Bud's Does A SIP Featuring The ViparSpectra KS5000

[Bode]

Highya Buds,

I agree with the others who really like your SIP build. Love the design! Basically, it's gotta work. May have to adjust this or that, but you'll know then you test her out! Love the design! Happy Smokin'

 

[Hash Hound]

hey @Buds Buddy you might want to add a drain with a shut off valve just in case, might come in handy if you end up with a smelly reservoir or what ever need may arise it would help in flushing the res, or flushing in general if you do such thing.

 

[CaptainLucky]

Sulfer is added to molasses to kill microbes that then lead to spoilage.

Soooo, if you're running an organic grow get the unsulfered, but if not it doesn't matter.

How great is that?!? Everybody's right.

YAY CL

 

[Buds Buddy]

hey @Buds Buddy you might want to add a drain with a shut off valve just in case, might come in handy if you end up with a smelly reservoir or what ever need may arise it would help in flushing the res, or flushing in general if you do such thing.

Are we talking about the overflow drain or are we talking about the feed line from the external res to the internal res.
I was thinking about adding one to the external res. I think one for a fish tank should work. I don't really want one on the drain though in case the res fills too high because the float sticks or something. But one for the external res. would be great because I could shut off the flow, disconnect it & clean it out if needed. I do still have to get that shut off valve though.

 

[CaptainLucky]

Are we talking about the overflow drain or are we talking about the feed line from the external res to the internal res.
I was thinking about adding one to the external res. I think one for a fish tank should work. I don't really want one on the drain though in case the res fills too high because the float sticks or something. But one for the external res. would be great because I could shut off the flow, disconnect it & clean it out if needed. I do still have to get that shut off valve though.

Thanks for the info on the monitor, it’s bigger than I expected but looks like it’s going to be a nice addition. CL

 

[stardawg17]

hey @Buds Buddy you might want to add a drain with a shut off valve just in case, might come in handy if you end up with a smelly reservoir or what ever need may arise it would help in flushing the res, or flushing in general if you do such thing.

If you need to drain the reservoir in the SIP you can always remove the ping pong ball from the fill tube and shove a shop vac hose down there. I have a 3 gallon shop vac I use solely for draining my external res for my weekly changes.

I also agree with others that your wooden dowel for the level indicator shouldn't get water-logged, but, if you're worried about it could you not wax it?

Anyway...great pictorial...I have it book marked for future reference.

Once I finish my current grow I'm thinking of converting my hempy buckets into a a hybrid hempy SIP and your internal res I think should just about do it

 

[Hash Hound]

Are we talking about the overflow drain or are we talking about the feed line from the external res to the internal res.
I was thinking about adding one to the external res.

I was meaning a drain all the way into res in the sip in case you ever needed to drain it

 

[Thirvnrob]

This is the basic design I tried to follow, but using floats. You'll notice it says the insert seals to the bucket. This is the seal I'm talking about. Probably not all that much of a seal really.

When my Water level indicators bottom out it only takes 2 quarts to fill them. here, it says the res holds up to one gallon. Did you start with the 5 gallon grobuckets? If so, how much water did they take to produce runoff?

 

[bluenoserjoe]

I don't follow this concern unless the ball gets submerged, but theoretically it will float maybe half way submerged and therefore the skewer would stay dry since you never add water down the "fill" tube.

You could use a couple of plastic straws as your 'stake' as an alternative.

My initial thinking on this was that water would be added down the tube for a quick top up. Even so I see that the ping pong would keep it high and dry anyway. Brain fart. .lol

 

[Buds Buddy]

When my Water level indicators bottom out it only takes 2 quarts to fill them. here, it says the res holds up to one gallon. Did you start with the 5 gallon grobuckets? If so, how much water did they take to produce runoff?

Yes, I did start with the 5 gal. I've been adding 6 - 20 oz. cups every feeding; which is almost a gal. I fill it twice per day right now during flower. I'm thinking maybe you drilled the drain hole too low ? Not sure why you can only add 2 qts. Only other thing I can think of is soil got into the res.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I was meaning a drain all the way into res in the sip in case you ever needed to drain it

I have a Siphon Pump that I can run down the fill tube for that if needed. The Shop Vac thing I'll have to try. I have a 3 gal. one also.

