SWICK Watering Systems: Letting The Plant Water Itself

SWICK #3

After watching the different pots of clones and seedlings dry out at different rates, responding to my watering well or poorly, I decided to bring the SWICK technology to the clones and seedlings.


Filling the Early Veg SWICK - this one is shallow (2") but should do the job.

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Early Veg SWICK (2x2.5')

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Late Veg SWICK (3x4')

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Flower Room SWICK (4x8')

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I is fully SWICK-i-fied !! :allgood::woohoo:
 
Very nice! Love it. Im very happy your plants like the SWICKs. :blushsmile:
 
"fully SWICK-i-fied"

Sweet. :laughtwo:
 
Radogast said:
SWICK #3

After watching the different pots of clones and seedlings dry out at different rates, responding to my watering well or poorly, I decided to bring the SWICK technology to the clones and seedlings.


Filling the Early Veg SWICK - this one is shallow (2") but should do the job.

20150525_121236.jpg



Early Veg SWICK (2x2.5')

20150525_130700.jpg



Late Veg SWICK (3x4')

20150525_130712.jpg



Flower Room SWICK (4x8')

20150525_130753-1.jpg



I is fully SWICK-i-fied !! :allgood::woohoo:
Click to expand...

looking great, Sue. :thumb:
 
Radogast said:
Dr. Ziggy, SweetSue, or others using small plastic pots..
Do you seat the bottom of the pots down into the perlite, or just set them on top?

My new early veg SWICK dried out last night. I suspect this is partly because it is shallow and partly because it is brand new, I should know more in a couple of days.
Click to expand...

i dig my pots into perlite. My tote or SWICK container is shallow. doesn't hold a thick layer of perlite.
 
Radogast said:
Dr. Ziggy, SweetSue, or others using small plastic pots..
Do you seat the bottom of the pots down into the perlite, or just set them on top?

My new early veg SWICK dried out last night. I suspect this is partly because it is shallow and partly because it is brand new, I should know more in a couple of days.
Click to expand...

We're breaking the rules a bit with our shallow trays Rad. Did yours dry up entirely, as in the perlite was dry, or did it just wick up the entire reservoir, but still damp perlite? With shallow trays you may need to fill more often. I usually start with filling, then I do whatever else needs done and before I close the tent I top off again. I also don't pay attention to the rule about keeping the water level 1-2" below the surface, because the tray is only that deep. I overfill, so that the water level is right below the surface that first time. Then my second fill is less deep.

Sometimes we need to think outside the box. In this case it's think outside the tray. :laughtwo: Yeah, that was pretty lame. Haha!
 
SweetSue said:
We're breaking the rules a bit with our shallow trays Rad. Did yours dry up entirely, as in the perlite was dry, or did it just wick up the entire reservoir, but still damp perlite? With shallow trays you may need to fill more often. I usually start with filling, then I do whatever else needs done and before I close the tent I top off again. I also don't pay attention to the rule about keeping the water level 1-2" below the surface, because the tray is only that deep. I overfill, so that the water level is right below the surface that first time. Then my second fill is less deep.

Sometimes we need to think outside the box. In this case it's think outside the tray. :laughtwo: Yeah, that was pretty lame. Haha!
Click to expand...

The surface dried out completely. I'm not getting good wicking action. I watered the shallow SWICK in 3 places tonight.
 
Oooooo Ziggy! Beautiful!!
 
Radogast said:
The surface dried out completely. I'm not getting good wicking action. I watered the shallow SWICK in 3 places tonight.
Click to expand...

Wiggle the pots or cups in a bit more Rad and see if that works. As long as you have contact you should get wicking action. The shallow trays just need watered more frequently. Sounds like you just haven't found that balance point yet. It'll happen.
 
I just realized I'd never posted pictures of my latest SWICK here. These are between 23-25 days old now.

image26387.jpg
 
bumtech said:
Instead of perlite, do you think coco fiber will work? Its cheaper, lighter to ship, and can expand massively once hydrated.
Click to expand...

But it won't wick in quite the same manner, so avoid coco fiber for this application. Where the water passes over the surface of the perlite as it percolates upward, the coco fiber will hold the water. That will lead to a whole host of other concerns.
 
This has been an interesting read! We're just getting started after a lengthy hiatus, and will often be away for several days at a time. Had been planning on a Blumat setup, but this is an attractive alternative.

I'm a bit vertically challenged in my space, so a deep reservoir is out. What is the experience of folks with a shallow container... does the perlite seem to dry out evenly or more localized around the plants? I'll have 2- 7gal fabric pots once the girls get big enough, wondering if I can get away with 4" or so underneath. Possibly gravity fed by a larger reservoir?
 
kharma said:
This has been an interesting read! We're just getting started after a lengthy hiatus, and will often be away for several days at a time. Had been planning on a Blumat setup, but this is an attractive alternative.

I'm a bit vertically challenged in my space, so a deep reservoir is out. What is the experience of folks with a shallow container... does the perlite seem to dry out evenly or more localized around the plants? I'll have 2- 7gal fabric pots once the girls get big enough, wondering if I can get away with 4" or so underneath. Possibly gravity fed by a larger reservoir?
Click to expand...

WITH A SINGLE TRAY for multiple plants:

2" is fine for 3-4 days, 3" works 5-6 days with my 6-10 gallon pots.
This is how long is takes the reservoir to dry out, the perlite stays damp 2-3 days longer.
I don't let my soil dry out, but if you do that is what? 4 days longer?

So if you are feeding bottled nutrients, it should keep your plants healthy (if not optimum) for estimated: 2" - 9 days, 3" - 11 days.

*This estimate is for a rectangular tray big enough to hold multiple pots. One tray for each pot is outside my experience.
PLEASE anyone, if you disagree, please post your estimates or thoughts.
I don't think any of here on this 420mag thread have a long personal experience and I don't want to lead anyone astray.
 
kharma said:
This has been an interesting read! We're just getting started after a lengthy hiatus, and will often be away for several days at a time. Had been planning on a Blumat setup, but this is an attractive alternative.

I'm a bit vertically challenged in my space, so a deep reservoir is out. What is the experience of folks with a shallow container... does the perlite seem to dry out evenly or more localized around the plants? I'll have 2- 7gal fabric pots once the girls get big enough, wondering if I can get away with 4" or so underneath. Possibly gravity fed by a larger reservoir?
Click to expand...

The gravity feed sounds intriguing, and there are some interesting ways to pull that off. I would think Rad hit it close to the point with his estimations. I work with both a deeper reservoir (my LOS 7 gallon no-tills sit on a bed of perlite about 6-8") and a shallow tray of perlite that measures less than 2" in depth.

The shallow tray is good for about three days before it goes critical, meaning the soil will begin to dry - something we want to avoid with living organic soil. I've left the deeper reservoirs go for four days and everything is still damp and the soil is unaffected. I would think 4" would buy you 3-4 days without any problem, and I suspect you'd have more leeway than that, possibly up to 2 more days.

The perlite holds an amazing amount of water on its surfaces.
 
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