SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

PDX Joe

PDX Joe

Well-Known Member
Tim Fox said:
long stretch, glad its over for you, do you have any room to raise your light more or are you out of headroom,, I totally ran out of space in my box, and stretch stopped just in the nick of time
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I’m out of room unless I rework my light hang points and maybe get a bit more space. I could have grown one Lemon OG and been perfect. Now I know. They do seem to be slowing, crossing my fingers. I’m glad I took the filter out.
 
Farmer.J

Farmer.J

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
Simple answer is if you are using plain water and adding your nutrients to the soil, then yes they are. If you mix nutrients into the water then you’re using it as a hydro system. Complex answer, some designs are considered more “SIP” like. They have a wick that hangs down into the water and there is an air gap. Autopot as designed are almost more like a Hempy bucket. I changed mine to have an air gap and wick. I found using them as designed the plants were droopy from over watering and as a hydro system the salts built up in the soil and killed the plants. Using them with organic nutrients mixed into the top of the soil has worked much better for me. But you have to use the big ones.
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So I ordered (8 ) 4gal autopots w (2) 47L reservoirs. I also ordered 8 airdomes for them. With the airdomes you are supposed to fill the bottom of the pot with hydroton until above the airdome. The air dome puts air into the rootzone. I was going to use botanicare readygrow coco coir/perlite mix and Remo nutrients. Maybe I should add supersoil to the coco and not use it like hydro? What do you guys think?
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Farmer.J said:
So I ordered (8 ) 4gal autopots w (2) 47L reservoirs. I also ordered 8 airdomes for them. With the airdomes you are supposed to fill the bottom of the pot with hydroton until above the airdome. The air dome puts air into the rootzone. I was going to use botanicare readygrow coco coir/perlite mix and Remo nutrients. Maybe I should add supersoil to the coco and not use it like hydro? What do you guys think?
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everytime i tried hydro,, it was so much freakin work,, Carry all the water,, Drain all the water,, Spill all the water,, PH all the water,, TDDS the water,, mix the nutes in the water,, ugh,,
Having done Sips several times,, there is no work,, I just ad plain tap water , and watch it grow
 
PDX Joe

PDX Joe

Well-Known Member
Farmer.J said:
So I ordered (8 ) 4gal autopots w (2) 47L reservoirs. I also ordered 8 airdomes for them. With the airdomes you are supposed to fill the bottom of the pot with hydroton until above the airdome. The air dome puts air into the rootzone. I was going to use botanicare readygrow coco coir/perlite mix and Remo nutrients. Maybe I should add supersoil to the coco and not use it like hydro? What do you guys think?
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Did you see they sell 7 gallon Autopots? I used the 4 gallon and found them too small, especially if you want to go with an organic grow using dry organic nutrients. I tried the 4 gallons with a hydro grow using salt nutrients and the salts built up way too fast in the pots and stunted the plants. I’d stay away from a hydro grow with Autopots. I modified my Autopots to turn them into SIPs. Look back in this thread and you can see how I did it.
 
Evil-Mobo

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
Did you see they sell 7 gallon Autopots? I used the 4 gallon and found them too small, especially if you want to go with an organic grow using dry organic nutrients. I tried the 4 gallons with a hydro grow using salt nutrients and the salts built up way too fast in the pots and stunted the plants. I’d stay away from a hydro grow with Autopots. I modified my Autopots to turn them into SIPs. Look back in this thread and you can see how I did it.
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Just to add to the conversation they made a new model that uses 5 gallon fabric pots. I have one here and debating whether I'm going to use it or return it as I will be attempting a transition to hydro............
 
PDX Joe

PDX Joe

Well-Known Member
I Amended the pots today with a topping of compost, worm castings and BioLive. That should get me through flower.

I had to change how I hang the light to squeeze 6 more inches for head height. I did notice the tip of the buds closest to the lights starting to bleach. Turned the light down too. I consider this less a SROG and more a trellis at this point.D21D50AF-092F-4175-897D-DEC03AE3D201.jpeg
 

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Evil-Mobo

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
I Amended the pots today with a topping of compost, worm castings and BioLive. That should get me through flower.

I had to change how I hang the light to squeeze 6 more inches for head height. I did notice the tip of the buds closest to the lights starting to bleach. Turned the light down too. I consider this less a SROG and more a trellis at this point.View attachment 4112591
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Looking good in there.
 
