SIP Club - Getting Hydro/Coco Results In A Soil Based Medium

Ahoy There!
First Harvest
Sub-Irrigation Planter (SIP) brand Earth Box Rectangular.

Two Plants started in Jiffy Cups and two plants started in sip containers. The ability to start in SIP is being confirmed. We saw no adverse effects running germinated seeds straight into the final container, kinda similar to auto-flowering plants. The caveat; Less up potting = less work for the gardener, but plants will normally benefit from up potting.

The post-harvest root examination confirmed roots are maintained above the reservoir. These cultivars were intentionally short vegged. This proved an excessive correction, and the undersized root mass produced a predictably undersized yield. My intention was to control the rapid growth SIP containers are known for. However, as a silver lining of knowledge I can gauge the rectangular container could manage a pair of short-vegged plants per container. This would make reservoir refill a daily occurrence. But for full sized plants only one per container is my recommendation.

Scheduling errors and miscalculations so the plants did not get droughted. All plants were treated with one application of foliar MeJA at around 125 ppm. All three strains attained significant increase in trichome populations. The GrandDaddy Purple may have tripled glandular population. Yields were adversely affected by the short-vegging,but quality was not. Really choice!

edit

Two thumbs Up for my great friends @Azimuth and @StoneOtter for hipping me to the method. I owe you both. :love:
 
Glad you were happy with your decision to give SIPs a go. I'll likely never grow another way. :thumb:
 
Check out this top view comparison - left is Critical Kush in soil and on the right is SFV OG in SIP. Both plants popped same day (4/20/2023). I moved the CK from a solo cup into the SIP bucket on 5/29. OG went from solo cup into the 2.5 quart pot on 5/31. They were close in size until about a week ago. Just in the past 3-4 days it seems like the SIP plants finally found the fountain of life in the res - and they are gushing.

This is gonna get interesting.

SFV OG and Critical Kush both popped same day 6.13.23

SFV OG and Critical Kush both popped same day 6.13.23

 
NickHardy said:
Sweet plants and sweet money pit - I mean swimming pool. 🤣. I just paid the pool people for the month and they said you owe for last month too! 😂
Click to expand...
Hi Nick!
Yeah it is a money pit for sure . . .
NickHardy said:
On the res hole thing - I really want more holes rather than less and bigger ones too. I want roots jumping the airgap. Its in the dark. And as Azi said earlier they get direct on demand access to food.

Hose would make that impossible. Actually its a plant. It would probably shred it over time anyway.
Click to expand...
The original plans called for 1/2" overflow pipe but I used 3/4 PVC for more air. Underneath the soil is a 4"flexible corrugated drain pipe. It has LOTS of holes in it. Easy for roots to make their way down to the water if they want - and boy do they!
 
Plastic pasta strainer for me - plenty of room for roots to tentacle their way through the slots.

Thin perlite layer on top and sturdy bigger rocks (like large marble sized) around the edges the strainer.

Spread your Zoidberg like limbs into the darkness!

Nick
 
Update on my two grandaddy purples. Day 48ish above ground. I've finally worked the light up to about 40k lux and the girls are emptying their reservoirs. One is drinking about a half gallon every 2 days and the other is not far behind. I stunted one pretty good by breaking both branches on the top node trying to train her into quadlining (also a first). She's bounced back pretty well tho. Just did a huge defol and what I expect to be the last if not second to last training day. How long should I keep them in veg from here before flipping?

20230617_150517.jpg


20230617_150243.jpg


20230617_135249.jpg
 
goowa said:
How long should I keep them in veg from here before flipping?
Click to expand...
Looking great there, @goowa ! :thumb:

That's mostly a question of space, both vertically and laterally. Many strains will stretch 2-3x what their height was prior to flip, so calculate what you need by noting the distance from the lights you need to keep and factoring that in.

