Ok, Busy evening... This morning, I completed assembly of the SIP tank, so this evening I mixed up hte dirt (same recipe as before - seems to be working, and it's not complicated - bag of topsoil / potting mix, 1/2 bag manure, bag (8L) of Perlite bag (6 lb) of worm poop. Start w/ the dirt, add the perlite, stir. one cup ea of blood and bone meal. Stir. Worm casts, stir. manure, stir. recycle dirt from dead plant, stir WELL. Fill the 3.5gal buckets to the collar (the bottom feed SIP might work with a larger gradient? give 'em more room, any way) Assembled the DIY SIP - would kind of like a bigger reservoir - haven't measured yet, expect it to be 1.5 - 2 L. Won't even start using it until she gets a bit bigger..
So, basic recap (as I understand it, as always I may be mis-informed / confused) of SIP theory - you have a reservoir on the bottom of your grow container, a wicking medium to help the water transport up to the growth medium (dirt, coir, rockwool, what ever) and capillary action brings it up to the root zone, and the plant drinks as needed. You have a vent port / drain just above the height of the reservoir so there's an 'air gap' to keep the roots from drowning.
So, for my first attempt at a "fuggit, let's give it a try" had mixed results - well established photo type took off like a shot, and is draining 2L+ per day. Auto that had issues (got too close to supplemental lighting when main light was 1/2 working and got pretty scorched) seemed to like it, for a while, then collapsed - I'm assuming the dirt was too little, and the roots drowned. Whole process docco'd here -
Hi Pete! I would support both branches so the strain is not on the wiring. You want the two broken pieces touching each other like it never broke. Tight. It will heal.
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SO - This cycle we're stepping it up a notch - "Fresh" (well used, but intact) 6 gal bucket for a container. Empty Folger's coffee can for a reservoir. Auto funnel from Home Depot to fill, short piece of 1/2" PVC I had laying around as a connector. So, total cost ~$8 for the funnel.
Step 1 - drilling... small holes above height of can in sides of bucket for drainage / ventilation. Small holes in sides / top (bottom) of can to allow water / air exchange. Figured might have vacuum lock of no air could get in to the tank, but I was thinking the tube would run all the way to the bottom. Couldn't find my spade bits, so biggest solid drill I've got was just the size of the ID of the pipe - so drill the hole, and glue it to the top - moving on. Drill a BUG hole at the rim, to let water flow into the bucket. Drilled 4x pilot holes, but was a huge pain to open them up to the bigger drill (unsupported edge of the can was bendy, didn't want to play - so I used a knife on the other pilot holes to make 'outlets'... Glued the stick to the can, came back a few hours later, connection seemed wobbly, so added more glue, like a fillet. This morning, I glued the funnel into the tube. This evening it was set enough to finish (THAT junction isn't really taking a load, glue probably technically not necessary. Wound wire around a wine cork and ran it up from the bottom, hopefully it will act as a float, letting me know when it's empty. Or, more importantly, FULL, as I expect to be adding SOME water every day, once Li'l Kooshie is big enough to deal, prolly at least two weeks.
ANYWAY - put the tank in the bucket, pour about 1/2 bag of perlite around the bottom, blending in a little soil at the top as a "Transition layer" (Note to self - do this OUTSIDE next time. it's DUSTY. Also note to self - make sure the funnel is not preventing the handle from being used to move the danged thing...) Fill w/ soil. About 6 inches from the top added 1/4 c DynoMyco. Fill bucket. Make a deep hole (stretchy girl has long neck) add a little DynoMyco on sides of hole. Carefully remove membrane from peat plug, and put her in. Add a bit of water to settle the dirt.
There ya go.
On the Sad News front, when I was moving the light to the Bloom Room for Goldie yesterday, the strings and cords and stuff knocked her over, and I thought she maybe took damage - but today she had rolled back up to the light, and seemed to be trying to stand up again. So, here we are.. Will add captions between the pix, as otherwise you'd have to click on them to read... Actually, apparently not needed..