Farmer.J

Farmer.J

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
Did you see they sell 7 gallon Autopots? I used the 4 gallon and found them too small, especially if you want to go with an organic grow using dry organic nutrients. I tried the 4 gallons with a hydro grow using salt nutrients and the salts built up way too fast in the pots and stunted the plants. I’d stay away from a hydro grow with Autopots. I modified my Autopots to turn them into SIPs. Look back in this thread and you can see how I did it.
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I ordered ball valves so I can close the line. If I close the line and let autopots dry until the container feels light; could I top feed once every 10 days? Open valve for a week and close it again to give next feeding? Obviously more work than autopots are supposed to be but it would be a solution. The airdomes are supposed to help keep them from being droopy from overwatering

For now I have a really small grow area under 2 400w HPS. 8 small autopots fit in my space perfect but I may get the larger ones in the future for outdoor.
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Evil-Mobo said:
Just to add to the conversation they made a new model that uses 5 gallon fabric pots. I have one here and debating whether I'm going to use it or return it as I will be attempting a transition to hydro............
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Again lol your a gluten for punishment hhaah you know I love you brother
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
I Amended the pots today with a topping of compost, worm castings and BioLive. That should get me through flower.

I had to change how I hang the light to squeeze 6 more inches for head height. I did notice the tip of the buds closest to the lights starting to bleach. Turned the light down too. I consider this less a SROG and more a trellis at this point.View attachment 4112591
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Dude good job squeeze in more light room, hey @Humanrob he is adding nutes to his sip like you are interested in
 
Tim Fox

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
I Amended the pots today with a topping of compost, worm castings and BioLive. That should get me through flower.

I had to change how I hang the light to squeeze 6 more inches for head height. I did notice the tip of the buds closest to the lights starting to bleach. Turned the light down too. I consider this less a SROG and more a trellis at this point.View attachment 4112591
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Pdx I had to do the same thing and turn my light down it was to strong , I wish I had 2 more foot oh hieght
 
PDX Joe

PDX Joe

Well-Known Member
Farmer.J said:
I ordered ball valves so I can close the line. If I close the line and let autopots dry until the container feels light; could I top feed once every 10 days? Open valve for a week and close it again to give next feeding? Obviously more work than autopots are supposed to be but it would be a solution. The airdomes are supposed to help keep them from being droopy from overwatering

For now I have a really small grow area under 2 400w HPS. 8 small autopots fit in my space perfect but I may get the larger ones in the future for outdoor.
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There should be a shutoff valve already provided with your system, so you shouldn’t need to buy the valve.

I wouldn’t recommend pouring liquid nutrients onto the top of the pots. It sort of defeats the purpose and you’re going to wash nutrients down into the water reservoir where it could develop nasty stuff. You’ll also throw the soil moisture level out of whack. I do add 2 cups of recharge to the top of the pots every week, but that’s to keep the microbe populations high near the top of the pots where the feeder roots develop. It’s such a small volume of liquid it doesn’t throw off the wicking system and doesn’t wash down into the lower part of the pots. Anymore than that and you will run into problems.
 
Farmer.J

Farmer.J

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
There should be a shutoff valve already provided with your system, so you shouldn’t need to buy the valve.

I wouldn’t recommend pouring liquid nutrients onto the top of the pots. It sort of defeats the purpose and you’re going to wash nutrients down into the water reservoir where it could develop nasty stuff. You’ll also throw the soil moisture level out of whack. I do add 2 cups of recharge to the top of the pots every week, but that’s to keep the microbe populations high near the top of the pots where the feeder roots develop. It’s such a small volume of liquid it doesn’t throw off the wicking system and doesn’t wash down into the lower part of the pots. Anymore than that and you will run into problems.
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Thanks I will probably just put 1/4 strength nutes in my reservoir during veg and 1/2 strength during flower
 
Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
Seems like I haven't had a "normal" grow in a long time... LOL -- now my GG4 is getting "fall colors" 3.5 weeks into flower? I'm not sure if that is something to worry about... and if it is, if there is anything I can do about it?

03.29.18_3x3fall-colors.jpg
 
PDX Joe

PDX Joe

Well-Known Member
Humanrob said:
Seems like I haven't had a "normal" grow in a long time... LOL -- now my GG4 is getting "fall colors" 3.5 weeks into flower? I'm not sure if that is something to worry about... and if it is, if there is anything I can do about it?

View attachment 4113717
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This happened to me with one of my plants in my last grow. I fought it a bit with no success thinking there was some deficiency. After the grow I realized it was just a fast finisher. My guess is it will slowly change over the remaining time in flower. You might end up with a very colorful plant at the end.
 
Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
PDX Joe said:
This happened to me with one of my plants in my last grow. I fought it a bit with no success thinking there was some deficiency. After the grow I realized it was just a fast finisher. My guess is it will slowly change over the remaining time in flower. You might end up with a very colorful plant at the end.
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Thanks Joe, I couldn’t see how it could be a nute deficiency and I know the temps in there are controlled, so it seemed odd to me.
 
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