Irrigation system

Hey all, (novice grower here) I’m currently into week 2 of flower in my 4x8 tent and I’m going away in a month so I was thinking of setting up an irrigation system, I was curious as to if anyone would have some insight on if I should still water to runoff, or if smaller amounts will be alright for the time I am gone (10days). I have means to adjust temperature and humidity as their connected to smart plugs. I’m also curious as to if anyone would recommend getting a water chiller too or something of the sorts to keep the nute res at a stable temp. It will be roughly week 6 of flower so I really want to have things set up best I can to prevent any decrease in yield or health issues to the plants.
*Plants are in 5 gallon fabric pots and roughly 44-48 inches tall. Medium is coco, currently feeding roughly 2L daily (I think)

Thanks!

What size plants?

What size containers?

What medium?

How often are they currently feeding?


Res can be housed outside the tent and lines fed into the tent to keep res more stable with temps.

jondamon said:

What size plants?

What size containers?

What medium?

How often are they currently feeding?


Res can be housed outside the tent and lines fed into the tent to keep res more stable with temps.

Click to expand...

I apologize I was pretty vague, I’ve updated the thread. 5 gallon fabric pots. 44-48 inch plants, medium is coco and watering roughly 2L water everyday. Tbh I’m actually watering every second day as I’m pretty busy and their taking a bit more than a gallon every second day so I’m kinda going by that.

TheRealNG said:

I apologize I was pretty vague, I’ve updated the thread. 5 gallon fabric pots. 44-48 inch plants, medium is coco and watering roughly 2L water everyday. Tbh I’m actually watering every second day as I’m pretty busy and their taking a bit more than a gallon every second day so I’m kinda going by that.

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Ok first problem.

Coco should ideally be fed a min of once per day. (I’ve grown in coco for 12 years)

I am currently feeding mine 3x during lights on and 2x during lights off.

I make sure I get around 10L of runoff daily in 3.5G pots 2x plants.


So you really should be feeding daily.


What EC or PPM are you currently feeding your plants?

How much water does it take to get 10-20% runoff currently?


Do you have any knowledge about hydroponic drip irrigation?


There are a few good videos on YT if you search DIY DRIP IRRIGATION.


The simple side of it is this


Get a pump (big enough to supply the Amount of plants)

Create a loop ring with dripper branches off the ring to connect to the pump.


The issue is timing it to gain runoff or not gain runoff daily. Which will depend on the nutrient strength you’re running.



Here’s something I made myself for 2 plants with the help of a few others on this site.


Parts.

Pump
Tote (large enough to house the water you’ve calculated you’ll need per day per plant)

13mm flexi hose enough to create a ring like this to go around your tent


4mm flexi hose to go from 13mm pipe to the plants

4mm Drippers or pressure compensating emitters to stake into the plant pots

4mm straight connectors
13mm barbed elbows for the ring

13mm barbed T’s for the ring and a back pressure release

4mm hole punch tool

I’ve got twistable drippers on mine right now but have coming some pressure compensating emitters as they have a controlled release of exactly a certain amount of water flow per hour.


Watch some vids so that the above makes sense to you but for now here’s pics of my own I’ve literally setup in the last few weeks.

Obviously one of the hardest parts is where does your runoff go?

Easiest is to create a drain out or a large enough pan to collect 10 days of runoff which may or may not be achievable.

jondamon said:

Ok first problem.

Coco should ideally be fed a min of once per day. (I’ve grown in coco for 12 years)

I am currently feeding mine 3x during lights on and 2x during lights off.

I make sure I get around 10L of runoff daily in 3.5G pots 2x plants.


So you really should be feeding daily.


What EC or PPM are you currently feeding your plants?

How much water does it take to get 10-20% runoff currently?


Do you have any knowledge about hydroponic drip irrigation?


There are a few good videos on YT if you search DIY DRIP IRRIGATION.


The simple side of it is this


Get a pump (big enough to supply the Amount of plants)

Create a loop ring with dripper branches off the ring to connect to the pump.


The issue is timing it to gain runoff or not gain runoff daily. Which will depend on the nutrient strength you’re running.



Here’s something I made myself for 2 plants with the help of a few others on this site.


Parts.

Pump
Tote (large enough to house the water you’ve calculated you’ll need per day per plant)

13mm flexi hose enough to create a ring like this to go around your tent
View attachment 4951082

4mm flexi hose to go from 13mm pipe to the plants

4mm Drippers or pressure compensating emitters to stake into the plant pots

4mm straight connectors
13mm barbed elbows for the ring

13mm barbed T’s for the ring and a back pressure release

4mm hole punch tool

I’ve got twistable drippers on mine right now but have coming some pressure compensating emitters as they have a controlled release of exactly a certain amount of water flow per hour.