Lateral space can be filled prior to flipping by some sort of training like you're doing with your quad, and then tieing down the branches, first to the bucket edges, and then extending if you want with maybe a bamboo stake or two tied horizontally to the bucket which will extend the distance outward that you can tie the branches down to.
 
Maritimer said:
Ahoy There!
First Harvest
Sub-Irrigation Planter (SIP) brand Earth Box Rectangular.

Two Plants started in Jiffy Cups and two plants started in sip containers. The ability to start in SIP is being confirmed. We saw no adverse effects running germinated seeds straight into the final container, kinda similar to auto-flowering plants. The caveat; Less up potting = less work for the gardener, but plants will normally benefit from up potting.

The post-harvest root examination confirmed roots are maintained above the reservoir. These cultivars were intentionally short vegged. This proved an excessive correction, and the undersized root mass produced a predictably undersized yield. My intention was to control the rapid growth SIP containers are known for. However, as a silver lining of knowledge I can gauge the rectangular container could manage a pair of short-vegged plants per container. This would make reservoir refill a daily occurrence. But for full sized plants only one per container is my recommendation.

Scheduling errors and miscalculations so the plants did not get droughted. All plants were treated with one application of foliar MeJA at around 125 ppm. All three strains attained significant increase in trichome populations. The GrandDaddy Purple may have tripled glandular population. Yields were adversely affected by the short-vegging,but quality was not. Really choice!

edit

Two thumbs Up for my great friends @Azimuth and @StoneOtter for hipping me to the method. I owe you both. :love:
Click to expand...
Fantastic Maritimer! That's good info with having 2 short vegged or 1 reg veg plants! Glad you liked it! I'm about to fire off 4 in the 4 x 4 with auto watering. Testing the system today for leaks and to see how it works.
 
Fenderbender said:
epxansion was way more than I hoped for as I started flowering at 4-5 sets of leaves and 2" high.
Click to expand...
More than you hoped for because of space limitations, or you couldn't hope for something as good?
 
Azimuth said:
More than you hoped for because of space limitations, or you couldn't hope for something as good?
Click to expand...
Still plenty of space left, I wish I could veg it all full but I wanted to finish before leaving, so flowered her when tiny and surprised she managed to 5-6x that height.
 
Hi I'll try putting this here. I copied it from my journal. These are Earthbox Veg pots.


WOOHOO! NO LEAKES AND IT WORKS PERFECT! UPDATE

Hi all! I went and turned the water on and was thrilled to see how it operated!
Let me start from the beginning. I'm with well water and it has over 500 ppm minerals. This soil requires much less than that so I make RO water. The feed is from the RO out.
Here we go!
Getting fed RO at ~30 ppm first shutoff outside the tent.
IMG_0007.jpeg

IMG_0007.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Turned that baby on and that fills to the shutoff inside the tent which I then turned on!
IMG_0014 (2).jpeg

IMG_0014 (2).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
And the system of 4 all filled and stopped as they should! Woofa!
IMG_0014 (1).jpeg

IMG_0014 (1).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
I found that my feed tubes were inserted into the bottoms to different heights by seeing water stopping at different levels between pots. So I put a straight edge on them and eyed then to about the same and voila! All pretty much the same! I can think about how high the water should be.
What do you think?
It stops at about an inch or less now. I have to measure to know for sure, but it didn't come near the exit hole.
IMG_0013.jpeg

IMG_0013.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Water comes from the middle of the Feeders.
IMG_0011.jpeg

IMG_0011.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Here's the kind of joints I did that day! Strong hands or what I did. I used a hairdrier to heat the piping up and make it easier to push onto the barbs. Tried a torch but I think that was a tad much. Silicon o-ring grease too, just a little.
IMG_0015.jpeg

IMG_0015.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
IMG_0014.jpeg

IMG_0014.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Last and maybe so I can sleep tonight, a wet alarm. Just a inexpensive gyzmo that screams when it sits in water. Right in the tent.
IMG_0016.jpeg

IMG_0016.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
We're getting there! Hope you all are having a super day! I am! :hookah:
SIP on!
 
