Best most reliable automatic irrigation setup

I’m wondering what you guys think is the best most fool proof irrigation setup I’m tired of hand watering every day yes I’ve became lazy. Looking for a system that doesn’t leak and I grow in coco

Also this isn’t a huge grow it’s 2 tents 5x5 and 9x9

I use a 32 gallon Brute plastic trash can with lid as my reservoir and a sump pump to push the water to Orbit 8-port adjustable manifolds. I use a digital timer to control feeding times and duration.

Using some ingenuity I've been able to leave my girls unattended for 2 weeks while feeding them 3 times a day.

Which digital timer? What do you have it set for feeding schedule?

Inline pump to manifolds to pressure comp drippers. So far it’s working well. Took a minute to get a design on the dripper layout that I liked. I use a smart plug to schedule on/off and frequency.

Midwestflowers420 said:

Which digital timer? What do you have it set for feeding schedule?

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Search Amazon for Nearpow Dual Digital Light timer. I've played with various schedules but settled on 30 minutes after lights on, halfway through, and 30 minutes before lights off.
I grow in 2 gallon Rootmaker pots with 100% coco and always get great harvests.

I use a $50 sump pump connected to a FloraFlex bubbler.

If you follow the instructions and recommendations, along with using large trays, I have found Autopots to work really well. It's the laziest system I have ever used. There are no timers or pumps, it's all gravity-fed, nothing under pressure. Last cycle in my Autopot tent the biggest effort was refilling the res every fortnight and checking the PH once a week. And one time I had to actually go in the tent and string some falling branches up because I was too lazy to scrog earlier.

Blumats connected to a small water pump in a bucket is pretty set and forget. All it takes is tuning in the irrigation for the first week or two.

Autopots, but make sure to find a really soluble nutrient line or the lines can clog.

T macc said:

Blumats connected to a small water pump in a bucket is pretty set and forget. All it takes is tuning in the irrigation for the first week or two.

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This is what I'll be going to hopefully by the end of the week. We plan to run a 32 gal food safe trash can, with 2 small pumps. One for veg and 1 for flower.

Nope_49595933949 said:

This is what I'll be going to hopefully by the end of the week. We plan to run a 32 gal food safe trash can, with 2 small pumps. One for veg and 1 for flower.

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Perfect. I got my bucket on some rollers so to fill up in the bathroom. I really love the setup

T macc said:

Perfect. I got my bucket on some rollers so to fill up in the bathroom. I really love the setup

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I use an unused washer hookup in the basement but I plan to drop a hose bib into the grow room soon. Makes life so much easier.

T macc said:

Blumats connected to a small water pump in a bucket is pretty set and forget. All it takes is tuning in the irrigation for the first week or two.

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How?

Blumat's rely on a continuous low psi. For non gravity-feed setups, they do sell a pump and accumulator tank setup to provide that but it's $$$$$$$

Your typical cheap submersible aquarium pump is not suitable for blumats as, unlike drip emmiters, they need constant pressure to function as designed.

Billy the Mountain said:

How?

Blumat's rely on a continuous low psi. For non gravity-feed setups, they do sell a pump and accumulator tank setup to provide that but it's $$$$$$$

Your typical cheap submersible aquarium pump is not suitable for blumats as, unlike drip emmiters, they need constant pressure to function as designed.

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You run a small 8 watt pump continually with the flow reducer.

Billy the Mountain said:

How?

Blumat's rely on a continuous low psi. For non gravity-feed setups, they do sell a pump and accumulator tank setup to provide that but it's $$$$$$$

Your typical cheap submersible aquarium pump is not suitable for blumats as, unlike drip emmiters, they need constant pressure to function as designed.

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Yup. Just a small, low wattage pump. As long as the pump has enough vertical push to get over the bucket, it works fine. I forgot to mention, I use a Blumat tee fitting near the pump to release any pressure build-up. I used to use the reducer, but found it unnecessary when I didn't have a second one. I've done up to 80 one gallon pots with a single pump

T macc said:

Yup. Just a small, low wattage pump. As long as the pump has enough vertical push to get over the bucket, it works fine. I forgot to mention, I use a Blumat tee fitting near the pump to release any pressure build-up. I used to use the reducer, but found it unnecessary when I didn't have a second one. I've done up to 80 one gallon pots with a single pump

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So the T is just open and directs water back into the res? Do you have a pic?

Nope_49595933949 said:

So the T is just open and directs water back into the res? Do you have a pic?

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Exactly. A few inches above the pump is a tee fitting, and then the line continues to my pots, leaving the small 3mm open to spray water back. I don't carry phone these days and my ops are remote for now. I hope my description makes sense.

T macc said:

Exactly. A few inches above the pump is a tee fitting, and then the line continues to my pots, leaving the small 3mm open to spray water back. I don't carry phone these days and my ops are remote for now. I hope my description makes sense.

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I think so.