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

[StoneOtter]

Is it okay for your wick foot to not sit on the bottom?
I love the ideas I’m seeing here and will be building one of these.
I want a drain so I can empty the internal res then feed liquid nutes without it overflowing, taking samples, and being able to flush as well.
I want to run an auto shutoff to an external res that will be connected to my RO unit, and have a PH controller with dosing pump.
Watering will be completely hands off.
To feed, just turn off the water supply, drain the internal res, fill it back up with nutrients then turn the water supply back on.
Stealing cues from @Absorber ’s build, but using these kidney shaped bowls for the wick/foot.
That should leave me room for the auto shutoff but, they are only 3 inches deep so, only 2 inches will be submerged. See pics for details, and yes, that’s crayon… don’t judge me
Opinions or suggestions welcome.

Hey Old Dog, great idea! There will be some roots growing in the rez area to consider. Can you make the float area a place where roots won't want to be?

My 10 gallon EarthBox's have 2, 3 x 3 x 3 inch feet. Take an inch for the air gap and there's 2 - 3 x 3 x 2 inch place where soil hits the water. If you can use those numbers for your build I bet it works.

 

[Azimuth]

Question for all you SIP heads.......When using white buckets. What are you guys using to keep the light out? In previous projects I find spray paint doesn't adhere to plastic too well. Was thinking duct tape but would love to here other opinions.

Duct tape works, and they make a spray paint specifically for plastics carried at all the big box stores. Krylon brand name maybe?

Another alternative is to wrap the bucket loosely with burlap or a garbage bag or something and pin/hold it to the top rim with binder clips or something. That one's actually a better option in hot weather as there will be an air gap between the bucket and the burlap because of the bucket taper, and that air gap helps keep the bucket cooler as it acts as a bit of insulation.

 

[Ramblinrose1965]

Duct tape works, and they make a spray paint specifically for plastics carried at all the big box stores. Krylon brand name maybe?

Another alternative is to wrap the bucket loosely with burlap or a garbage bag or something and pin/hold it to the top rim with binder clips or something. That one's actually a better option in hot weather as there will be an air gap between the bucket and the burlap because of the bucket taper, and that air gap helps keep the bucket cooler as it acts as a bit of insulation.

Thank You Azimuth!

 

[jmrl]

One Sip down another getting started come holla, LINK in Sig

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Question for all you SIP heads.......When using white buckets. What are you guys using to keep the light out? In previous projects I find spray paint doesn't adhere to plastic too well. Was thinking duct tape but would love to hear other opinions.

A couple people here use tape but Krylon Fusion, Rust-Oleum Universal, and Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover are formulated specifically for plastic so, might have luck with them.

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Sadly I don’t think these are going to work. Near defect shape but just not deep enough. Amazon said they were 3 inches deep but really only 2

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Hey SIP Club! Does anyone have any experience using the Fox Farms Dirty Dozen nute line in their reservoirs? I bought it before I made the switch from straight soil to SIP, so I have to use them. My two plants are 34 days from pop and have been in the sips for 16 days now. They started with a half-full res prepared the way @ReservoirDog mentioned early in this thread. The reservoirs have stayed at half full until I just noticed today they're down about a cm.

So my concern is feeding them. They haven't been fed in 13 days and I was planning on letting the res empty down to 1/8 or 1/4 gallon, then feed so the res is half full. This could be another week or more unless they pick up their drinking pace. I'm worried with the nutes sitting in the res, would I experience PH swings and introduce issues? I thought I read somewhere in this thread early on that concentrated bottled nutes will rise in PH if left over several days and not consumed. I'd hate to toss nutes down the tube then have to attempt to flush it all out through the overflow hole.

Blueberry #1 Day 34

• AspenCultivator
• Jan 31, 2023

Blueberry #2 Day 34

• AspenCultivator
• Jan 31, 2023

They're both being quadlined and were topped 5 days ago. They don't appear to be signalling they're hungry, so they may not even need to be fed when the reservoirs are down to 1/8 or thereabouts. But I'd also like to push them a bit as well.

I appreciate anyone's thoughts on the fox farms nute line in the res!

Heya @AspenCultivator I’m using the FF dirty dozen as well. I didn’t have the SIP thing figured out so I’m still in fabric pots for this run. I will be switching to SIP on the next. I’m trying to design my SIP with the same concerns you have.
My initial thoughts is to do like you say and feed in the res. I will install a drain at the bottom and make sure I have a 1 gallon capacity in the res.
I mix everything in a gallon of water and split that between 2 plants.
Should be able to drain the res, add nutes then fill the res back up the next day.
As for PH, I mix into RO water with a base of around 8.3 and those nutes drop my ph into the 5’s and I have to add ph up to 6.3. When I check my runoff, it’s in the low 5’s again so, I don’t think it raising after sitting will be a problem, but can’t be sure.
I did my grow in Fox farms strawberry fields and a slurry test came in at 470 ppm.
I was advised by my local hydro store to not feed for the first month (I didn’t listen) I fed at 2 weeks. The fox farms feed schedule gets a little confusing as it doesn’t start with week one.
I basically skipped the first feeding and started week one at day 14. The first couple feedings are low ppm so by the time you get into the heavier feedings, the plant should be big enough to take it up quickly and it won’t sit in the res very long.
That’s my 2 cents and FYI, this is my first grow so, take it for what it is.
Definitely keep me updated, and we can share info since we will be doing the same thing.