Hiya, a quick update to my adventures in Solo SIPs

The three for the comparative grow (Solo Airpot SIP v. Solo Airpot, 3 Strain/ 6 Plants Coco HPS & CMH (don’t ask about the why on the lights. I have never used them before)

Anyway the three Solo Sips v2 are about 80% built. They each need a cable tie near the top round the feed tube. Because it gets knocked.

Then I’ll use tool (actually one of my kids will) I pictured above we’ll ping about 30 or so airpot holes from inside swinging the tool left to right.

Hoping 100ml plus res for these.

Blueberry
Hulkberry (RQS - Bruce Banner)
Mimosa x Orange Punch (Barneys)

One of each SIP and one Solo Airpot. You can probably guess the colour assignment.

Paper - Potting soil - Coco SWICK - Coco Solo Airpot in a hydro bath - Solo SIP or Airpot to finish.

Keeping them as close as possible to the same up to their final solo and see.

My guess is same same. But happy to enjoy trying!

The great benefit I see for most people is the ease of watering. At this scale its actually harder. Plus a solo SIP takes me longer to make than a 10 gallon bucket SIP does 😂

That you can get the same as just a coco airpot without the watering hassle then its a no brainer for most growers as I see it.

@InTheShed seems to be enjoying his!

Anyway - I’ll update periodically here how it goes but probably not for a couple of weeks here until they’re actually in the SIPs.

But I’m pretty happy with the design and build so far! Copy away if it makes sense for you - Azi and I and some others think they might be handy space filler (Solos SIPs) in the corners of bigger grows? Although Azi I think reckons I train properly I wouldn't need to fill spaces to be fair its a) true b) Solos are giving me the chance to practice training!

Nick

3 Solo SIPS Above NH Design v2.jpeg

3 Solo SIPS Above NH Design v2.jpeg


3 Solos SIPS Front NH Design v2.jpeg

3 Solos SIPS Front NH Design v2.jpeg

  • Media owner NickHardy
  • Date added

18 Solo Pot Pallet Finishing NH design.jpeg

18 Solo Pot Pallet Finishing NH design.jpeg

  • Media owner NickHardy
  • Date added
 
StoneOtter said:
Hi I'll try putting this here. I copied it from my journal


WOOHOO! NO LEAKES AND IT WORKS PERFECT! UPDATE

Hi all! I went and turned the water on and was thrilled to see how it operated!
Let me start from the beginning. I'm with well water and it has over 500 ppm minerals. This soil requires much less than that so I make RO water. The feed is from the RO out.
Here we go!
Getting fed RO at ~30 ppm first shutoff outside the tent.
IMG_0007.jpeg

IMG_0007.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Turned that baby on and that fills to the shutoff inside the tent which I then turned on!
IMG_0014 (2).jpeg

IMG_0014 (2).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
And the system of 4 all filled and stopped as they should! Woofa!
IMG_0014 (1).jpeg

IMG_0014 (1).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
I found that my feed tubes were inserted into the bottoms to different heights by seeing water stopping at different levels between pots. So I put a straight edge on them and eyed then to about the same and voila! All pretty much the same! I can think about how high the water should be.
What do you think?
It stops at about an inch or less now. I have to measure to know for sure, but it didn't come near the exit hole.
IMG_0013.jpeg

IMG_0013.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Water comes from the middle of the Feeders.
IMG_0011.jpeg

IMG_0011.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Here's the kind of joints I did that day! Strong hands or what I did. I used a hairdrier to heat the piping up and make it easier to push onto the barbs. Tried a torch but I think that was a tad much. Silicon o-ring grease too, just a little.
IMG_0015.jpeg

IMG_0015.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
IMG_0014.jpeg

IMG_0014.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Last and maybe so I can sleep tonight, a wet alarm. Just a inexpensive gyzmo that screams when it sits in water. Right in the tent.
IMG_0016.jpeg

IMG_0016.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
We're getting there! Hope you all are having a super day! I am! :hookah:
SIP on!
Click to expand...
Whoooooah that is legit beautiful and I know what its like to work with all those connectors

Proper amazing man - be so proud of that finish as well.


