SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

[Rocket Soul]

I think the PPK was more for feeding salts wasnt it? 5 gallon bucket inside another with holes and perlite in between bulkhead in the bottom.Watered to runoff the perlite would hold some moisture between feeds.

Yes, it's not for an organic soil approach. The idea is a bit the opposite of a SIP: the res below isn't for keeping the medium moist, it's purpose is to remove the perched water level so that you can do full watering several times a day without waterlogging the medium. The full flood of and the following draining of the medium means the air in the medium gets renewed which removes the need to refrigerate the water for O2 levels.

Interesting about top watering to get more roots before using the wick,Ive never started a small plant in a sip.

It's very easy to drown a small plant in a SIP. Or that you get roots to the res and to the surface (where you top feed with nutes) and nothing in the middle.

You can probably find hyroots approach if you go back towards the start of this thread.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

Interesting about top watering to get more roots before using the wick,Ive never started a small plant in a sip.

I transplanted from a half gallon. The Roots were pretty established. Once I seen that the plant was doing good and growing, I added water to the res

 

[myke]

I transplanted 2 gallon pots,clones over 2 mo old,I did put them lower in the sip this time.I now have surface roots and their drinking.Ive top watered them just to keep the ewc moist.Ive noticed now the dirt is quite warm compared to when I first planted them.

 

[ilovereggae]

A few SIP experts (@hyroot ) from way back recommend not using the res until the pot is full of roots, using top watering until established. The square pot foot can be help full in these cases protecting the wick. But it would need some stabilization without the bottom res.

ILR: have you ever looked into PPK system? Similar to the sips but you top water instead and the wick is used more for sucking the water out of the pot, into the res, with multiple watering assuring that you refresh air in the media. Your system is extremely close to be able to PPK, maybe needs a bit longer/thinner wick. The whole point of the ppk system is removing the perched water table;the bit in the bottom of the pot which is a bit extra wet, and pushing it down to the res. There is plenty of threads on icmag forum, look for delta9 posts. It's a very nice rabbit hole...

Cool! I will check it out. I actually am not that far off with my current method.

I do like @Hollatchaboy mentioned and just a top watering for the first week or so until I see they are bouncing back from the transplant and have a couple new nodes on them. Then I will fill the res, but then I let the plant use that up and go dry for a day before I refill it. BAS actually suggested this in one of their original SIP videos. I figure this is more like a regular wet/dry cycle in that it let's the roots do a bit of searching/reaching for the water and encourages the growth. For the first week or two that I'm vegging before flip I probably fill them twice. once I've flipped to flower, 3x a week. by week 3 of flower they usually need to be topped off every day.

When it's dry is when I will do my top dressing of nutes and/or ewc (not every time, but usually once every 2-3 weeks), and then do a gentle top watering. assuming some water runs thru into the res, I then wait 24 hrs until I top it off.

I will use the same logic going forward, just hoping the valves/hoses help keep my space a little neater.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

Cool! I will check it out. I actually am not that far off with my current method.

I do like @Hollatchaboy mentioned and just a top watering for the first week or so until I see they are bouncing back from the transplant and have a couple new nodes on them. Then I will fill the res, but then I let the plant use that up and go dry for a day before I refill it. BAS actually suggested this in one of their original SIP videos. I figure this is more like a regular wet/dry cycle in that it let's the roots do a bit of searching/reaching for the water and encourages the growth. For the first week or two that I'm vegging before flip I probably fill them twice. once I've flipped to flower, 3x a week. by week 3 of flower they usually need to be topped off every day.

When it's dry is when I will do my top dressing of nutes and/or ewc (not every time, but usually once every 2-3 weeks), and then do a gentle top watering. assuming some water runs thru into the res, I then wait 24 hrs until I top it off.

I will use the same logic going forward, just hoping the valves/hoses help keep my space a little neater.

I've done the same, but I have to wonder about the roots in the res. Without water they just sit there drying up.