 

[Absorber]

Should be able to drain the res, add nutes then fill the res back up the next day.

You will find once your plant is established in the SIP and drinking from it you won't have to drain it as it will be empty.
My reservoir on my SIP holds 6-7ltrs and my 2 outside ones go through that in 20 hrs so I just top up reservoir till it starts to overflow

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Hey Old Dog, great idea! There will be some roots growing in the rez area to consider. Can you make the float area a place where roots won't want to be?

My 10 gallon EarthBox's have 2, 3 x 3 x 3 inch feet. Take an inch for the air gap and there's 2 - 3 x 3 x 2 inch place where soil hits the water. If you can use those numbers for your build I bet it works.

Yeah, I think I’m going to have to go with something more like that.
Thanks!

 

[RedskinnedRhino]

I use the old "drain pipes at the bottom of a tote" design. Works really well and has a large reservoir.
The 27 gallon version with 3 pipes has a 4 gallon fuel cell, plenty to leave it alone for a week at a time, even in bloom.
I've filled it to the brim before an 8 day vacation, and come back to a happy plant, no worries about the nutrient juices going stale.
Just in case anyone thought that design was too rudimentary to be excellent, it's the bee's knees.

 

[Azimuth]

Sadly I don’t think these are going to work. Near defect shape but just not deep enough. Amazon said they were 3 inches deep but really only 2

You should be able to find a food storage container with a top rim slightly smaller in diameter than the bottom diameter of your bucket. I've also used food colanders which are nice since they already have multiple small holes already . Turn them upside down and, with vent holes all around, they become your reservoir/air gap.

 

[Azimuth]

Heya @AspenCultivator I’m using the FF dirty dozen as well. I didn’t have the SIP thing figured out so I’m still in fabric pots for this run. I will be switching to SIP on the next. I’m trying to design my SIP with the same concerns you have.
My initial thoughts is to do like you say and feed in the res. I will install a drain at the bottom and make sure I have a 1 gallon capacity in the res.
I mix everything in a gallon of water and split that between 2 plants.
Should be able to drain the res, add nutes then fill the res back up the next day.
As for PH, I mix into RO water with a base of around 8.3 and those nutes drop my ph into the 5’s and I have to add ph up to 6.3. When I check my runoff, it’s in the low 5’s again so, I don’t think it raising after sitting will be a problem, but can’t be sure.
I did my grow in Fox farms strawberry fields and a slurry test came in at 470 ppm.
I was advised by my local hydro store to not feed for the first month (I didn’t listen) I fed at 2 weeks. The fox farms feed schedule gets a little confusing as it doesn’t start with week one.
I basically skipped the first feeding and started week one at day 14. The first couple feedings are low ppm so by the time you get into the heavier feedings, the plant should be big enough to take it up quickly and it won’t sit in the res very long.
That’s my 2 cents and FYI, this is my first grow so, take it for what it is.
Definitely keep me updated, and we can share info since we will be doing the same thing.

If I were going to use a system that required flushing or changing out the reservoir as you mentioned I would go with the bucket in a bucket style detailed by @Absorber as well as shown in the video on page two of this thread.

That one has a couple of advantages. One, you get a full buckets worth of grow medium since the reservoir is in a separate bucket, and two, changing out the reservoir is as simple as decoupling the buckets, dumping the lower one and resetting.

For flushing the medium, remove the top bucket with the soil and set it on something that keeps the connector pot from being pushed up into the soil mix and flush away. Once done set it back into the bottom bucket and carry on.

Super simple and fast. It does cost you two buckets instead of one, but so simple.

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

If I were going to use a system that required flushing or changing out the reservoir as you mentioned I would go with the bucket in a bucket style detailed by @Absorber as well as shown in the video on page two of this thread.

That one has a couple of advantages. One, you get a full buckets worth of grow medium since the reservoir is in a separate bucket, and two, changing out the reservoir is as simple as decoupling the buckets, dumping the lower one and resetting.

For flushing the medium, remove the top bucket with the soil and set it on something that keeps the connector pot from being pushed up into the foil mix and flush away. Once done set it back into the bottom bucket and carry on.

Super simple and fast. It does cost you two buckets instead of one, but so simple.

Yeah I think this, or just buying the grobucket insert is the way to go. I primarily need room in the bottom for a float switch. My job can sometimes call for me to be out of town for long periods of time so, I’m trying to connect to an infinite water source.

