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Thread: Coco watering - run to waste rigs discussion

  1. #1

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    Default Coco watering - run to waste rigs discussion

    Hi THC Talk Family!

    My goal for a long time has been to create the perfect drip irrigation system that provides every plant with the exact same amount of water. Due to pressure loss over a basic loop system, the plants furthest from the pump were receiving slightly less water than the ones nearer the pump.

    This resulted in two things.
    1. Waste of nutrients and water having to over feed the close plants to give the further plants enough water.
    2. The plants farthest from the pump were more likely to build up salts in the coco coir, creating nutrient lockout and damage or burning to the plants if not flushed religiously.


    My goals:
    - Every plant receives the exact same amount of water over the same amount of time no matter where it is in system.
    - The plants would be watered from enough points and at a slow enough rate to not create channels and allow for even watering and absorption of water and nutrient in the coco coir.
    - Allow for multiple feed times over a day of different durations and be able to control this remotely without having to go into the grow room.
    - As low to the floor as possible to give the plants as much room to grow as possible
    - Easy to increase or decrease the number of plants depending on the strains special needs.
    - The pots are not fixed and can be moved as plants grow in width.
    - Easy to pull apart and clean.
    - Captures all run off water in a tank that can be wheeled out of the room for disposal of run off. No drain is available.
    - Can be left for up to a week without requiring attention depending on the tank size and plant nutrient demands.



    Anyone got a system that can do this?

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  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by NZ_ View Post
    Hi THC Talk Family!

    My goal for a long time has been to create the perfect drip irrigation system that provides every plant with the exact same amount of water. Due to pressure loss over a basic loop system, the plants furthest from the pump were receiving slightly less water than the ones nearer the pump.

    This resulted in two things.
    1. Waste of nutrients and water having to over feed the close plants to give the further plants enough water.
    2. The plants farthest from the pump were more likely to build up salts in the coco coir, creating nutrient lockout and damage or burning to the plants if not flushed religiously.


    My goals:
    -Every plant receives the exact same amount of water over the same amount of time no matter where it is in system.
    -The plants would be watered from enough points and at a slow enough rate to not create channels and allow for even watering and absorption of water and nutrient in the coco coir.
    -Allow for multiple feed times over a day of different durations and be able to control this remotely without having to go into the grow room.
    -As low to the floor as possible to give the plants as much room to grow as possible
    -Easy to increase or decrease the number of plants depending on the strains special needs.
    -The pots are not fixed and can be moved as plants grow in width.
    -Easy to pull apart and clean.
    -Captures all run off water in a tank that can be wheeled out of the room for disposal of run off. No drain is available.
    -Can be left for up to a week without requiring attention depending on the tank size and plant nutrient demands.



    Anyone got a system that can do this?
    I think I have you covered, honestly. It will require a bit of diy and a high ceiling but yeah. I've built that system. I'm upgrading it now. I guess I don't have the pudding yet. But yeah. I just REbuilt a DTW to match all your criteria.

    I'm Santa for a bit, but I'll gladly lend what I can in a bit.

    Cheers
    B


    "The footsteps of the farmer is the best fertilizer."

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  5. #3

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    In theory, a closed loop should give equal pressure to all drippers. Output from the pump is split using a Tee and if a dripper is closest to one of the pump lines, it is also furthest from the other pump line. Which balances it out.

    What may be happening in practice is that the drippers have varying rates of flow, giving different volumes for equal pressure.

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  7. #4

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    Decent power for a pump, all feed lines same size and the drippers all the same. I feed 8 with 2 drippers per pot and they all get the same at the same time

    Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

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  9. #5

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    Here's what I'm thinking/doing:

    For watering, a decent size res and a manifold with equal length tubing to your pots. I like the FloraFlex system. One manifold can water up to 8 plants (4 plants at a decent speed). With a strong pump (mine is 1700lph I believe) you should be getting an even drip. Check out the Matrix system. Mint! Mine is still mocked up like I said above. I've seen and heard great things and plumbing is easy. This is theory and not advice based on usage. Always gotta put that out there. I'm going to them because the folks that I see using them are having a good time.

    You can easily disconnect. That was so important to me too. Not sure

    Timer for your pump.

    Add a BlueLabs Guardian feeding pH down to the res if you're feeling splashy. I've been bidding on em on the bay for a while now.

    A little tent stand that can house a collection unit for the waste. I use an oil pan but a small tote would also work:



    Inside that collection unit, you pop a float valve with a smaller pump that can head to a larger collection vessel. A rain barrel on a dolly might be overkill. I bin on a cart might be more feasible.

    Once you're set up, you're only topping up your res, adding nutes, and hauling away waste water once a week or longer.

    On paper this is so perfect. I hope you set something up and get it tested before I do!

    Right now my tent is a dumbed down version using halos. Much more economical.

    Cheers,
    B

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  11. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by barney_b View Post
    I think I have you covered, honestly. It will require a bit of diy and a high ceiling but yeah. I've built that system. I'm upgrading it now. I guess I don't have the pudding yet. But yeah. I just REbuilt a DTW to match all your criteria.

    I'm Santa for a bit, but I'll gladly lend what I can in a bit.

    Cheers
    B
    That would be awesome can you do a video walk through of your setup?


    I'm running a prototype setup at the moment but I'm not sure how to share video anonymously.

    Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

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  13. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by NZ_ View Post
    That would be awesome can you do a video walk through of your setup?


    I'm running a prototype setup at the moment but I'm not sure how to share video anonymously.

    Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk
    I'll do a post when I get it set up for good. Got some plants in the way for a bit longer.

    Cheers
    B

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  15. #8

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    Watering the pots in equal volumes is all well & good, however the plants don't all drink the same amount day.

    From someone who generally has to build 3 versions of something himself for 4x the price of buying it off the shelf there are much better watering solutions that are a lot less aggravation. BluMat & Autopots...

    As the plants drink or the media dry's out the system waters based on a valve, so they get watered when they need it. There's no run off to collect so you'll probably save 30% in water / nutrients. They also work off gravity so no messing about with a pump or timer & adjusting feed times as they grow etc, just fill the reservoir & forget about it.
    Last edited by B1unt; 09-01-22 at 06:01 PM.
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  17. #9

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    I have a basic set up for my 8 plants and it works just fine

    I think I have a 7000ltr per hour pump in my reservoir, connected to 25mm tubing that runs in to my tent. Then I have 4 x 4mm outlet manifolds so each plant pot gets 2 equal cut length of 4mm tubing. All my pots are sat on a Rhizo drain to waste system so any run off is pumped to buckets/drain. I can connect my pump up to a timer and it can be left for days at a time

    I know not all plants need the same volume of water/feed but I give them all the same and I haven’t had a problem yet

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  19. #10

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    Mine is still in it's box lol,I bought a setup a year ago and just haven't got around to setting it all up.
    I'm getting tempted to try DWC again though now that I understand it better than I did 12 years ago.

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