 

[myke]

I’m day 13 now since transplant. Had me worried as I was seeing what looked like an iron deficiency! We all know that’s from too high of pH. Did some paste tests with distilled water but ph seams right. Wasn’t till last night I noticed the ones showing this deficiency were super cropped last week. Turns out I guess I was a little rough with them when I did it. Lol. I’ll just cut them off. No problem. First pic is what I’m talking about.
Im Still seeing burnt tips on new growth. Perhaps my soil is just a little hot. I know these girls are heavy feeders so chomping at the bit to top dress but maybe I’ll wait.I think I’m gonna flip the light today or tomorrow. I can see there starting to take off.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

I

I’m day 13 now since transplant. Had me worried as I was seeing what looked like an iron deficiency! We all know that’s from too high of pH. Did some paste tests with distilled water but ph seams right. Wasn’t till last night I noticed the ones showing this deficiency were super cropped last week. Turns out I guess I was a little rough with them when I did it. Lol. I’ll just cut them off. No problem. First pic is what I’m talking about.
Im Still seeing burnt tips on new growth. Perhaps my soil is just a little hot. I know these girls are heavy feeders so chomping at the bit to top dress but maybe I’ll wait.I think I’m gonna flip the light today or tomorrow. I can see there starting to take off.View attachment 4971666View attachment 4971669

I can't imagine what else could be causing the burnt tips. It's a sip so it doesn't get dry enough for salts to concentrate. It's gotta be running a lil hot. Don't wait too long to top dress. You'll need time for it to break down. Do you have anything you can water in just in case?

 

[ilovereggae]

I've done the same, but I have to wonder about the roots in the res. Without water they just sit there drying up.

I cant remember which one but I think it's literally the 2nd or 3rd BAS Earthbox video that is on the first or 2nd page of this thread where he suggested letting them dry out occasionally. it made sense to me then. I'm sure there's a point of diminishing return but even in nature the soil isn't always the same exact moisture level. so makes sense to me to recreate that cycle of feeding/searching at least in the early stages.

comparing my earthbox to my buddies (who always keeps his topped off), at the end of a cycle my boxes are like a loaf of soil and roots. I can't even bother to break them up. whereas my buddies has nice roots for sure but no where near the root mass I got.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

I cant remember which one but I think it's literally the 2nd or 3rd BAS Earthbox video that is on the first or 2nd page of this thread where he suggested letting them dry out occasionally. it made sense to me then. I'm sure there's a point of diminishing return but even in nature the soil isn't always the same exact moisture level. so makes sense to me to recreate that cycle of feeding/searching at least in the early stages.

comparing my earthbox to my buddies (who always keeps his topped off), at the end of a cycle my boxes are like a loaf of soil and roots. I can't even bother to break them up. whereas my buddies has nice roots for sure but no where near the root mass I got.

I've watched the bas 10x10 series quite a few times, just to make sure I got it and I've heard Jeremy mention to do that. My res goes dry usually when I'm at work so it's sits dry for a while but I don't like to let it go a while day without watering the res. Especially now, she's drinking a gallon and a half a day.

 

[ilovereggae]

here's my current 4x4. 6 Earthbox Jr's, 2 plants each.

8 Chile Verdes in the back. Left to right in the front on some risers (these didn't veg as long so we're smaller to start) is some Acai Gelato x KM11, a Guava Shoreline, and a White Runtz.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

here's my current 4x4. 6 Earthbix Jr's, 2 plants each.

8 Chile Verdes in the back. Left to right in the front on some risers (these didn't veg as long so we're smaller to start) is some Acai Gelato x KM11, a Guava Shoreline, and a White Runtz.

View attachment 4971672View attachment 4971673View attachment 4971674View attachment 4971675View attachment 4971677

Nice! They look great!

