Coco drainage ideas?

[967]

Looking for ideas on how to drain to waste with coco. I feel i will NEED to use some sort of screen so i can no longer use containers underneath my plants, as i won't be able to easily move them to get rid of waste water

Thought about bottom feeding but not sure i like the idea. Anyone have any good ideas on how to do this? For anyone that grows in coco, what do you use? This is the last thing i need to figure out and the solution is eluding me at this point..

 

[TribalSeeds]

Get a fucking tray

 

[Purple turtle]

hi 967

depends ,how do you plan on growing them , i mean floor layout of the plants

theres plenty options, you can use the plastic corrugated sheeting that you get at home depot, as well as gutters if you can,you could even use polymer crystals that you buy for cat litter boxes they absorb 300 times there weight so can coak up quite a bit of water before you change them,..whateva works in your situation


pt

 

[967]

Get a fucking tray

Care to elaborate?

I will be donuting 8 plants around a 600W. Thought about corrugated iron with a gutter and drain plug, but there must be an easier way? Kitty litter idea's not too shabby but could get a bit expensive..

 

[shaqattack]

Hey 967

I posted a similar question and liked the replies that I received here:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=258878

Especially the corrugated plastic sheets to gutters.


Best Regards
Shaq

 

[otis33]

I've been thinking of a way to dtw or recirculate the solution in a vert rack set up and was thinking of using the 2 gal buckets I use for my ppks and plumb the bulkheads at the bottom of the buckets together, maybe have a layer of hydroton or pumice or something at the bottom to keep the bulkheads from getting clogged. The buckets would be connected by hose and the solution could be drained to waste or back to the res to be recirculated. Does that even make sense?

 

[967]

Cheers shaqattack, seen that corrugated plastic setup before. As i intend to do two 600W donuts once my horizontal is complete i think that might be the easiest way (both setups sharing one gutter). I can then use a windscreen washer pump underneath the gutter to pump run off to a bucket and dump

Cheers for the replys guys. Keep 'em coming if you think there's an easier way

 

[967]

Probably should've had this figured out by now, but what's the best footprint for a 600W donut? Was just gonna wing it, using a tray under each plant so could move them as need be. Until i realised i won't be able to really move them once they're growing into a screen of sorts

Maybe i would be better off with individual catch trays and a wet/dry vac? Or even a siphon pump seeing as i'm a cheap bastard..

 

[azad]

You need to get the drip trays used in tents, the 1.2 meter size tray..
I use pots beneath the tray to raise the tray,2 pots at one end so its higher,then just drill a hole and the lowest point and place a tub under to catch run off..

8 plants vegging under a 600w.in the pic below..
Ive now separated them to 4 plants per light.

 

[Purple turtle]

Probably should've had this figured out by now, but what's the best footprint for a 600W donut? Was just gonna wing it, using a tray under each plant so could move them as need be. Until i realised i won't be able to really move them once they're growing into a screen of sorts

Maybe i would be better off with individual catch trays and a wet/dry vac?

4 by 4 footprint for a 600 will put you at 37.5 watts per /sft,though your plants will grow and proberly fill out around a 3 by 3 footprint givin you 66 watts ,dont let them get to close to the bulb or you'l have heat issues and that'l be your limiting factor..

wet/ dry vac might become a bit of a task every day.

you could build a frame of your footprint to keep your plants off the ground about 2 inches and then use 1 big tray that is slightly tilted to the front of your tent where you will the catch the run -off,

that or 1 other option i know is bato buckets(very similar to coco hempys this just automates the run off) ,you would drill holes 1 inch up the bottom of your buckets and insert grommets then just use irrigation tubing to connect all of the pots and have them running off in one dtw catch tray..

pt

 

[967]

Shit i thought 4x4 footprint would be too small lol. In that case i might use my 4x4 home made tent and also have a grow not in a tent right next to it. That way i could run one 600W overnight and the other during the day to keep temps stable. Coming in to winter here so i was thinking about exhausting air from the grow room through the ceiling and into my bedroom. Free heat 24/7 yeah boy