Watch some vids so that the above makes sense to you but for now here’s pics of my own I’ve literally setup in the last few weeks.

View attachment 4951082View attachment 4951084View attachment 4951085View attachment 4951089View attachment 4951093

Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed reply, before anything I have very little knowledge. I recently purchased a cheap drip irrigation system from Amazon I was going to set up, it is capable of doing up to 8 plants and I currently have 5 in there. Honestly I have not been measuring runoff ppm or EC.. I assume it’s probably high. On the runoff subject I usually water 1.5 gallons to get a good 10% runoff which I collect in a tray then empty with a shop vac. I’m still learning a lot everyday so I’ve been adjusting during the grow and currently don’t have a drain table or anything beneficial

TheRealNG said:

Thanks for the detailed reply, before anything I have very little knowledge. I recently purchased a cheap drip irrigation system from Amazon I was going to set up, it is capable of doing up to 8 plants and I currently have 5 in there. Honestly I have not been measuring runoff ppm or EC.. I assume it’s probably high. On the runoff subject I usually water 1.5 gallons to get a good 10% runoff which I collect in a tray then empty with a shop vac. I’m still learning a lot everyday so I’ve been adjusting during the grow and currently don’t have a drain table or anything beneficial

Click to expand...

What is your feeding EC the runoff EC can come later by testing lol.

1.5Gallons per plant per day is approx 5.6 litres of feed (I’m U.K. so use litres lol) 10% is about 560ml of runoff.

However if you increase fertigation to daily that 1.5G might reduce to 1G but that 0.15G runoff might also increase to 0.30G.

0.3G per day per plant in runoff.

0.3x5 plants = 1.5G of runoff per day

1.5G x10days approx 15gallons of liquid created in those 10 days.

That’s a lot of water!

You could reduce your nutrient strength and just water and time it to saturate but over those 10 days the saturation point could increase its requirements. Meaning you could be underfeeding.



What exactly have you bought from Amazon?

What size is the reservoir?

1g feed per plant per day = 5Gallons per day x 10days = 50gallon reservoir required to have enough water for 10days, 60-70gallon to have wiggle room.


So it’s imperative that I know everything.


You can get auto top up systems that use float valves to stop water topping your res up when it’s full.


Go and watch some YouTube videos about DIY DRIP IRRIGATION.

Become familiar with the different styles.

I have given you some calculations to use etc to see if you have the space etc or even the budget (because some of this stuff can get expensive when dealing with larger water volumes)


I am by no means an expert though but am willing to help if I can.

jondamon said:

What is your feeding EC the runoff EC can come later by testing lol.

1.5Gallons per plant per day is approx 5.6 litres of feed (I’m U.K. so use litres lol) 10% is about 560ml of runoff.

However if you increase fertigation to daily that 1.5G might reduce to 1G but that 0.15G runoff might also increase to 0.30G.

0.3G per day per plant in runoff.

0.3x5 plants = 1.5G of runoff per day

1.5G x10days approx 15gallons of liquid created in those 10 days.

That’s a lot of water!

You could reduce your nutrient strength and just water and time it to saturate but over those 10 days the saturation point could increase its requirements. Meaning you could be underfeeding.



What exactly have you bought from Amazon?

What size is the reservoir?

1g feed per plant per day = 5Gallons per day x 10days = 50gallon reservoir required to have enough water for 10days, 60-70gallon to have wiggle room.


So it’s imperative that I know everything.


You can get auto top up systems that use float valves to stop water topping your res up when it’s full.


Go and watch some YouTube videos about DIY DRIP IRRIGATION.

Become familiar with the different styles.

I have given you some calculations to use etc to see if you have the space etc or even the budget (because some of this stuff can get expensive when dealing with larger water volumes)


I am by no means an expert though but am willing to help if I can.

Click to expand...

I appreciate the info and help, just bear with me as I don’t always think of everything at once haha. My watering EC is approx 1200, I’ll include a picture of the random unit I bought off Amazon to give a better detail, based on a video on YouTube of someone setting one up he determined that it runs about 100ML/60seconds. As to the res I don’t really have one I was going to use a large dark tote that would fit maybe 100L or so, and to the runoff situation that’s a whole other problem as I’m not sure what to use to be able to hold that much water in general. I was kinda thinking I could get away with like you said a lower dose nute and less frequent water to maybe just get me by until I get back, but I don’t want to under feed them either as that is certainly a problem as well.

jondamon said:

Ok first problem.

