I need an automated watering system. Is anyone using this one?
I would assume that watering systems objective is to keep soil wet, which is not cannabis friendly. Cannabis needs wet/dry cycles. I’m not aware of any experienced growers who use automated watering systems.
I’m in coco
@AfgVet set up a system that @imSICKkid used. In coco which needs to remain wet you can get away with this. I’m in the process of setting something like this up for my grow. Top-feed small amounts a couple of times daily.
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Okay. Coco and soil have different requirements.
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It’s pricey. But supposedly has a tray that weighs the pot and waters and drains according to weight. Saw some of those that were made and they are awesome. Not sure if it’s worth the price tag yet.
I’m likely going to use an inexpensive digital timer that allows for multiple run times per day and adjustable duration per run. Have that run a small submersible pump with drip emitters to feed Jack’s to four plants in 3 gallon fabric pots in coco.
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Sorry to bug you, I’m thinking about this because of space and it’ll be difficult to take girls out of tent in a few weeks. I’m in coco using Jack’s but tap water only takes pH to 6.4-.5. How would you maintain a lower pH using a 10 gallon bucket in an automated system? That would be the rough weekly amount.
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Probably should have said that first. Your advice I appreciate. Thank you kindly.
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I’ve ran a drip irrigation on a coco grow before but there was just too much to factor in. Need to make sure you have something to keep your reservoir water moving, then it has to be ph checked before watering and im sure this is common sense to most but no air tight reservoirs when doing drip irrigationitll cause a siphon effect and drain your reservoir into the plants. I thought I could automate the whole thing and well you can if you have money and all the fancy tools. Needless to say when I did experiment around with it this is the drip system i used
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I think one of those chiller units. Boy they are pricey also. A lot of electrical to run But if it that’s what it takes. I don’t ever see myself playing with co2. I’d broke, and not that experienced.
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Ten gallons of nutrient solution will stabilize PH in a couple of days. It might require checking daily for two or three days until it quits moving, based on past experience.
A small aquarium wavemaker in the rez and the larger your standing rez the more stable the solution will be.
Doubtful you’d need a chiller as it’s used to prevent root rot. Not really an issue top-feeding in coco.
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So mixing a large amount, checking and adjusting for a couple of days, then it should pretty much hold on its own for a few days after?
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To keep ph stable there are variables.
The larger the amount of solution, the longer it will stay stable.
The higher the ppm the longer it will stay stable.
The better quality the nutrient (hydro, think jacks) the more stable the PH will stay.
The quality of PH buffer will also play a factor.
An automated watering system is possible, people do it and it cna be done at different quality / price points.
Waste to drain is a common system.
However as always autopots is my favorite due to price and simplicity
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@Nicky covered it pretty well. Keep it agitated instead of aerated which tends to acidify the solution. My wavemaker consumes something like 3 watts so isn’t a big power hog and does just fine. I bought a second one for mixing Jack’s. If you have the space, as large a rez as you can handle. I’ll be running four big plants in a 4 X 8 space with I think a 12 gallon reservoir. At peak I’d expect that to last 3 days.
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any suggestions on wavemakers? what do people like
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I use a 15 gallon tote as the res. for a 3 bucket hydro system. Keeping the Ph stable isn’t an issue. I do use a chiller that maintains 70f and also typically run mid 9’s to lows 1000’s on the PPM. Even before adding the chiller the Ph was never an issue to keep up with at 5.8.
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Awesome. I needed all the info I’ve got, but that was the piece I was really looking for. Thanks @Flyinbrian78
I put together my own watering system that works awsome. Also setting up a second one this week. It’s pretty simple and somewhat inexpensive. I grow in coco as well. I can send pics and description this evening.
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That would be sweet.