Water system for soil?

Flyarmy2007

I am growing in soil and was wondering how do i make a DIY ebb and flow system? It says online that it is used for hydro, but can i also do it if i am growing in soil with some kind of dripper or whatever. I just know when i water my plants something is going to go wrong so it would be a lot easier for me to have some kind of system do it for me. Thanks.

ISO2BWELL

The ODDS of a major issue rise sharply when using a watering system you are not 100% proficient with.

Ebb/Flo systems are hydro, and would not work at all with soil plants (to my knowledge).

Why do you think something is going to go wrong? JUst water enough taht you get a 10%-20% "flow-thru", so that you are sure top be watering all the roots and not just part of 'em. Then, do not water again until it needs it.

Pick up the plant that needs water...see how light it is? Now, water it...now it's heavy. When it gets light again it should be ready for more water. I use an inexpensive moisture meter (about $8.00 at Walmart or any home or garden) and come to rely on it's accuracy with my plants. I can also go by the weight of the pot method, but have found that there were times I would have watered and needed to wait another day...so, that's when I use the meter.

ISO

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videoman

Cannabis likes a wet/dry cycle. Remember that and you can't go wrong. There are several ways of delivering water to the plants. None is better than another. It comes down to personal preference and what works for your lifestyle.

Watering from the top
I would venture to say that most soil/less growers water this way; mother nature does. Water is poured slowly over the surface and allowed to soak in. More water is slowly added until it runs out the bottom of the container. If the medium gets flooded to the extent that water pools on the surface, lighter particles such as perlite and vermiculite will float to the top leaving the medium underneath more dense and compacted causing it to drain less efficiently and dry more slowly. Some people use a turkey baster to apply water in order to better control the flow and amount.

Watering from the bottom
This is also known as wick watering. At transplant a wick (cotton rope, blotter paper, etc) is placed in the pot extending from the top of the rootball to the bottom of the pot. Water is added to the reservoir the pot sits in and capillary action pulls it to the medium as needed. The water depth in the reservoir should be ~ 20% of the pot depth, i.e. 2" water for a 10" pot. When the capillary pressure equalizes, water flow stops; no worry of overwatering since the medium only pulls in what it needs. Just add water when the level gets low. The addition of an aquarium air pump and air stone to aerate the water in the reservoir improves oxygen transport to the roots. Watering from the top once per month is a good idea IMO. It completely saturates the container which will ensure that small feeder roots near the periphery get a good bath once in a while.

Drip systems
Automated and manual systems are available. Automated systems use a pump, timer, and tubing system to deliver a preset amount of water to the plants at preset intervals. Manual systems consist of a bottle connected to a dripper that releases a predetermined amount of water every minute or hour. If using a drip system, insure that the plants have time to completely drain and dry before water is applied again. It's often a matter of releasing a small amount of water at a time.

How often should I apply water?
When the plants need it. As mentioned, Cannabis likes a wet/dry cycle and as lng as it is maintained one can apply water as often as every few hours as in an ebb-n-flow system with RW or cococoir cubes. Some growers apply a specific amount of water at specific intervals in soil/less media and do very well. Most do not.

So how do I know when the plants need water?

A method which works very well is:
1. Fill an identical container with dry medium
2. Water the container with the plant until it runs out the bottom
3. Pick up a container in each hand and compare the weights
4. When the container with the plant feels about the same weight as the dry medium, reapply water

What is overwatering?
The application of water too frequently is known as overwatering. The medium becomes saturated and the roots can't get oxygen or transport nutrients.

Q: Ok, so what is "too frequently"?
A: Before the medium is sufficiently dry. However long that takes.

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jonnyappleweed

I read a post about this, use a bucket under each pot and affix a drain tube to the buckets and plumb into a central container,in this container you will put a small fountain pump & air stone.Adapt pump discharge to 1/4" mister style tubing,Make a manifold using 1/4" tee's with riser tubing and dripper heads for each plant.You will need a digital timer with minutes settings for water and a manual style for the air pump(air pump only needs to come on every 6 hrs for 30 mins)
You only need water to run long enough to soak (10 mins),hard to get that on a manual style timer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: IF using this bucket method you need to cut air holes in bucket just below where the pot line is.This will aide in draining and give air to roots.
Use 1/2" poly hose fittings in buckets & 1/2" poly tubing for drain tubes


Hope this helps...

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Ron

any chance of seeing a picture of the setup you are describing jonnyappleweed?

jonnyappleweed

Sorry,I don't have one.
I used a little different setup,I had a plastic basin that the plants were in and that sat on top of the drain container(pump up & drain down)

Attached Images

week 10.jpg (128.9 KB, 11 views)

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Ron

hey thanks for sharing your setup, those plants are looking good. How long can you leave things unattended once you have it dialed in?

jonnyappleweed

You have to change you "bath" water weekly
Try and you'll see(it gets too dark)
I put liquid MG all purpose fertilizer 12-4-8 at 1/2 strength in bath water
These girls only need to be watered when dry,you'll have to determine the length between waterings and length of water cycle. As you replant into larger pots the calculations will change also.

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Ron

In my soil setup I have been using a 3 part hydro fert mix. My 2 girls seem to thrive on it so I'm going to keep up a gentle (between 24% and 75%) feeding schedule till final flush. My basil, cilantro and rosemary really liked it as well.

I water every 3-4 days right now, the girls will start to droop when they are getting real thristy. I was 2 lazy 2 run the pipes and stuff like you did. :-)

Could you replace the soil with hydroton or other hydro support medium and go total hydro?

Flyarmy2007

thanks so much guys, i am more confident in watering now. I just cant wait for this damn medical marijuana card to come in so i can start growing.