Is there a cheap, simple way to automate runoff with coco?

The only trays with tubes I could find were like 30 bucks a piece. Thanks!

@lusidghost nows your time to shine lol

Well, sir. Are you using saucers or trays? They need to be elevated a few inches.

A decent wet vac is like 20-30 bucks.

Oh, damn. I apparently skipped the first post. You can use flood trays, but they are pretty expensive. I use dutch leach trays, but I'm growing in rockwool slabs. You could probably is saucers, but you would need to drill holes to runs drainage lines. Whatever it is, you need enough gravity to get the water to a station to pump it out.

PopAndSonGrows said:

A decent wet vac is like 20-30 bucks.

Click to expand...

A decent one? I used a wet vac for years, but it was a huge pain. It really depends on how many plants you're running I guess.

This is my little setup:

I was wondering if a wet vac would work, but you'd have to do that manually right?

Is there a good place to get leach trays?

The rockwool is super cool

They really only work well with rockwool slabs. I tried using 6" pots and it was tough.

I use one tray as a riser for the other. They are around 4" tall.

You could get creative with corrugated roofing panels and gutters, draining into a tote or bucket with a condensate pump.

But yeah, you could really use any tray or saucer as long as the are elevated and you're willing to do some modifications. Get the pump box with the built-in floater switch bilge pump, run some pvc, drills holes in it, attach silicone tubing to whatever the tray is, seal with silicone. Then you run a hose from the box to a drain. It's pretty simple, and makes life much, much easier. I basically copied BK's Bucket Company drain box, but this was a lot cheaper.

Really you don't even need the box. Just the bilge pump with the built in floater switch. You could use a regular bucket or a plastic bin. The box I have just makes it easy because the fittings are 3/4" and you don't have to install bulkheads or anything. You do have to drill out the plastic at the end of the box's fitting though.

The short version... 5mm tubing a manifold, pump, airpots and a timer with trays set at a slight angle.

Or just a X piece.

The run off goes to the end of the tray and into a collection tank.
It's really only a jug but collection tank sounds hip

Option 1: google coco for cannabis and diy self draining saucers (site has diy auto pumping drain bucket also).

Option 2: buy water tank pans with drain hose connector built-in (or bucket with hole for bulkhead), elevate plants, connect drain connector to garden hose splitter, have water use gravity to drain outside tent or room.

I did the bulkhead in catch pan to hose Y and drain to outside room.

@lusidghost has some solid suggestions.

Good luck, may the yield be with you.

Here’s what I do.

Raised table for the garden tray, bulk head fitting to direct the flow of runoff and a kitchen bowl to catch it from the tray.

Washer pans from Home Depot, cement mixing tubs Home Depot, hot water tank pans from Home Depot. Depending on the size and shape you need you can get any of those to work.