Coco should ideally be fed a min of once per day. (I’ve grown in coco for 12 years)

I am currently feeding mine 3x during lights on and 2x during lights off.

I make sure I get around 10L of runoff daily in 3.5G pots 2x plants.


So you really should be feeding daily.


What EC or PPM are you currently feeding your plants?

How much water does it take to get 10-20% runoff currently?


Do you have any knowledge about hydroponic drip irrigation?


There are a few good videos on YT if you search DIY DRIP IRRIGATION.


The simple side of it is this


Get a pump (big enough to supply the Amount of plants)

Create a loop ring with dripper branches off the ring to connect to the pump.


The issue is timing it to gain runoff or not gain runoff daily. Which will depend on the nutrient strength you’re running.



Here’s something I made myself for 2 plants with the help of a few others on this site.


Parts.

Pump
Tote (large enough to house the water you’ve calculated you’ll need per day per plant)

13mm flexi hose enough to create a ring like this to go around your tent
View attachment 4951082

4mm flexi hose to go from 13mm pipe to the plants

4mm Drippers or pressure compensating emitters to stake into the plant pots

4mm straight connectors
13mm barbed elbows for the ring

13mm barbed T’s for the ring and a back pressure release

4mm hole punch tool

I’ve got twistable drippers on mine right now but have coming some pressure compensating emitters as they have a controlled release of exactly a certain amount of water flow per hour.


Watch some vids so that the above makes sense to you but for now here’s pics of my own I’ve literally setup in the last few weeks.

View attachment 4951082View attachment 4951084View attachment 4951085View attachment 4951089View attachment 4951093

Click to expand...

Why do you feed during lights off, 2x? Plants don't really seem to drink much while the lights are off.

PJ Diaz said:

Why do you feed during lights off, 2x? Plants don't really seem to drink much while the lights are off.

Click to expand...

2 plants in a 1m x 0.8m scrog at day 65 are drinking quite heavily still.

If I don’t continue some night feeds the coco dries too much and I don’t get a good flow of runoff during the daily 3x feeds.

TheRealNG said:

I appreciate the info and help, just bear with me as I don’t always think of everything at once haha. My watering EC is approx 1200, I’ll include a picture of the random unit I bought off Amazon to give a better detail, based on a video on YouTube of someone setting one up he determined that it runs about 100ML/60seconds. As to the res I don’t really have one I was going to use a large dark tote that would fit maybe 100L or so, and to the runoff situation that’s a whole other problem as I’m not sure what to use to be able to hold that much water in general. I was kinda thinking I could get away with like you said a lower dose nute and less frequent water to maybe just get me by until I get back, but I don’t want to under feed them either as that is certainly a problem as well. View attachment 4951249View attachment 4951250

Click to expand...

Never even seen anything like that before.

with 100ml per minute youd need it on for 10mins to deliver 1L of liquid to each plant.

you’ll most likely need a min of 2L per plant once a day at a reduced EC of around 0.8EC (800 based on your number you provided)

That 10L of feed a day. 10 days 100L of feed needed.

but more often than not you can’t get 100L into a 100L tote and then you can’t get out 100L from that tote as you’ll end up leaving 2-3L that the pump can’t deliver because of the level.

if you have the chance I would set this up ASAP and try it.

Blumats

jondamon said:

Never even seen anything like that before.

with 100ml per minute youd need it on for 10mins to deliver 1L of liquid to each plant.

you’ll most likely need a min of 2L per plant once a day at a reduced EC of around 0.8EC (800 based on your number you provided)

That 10L of feed a day. 10 days 100L of feed needed.

but more often than not you can’t get 100L into a 100L tote and then you can’t get out 100L from that tote as you’ll end up leaving 2-3L that the pump can’t deliver because of the level.

if you have the chance I would set this up ASAP and try it.

Click to expand...

