What method do you use to manage the run off for the coco coir?

I am looking at the 32x32 tent with 2-4 auto plants in coco coir in 3 gallon fabric pots for it. I have read of a few different methods to manage the runoff when you hand water the plants and I am looking for recommendations on which one you think is the best and easiest on there for it.

Which method do you use to manage the run off for the coco coir on there for it?

I use a flood and drain table that drains into buckets.

My buddy uses a rubbermaid tub with 20oz bottle carriers inside to lift the pots off of the bottom so they don't sit in their runoff.

You will be wanting to upgrade to an auto irrigation system before too long. Coco needs to remain damp at all times and hand watering just won't get it. IMHO

I notice you have a number of threads, you should do two things! Consolidate into one thread and do some research prior to asking question.
You can google most of the question you ask and get the answers you need.
We want to help but you have to do a little research on your own.

Good luck on your grow.

I'm using a flood tray that is lifted 4" on a 3/4" pvc built rack. Left end is .25" higher than the right. Drains on right through a 3/4" tube that gravity drains into a small container to the right of it (lower than flood table). In that small container is a bottom feed condensate pump. That pump turns on automatically when the liquid hits .25" and pumps it to a drain.

Hand watering works fine but you have to be vigilant and consistent.

It is also very time consuming and your back may ache.

I think automated irrigation is preferable but if you can water multiple times a day it will work as well or better.

Thanks. The tent I am looking at is only a little over 5 feet tall which means I would not have much room in the bottom of the tent to raise the pots up more than like 2-3 inches. I am looking at you could it on a pot elevator in the tray then pump the run off out of the tray with a battery powered hand pump on there for it.

The123321 said:

Thanks. The tent I am looking at is only a little over 5 feet tall which means I would not have much room in the bottom of the tent to raise the pots up more than like 2-3 inches. I am looking at you could it on a pot elevator in the tray then pump the run off out of the tray with a battery powered hand pump on there for it.

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My space is only 48" tall. Which is why I prefer to grow SOG style. Root a 2"clone and flower it as soon as it shows new growth. Indicas tend to finish 20"avg. Dont need to grow big trees. Leaves plenty of room to prop up the flood tray. You don't need it to be too high. Mine is up 4".

Thanks. Do you have any images of that tray? I like the idea of it not needing a pump on there for it.

Good old fashioned shop vac works just fine

Turkey basters work for small jobs.

Thanks. I may look into that for it.

Driver 8 said:

Hand watering works fine but you have to be vigilant and consistent.

It is also very time consuming and your back may ache.

I think automated irrigation is preferable but if you can water multiple times a day it will work as well or better.

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Thanks. Then cmoon would you recommend blumats to a first time grower with auto plants in coco coir on there for it?

The123321 said:

Thanks. Then cmoon would you recommend blumats to a first time grower with auto plants in coco coir on there for it?

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I would indeed if your prepared to do handwaterings while you dial them in, the mix is important for a blumat to run efficently and why i opt for neat coco, I only look for run off when handwatered at least once a week, this also will recharge cones with liquid as roots are renowned for sucking the life out a carrot


rule of thumb, 1 blumat carrot will efficently drip 6 litres of pure coco, you can make that 12L if you create a 6in sink were the emitter drips releasing a bigger volume more often when the plants are in full stride....dont think id ever move away from the weekly adjustment by hand or maybe im just mean on the cones

Thanks. I am interested in the blumats. The problem is I am looking at doing the perpetual harvest with 2-4 plants that you plant a few weeks apart to where you could harvest 1 plant every 4-6 weeks for it. With plants that were planted at different times they would likely need different nutrient levels which means I would need more than 1 reservoir for the blumats for it. I am looking at the 32x32 tent and would want the reservoir in the tent. I am looking into lucas formula 1 nutrient level the whole grow to where I could have 1 reservoir for the 2-4 plants though I read good things and bad things about that on there for it.

tbh m8, even with 60 blumat grows under my belt in coco running many strains with differant requirements in coir can only be done manual, compost, soil type mixes are quite happy with quality water but in my experience coco needs constant recharge and why it grows big bud forgivingly.

I have put a 100x60 gravel tray down, then stood my pots on upturned saucers. You need some gradient on the tray though, to pump out at one corner. You can't have a flat tray, as with just a mm of water over the entire thing, your humidity will be high, and that kind of constant wet floor becomes it's own eco system. A gravel tray just 40mm deep, with a small gradient, will still take a bucket of water. Such a tray is always nice to work on, as weepy drip connections and ooop's moments are contained. An eBay transfer pump is like $10 (the red one) if you want to empty by hand. I emptied automatically down to 1mm, but that's quite a story to tell, unless asked. If instead you want to pump out automatically with accessible supplies, you are looking at bilge solutions.

I'm going to put up a pic. It's a gravel tray on the floor, just to catch water if things go wrong. My plants drain into small food containers. You can see one, but behind it is another. The two (or perhaps 4 for you) are plumbed together. A garden hose is maybe 13mm wide, so I drilled 12mm holes. Warmed the 13mm hose in my mug of tea, and crammed it in the 12mm hole. What's called an interference fit. Thus, my sandwich boxes are joined together, so I just need one pump. The water level within these boxes must be great enough to cover the pumps inlet, even when it's sucking like a sinkhole. Most commercially available floats will also have some expectation of depth. Though your 2" design criteria seems perfectly reasonable.

Oh, and a saucer shot. How filthy..


Pumpety pump
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Boat-Autom...019938&hash=item2c70f3ffd4:g:1rQAAOSwty5bEkdO
That bilge pump is just 4" high, and the images show it chucking water out when half submerged.
This standalone bilge float activates when the water in 2" deep, and switches off when down to 3/4"
https://www.amazon.com/creatorele-A...F357K787H4K&psc=1&refRID=0SV69JBJCF357K787H4K
For noise reasons, you may wish to use something smaller than the 760 gallon pump, so a separate float might be your thing. Pump choice is important though, as the salt levels can bugger up some pumps. Hence me showing you bilge pumps.

Anyone looking for something that could empty 50 gallons in quick time, should look at condense pumps. They just plug in the wall (once you put a plug on) and have a high lift pump, a float switch, and a second emergency float switch a little high. You can use that to cut the drip pumps power in the event your drain pump fails.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SM342Q?tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
You can plumb something like that, just as I did the sandwich boxes. Or if you have a plasterer's bath as your catch, just drill the holes in the side, and stick it in. In reality, most of these have simple clips to remove the cream tank, and the insides have legs, so can stand in anything. Not just the cream tank. Any tank. Though you may need to see that to save a torturous explanation

Those little pc fans are a trip

12v 60mm Maglev fans, run off one of the newer brick style power supplies, with the variable output and LED display. To keep the plugs on them, I made 2 pin leads using 2.54mm header and heat shrink tube.

I have decided to chop the plugs off in future. It's nice as it is, but using the sprung connector block for the wiring is so much easier. You can see the unsightly way all the leads come together in the tray using said blocks. That is now lifted up. We have a lot of flooding in the UK, and I didn't want my wires to be victims. But it's tatty...

I have seen good gains from using lots of fans like this. It ensures there is a flow of air everywhere. It's rare I part leaves to find water now, and plant's are ~90% air and light, so make the best use of it you can. These smaller rotating masses transmit next to no vibration, which is why the rubber mats were not carried over right away. They were never needed, but have a use as anti slip matting still.