Vacation watering - simple drip system?

I have to be out of town for up to a week a couple times during my grow. I'm trying to come up with the best system to keep them safely watered.

Currently, I've tried clay spikes that water bottles can screw on to. They seem to work, but the little water bottles emptied fast.

I'm playing around with the idea of trying to build a drip system from a 1 gallon or 3 gallon water bottle. Worth the effort? Anyone have a parts list for something like this?

Another idea was to use these water absorbing polymers and introduce them to the soil. They slow release water. WaterCrystals.com has something similar. I don't want the soil too wet though.

Other ideas or thoughts on these approaches?

Wilma system

all you need is
a large reservoir
a 5 gallon bucket
a fountain pump
a drip line kit
a float valve
a timer switch
a assortment of hose fittings and rubber grommets

here is some links to the cheap stuff. i dont know what you bugiet is but if you can afford it you may want to spend a little more for more reliable parts

http://www.harborfreight.com/irrigation-drip-kit-46095.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/620-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68393.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/http-www-harborfreight-com-digital-timer-95205-html.html

here is a sketch of the control bucket



you gravity feed the water from your reservoir into the control bucket to prevent overflows from siphoning off. it will only take 50 gallons of water on your grow room floor once to stress its importance.


happy building and have a grate time on vacation