Just noticed this here sry. So I have it set up to all 5 of my plants. It runs on up to 60 second timers that are in intervals of minimum of .5 hour. So I have it currently coming on for 60 seconds, once every hour. Which should be 2.4L per 24 hours. I have not had any issues with it so far and it seems to water without issue. The stream is very small and the probe goes well into the coco.
But based on those numbers that you’ve given that deff seems do-able as I can get a 121L tote that would cover my 100L requirements. I’m also ordering a 4’x8’x6” flood tray to collect runoff while I’m gone, based on measurements and converting to cubic inches and then to gallons I can fit 119 gallon of runoff (476L) Now I know that’s not 100% correct as there are raised platforms on the flood tray but even at half of that would be be we’ll say 250L for shts and giggles would be enough to catch all of the runoff for the 10 days. Accounting for they will still require the same amount of water in acouple weeks as they do now.
I did all this math super high and based off the first things I’ve seen on google so feel free to call me a moron is some of that sounds incorrect. I feel as if 100ML per hour is such an insignificant amount though. Would a cannabis plant not drink more than that? Should it ? *scratches head*

TheRealNG said:

Just noticed this here sry. So I have it set up to all 5 of my plants. It runs on up to 60 second timers that are in intervals of minimum of .5 hour. So I have it currently coming on for 60 seconds, once every hour. Which should be 2.4L per 24 hours. I have not had any issues with it so far and it seems to water without issue. The stream is very small and the probe goes well into the coco.
But based on those numbers that you’ve given that deff seems do-able as I can get a 121L tote that would cover my 100L requirements. I’m also ordering a 4’x8’x6” flood tray to collect runoff while I’m gone, based on measurements and converting to cubic inches and then to gallons I can fit 119 gallon of runoff (476L) Now I know that’s not 100% correct as there are raised platforms on the flood tray but even at half of that would be be we’ll say 250L for shts and giggles would be enough to catch all of the runoff for the 10 days. Accounting for they will still require the same amount of water in acouple weeks as they do now.
I did all this math super high and based off the first things I’ve seen on google so feel free to call me a moron is some of that sounds incorrect. I feel as if 100ML per hour is such an insignificant amount though. Would a cannabis plant not drink more than that? Should it ? *scratches head*

Click to expand...

You’ll need to judge the moistness of the coco by sticking your finger in to see how it is.

I would make sure your lines are on top of the coco so that the top at least gets some water and the coco should wick some of the feed to the rest of the coco.

if you bury the line in the coco you could only be feeding a small portion of the coco before it drains out etc (not that 100ml per hour should do any amount of runoff lol)

Or you could buy something like @xtsho is talking about BLUMATS and he is the guru to guide you through setting them up with no runoff as that’s how he grows!

jondamon said:

You’ll need to judge the moistness of the coco by sticking your finger in to see how it is.

I would make sure your lines are on top of the coco so that the top at least gets some water and the coco should wick some of the feed to the rest of the coco.

if you bury the line in the coco you could only be feeding a small portion of the coco before it drains out etc (not that 100ml per hour should do any amount of runoff lol)

Or you could buy something like @xtsho is talking about BLUMATS and he is the guru to guide you through setting them up with no runoff as that’s how he grows!

Click to expand...

Gotcha upon further inspection the probe water’s from roughly halfway up so it reall only is an inch or so below the coco. I will keep checking with my finger the moisture level, I probably won’t have anymore info is results until tmr though as it’s in such small increments. I also have never heard of Blumats I will look into them! I feel what I have may work as that’s technically how much water they were getting before but if it’s in such small amounts I don’t feel I’ll get any runoff as you say. Will revise more details when possible.

TheRealNG said:

Gotcha upon further inspection the probe waters from roughly halfway up so it reall only is an inch or so below the coco. I will keep checking with my finger the moisture level, I probably won’t have anymore info is results until tmr though as it’s in such small increments. I also have never heard of Blumats I will look into them! I feel it may work as that’s technically how much water they were getting before but if it’s in such small amounts I don’t feel I’ll get any runoff as you say. Will revise more details when possible.

Click to expand...

If there is no runoff then you’ll most likely want to reduce your nutrient strength to allow for this.

Hey so me again…. It’s been 24hours since I turned up the dial to 90seconds(approx 150ML) every hour,. Which should be 3.6L every 24hours. I noticed the top my my coco is dry but about one inch deep it’s still moist. The plants show no sign of lack of water as they usually would if I left them this long without a full watering. The EC is approx 1400 and I’d rather not dial back nutes too much more as I’m dealing with half tsps and such, hence the reason I upped the water intake but I’m still getting no runoff. Do you think maybe it’s more beneficial to run it on a smart switch and just set it to water a few times a times a day at like 8-10 minute intervals?

So how long is this proposed vacation?

Herb & Suds said:

So how long is this proposed vacation?

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Vacation is 10 days

this is what i use on a submersible pump inside a 30 gallon trashcan. aquarium tubing out to each plant site

i do DTW and can go away for 14 days (probably longer if i had a bigger res)

another problem will be coming up with a nute recipe that is pH stable for that long. it took me a bunch of fiddling to get that dialed in