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

[Azimuth]

I have made a tool that will make things much easier for me in my DIY tub and bucket sips. I have tried dowel rods with fishing bobbers to make a floating water level indicator, but nothing small enough to get down in the fill tube will make it float. So far I've only had a wooden dipstick to let me know where the water level in the rez is.

So I called on my ham radio and electronics engineering experience and created an electronic dipstick. At the top I have eight LEDs that indicate the level of the water and at the bottom I have sensors spaced at the points I wish to know about.

Here is the ground:

The wire at the very bottom is my ground and then another sensor is spaced one half inch above that. I start at 1/2 inch and move up to 3 in and then I go every inch above that.

It's not yet prettied up but the basic design prototype has been built and appears to be working well. In the future I will add a display panel that directly indicates the water level in inches and a switch to turn it off and on.

The top circuit board includes one LED for each channel with a 380 ohm drop resistor that makes it a good match for a 9-volt battery. I got fancy and added mounting blocks for the wires coming in.

The wires were run through the tube through holes drilled at the bottom at the appropriate places. The wire was stripped at the end and bundled into a ball that was soldered and then melted into the PVC at the appropriate place.

Ok, that's just flat out cool.

Bravo, Miss Em. Bravo.

 

[Azimuth]

I'm gonna do it man, but it's not high on my list. Right now I'm dealing with a lot of PM and other stuff. Does anyone know if solution-grade potassium sulfate, as a foliar spray, would kill PM and other mold? I tried ascorbic acid... seems to have done nothing, I don't know. Also, I've got young sativa regulars going crazy... when will they indicate sex?

Is that the @InTheShed Citric Acid Spray for PM that you tried?

@danishoes21 seemed to have had pretty good luck using his Willow Leaf JMS in his efforts against not just PM, but other things as well.

 

[Azimuth]

I wanted to show my own examples of the roots that grow in the wicking foot style bucket.

Even when I recently checked tho I didn’t get pictures the roots seem to ONLY go through the wicking foot and reach out into the water pretty significantly
My wicking foot is packed full of vermiculite.
Roots seem to grow down there no matter how much water is in the res.
And as you can see lower than the 1 in airgap directly through the part of the foot that is always submerged.
Hopefully this is helpful.

Nice roots! (Hope that's not too forward)

 

[Azimuth]

Doesn’t Bill top water only? I’m considering using his method is why I ask. CL

Yes, but his are not SIPs. Instead he uses a layering method with multiple layers of perlite to ensure great drainage no matter how much water he throws at them. He layers other things as well and you can see his method Starting here.

 

[Carmen Ray]

I lost the thread for a while. It moved too quickly for me. I have started two Swicks and I decided I should rejoin the SIP Club because Swick is a sub-irrigation planting method. In fact all Swick / Wick is SIP but not all SIP is Swick / Wick. I have my fabric pots on perlite mounds in basins. The liquid in the reservoir remains a few inches below the damp perlite wicking bed. The vegging plants are loving the moisture level from the Swick and have their arms in the air.

 

[Azimuth]

Wishing #SIPClub a happy, safe and prosperous new year

Thanks,@stardawg17 ! Back your way!

 

[Azimuth]

I lost the thread for a while. It moved too quickly for me. I have started two Swicks and I decided I should rejoin the SIP Club because Swick is a sub-irrigation planting method. In fact all Swick / Wick is SIP but not all SIP is Swick / Wick. I have my fabric pots on perlite mounds in basins. The liquid in the reservoir remains a few inches below the damp perlite wicking bed. The vegging plants are loving the moisture level from the Swick and have their arms in the air.

Welcome back, @Carmen Ray . I'm looking forward to following Your Everything Swick Thread . It seems like all of these sub irrigated methods incorporating the air feature down low for the roots work pretty well.

 

[CBDMed]

Is that the @InTheShed Citric Acid Spray for PM that you tried?

@danishoes21 seemed to have had pretty good luck using his Willow Leaf JMS in his efforts against not just PM, but other things as well.

Question from ignorance: if plants are generally so much healthier in SIPs, is there reason to believe that there might be less susceptibility to mold and PM? Or would that probably remain the same, regardless?

 

[CBDMed]

I lost the thread for a while. It moved too quickly for me. I have started two Swicks and I decided I should rejoin the SIP Club because Swick is a sub-irrigation planting method. In fact all Swick / Wick is SIP but not all SIP is Swick / Wick. I have my fabric pots on perlite mounds in basins. The liquid in the reservoir remains a few inches below the damp perlite wicking bed. The vegging plants are loving the moisture level from the Swick and have their arms in the air.

Hi @Carmen Ray !
Do you have a thread URL?
Or would you want to post some pictures for us, so we can see what you are talking about?
(I have four SWICK trays, but I am focusing on SIP and soil right now.)

 

[CBDMed]

This is awesome I can’t wait to read the “How to water your SIP with electronic dipstick” by Emilya Green

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Hey @el gringuito and everyone for that matter....I do think that they are more resistant...at least my pots are. I enjoy the separation the roots have.
More importantly with the SIPS, the better they can uptake and use nutrients and feeds, the healthier are plants will be and the microbes working through our mediums are super happy and making a super highway of bacteria that in turn, will help keep put plants healthier and more resistant to things like mold.

These SIPS are a win-win.

