Hazeytones Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Ahh got ya. I was going to build a couple of sips for the garden but never really considered it for indoors tbh. I will be upgrading my pot at some stage, I hate grow tents so will be building another space when funds allow me. I was going to do another 3x3 or 2x4 bed with the blumats but with the hassle I've been having a 2x4 sip may be a better option. You've sent me down another rabbit hole, cheers bud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 2 Author Share Posted March 2 Your welcome Only downside with sips is that eventually the bottom res will be filled with roots, soil and gunk, so they do need resetting from time to time. Top watering is also better, but no reason you couldn't have a sip you top water by and hand and only fill the bottom when you're away, that was my plan. I was very close to building one for this run, but I just couldn't lose another 10cm of headroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazeytones Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Yeah mate the roots would be my concern. I did like the look of the autopot tray2grow if it was available for a 3x3 or 2x4 bed would be great. Then like you say just hand water and have the sub irrigation option for when you go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Get a big enough tray, an aquavalve and some capillary matting and I'm sure you could make something similar. They also do a top watering capillary mat system that looks quite intriguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 You can make a pretty effective SIP using a fabric pot and Autopot Pot Sock. Saves you worrying about roots making their way down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 What and just have the aqua valve on the floor next to the pot? Wouldn't take up any extra headroom doing that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 6 minutes ago, MindSoup said: What and just have the aqua valve on the floor next to the pot? Wouldn't take up any extra headroom doing that If you were referring to my suggestion, then no, I'd still want at least an inch layer of wicking medium to keep the pot clear of the water line. I can't remember the exact depth the Aquavalve stops at but wouldn't risk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 15 minutes ago, Clubs said: exact depth the Aquavalve stops at 2 inches So pot raised 2 inches on top of capillary mat that hangs down into the water? That's very similar to an idea someone gave me about keeping mum's. Just smaller fabric pots basically. The tray to grow kit doesn't have the bed raised up like that and works well from what I've seen so far, but having it raised does seem like a safer bet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 I think the best idea ever to come from Autopot is the system with a tray, a lg coco mat and an aqua valve, paired with a pot sock and root control sheet. You could even use an additional coco mat if you wanted. That would keep the overall profile low and would be nice and tidy to work with. I've tried the bed of perlite in the tray but it's a messy nightmare to work with. The only reason I no longer use SIP's is because they're not really compatible with heat mats and went back to top watering with the Blumat moisture meter. Didn't get on with Blumat watering but I'm thinking of combining the meter with a dripper system for use in a soil based medium. I couldn't find that top watering capillary system you mentioned above? That has sparked my interest too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 That sounds a lot like the tray to grow system, but different. Got any pictures or something I can punch into Google? It's in the garden centre/ raised bed section on their website. I've never known anyone to use one but I like the concept. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 12 minutes ago, MindSoup said: That sounds a lot like the tray to grow system, but different. Got any pictures or something I can punch into Google? It's in the garden centre/ raised bed section on their website. I've never known anyone to use one but I like the concept. If you Google 'Autopot coco mat', you'll find what you need. Pair this with an aqua valve, an aqua valve cover and a standard Garland tray and you're good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 I see it now, that with some root blocker on top and then a fabric pot on top of that, I might actually be able to make that work. I know what your saying about the heat mat, but I find having a low mounted heater on either side of my bed does the job, my heat mat barely ever turns on. I did also hink of just using drippers. Use a ecowitt WiFi hub thing to tell you the moisture levels and then a WiFi controlled solenoid so you can manually water as and when it's needed. Does mean you can't just forget all about it while your away though and I have to admit I enjoy the break from having to think about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 5 hours ago, MindSoup said: Does mean you can't just forget all about it while your away though and I have to admit I enjoy the break from having to think about it. Probably not really. It's not really any more automated than a dripper system in coco. I expect they'll need adjusting every few days throughout the cycle. It just removes the need to mess about with watering cans. Pure laziness really but at least you'll be able to leave it running if you need to go away for days on end. I tried something similar with the Blumat lines and drippers without the carrots, adjusting the drippers for flow rate but I wasn't at home enough to monitor it. That's the one with the coco mats, yes. Essentially a similar idea as the Tray to Grow but far cheaper. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Hmmmmmm I've got some thinking to do now, 1 week into flower so a bit of time to figure out if I want to switch things up moving forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now