My soils pH has crept up over the last year,was thinking of adding straight peat to the wick.
I would think it would be fine to use straight peat. That's what I was always taught to do actually. I used the original pdf posted at the very beginning of this thread years ago as a guide, and it mentions using plain peat moss as a wick. I also make sure to add a small mound of peat moss on top of the wick and then saturate it before adding the rest of my soil.
My fear is roots fill the wicks pretty quickly,thinking lack of food and acidic my cause a problem.
Those roots are water roots the feeder roots are more on the top.
I personally like how build a soil hacks the earthboxes and try to go with that tech...but I have gone to the dark side and bought a 4x4 soil bed to try out this next run.
Yeah its hard to get grips with all those roots down there with no food.You get used to it and just keep feeding from above.
I still have fears of a big bed and having to water it,Would be like 30 gallons on ea watering or something like that.How do ya know when and how much?
From watching the build a soil 10 x 10 series on you tube in which he goes through an entire grow with a soil bed sips and 30 gallon pots, I think even some five gallons. According to him it's about the feel of the bed and you can kind of pull down the sides and feel the soil. Using mulch and or cover crop he is very successful. Going to try to replicate that and hopefully have it be as easy as sips. But we will see!
I had one run where my soil was on the dry side, even with a plastic cover, and I think it was due to not packing it tight enough. I'm thinking like, when you're top watering, the soil is going to compact over time as the water flows down through it, so there is a tendency to pack it more loosely to begin with, and maybe that compaction doesn't happen to the same degree in a sip? Since then I've packed them more tightly, especially in the wicks, and mounded the soil up as high as possible, like an inch or two over the top of the container, and it stays pretty wet that way.
I kinda have that same fear. It's one of the things that's kept me from getting on board with a bed. It's another learning curve I'm sure. That's why I feel sips are superior. It's always a perfect moisture level. My plants love it, and so does the microbial life. The wigglers seem like they want out though. Lol
Maybe that side of the wick washed out?Well, since folks use gravel or 100% perlite for a reservoir wick, I doubt a loose soil would impede the wicking of water, even in peat. Especially if water wicks to the top elsewhere.
I suspect something else is going on. Perhaps that side of your SIP is a lot warmer, or it's closer to the fan. Or maybe something is going on with the soil itself, like it didn't get fully mixed, or a big chunk of hydrophobic peat never really got moistened. I'm not sure what your biochar texture is like, and a big, dry chunk of that might be interfering?
But I doubt the soil is too aerated. Either way, I would dig in and investigate before reamending--you know, if it were me!
It's gotta be something. The investigation might end up as @weedstoner420 suggests (dump/repack)!
It may be the only way to know for sure. Make sure you pack the wick tight.
I would think it would cause anaerobic conditions, no?
Mine are 10 gallon I dump out and re amended then let cook again.My soil is depleted of nutes after ea run,I do keep it moist though so it never really dies.