 

[myke]

I cant remember which one but I think it's literally the 2nd or 3rd BAS Earthbox video that is on the first or 2nd page of this thread where he suggested letting them dry out occasionally. it made sense to me then. I'm sure there's a point of diminishing return but even in nature the soil isn't always the same exact moisture level. so makes sense to me to recreate that cycle of feeding/searching at least in the early stages.

comparing my earthbox to my buddies (who always keeps his topped off), at the end of a cycle my boxes are like a loaf of soil and roots. I can't even bother to break them up. whereas my buddies has nice roots for sure but no where near the root mass I got.

Previous runs at mid flower Id have condensation on the under side of my tote lids.A lot of soil bugs lived there upside down lol.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

I cant remember which one but I think it's literally the 2nd or 3rd BAS Earthbox video that is on the first or 2nd page of this thread where he suggested letting them dry out occasionally. it made sense to me then. I'm sure there's a point of diminishing return but even in nature the soil isn't always the same exact moisture level. so makes sense to me to recreate that cycle of feeding/searching at least in the early stages.

comparing my earthbox to my buddies (who always keeps his topped off), at the end of a cycle my boxes are like a loaf of soil and roots. I can't even bother to break them up. whereas my buddies has nice roots for sure but no where near the root mass I got.

Are you running them no till?

 

[myke]

I

I can't imagine what else could be causing the burnt tips. It's a sip so it doesn't get dry enough for salts to concentrate. It's gotta be running a lil hot. Don't wait too long to top dress. You'll need time for it to break down. Do you have anything you can water in just in case?

Yup,once you fall behind almost impossible to catch up.Gonna top dress one today and see what happens.

 

[ilovereggae]

Are you running them no till?

nope, they are in a fresh batch of my veganic supersoil mix, mostly fresh water... but a little buildabloom, coconut powder, kelp meal extract, ewc tea, and/or recharge once a weekish depending on how I'm feeling and the phase of the moon lol. Super non scientific, I just try to keep the plants happy and predict what they will want and cross my fingers they stay green til harvest

 

[myke]

nope, they are in a fresh batch of my veganic supersoil mix, mostly fresh water... but a little buildabloom, coconut powder, kelp meal extract, ewc tea, and/or recharge once a weekish depending on how I'm feeling and the phase of the moon lol. Super non scientific, I just try to keep the plants happy and predict what they will want and cross my fingers they stay green til harvest

Finger crossing works man! Its my go to lol.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

Previous runs at mid flower Id have condensation on the under side of my tote lids.A lot of soil bugs lived there upside down lol.

Yea my top is pretty moist underneath. Lots of critters running around.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

nope, they are in a fresh batch of my veganic supersoil mix, mostly fresh water... but a little buildabloom, coconut powder, kelp meal extract, ewc tea, and/or recharge once a weekish depending on how I'm feeling and the phase of the moon lol. Super non scientific, I just try to keep the plants happy and predict what they will want and cross my fingers they stay green til harvest

You water those into the top?

 

[ilovereggae]

You water those into the top?

depends. if I'm just adding some buildabloom and coconut powder I just add it to the res. if I make ewc tea / kelp etc I keep it undiluted, and I will measure out say 8 oz per plant and then pour 4oz at a time into the open hole of the plant covers, so its going straight to the main root ball. wait 10 mins for it to wick into the soil a bit, have a smoke, pour a little more etc. like I said, not scientific. I just make it up as I go mostly (and get new ideas from all of you).

 

[Hollatchaboy]

depends. if I'm just adding some buildabloom and coconut powder I just add it to the res. if I make ewc tea / kelp etc I keep it undiluted, and I will measure out say 8 oz per plant and then pour 4oz at a time into the open hole of the plant covers, so its going straight to the main root ball. wait 10 mins for it to wick into the soil a bit, have a smoke, pour a little more etc. like I said, not scientific. I just make it up as I go mostly (and get new ideas from all of you).

I've been hesitant adding anything to the res other than water. Especially organic, but I've been thinking of maybe humic acid... maybe the bas big 6 micros with humics? No ill effects putting anything into the res?