SIP - Pity Do Dah, SIP - Pity A

[Fenderbender]

So, is there an overflow hole? And, if not, can you tell if the upper floor is slightly above the "Full" indicator on the dip stick?

No real overflow hole but one could easily be made, water can run out of the side though like Buds says.
I haven't filled it completely but I do think the upper floor is slightly above full.

Does that style wick up the moisture through the legs ? The inner floor does appear to be higher than the water tray below. My guess it if you overfilled the Tray / Res the water would come out between the Res & the bottom of the pot ? The legs lift the pot high enough above the Res to create the Air Gap.

Yes water can run out the side at that line, the moisture wicking is supposed to be that middle channel in the pot, quite large.
The instruction says to fill the water channel and bottom of the pot with clay pebbles and then soil on top.

It will be a couple of weeks before I get to use it as I'm still waiting to harvest & clear down.

 

[Buds Buddy]

No real overflow hole but one could easily be made, water can run out of the side though like Buds says.
I haven't filled it completely but I do think the upper floor is slightly above full.

Yes water can run out the side at that line, the moisture wicking is supposed to be that middle channel in the pot, quite large.
The instruction says to fill the water channel and bottom of the pot with clay pebbles and then soil on top.

It will be a couple of weeks before I get to use it as I'm still waiting to harvest & clear down.

Doesn't look like there's many holes for nutes to come through in the channel. Maybe, I just can't see them. Try it & see how well it works. But if you find your soil drying out too much you may want to add some holes on the next grow.
This actually sound quite similar to what Azi uses with the clay pebbles creating the air gap.

 

[Fenderbender]

Doesn't look like there's many holes for nutes to come through in the channel. Maybe, I just can't see them. Try it & see how well it works. But if you find your soil drying out too much you may want to add some holes on the next grow.
This actually sound quite similar to what Azi uses with the clay pebbles creating the air gap.

There's twelve slits in the channel, you can see three on the picture.
I'm mainly wondering how long it will take when you plant in it to change from top watering to self watering.. as here they say 12 weeks top watering.. but that's if you put a big plant with rootball in it. I think if you seed in it roots will be down there quite quickly..

 

[Buds Buddy]

I'm about ready to give up on doing a Coco SIP grow. First seed grew sideways & got thrown out. Planted a 2nd seed & it took longer than usual to break ground & it's so tiny. Doesn't seem to be growing at all. Kind of stuck on stupid. Not sure if it's the Auto Seeds or the Coco. I usually don't do Coco or Auto's so maybe, just maybe, it's me.... lol.
Next grow will be back to Photo's so I can clone. Probably do 2 strains & put some in SIP's & some in Fabric pots. Will do 10-12 plants then.

 

[Buds Buddy]

There's twelve slits in the channel, you can see three on the picture.
I'm mainly wondering how long it will take when you plant in it to change from top watering to self watering.. as here they say 12 weeks top watering.. but that's if you put a big plant with rootball in it. I think if you seed in it roots will be down there quite quickly..

I'd say it takes 10-14 days for the roots to hit the Res & start building around it.

 

[Azimuth]

I'd say it takes 10-14 days for the roots to hit the Res & start building around it.

Maybe but the roots don't have to reach the reservoir to benefit as the soil above will wick the water up. I definitely would  not top water for 10-14 days. Maybe a couple or three but that's it.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Maybe but the roots don't have to reach the reservoir to benefit as the soil above will wick the water up. I definitely would  not top water for 10-14 days. Maybe a couple or three but that's it.

I am Top watering for the 1st 2 weeks because I'm using Geo flora on the 2 Auto's & want it to get down in the soil. But that is still only watering 3-4 times during that 2 weeks. I'm really thinking I should have mixed some GF in with the Coco before I started the grow. With the soil I'm OK as it has nutes in it. But the Coco worries me because there isn't any.

 

[Azimuth]

For soil grows at least, Geoflora recommends mixing the first feeding into the soil and giving it some time before potting up. I assume the same for coco. Geoflora Discussion Thread

 

[Buds Buddy]

Well, I just don't think this Banana Purple Punch is going to take off. Been several days & it's still just a dinky little thing.
I think she's stunted. I'll try digging her up & putting her in a solo cup tomorrow. She can stay in the cup if she makes it just to see if she ever grows. I'll give it one last try in Coco & if it don't work out I'm going to use soil. It kind of stinks because it will be about 2 weeks behind the other Auto taking up tent space. Slows down my grow plans a little.

 

[Azimuth]

@Bill284 and @Jon both grow autos in coco. Maybe one of them can help identify any issue that's holding it back.

 

[Bill284]

@Bill284 and @Jon both grow autos in coco. Maybe one of them can help identify any issue that's holding it back.

I've never had an issue with autos in coco.
But I start in a solo and build a rootvball.
I also add Bokashi ,frass And DYNOMYCO.
I add Geoflora to the coco aswell, if I'm running GF.
Not a sip person so your setup is different, but getting the coco alive is key.
Starting a seed in coco should be straightforward.
No big difference, intact some say its easier.
But feeding.
I gave them a feed every day, keeping the coco wet.
You burn through the GF fast in coco.
Do you set your ph prior to watering?




