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

Azimuth said:
Thanks for the post of your build @SniperX . Looks like you went all "Belt and Suspenders" there with both the connector pot (SIP style) and the rope (Swick style).

We have found having just the connector pot works fine without needing the rope, but sounds like you are getting good results using both. So, if it ain't broke...
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Just playing around with them to see if it makes any more of a diff adding a wick.
This is the 1st time using them inside and on Mary Jane, prob didnt need the xtra wicking
 
Day 44, third day of 12/12 :yahoo:

Day 43 The Girls high WEB 29 Oct.jpg


Cheers
 
Fenderbender said:
Wait what you started flower from this position and they still end up 5 feet or more?
hmm also has to be them strains you're growing no?
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I'm still hoping for four feet but the Maui Wowi is another thing ;)

Beginning of day 43...

Day 43 The Girls high WEB 29 Oct.jpg


Cheers
 
And that’s a wrap for my PGC SIP grow. Chopped them yesterday and WOW there was much more in that SCROG than I thought!!!

It’s all hanging one way or another now!

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Azimuth said:
Clogged with roots maybe?
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That would be my guess! I’ve had to use a drill bit to unclog the overflow hole multiple times before
 
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I thought this might be of interest to my fellow sippers. One of the store bought SIPs I used to my last grow leaked from day one so I had to to water that one. I harvested recently & discovered the leak was due to a missing drain plug - (I didn’t know there was a drain plug) with a sticker that says do not remove them. I don’t know if I knocked it out somehow or if it came that way, but it’s something to inspect BEFORE filling it with soil & transplanting. The good that comes from it is I have a literal side by side comparison of the roots with the one that was top watered being the only difference between the two. 4pics each.
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Guess which is which:ganjamon:

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Ke0ncp said:
That would be my guess! I’ve had to use a drill bit to unclog the overflow hole multiple times before
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Damn SIPS! 😡



:laughtwo:
 
TequilaSIPr said:
Hello All! what does it mean when it takes a long time for the water to leave the fill tube its taking for ever to drain?!?
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TequilaSIPr said:
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I see the fill tube in the corner there. Where is the drain in relation to that, and do you have a drain tube or just a hole in the sidewall? What kind of dome setup do you have... black corrugated perforated pipe? If drain tube, does it enter the perforated pipe?
 
cbdhemp808 said:
I see the fill tube in the corner there. Where is the drain in relation to that, and do you have a drain tube or just a hole in the sidewall? What kind of dome setup do you have... black corrugated perforated pipe? If drain tube, does it enter the perforated pipe?
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Its an regular earthbox the whole is right there the indentation on the bottom in the middle
 
TequilaSIPr said:
Its an regular earthbox the whole is right there the indentation on the bottom in the middle
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OK, gotcha.

I see a possible design flaw in the EarthBox... maybe 2 design flaws...

Drain hole design
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Part of the grate that covers the drain hole
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photos: YouTube, Hoe'ing with Dawn

The drain hole is large, and the bottom of the grate sets over the drain hole, creating a space for air that's the thickness of the sidewall of the grate. I see an area of restriction whereby roots could collect around this area and block the outflow of water. In addition, floating debris from the soil might come into this area. Roots + floating debris = restriction to flow of water.

In my mind, a better design is to have the inlet for the drain protected inside of a dome. In this EarthBox design, the inlet for the drain is not protected, and there is no dome—the whole grate sort of functions like a dome, but roots have easy access into the reservoir. Another way to say this... the function of the dome and the function of roots entering the reservoir is combined instead of separated by a dome or domes.

My SIP bucket design—which is a triple-dome system—has one dome for the drain, which allows for the inlet side of the drain tube to enter the interior of the dome. Rising water in the reservoir is then able to exit via the drain tube, and the inlet of the drain tube is fairly well protected from roots. There's an air space of 1 inch or so between the top of the reservoir (water level) and the top of the domes.

So, to answer your original question... "long time for the water to leave the fill tube its taking for ever to drain"...

It's actually an interesting question. Why is the fill tube backing up? I see two possibilities: 1) the reservoir is full because the drain hole is obstructed, 2) the bottom of the fill tube is obstructed.

My guess is the first possibility (drain hole obstructed), i.e. the reservoir is filling up as you add the water, but the water is having a hard time draining out the drain hole.

The second possibility points to a second possible design flaw, because the directions for the EarthBox say to insert the fill tube so that it meets the bottom of the container, instead of floating above the bottom of the container. So, it's possible there is some restriction here due to roots or roots plus soil having settled into the bottom of the container.

You can probably figure out which is going on... (1) or (2)... with this test: When the fill tube backs up, check if the drain hole is dripping. If so, that means the drain hole is clogged (1). If not, that implies the bottom of the fill tube is blocked (2).

If (1), here's what I would do: Drill a hole in the sidewall with a 3/4" spade bit, on the opposite side from the existing drain hole. Position the new drain hole about 3" from the bottom of the tub, so that there's a 1" air space between the top of the reservoir (water level) and the grate. (The air space is what's important, not the 3".)

If (2), here's what I would do: Put a hose down the tube and give a brief blast to clear out the bottom area. Then lift the tube slightly about 1", to create a space between the bottom of the tube and the container bottom. Figure out a way to keep the tube from slipping back down.

:ciao:
 
More on the EarthBox...

I just realized this... yes, it appears to be a design flaw

The sidewall of the grid is notched to accommodate the drain hole area, meaning there is only a very small space between the grate and the drain hole, which could cause obstruction by roots or roots+floating debris. This also means a very small air space when the reservoir is full... looks like 1/2" or less.
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photo: YouTube, In The Dirt Outdoor & Gardening Tips

Here you can see where that notch fits. I added a black dot with Photoshop to show where you could add a new 3/4" drain hole, which would reduce the chance of obstruction and increase the air space.
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photo: YouTube, Hoe'ing with Dawn
 
Looks like I've reached a positive turning point in my SIP comparison grow...

Cbdhemp808's Comparison Grow - HI-BISCUS SIP Bucket Vs. Nursery Pot

DAY 34 This is a quick report for the SIP only. I top-fertigated with about 1.25+ gal (most from the top, a little down the tube). The rez is at 2.5". I noticed that it takes a while now for the rez level to settle down, meaning the water added to the top is taking a bit longer to infiltrate...
www.420magazine.com
 
Ahoy Sipsters
I have a question, has anyone tried to switch into SIP after vegging? I am running Otters unsexed crews and want to go back into SIP currently being in soiless 1 gal pots of perlite and peat. After vegging I want to try and up pot into my rectangular earthboxes.
Thanks :)
 
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