Nick
 
StoneOtter said:
Hi I'll try putting this here. I copied it from my journal. These are Earthbox Veg pots.


WOOHOO! NO LEAKES AND IT WORKS PERFECT! UPDATE

Hi all! I went and turned the water on and was thrilled to see how it operated!
Let me start from the beginning. I'm with well water and it has over 500 ppm minerals. This soil requires much less than that so I make RO water. The feed is from the RO out.
Here we go!
Getting fed RO at ~30 ppm first shutoff outside the tent.
IMG_0007.jpeg

IMG_0007.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Turned that baby on and that fills to the shutoff inside the tent which I then turned on!
IMG_0014 (2).jpeg

IMG_0014 (2).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
And the system of 4 all filled and stopped as they should! Woofa!
IMG_0014 (1).jpeg

IMG_0014 (1).jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
I found that my feed tubes were inserted into the bottoms to different heights by seeing water stopping at different levels between pots. So I put a straight edge on them and eyed then to about the same and voila! All pretty much the same! I can think about how high the water should be.
What do you think?
It stops at about an inch or less now. I have to measure to know for sure, but it didn't come near the exit hole.
IMG_0013.jpeg

IMG_0013.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Water comes from the middle of the Feeders.
IMG_0011.jpeg

IMG_0011.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Here's the kind of joints I did that day! Strong hands or what I did. I used a hairdrier to heat the piping up and make it easier to push onto the barbs. Tried a torch but I think that was a tad much. Silicon o-ring grease too, just a little.
IMG_0015.jpeg

IMG_0015.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
IMG_0014.jpeg

IMG_0014.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
Last and maybe so I can sleep tonight, a wet alarm. Just a inexpensive gyzmo that screams when it sits in water. Right in the tent.
IMG_0016.jpeg

IMG_0016.jpeg​

Auto Water SIP LOS Project
We're getting there! Hope you all are having a super day! I am! :hookah:
SIP on!
Click to expand...
That looks awesome!

Is there a float valve that shuts off the water?
 
Azimuth said:
That looks awesome!

Is there a float valve that shuts off the water?
Click to expand...

I was feeling buoyant and bubbly with my little solo SIPs progress.

@StoneOtter posted that (the notification popped up new post in thread)

I hit “Post” on mine was experiencing a “sinking” or “deflated” perhaps!

Is thst what you mean by a float valve - up then down

🤣

Umm - that’s pro level looking!

Lovely Stone!

Nick
 
NickHardy said:
The three for the comparative grow (Solo Airpot SIP v. Solo Airpot, 3 Strain/ 6 Plants Coco HPS & CMH (don’t ask about the why on the lights. I have never used them before)
Click to expand...
Actually, I would ask, but I already know. :cheesygrinsmiley:

Nice little build there, @NickHardy . :thumb:
 
NickHardy said:
Whoooooah that is legit beautiful and I know what its like to work with all those connectors

Proper amazing man - be so proud of that finish as well.


Nick
Click to expand...
Thanks Nick, so any thought to water height? The soil sits at 3 inches and the hole just below that. I'm thinking to try to get a skosh below the weep hole by lifting the tubes. I may not be able to we'll have to see. Maybe I should let the EarthBox design speak for itself this run. You know I really should and will. Edit: I put a note out to them yesterday and am waiting for direction.

Brother your solo SIP design is sweet! When I try it I'm going in for a close look there !
Azimuth said:
That looks awesome!

Is there a float valve that shuts off the water?
Click to expand...
They have a tube and an inverted cone to sense water height with changing air pressure. Dang, I should have taken one out of the tube for a pic!
 
Back
Top Bottom