Dripper system

[Rufus Brown]

I want to set up an automated watering system using drippers but I can't get my head round what I need to buy 

 

I run 6 pots so 2 drippers per pot and I grow in Coco 

 

This is what I think I need to buy 

 

150l res

1200 lph water pump 

13 mm tubing 

Manifold with 12 drippers 

Timer

 

I already have a big blue air pump 

 

So do I just connect the tubing to the water pump in the res then connect to the manifold and place drippers in pots 

 

Are there any connecters I need to buy or anything else I've not included 

 

Want to get it right first time so any help appreciated and then I can finally see the back of hand watering 

 

 

[SYZYGY]

Hi mate,

 

An air pump can mess with pH, better to use another smaller pump to circulate the solution in the res and produce a ripple on the surface. 

 

You've missed out the most important part of this - an anti-syphon line. Without this you'll likely flood your groom. I use a 13mm to 4mm T-connector, positioned just after the main 13mm line leaves the res, the 4mm line feeding back down into the res. 

 

 

I'd also consider a 13mm in-line filter positioned before the manifold. 

 

You'll need 4mm tubing to go from the manifold to the drippers. IMO it's better to make a 'drip ring' rather than using a manifold, a la @GSZZ

It's pretty easy to figure out. On mine there's 13mm lines with valves coming from it, but it'd be easier to have your 4mm feed lines coming straight off the ring using 6 x 13mm/4mm cross connectors.

 

 

Work out how many 90° bends your main line has to take and that's how many 13mm elbow connectors you'd need. 

 

I like having a 13mm in-line valve on the main line to reduce the flow rate. 

 

I use 2 x open 4mm lines for each 9l pot of coco. One line with a blue dripper would be have been sufficient for this size pot tho. 

 

Auto-feeding in coco is an absolute game changer once you have it all set up and running right  

[Rufus Brown]

@SYZYGY thanks for the help dude 

 

I think it might just be a bit over what I'm capable of .

 

once you mentioned anti syphon tubes and Inline filters it went over my head 

 

Think il stick with hand watering for now and come back to it when I have a little more understanding 

 

 

[tokenroll]

 

[SYZYGY]

@Rufus Brown It's not hard dude, honestly. I did it...  

 

I read the Auto-feeding thread in the coco section over and over until it sunk in. 

 

It's a bit of headache at first wrapping your head around it and what you need, but fully worth persevering IMO. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

 

After all is said and done, if it's still not making sense after a while and seeing detailed photos and explanations, then it may not be for you! Nothing wrong with hand-watering if you have the time  

[ukbudz]

There used to be a topic on building one on here awhile ago by thesaint on a simple diy system like you described. Try googling automated dripper coco with uk420 after it and it'll bring them all up or as @SYZYGY said copy @GSZZ design. I copied thesaints version years ago and it worked a treat.

 

Make sure you get a cycle timer, much cheaper then a irrigation timer from a grow shop. 

[SYZYGY]

@ukbudz That's a point... the Auto-Feeding thread seems to have disappeared! Some photo links were dead and it needed a clean-up for sure but it was a great resource. I gleaned everything from there. 

 

Maybe a new one is in the works? I'd happily contribute if needed. 

[stu914]

I use a simple open flow system which works perfectly...

 

You need:-

 

Pump

13mm irrigation pipe

13mm elbow

13mm 'T' piece

4mm feeder pipe

4mm 'T' peices

4mm barbed straight connectors

 

Connect the 13mm Elbow and T piece to the pump and lay the 13mm irrigation pipe around the outside of the pots, connect the two ends to the T piece.

Make drip rings with 4mm pipe and 4mm T pieces, 3 for each ring (two are spouts into the pot and one for the feed line in) one ring per pot.

Connect rings to 13mm irrigation pipe using 4mm straight connectors and 4mm pipe...ensure each one is evenly spaced and identical lengths to keep even pressure.

Run the pump on a timer or switch by hand...whichever suits...

 

Mine is on a flood and drain table which has the reservoir underneath so everything drains back leaving no run-off under the pots.

 

 

 

 

 

[Rufus Brown]

Cheers @stu914

 

That seems a lot easier way of doing it 

 

I'm still not 100% I'm going to do it but will research more till I have a better understanding 

[Slippy One]

@SYZYGYfeck me that's a sexy looking white pipe setup, inspirational. I never thought about using a filter, but using canna coco a&b, the line stay clear, but good addition nonetheless. One thing that went over my head was this: 'IMO it's better to make a 'drip ring' rather than using a manifold' say wha? 

 

Anyway, from my limited research I do believe I see 4x small medusa trays, with some kind of pump to remove the runoff, which has been my biggest pain yet. 

 

If you find the time, can you create a thread for coco noobs like me to replicate what you've done? That would be amazing to see. Like many using coco, I need to up my game, and growers like you are obviously crushing it. 

 

 

[Slippy One]

As for the old dripper system in coco thread, I'm glad it's been taken down, it was a dirty looking, lazy, salty nightmare of runoff and pond liners. No thanks. We need slick ops like @SYZYGY's setup. 

[grooving]

Have you considered Tropf Blumats drippers?  First grow with mine and I won’t go back. Really easy to set up and gravity fed.

[SYZYGY]

@Slippy One Thanks for the kind words mate. As I say, I can't take credit really as most of what I've done is emulated from others on that thread that's now gone. I did try and make it nice and neat tho. I'd forgotten about the photos of crusty pond liners  

 

The 'drip (or distribution) ring' is just the circular arrangement you can see between the pots in the photo above. It allows for an even distribution of solution to each of the feed lines, as the ring is pressurised first. A manifold has outlets arranged in a linear fashion. 

 

I use a condensate pump to get the run-off into a 25l bucket. I made a guide for that (although the pumps cost a bit more now):

I'd be happy to work on an auto-feeding guide when I've got the time, but I've been using the system for less than a year and others are probably much more experienced. 

 

@GSZZ What say you, sensei? Know anything what happened to that thread and if anything is being worked on to replace it? 

[GSZZ]

5 minutes ago, SYZYGY said:

 

@GSZZ What say you, sensei? Know anything what happened to that thread and if anything is being worked on to replace it? 

 

I actually don't know but its appears to have gone gone! Unfortunately not just hidden.

 

Before I got turned over I was planning on writing up a new thread with new info, new builds and of course the addition of the run off trays, brain tank options, feed options, crop steering and all that jazz, I was waiting for a point where I was setting a new one up so I could take photos etc but obviously that never came!

 

If folk don't mind waiting a little while its something I can make a start writing up now and and get it uploaded? For what stuff costs I could knock a drip ring up and plumb some trays together for the pictures. The old thread was scattered, the improved delivery system was about 100 pages in ( ) and some info on how to irrigate for example weren't even in that thread. It def needed work!

 

So yeah if people don't mind waiting a couple weeks I could probably get something together?

[SYZYGY]

@GSZZ It would be truly worth the wait! Seems only right for you to do it to be honest mate. Not that I'm trying to palm it off or anything  

 

Scattered is one way to describe the old thread... I spent weeks going through it again and again with a notebook