show and tell about your automated drip/sprayer systems

I have been growing in dwc/rdwc almost exclusively for the past decade with excellent results. Every once in awhile i might mix in a couple plants in sunshine #4 or promix hp. Recently I devoted one room to canna coco/perlite and was pleasantly surprised by the results, so much so that I am now converting half of my grow space to coco. Now during the coco grow that I completed I was watering everything by hand, but now that I am increasing the amount of space dedicated to coco I would like to build an automated drip/sprayer system. Which brings me to the point of the thread: I would be very interested to see and discuss what you successful coco growers are using for automated irrigation. MACK's thread about his pressurized system with the solenoid dump valve and sprayers looked very promising as far as insuring even coverage. What other methods are people using that will provide consistent and even water distribution? I see some people using drip rings, others using free flowing 1/4" lines with T's. Are you guys using looped manifolds for these? Please throw up some pics and descriptions. I would like to be as informed as possible before I build my first system.Thanks in advance

i'll sub.

thanks simply_slide....its me and you bro. well i ordered all the supplies to build a system similar to macks. i am also going to build a simpler system using 1/4" lines with tees on the ends for splitters. again, to anybody that has experience or insight relating to automated irrigation i would love to see/read about your setups and experiences. anyway, when my pump and materials begin arriving i will throw up some pics and opinions on how everything is working out.

I hope someone else gets in on this

Glad my posts were helpful. If you are going this route with coco, keep in mind you will be scheduling multiple feedings during a light cycle so you will want to modify your nutrient levels accordingly. For example, I feed 3 times per 12hr light cycle during flowering, but run the following feed schedule per gallon

1ml Protekt silica

3 to 4 ml of House and Garden Cocos A and B

1ml of Cal Mag if it looks like it is needed
Or
1/4 tsp of Epsom salt in occasion.

No additives, no nonsense, no snake oil and I will typically pull 6 to 12 Oz per plant depending on the strain and veg time.

Also, make sure you have enough root mass before you start multiple feedings

Read your plants, relax, and enjoy!

sound like words of wisdom to me. my lone coco run i fed with botanicare pure blend base nutrients only and crushed it. i was watering once a day at 1.4ec for flower. i am thinking about using the jacks 3-2-1 method for the upcoming run. i have used this in rdwc with pretty decent results. thanks for dropping in mack.

No problem. Glad I could share

Good luck!

my gear is starting to arrive. i should have everything by the wknd and the system built by early next week. og clones are popping out roots. is there a reason that this site is so dead lately? i haven't been on much over the last year or so but it seems like there is no action on here at all. didn't used to be like that.

Im pretty stoked to see where your going with this. Please include details.

I don't get a lot of hits in this DTW portion of the forum either. Lots of people in the general growing area.

the first system im building is 100% mack's design,the only difference is i'm going to use a pump with a little more flow and stakes with a little more gph in hopes of reducing feed time. i'm using a smaller solenoid as well(cheaper). i used to post in the dwc section mostly but it seems dead as door nail over there too. seems like most of the guys i remember being around there are gone.

I threw together a test system tonight. It worked ok but needs a little refinement...

here are a couple ukem x grape ape in rdwc for something to look at.(18 days in flwr)

Please elevate that surge protector. I'd hate for your house catch fire or you get electrocuted. Just as simple as having next to you air pump on the milk crate.

awesome contribution thank you

GM
how is your build coming along?

i got everything put together yesterday but have an issue with the fittings leaking. i connected 8 sprayers just to test it out and it works pretty slick but 6 of the 8 fittings are leaking. what was your technique for attaching the fittings? you were using 3/4 inch rigid black poly line right?

i just looked through your thread again and noticed i have different fittings for tapping into the 3/4 inch line than what you used. i didn't get the pressure compensating valves. this may or may not have anything to do with my leakage but i'm ordering some none the less.

The pressure compensators valves have a barbed fitting. Drill a hole in the black plastic slightly smaller than the narrow part of the barb. Pop the fitting in and no leaks.

I build 46 site irrigation manifolds out of these items
-1/2 tubing (2 piece the length of tray, 2 pieces 1 ft long)
- drip tubbing (2 ft per site, 2 sites per plant)
- irrigation drip basket stakes (1 site is 1 basket, 46 sites)
- drip irrigation fittings (drives into 1/2 inch tube and connects to drip tubing)
-1/2 elbows (4)
-1/2 Tee (1)

They look like a big rectangle.. The T is the inlet to the enclosed circuit,,, it runs to the pump in the rez.


The manifold is an enclosed circuit.. little irrigation fittings drive into the 1/2 in tube.. the drip tubing connects to fittings, the drip basket stake is at the end of the drip line.. 2 drip sites per plant..

That is connected to a timer. goes off for 4 mins every day at lights on.. my res is large enough to water for about 6 days,,, on the seventh day (sunday) i give straight water to sort of flush the media of salts and bring the ph up a little..

They are cheap, easy, they work.. nothing fancy.

.. if coco dries out it is difficult to get it wet again with this system,, I add a little dishsoap to every res to keep the coco from getting dry pockets..

Ohh yeah,,, also I have an anti siphon little gadget between the T and the Pump,, it makes sure that a siphon does not form,, emptying your res after the pump shuts off.. it is a basic little gadget you can build out of the same parts you use to make the manifold.. super simple, easy, basic. nothing complicated. cheap too..