 

[Azimuth]

I have a Siphon Pump that I can run down the fill tube for that if needed. The Shop Vac thing I'll have to try. I have a 3 gal. one also.

They also sell something called a Bucket Head which is the wet vacuum mechanics part that fit a regular 5 gallon bucket.

 

[Thirvnrob]

Yes, I did start with the 5 gal. I've been adding 6 - 20 oz. cups every feeding; which is almost a gal. I fill it twice per day right now during flower. I'm thinking maybe you drilled the drain hole too low ? Not sure why you can only add 2 qts. Only other thing I can think of is soil got into the res.

I drilled the hole 3-1/2" from the bottom - hoe I didn't misread the instructions...

 

[Buds Buddy]

I drilled the hole 3-1/2" from the bottom - hoe I didn't misread the instructions...

3.5" is what the instructions say. Not sure why yours wont take a gal. Doesn't really make much sense. Have you asked anyone else how much it takes to fill their res. ? I wonder if this has happened to anyone else & if they figured out why.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Just a quick update on how my lil' ladies are doing. They've both developed their 3 blade leaves (2nd node) so far & are starting on their 5 blade leaves. Yesterday, I started feeding nutes. 2 gr. per gal. of Maxi-Grow & 2 ml. of Cal-Mag. Just giving them 4 oz. per day right now. I wont water to run off till they're 4 nodes tall. They'll be ready for up-pot to the SIP once they have 4 nodes. I'm leaning toward the one in the last 2 pics for the 12 gal. as of right now.

And here's a few shots of the GG Auto. She seems to be developing kind of slow to me. The yellowing leaves have slowed down, but not completely gone yet.

That's all for now. Can't wait to get one of these girls in the SIP & get this grow rolling. Wont be long now. A week to 10 days I'm guessing.

 

[Azimuth]

When my Water level indicators bottom out it only takes 2 quarts to fill them. here, it says the res holds up to one gallon. Did you start with the 5 gallon grobuckets? If so, how much water did they take to produce runoff?

I don't use the GroBuckets but I'm wondering if your water level indicators are not functioning properly. Can you remove the float and stick a dowel down the tube and verify that it is indeed empty? Is the float adjustable in some way?

Buds said he can hear a difference in the sound the float makes when it is dropped into a dry reservoir, but if you're using a standard bucket and the GroBucket insert with the hole drilled at the right height, you should have the same reservoir capacity. Something's amiss.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I don't use the GroBuckets but I'm wondering if your water level indicators are not functioning properly. Can you remove the float and stick a dowel down the tube and verify that it is indeed empty? Is the float adjustable in some way?

Buds said he can hear a difference in the sound the float makes when it is dropped into a dry reservoir, but if you're using a standard bucket and the GroBucket insert with the hole drilled at the right height, you should have the same reservoir capacity. Something's amiss.

My roots would hold my dipstick down sometimes & I'd have to release it. Maybe that's what is happening.

 

[Thirvnrob]

My roots would hold my dipstick down sometimes & I'd have to release it. Maybe that's what is happening.

Well, it seems the numb skull that drilled the drain holes can’t read a tape measure. They’re 3/8” too low. I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind…
Otherwise everything seems to be functioning like it should.

 

[Azimuth]

Well, it seems the numb skull that drilled the drain holes can’t read a tape measure. They’re 3/8” too low. I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind…
Otherwise everything seems to be functioning like it should.

You should probably fire his ass, but then you'd just have to replace him and train the new guy, wasting valuable time in getting the replacement up to speed. Maybe just dock his pay to ensure he learns the lesson.

Besides, if you did fire him, you'd no longer have access to the grow, so that seems a bit extreme now that I think it thru.

 

[Azimuth]

Well, it seems the numb skull that drilled the drain holes can’t read a tape measure. They’re 3/8” too low. I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind…
Otherwise everything seems to be functioning like it should.

Something else must also be amiss though. The reservoir to hole height ratio should be fairly linear. So if you're only able to fill half of what others can, but your hole is still roughly 6/7ths of recommended you must have something else at issue.

Said another way, half the reservoir volume should be a hole at 1.75" (roughly), but yours is mostly the right height.

Maybe Buds is right about roots affecting the proper functioning of the float indicator.