I'm behind again as I'm now dealing with catching up from a sewage issue here at the casa but I figured I would swing in quick here as I have in my own journals and just drop some healthy plant pics of my girls in the 'cousin' SIPS as @Azimuth likes to call them

We are Day 35 Flower, Day 93 overall from seed in both tents. 5gl Self Feed Water Reserve (Top-Feed)

Big Bull-Grow Journal

• Krissi Carbone
• Jan 2, 2023
• big bull defoliation

That's a Load of Bull Split Tent Grow under the @Mars Hydro SP3000
Days 92/93 Day 35...

Big Bull-Grow Journal

• Krissi Carbone
• Jan 2, 2023
• big bull defoliation

That's a Load of Bull Split Tent Grow under the @Mars Hydro SP3000
Days 92/93 Day 35...

Sirius Black-Grow Journal

• Krissi Carbone
• Jan 2, 2023
• indica sirius black trichomes

Day 93 Day 35 Flower
Week 5 Trichomes
@Weed Seeds Express Sirius Black
under the...

Sirius Black and Zombie Death-Grow Journal

• Krissi Carbone
• Dec 29, 2022
• cannabis photography macro photography sirius black trichomes zombie death

Trichomes, scoped with gooseneck held digital microscope
@Weed Seeds Express Sirius...

Gorilla Glue Super Lemon Haze-Grow Journal

• Krissi Carbone
• Jan 1, 2023
• cannapot cultiuana ct-720 gelato-k gorilla glue super lemon haze grow journal hybrid indica kannabia sativa sirius black weed seeds express zombie death

DAY 91/92 DAY 34 FLOWER
Gorilla Glue Super Lemon Haze and Zombie Death x2, Gelato-K, and Sirius...

Cultiuana CT-720 Winter Grow 22-23

• Krissi Carbone
• Jan 1, 2023
• cannapot cultiuana ct-720 gelato-k gorilla glue super lemon haze grow journal hybrid i49 seeds indica kannabia sativa sirius black weed seeds express zombie death

DAY 91/92 DAY 34 FLOWER
Gorilla Glue Super Lemon Haze and Zombie Death x2, Gelato-K, and Sirius...

 

[Buds Buddy]

Question from ignorance: if plants are generally so much healthier in SIPs, is there reason to believe that there might be less susceptibility to mold and PM? Or would that probably remain the same, regardless?

Funny you should ask that. I keep expecting Root or Bud Rot from so much water all the time. But so far, so good.

 

[Krissi Carbone]

Funny you should ask that. I keep expecting Root or Bud Rot from so much water all the time. But so far, so good.

Nope, just beautifully, exquisitely large and healthy plants for you Buds!

 

[Carmen Ray]

Hi @Carmen Ray !
Do you have a thread URL?
Or would you want to post some pictures for us, so we can see what you are talking about?
(I have four SWICK trays, but I am focusing on SIP and soil right now.)

Hey el gringuito I have been reading up on Swick. I have used wicking before but this is my first Swick. My Journal is called Couldn't Resist A Christmas Auto Grow. I have also started a new thread that I am hoping may take off in a similar way to this SIP thread, called Everything Swick Club: 2023 And Beyond. There are individual journals dealing with Swick and there is Sweet Sue's journal on Swick which is inactive after 8 years I think. It would be nice to have a common thread like the SIP.

This is my setup.
I needed to self water my sprouts while I was away for a week. I threaded wicks through the soil and out the bottom of the pots. On Day 12 I upcanned my plants into their final 5 G fabric pots and mounted them on the perlite Swicks. I am going to change this Swick system to something similar to what Hash Hound uses. I won't do that this grow, but I will for the next.

 

[Buds Buddy]

High All ! Just going to post a pic or two of my GG Auto in my 5 gal. SIP. Not sure if it's 5 or 6 weeks old now. I lost track with unexpected events that unfolded. Doesn't really matter though as it's done when the Trichomes say it is.
I don't think I've ever had a plant finish in the timeline the Breeders / Seedbanks say. 7-8 weeks, usually means 9-10 weeks in reality. At least that's how it's been for me.

This was at lights on so the leaves look a little droopy in the pics. They are all saying their prayers today though.

 

[Carmen Ray]

Welcome back, @Carmen Ray . I'm looking forward to following Your Everything Swick Thread . It seems like all of these sub irrigated methods incorporating the air feature down low for the roots work pretty well.

Thank you Azi! I hope we can get some interest going for the Swick thread.

 

[Azimuth]

Question from ignorance: if plants are generally so much healthier in SIPs, is there reason to believe that there might be less susceptibility to mold and PM? Or would that probably remain the same, regardless?

That's a good question. It has been shown that very healthy plants with a high brix level seem to be immune from bugs, but whether that extends to microbes I don't know.

 

[Azimuth]

I don't think I've ever had a plant finish in the timeline the Breeders / Seedbanks say. 7-8 weeks, usually means 9-10 weeks in reality. At least that's how it's been for me.

Me too. The difference, I think, seems to line up with what Emilya calls the transition period which is after flip but before they are truly in flower mode. I start counting flower when I see the little puff balls of white forming all over, and not when I can find just a white pistil or two using magnification.

It's been all over the map for me. I had a CBG seedling that showed in 3-4 days, and my most recent Northern Lights 5 took 14 days.

But counting the days/weeks this way does seem to line up pretty well with the estimates I've found.

 

[CBDMed]

Ok, thanks! I am always running for time, but will try to keep up!
I would love to have @Hashhound 's shootout thread.

 

[CBDMed]

That's a good question. It has been shown that very healthy plants with a high brix level seem to be immune from bugs, but whether that extends to microbes I don't know.

Thanks.
I just know that when I eat right, I get sick a lot less (and I handle stress better in general).