 

[013]

Hey Old Dog,

you can do pretty much same thing with a swick as a sip but typically it’s less of a build required.

Start with combo swick base reservoir / drain pan larger than your grow bag. Connect the pan to your wastewater drain system. Chuck a grow bag down filled with the 40% extra aeration, hookup your water supply, connect the float rig and let her rip.

just to be clear my swick base / reservoir isn’t connected to drain line, it never gets emptied so the water looks really nasty but plants don’t seem to care.


Started out with shallow pans and found the reservoir was too small.

8009ED97-DE98-4C69-B4D4-BA588959BC49.jpeg

• 013
• Feb 18, 2023

Upgraded to larger tubs, elevated the plant on layer of perlite

3841D4FA-A367-407E-BA9B-BF19E1B56FC2.jpeg

• 013
• Apr 19, 2023

but you can skip the perlite and use riser of pvc fittings like Absorber did

BTW’s Azimuth is gonna throw rocks at me for trying to convert you to a swick

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

I use the old "drain pipes at the bottom of a tote" design. Works really well and has a large reservoir.
The 27 gallon version with 3 pipes has a 4 gallon fuel cell, plenty to leave it alone for a week at a time, even in bloom.
I've filled it to the brim before an 8 day vacation, and come back to a happy plant, no worries about the nutrient juices going stale.
Just in case anyone thought that design was too rudimentary to be excellent, it's the bee's knees.

I like these, especially since I have everything on hand to make them but, not sure how I’d make a float valve work with it.
Thanks for the great pics

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Hey Old Dog,

you can do pretty much same thing with a swick as a sip but typically it’s less of a build required.

Start with combo swick base reservoir / drain pan larger than your grow bag. Connect the pan to your wastewater drain system. Chuck a grow bag down filled with the 40% extra aeration, hookup your water supply, connect the float rig and let her rip.

just to be clear my swick base / reservoir isn’t connected to drain line, it never gets emptied so the water looks really nasty but plants don’t seem to care.


Started out with shallow pans and found the reservoir was too small.

8009ED97-DE98-4C69-B4D4-BA588959BC49.jpeg

• 013
• Feb 18, 2023

Upgraded to larger tubs, elevated the plant on layer of perlite

3841D4FA-A367-407E-BA9B-BF19E1B56FC2.jpeg

• 013
• Apr 19, 2023

but you can skip the perlite and use riser of pvc fittings like Absorber did

BTW’s Azimuth is gonna throw rocks at me for trying to convert you to a swick

can’t get my head around an auto fill that would work with those but I do like cloth pots.

 

[Azimuth]

Yeah I think this, or just buying the grobucket insert is the way to go. I primarily need room in the bottom for a float switch. My job can sometimes call for me to be out of town for long periods of time so, I’m trying to connect to an infinite water source.

If using a float switch I'd definitely go with the bucket-in-bucket design and make the hole for the connector pot off center to allow for the float valve to be unimpeded. With the commercial insert you really have no way of checking on things mid grow and, if there's an issue with the float, you're pretty much screwed.

With the two bucket design you just lift out the soil bucket for easy access to the reservoir portion.

but you can skip the perlite and use riser of pvc fittings like Absorber did

BTW’s Azimuth is gonna throw rocks at me for trying to convert you to a swick

Posting this in a SIP thread?!? Really?!?


Lol. It's all good. Those two systems are really cousins sharing lots in common; bottom watering, air gaps, large reservoirs, etc.

The thing I've found about swicks is that the relationship of plant size, and wicking efficiency needs to be related and that can take some trial and error to work out. But the swicks certainly grow some nice plants.

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

If using a float switch I'd definitely go with the bucket-in-bucket design and make the hole for the connector pot off center to allow for the float valve to be unimpeded. With the commercial insert you really have no way of checking on things mid grow and, if there's an issue with the float, you're pretty much screwed.

With the two bucket design you just lift out the soil bucket for easy access to the reservoir portion.


Posting this in a SIP thread?!? Really?!?


Lol. It's all good. Those two systems are really cousins sharing lots in common; bottom watering, air gaps, large reservoirs, etc.

The thing I've found about swicks is that the relationship of plant size, and wicking efficiency needs to be related and that can take some trial and error to work out. But the swicks certainly grow some nice plants.

Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t consider being able to access the float. This is really the only solution that covers what I need. I’ll post updates once I start building it.
I think I’m going to do a comparison grow. I have pretty good documentation on the ones I have in cloth pots now, and we’ll see exactly how these styles compare. Same seed, light, tent, nutes. And I haven’t done any training so, it should be a sold test.
Thanks for pointing that issue out, I appreciate you!

 

[sjb504]

Still sippin, new strain's,

 

[TerpsNThyme]

Had to do a bit more defoliation. Added a dehumidifier in the tent as well. It’s holding at around 55Rh and 81 degrees with lights on