going to mix up some soil with build-a-soil's complete kit (30 pounds of nutrients and minerals) and use that.

My goal is to just put water into the res (and maybe some cal mag). I am not going organic. I'm going low maintenance. I have mothing against bottled nutes except for the complexity of custom blending every feed or water cycle. Plus not having to water as frequently will be a plus.

Sure, I'll have to top feed occasionally, but I'm hoping for much lower maintenance and a less hectic grow. I only have a 3x3 tent, so 2 plants in each would be a good number. Won't know till they sex out though.
 
Veg area now SIP's and not hydro

IMG_20170413_200617.jpg

The rest of my plants will ride it out as is and the SIP's will rotate into the flower tents when the current autos are done. Next cycle of this perpetual starting up right now will have everything in place how I want. Will free up the veg area much better now with 1gal pots to prepare the ladies for the SIP's once the veg girls leave. Then I can get a cloning station setup in the veg closet too and all cylinders will be firing once again.
 
Evil-Mobo said:
Funny you mention this as I was toying with the idea but would need a float valve that would work for the application ..........
Click to expand...

You can get a little horizontal float valve and place it in a small tray or tub and place it on the floor next to your plant pots. Then you can set the water height to what you want and the large main supply reservoir would need to be elevated off the ground a bit and it would just gravity feed once the float valve opens. You could water multiple SIPs with this one float valve box.

A float valve like this...

https://www.amazon.com/Kerick-Valve...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=N9D5E5SQTSCB529QRH0R
 
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