Thats a good idea azad, though i just don't have the money right now to be investing. Stuff like that is horrendously priced over here in NZ, maybe after another harvest or two i could look at something similar. Just bought a siphon pump, will get tedious but i need a quick, cheap solution and that fits the bill. Seeing that pic makes me think about using shipping pellets double lined with panda plastic which would be free

Still have to find a fan, sure is difficult to find horizontal fans here. I might have to use a vertical fan laid flat and cross my fingers it doesn't burn out

Cheers

 

[DaveTheNewbie]

very simple azad, i like it

 

[lordofthenugz]

I use coco DTW in a vert shelf setup. I use wood shelves sloped toward the end I want the drain rez at(usually close to the door under the bottom shelf). On top of the wood shelf I put plastic roof baffles. Then I put a pvc drain at the low end leading down into the rez. You might want to check out the roof baffles. They are only $1.56ea at Homeless De Pot. Cheapest waterproof solution I could find. I have had zero problems. Just make sure to put an endcap at the end with the drain and a screen over the drain to prevent clogging.

 

[lordofthenugz]

Roof baffle. $1.56


Peace

 

[Oily Farmer]

Some excellent ideas and suggestions, gave me a few things to think about...
The bucket with the drainage hole reminds me of a hempy bucket, which just might be what you want/need.
Something else to maybe get the creative juices flowing is something along the lines of this... http://www.progrow.co.uk/acatalog/info_05233.htm/
Also, you could look into the various drip pans used when draining motor oil/radiator fluid/etc..., drill a hole on one end, affix with a shut-on/off valve, attach hose when you want to drain.
Let the creative oily juices flow...
Happy drain to waste...

 

[Oily Farmer]

The link I attached in the previous post doesn't work, huh?...
Look for the RTA add-on kit...
http://www.progrow.co.uk/index.html

 

[SRGB]

967:

Coco drainage ideas?
Looking for ideas on how to drain to waste with coco. I feel i will NEED to use some sort of screen so i can no longer use containers underneath my plants, as i won't be able to easily move them to get rid of waste water

Thought about bottom feeding but not sure i like the idea. Anyone have any good ideas on how to do this? For anyone that grows in coco, what do you use? This is the last thing i need to figure out and the solution is eluding me at this point..


Hi, 967.

This might be helpful. Square Root® Brand Garden Bag - Drain-To-No-Waste [Methods].

During experiments, we found that the `waste` water or nutrient solution could be fully recovered, and reused.

We also found that inert substrates, for example, perlite, pumice, washed stone, pea gravel, had more thorough drainage than coco coir, did not tend to influence or react with the nutrient solution`s pH or chemical composisition, and were reusable.

With coco coir as the sole medium used, we found that a `feed-water-feed` approach tended to reduce the accumulation of certain compounds within the coco coir that might tend to cause observable deficiencies or `lock-out` within the media and, or, plant or tree.

In any event, no nutrient solution or water has to be `wasted`, if the soilless gardener observes and accurately calculates how much solution a given plant or tree actually uptakes per given period, for example 24 to 72 hours.

If the approach is to try a pure `drain-to-waste` technique, the `waste-water` could be extracted by a variety of means. If a smaller garden, large turkey basters might work. If a moderate to larger garden, a wet-dry shop vac, or pump and plumbing from the external basin to a separate tank.

For risers to position a plant or tree over an external basin, relatively simple applications might depend on the size of the plant or tree. For smaller plants, a layer of ordinary large washed stones should provide an approximate 1/2 to 2 inch `rise` over the external `catch` or basin floor surface. For larger plant or trees, the options are vast; from upside down shallow storage containers, to custom wooden benches (2x4`s) or mini-bleachers, straddling across or creating a `V` `culvert` that drains into a lower external basin.

We hope thaat this post might be helpful.

Kind regards,
/SRGB/

 

[Jamorg13]

I use a thick plastic saucer under each plant and shop vac each one after irrigating