noobie question first grow

Wondering if u guys use anything in particular to place under the pots to catch the draining water?

SmokyLungs said:

Wondering if u guys use anything in particular to place under the pots to catch the draining water?

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Hey there grower and welcome to RIU. Most 2-3 gal containers come with a dish that the container sits in. The plant will absorb from it when it is needed. Also, you can use it as a source for testing your runoff and you will better know when a bit of water or feed is needed. The containers I refered to have little slotted holes near the bottom. Peace

Don't forget that you can get oversized saucers in order to catch significant runoff. My 3gal containers will sit in a 10" saucer. But, by the time I reduce my crop to 4-5 females to flower I use 12-14" saucers to catch more runoff (margin of safety).

Lowes sells a deep-wall saucer. It's flimsy clear plastic. I keep some of those for when I know I'll water for large runoff (semi-flush).

Botanicare sells an "OD" tray which is sized with an "outside dimension" to fit in popular tent sizes. I have the 4x4. Got it for $120 from the local hydro store. I sit it on top of 6" square cinder blocks (Lowes) that are shimmed with cardboard to get a slight forward tilt. The 6" lift allows me to put a Sterlite shoebox (or slightly larger) container under the drain hole to catch runoff.

Makes watering much easier. But, if you want to measure runoff's ph it's not as good. You'd still need to insert a saucer to catch runoff. But, this "OD" tray thing is great. (You can also get by with the less-expensive 3x3 hydro tray (not an "OD" size, so it's slightly larger than 3x3). In reality, we keep our containers a few inches from the tent wall, so a 3x3 tray would probably be enough to hold the containers (with 5" of open space all the way around).

I have my plants sitting on top of cookie cutters so that they can drain and not sit in the runoff.

Be wary of the cheapies at lowes or HD.....I had some, and some got holes....luckily I double checked my cab one day after watering and wasn't in a hurry cause I had watering leaking onto a fan and electrical wires.....

A local hydro store near me sells green heavy duty ones for like .95 cents a piece....another hydro store sells them around $3 a piece for the green heavy duty ones.

Awesome thanks guys

FYI: I wanted a deeper saucer than those shallow ones, and more durable than the flimsy clear ones at Lowes. I got the idea to cut the bottom off a 5-gal Home Depot "Homer" bucket. I cut one 4" deep. It's 10-3/4" diameter, large enough to hold a 3-gal round container.

I wouldn't let the plant sit in runoff that deep too long. It's more for the added security of a deeper saucer. And, easier to carry than the shallow ones (which get waves too easy while carrying). If/when I water for heavy runoff, I would set the container on 1-2" tall spacers. (I'm thinking of buying 6" diameter PVC black/waste pipe and cutting spacers from that.).

I'm sure someone's already thought of this. But, thought I'd throw it out here. I measured 4-1/4" from the bottom lip (which gives about 4" inside depth). Marked around the outside every 3-5 inches. Used masking tape to connect the marks (a visual straight-edge all around). Used a fine-blade hack saw to cut lightly all around. Finally cutting through at different locations. Takes about 10 minutes.

I use a black concrete pan, I can either fit a single 10 - 20 gallon rubbermaid
Or two 5 gallon buckets standing in a large concrete pan. OAL 36".

I use a wet vac to remove the runoff from around my Hempy container.

Pictures taken 2 weeks ago, at 5 weeks.
( these 3 plants are a little unhealthy at 5 weeks compared to my last plants)
I am now 2 weeks till maturity at 9 weeks, these buds are not filling out like past plants.
This is the sixth flowering period I have run through.
This is the First time I flowered 3 smaller plants instead of 1 larger plant.

I have been working with this same Sativa dom hybrid Bagseed for more than a year.
I am now running clone only from last years plants.
I grow in rock wool and Hydroton in a drain to waste Hempy style.
400 watt HPS with 2 95 watt T5 HO fixtures for supplement.
3x3x6 tent.

I grow in a shower stall so water just goes down the drain!

Dog, your stuff always looks great !

Thanks Cobnobuler!

Dogenzengi said:

I use a wet vac to remove the runoff from around my Hempy container.

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I bought one of these and LOVE it:



It's called a FlowStix and cost about $20. You can buy an extension for $5. Without the extension it can reach 4'. Runs on 2 D batteries.

Don't know how long it will last. The rubbery hose seems like it might crack eventually, but so far it's awesome. I stick a 1/2" shim under one side of my cut-off Home Depot "saucer" (to shift the water to one side for more pickup), stick the grey end in and it's done in 10 seconds. No hefting containers. I like this better than the 4x4 elevated drain pan I've used.

Link: www.FlowStix.com

I have been dogged for this but it works well for me...in my room I have a pond liner covering the entire floor with 2 drains on lower end. ( yes my floow has 1inch difference between high and low end with foan insulation under the liner) I used 2 drains for flood tables for drainage hooked to hose that runs outside to feed my flower garden it pinches foam and allows drains to be lower then floor)). And when I water I pull plugs and water drains out. I use a 1 gal shop vac to suck out the rest(usually none) it was I do a pond liner was I think 30 dollars for my entire room I can take the hose in rhere and wash shit and no problem