Sir, TY very much for sharing this information. I am a believer in the SIP's and this will be perfect to continue with the buckets but make multiples easier. The foot print of the 5 gallon SIP is just so convenient. I will have to try this next year out doors with the veggies.
Larry Hall and RGGS have a huge following on YT and FB. Folks love it. I have done it in kiddie pools as well as a trench. This year I put my water above ground, so I wasn't having to bend over to pick the tomatoes.
My head is already spinning and I already figured how I'd do it for my tents this is going to be fantastic..........
I like how the gutter system is easily expandable and probably takes less time to build than a bunch of individual container SIPs.
Does it have an airgap
Yes. Only the netcup sits in the water. The rest of the bucket is above.
the bucke has no holes on the bottom,, like a true sip,, so its just dirt sitting in water,, kinda like your experament,, you wont get hydroponic type growth,, its just bottom watered, thats very differant
Please explain the air gap?
I think there might be an air gap in the design in this video and if not then it certainly could be added. But I suspect there is one. The photo Larry shows of his buckets in a plastic trough appears to be more like a hempy setup. There's sub-irrigation in both cases. But, I do agree using a wick and air gap leads to more appropriate moisture & oxygen levels.
In this case the air gap is separate from the net cup the gap is between the bottom of the bucket and the water level there has to be holes in the bottrm of the bucket ( not the net cup) and the air gets to bthe soil and roots via this gap, also roots cross over the gap and go in to the res forming water roots in the gutter system the bucket over hangs the gutterand just hangs in space without these hole and without the air gap there is no hydroponics type growth but just a regular container gardning but if thTs what a person wants the that's good but i like the explosion growth of air gap sips
Definitely need pics then.
I'm going to have to go on a limb here Tim and say that this is why they stress the potting soil in the net cup for the wick as it is more aerated. Anyhow I am going to try and incorporate something similar into my indoor grow. The air gap is there it's just open to the environment, adding holes to the bottom of the buckets would be an easy to do thing and most of us using buckets for SIP's already have them. My only concern would be is there enough space in that trench for the roots.............
Good point, although the main water roots usually concentrate their growth around or at the wick. The other roots that grow through the bucket holes would air prune themselves possibly. Essentially the plant finds the water and grows the roots where the water is.
