SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

BigGpops said:
That's exactly what happened to me before in one tote, the supports holding the shelf collapsed, lesson learned on that one! Been lucky so far after, no more totes, 3gallon sips for me.
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I landed on using more of a wicking bed, so never worried much about support. I moved away from totes, like you, and mostly use regular plastic 15G planters on oversized saucers. Not a huge reservoir, but it provides probably 13G of soil still.
 
Ended up modifying my grow space a bit. I was still having humidity issues, especially at night.
I zip-stripped the light to the tent frame which gave me about a foot and half more clearance. Doing that forced me to move the 8" carbon filter outside the tent. It now pulls from outside the tent and exhausts in the outer room. The 4" carbon filter/fan are now inside the tent and exhaust in the tent. It's functioning as an air scrubber/mover.

Those changes were made last weekend and helped, but didn't solve the humidity issue. Decided to take action and removed a lot of material. Humidity has dropped significantly. Hopefully this is enough and doesn't negatively impact the yield. I took a lot out
 

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BigGpops said:
nice set up!
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Thanks !
i go back and forth between 3 gal. and 5 gal, 3 gal gives me more of a variety, you would think more would grow this way!
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I agree, when and how much to water/feed is No longer an issue !

Almost empty reservoir, plants are praying.

Water from the top and a full reservoir, plants are praying.

Every grow is four different strains but my rough calculations show a 25% increase in yields and with the SIP's my plants are healthier and more vigorous throughout the whole grow compared to 5 gallon fabric bags !

ProMix HP, Mega Crop one part, 600w MH/HPS.

Cheers
 
chuckeye said:
Ages range from 43 to 32 days old...

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Cheers
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I’ve been using grobuckets too. Got a couple runs with them under my belt . This time I modified a little bit to get more soil capacity. Think i’ve got it up to almost 10 gallons. Have you been using them long? With that long of flowering time on those strains i feel like you’re really gonna have to stay on top of feeding and keeping the good microbes and stuff in the soil.
 
SBNDB said:
Have you been using them long?
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Second grow with them, first grow was a run of auto's.

Six Shooter auto went 118 days from last feeding, chopped a week later !

Yield was 13.86 oz.

Six Shooter two 30 Nov 2023.jpg

With that long of flowering time on those strains i feel like you’re really gonna have to stay on top of feeding and keeping the good microbes and stuff in the soil.
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Not an issue with ProMix HP and Mega Crop one part nutrients !

Cheers
 
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Not an issue with ProMix HP and Mega Crop one part nutrients !

Cheers
[/QUOTE]


so do you top water when u feed or just pour it in the reservoir?
 
chuckeye said:
You mean my training aids ? ;)

Wood skewers and soft wire to train the branches sideways.

When the branches/plant is about 24" wide I usually flip to flower. Also keeps the height down..

Cheers
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I found it online. That's pretty dope. I poke a stick down the reservoir tube and check the water line. I water with a 2 gallon standard garden type plastic jug. I attach a length of clear pvc to the nozzle and drop the other end in the res tube and water manually. I'd like an auto system one day.
 
chuckeye said:
I top water a gallon before transplant and then about a month later every third fill is from the top.

Cheers
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So, I'm curious as I grow in SIPS, with a coots type mix. So, you say you top water a gallon before transplant? So you mix mco into water, top water and transplant at the same time? And then you topwater every third time? I'm just trying to figure out what you do.
In my City Picker SIPs, there is 15 gal of soil. Reservoir holds a little over a gallon of water. At first, I topwater to get things started, then start filling the reservoir with water after a couple waterings. Once things get rolling and the plant takes off, I need to refill the reservoir daily, and could probably fill more often as the plant drinks it all by the time I check at lights on. The only time I topwater after the first time is when topdressing Gaia dry amendments to water them in. So, do you water at all with straight water, or always with nutrients mixed in? Do you let the reservoir go empty before watering/feeding again? Sorry for the book of questions. Seems like your methods may be easy, and cheaper than what I'm doing.
 
Nugnewbie said:
So, I'm curious as I grow in SIPS, with a coots type mix. So, you say you top water a gallon before transplant? So you mix mco into water, top water and transplant at the same time?
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Within an hour or so. The first run I waited until the next day, doesn't seem to matter.

And then you topwater every third time? I'm just trying to figure out what you do.
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For the first two or three weeks I fill the reservoir to half full daily and then at about a month it's top water every third time.

In my City Picker SIPs, there is 15 gal of soil. Reservoir holds a little over a gallon of water. At first, I topwater to get things started, then start filling the reservoir with water after a couple waterings. Once things get rolling and the plant takes off, I need to refill the reservoir daily, and could probably fill more often as the plant drinks it all by the time I check at lights on.
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Sounds about right....

The only time I topwater after the first time is when topdressing Gaia dry amendments to water them in.
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On my first grow my plants were leaning over from lack of top roots by day 21 (?), that's when I started top watering every third fill...

So, do you water at all with straight water, or always with nutrients mixed in?
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Never straight water, always feed !

Do you let the reservoir go empty before watering/feeding again? Sorry for the book of questions. Seems like your methods may be easy, and cheaper than what I'm doing.
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Once the plants take off it is fill everyday with whatever is needed. Towards the middle to end of flower the reservoir is close to empty everyday but there is enough moisture in the ProMix that they don't miss a beat.

Cheers
 
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