Stay safe
Bill284

 

[Fenderbender]

So, is there an overflow hole? And, if not, can you tell if the upper floor is slightly above the "Full" indicator on the dip stick?

Ah there is a plug at the bottom.. I thought it was for emptying the reservoir but no water comes out only if completely filled I think so that's the overflow hole as they recommend unplugging when used outside. So I'm guessing full will be calibrated to that and there will always be an airgap.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I've never had an issue with autos in coco.
But I start in a solo and build a rootvball.
I also add Bokashi ,frass And DYNOMYCO.
I add Geoflora to the coco aswell, if I'm running GF.
Not a sip person so your setup is different, but getting the coco alive is key.
Starting a seed in coco should be straightforward.
No big difference, intact some say its easier.
But feeding.
I gave them a feed every day, keeping the coco wet.
You burn through the GF fast in coco.
Do you set your ph prior to watering?




Stay safe
Bill284

I haven't yet. I was wondering if I needed to with GF. First time using it. 5.8 water for the Coco ? One of my GG did fine starting in the SIP but one didn't. The BPP started fine, although very tiny & then seemed to stall out. I think I'll start the next one in a Solo & up-pot it. Maybe I'll have better luck. That way I can add some GF to the Coco before I transplant.

 

[Will11]

Hey @Buds Buddy I’m hoping you can help me…. I just topped yesterday and now I was going to remove the bottom 2 nodes. The top node (2nd?) that I’m going to cut already has grown over night and looks pretty well established. This is an auto and I don’t want to put too much stress on her. Should I still remove the 2nd node or is it too late? She is 15 days old. Thanks!

 

[Azimuth]

Ah there is a plug at the bottom.. I thought it was for emptying the reservoir but no water comes out only if completely filled I think so that's the overflow hole as they recommend unplugging when used outside. So I'm guessing full will be calibrated to that and there will always be an airgap.

Perfect!

 

[Azimuth]

Hey @Buds Buddy I’m hoping you can help me…. I just topped yesterday and now I was going to remove the bottom 2 nodes. The top node (2nd?) that I’m going to cut already has grown over night and looks pretty well established. This is an auto and I don’t want to put too much stress on her. Should I still remove the 2nd node or is it too late? She is 15 days old. Thanks!

I don't grow autos, but that is one nice looking plant! Good job.

(I am, of course, talking to the bucket here.)

 

[Will11]

I don't grow autos, but that is one nice looking plant! Good job.

(I am, of course, talking to the bucket here.)

Thank you Azimuth! You deserve a lot of the credit for inviting me to the SIP club. It’s made a huge difference! Now I’m just worried about screwing it up!

 

[Buds Buddy]

Hey @Buds Buddy I’m hoping you can help me…. I just topped yesterday and now I was going to remove the bottom 2 nodes. The top node (2nd?) that I’m going to cut already has grown over night and looks pretty well established. This is an auto and I don’t want to put too much stress on her. Should I still remove the 2nd node or is it too late? She is 15 days old. Thanks!

You can remove them up to about day 21. It's not necessary though. You can always train / LST all 8 branches in different directions so they don't grow on top of each other.
Pic one: LST with 4 Branches
Pic two: LST w/ 8 Branches

Make the branches twist in the direction you want them to grow.

 

[Azimuth]

Thank you Azimuth! You deserve a lot of the credit for inviting me to the SIP club. It’s made a huge difference! Now I’m just worried about screwing it up!

Well, you'd probably have to work at it to screw it up. Honestly, it's hard to believe the first few times you grow in these things. It looks so much like a fluke especially since you really didn't do much different from what you normally do. Same grow mix, same nutes, everything.

I tease Buds sometimes since he went thru what most of us do. The plants are so much bigger and healthier that we're afraid we won't be able to duplicate it again next time and we don't know what we did to produce such a profound difference.

But get used to it. I think that these pots really just allow the plant to express itself to its fullest extent of its genetics. Most of us stunt the plant in various ways throughout a grow. With autos its just more obvious since you can't simply extend veg to compensate. These pots eliminate watering issues which are the biggest challenge to most growers.

With nutes, you either followed the explicit instructions or you didn't. Same for temperature and environment. But with watering it's so much more subjective. "Water when the pot feels light" really tells you nothing without some experience, and getting that experience only comes by getting it wrong. SIPs eliminate that issue entirely and then add the hidden magic of the air gap and a constant supply of water and nutrients so the plant can help itself.

I find it hard to imagine growing any different now that I know the secret.

 

[Fenderbender]

You can remove them up to about day 21. It's not necessary though. You can always train / LST all 8 branches in different directions so they don't grow on top of each other.
Pic one: LST with 4 Branches
Pic two: LST w/ 8 Branches

Make the branches twist in the direction you want them to grow.

Dunno if I'd call that LST though