Drip system setup question!

First off i have ran coco before. But Its always been hand watered, wich i do not mind but I want to give drippers a go.

I have 20 plants under 8k watts in size 15 pots.
Will these pots be to big for a drip setup? 4 ft tall and bushy as could be.

I am also wondering how long 55 gallons would last?
Last run on the same setup I was using 55 gallons every 3-4 days.
With about 10-20% runoff.

Another reason I want to run drippers is so I dont have to duck under the trellis's.

Thanks

It will likely take some playing around with. I have had a hard time getting a straight answer on dripper ratios, pump size etc...
You could probably get away with 2-3 drippers per pot. They have directional sprayers to get more even coverage.
Get a timer that allows you to adjust feed times like the CAP Art Dne, then just dial it in...
Good luck!

The key is watering frequency... 3-4 times with lights on at least! Fiddle with the times until you are seeing about 10% runoff at the end of the light cycle. I have an 8k setup and a 55 gallon barrel lasts a day or 2 depending on the stage of flowering. With those large pots, you will want multiple drippers per plant I think. Also, drippers are not fully necessary unless pot heights are all not equal. You will see a difference in growth and yield when using coco like this. If using drippers, make sure to use H&G Drip Clean to keep thing flowing properly!

Actually doesen't even need to be 10% runoff... just ensure that each plant is being fully saturated with each watering.

open feed lines, no dripppers... mine clogged even with drip clean. I'm gonna copy D9s pulse feed diffuser, just a piece of pvc pipe with an open feed line pushed through a drilled hole in the middle of the broad side.

2 Drippers pre five gallons.

Dont not water randomly,

Calculate how many liters it takes your 15g pots to run off per 6 drip stakes. Take that amount of liters multiple by 15%, this is your run off.

Calculate how long it takes the pump to deliver "x" liters and set timers accordingly. If your timer only sets to the minute, look at "mistkings".

I also use ball valves to further more adjust my flow rates.

If you are using straight coco watering more than 2 times daily is unnecessary.

Right now I calculated a 1,000 gph pump running to 10x20g pots with 8 stakes in each with the valve 100% open takes 3 minutes to reach "maximum" capacity. This is my first water of the day when lights come on zero run-off.

1hr later I water 1min 30 secs to eject toxins/salts--accounting for (imo) necessary run off.

Drip systems are annoying at times, I always find myself needed to tweek and rearange my set-up. Unless your strains are dialed, and your veg to flower system is on point drips can become a pain.

gl

Might wanna look into hydro halos

Stay Safe

Been thinking about this too, so thanks for all the input! I am using a coco-ton mix and would like to top feed DTW. With the super fast drainage I have, (my coco is basiclly just enough to fill the spaces between hydroton) multi feeds per day will be best. The only way I can see doing this w a DTW is to buy a good cycle timer. Then I would simply have a high flow but very short burst every hour or so. Only allowing for minimal run off each time.

Otherwise I'll just do E&F or recirc drip. Any thoughts on pr & cons of doing recirc v DTW. I have been using GH orgo on them and would like to continue w mostly GH orgo. They're in 2 gal pots and about 6" tall at the moment. I hand top feed once/ day DTW right now, but the growth rate is really picking up so w/in a wk I'll need to implement.

Thanks for your input!

I built a drip system for one of my rooms, and while it worked well, it also needed some extra work to get it working.

Here's what I concluded.

Use straight drip lines, no emitters, they clog.

For big pots, use 2 or 3 drip lines per pot.

Unless you have drainage, you will have some plants that drink a lot, and others that don't. The light drinkers will run-off first, which forced me to turn off the system early (pots were in catch trays) and I still needed to hand-water the heavy drinking plants occasionally.
If you have drainage, then you can simply run the system until all plants have runoff.

Without drainage, it is VERY hard to dial in the system perfectly.

Even though I still had to hand water some of the plants occasionally, the system worked well and made things quite a bit easier than daily hand watering.

My system formed a big loop, so the pressure remained the same throughout. If you use a big long hose/pipe, then the pressure will be lower the farther you get from the pump.

You might look into the Tropf Blumat system. They might work perfect for you as you don't have too many plants.

I just set it up today and am really liking that it took minutes to water all the plants.
I have 2 lines per 15 gallon and took literally 5 minutes to water them all with using 40 gallons. I wasnt thinking as it was the first time and next thing i knew I had lots of run off. I have it hooked up to a sump pump. Home depot flowtec 1/6hp. up to 1500gph.
To big? Im not to worried about playing around a little bit. Im vegging for another 2 weeks just to make sure I got it locked in. Im also not to worried if it doesnt work out I have great results last harvest. Same setup just hand watered every 3 days. Hit 10 lbs of 7 lights. Only reason im even changing it up is because I want to run trellises just so I dont have to stake up 100 colas. Call it lazy if you want but Ill still be in there most of the time anyway.

I am thinking about running 3 lines per only to make sure it is evenly watering the whole plant?

Im running a 2coco/1perlite mix.

Thanks for all the help. It is greatly apreciated.

Glad it's working out so far. Just the ability to "flick a switch" to feed will be worth it. Not to mention increased yields... Don't be afraid to flood them 2-3 times per light cycle, as long as you have drainage. That is the biggest advantage of coco over soil. The cost of lost juice will pay threefold at least compared to the cost of juice. If you go that route and do a true DTW getting runoff every time you can feed at 1.5 EC and truly reap the benefits...

SO run a ec of 1.5 all the way through flower? Should I throw a flush in every week? or every couple weeks? Or just taper down the EC? I know a 1.5 EC is not to high(1000ppm I think?), i usually nutrient at 1200-1400ppm depending on how there looking/when in flower.

I will always work on it and see, having all you guys help tho is really nice to.

1.5 is the highest I go doing multiple feeds per day. With some strains I only go as high as 1.2 so your mileage will vary depending on strain.
There should be no need to flush, even at they end. I taper down rather than flush, doing RO top offs the final week or 10 days.
The only need to flush in my opinion is of you have lockouts. In that case, flush with a half strength solution until the runoff is the same as what you are flushing, then resume feeding.
Hope that makes sense. Just waking up and my eyes are a little blurry still...

Arminius said:

1.5 is the highest I go doing multiple feeds per day. With some strains I only go as high as 1.2 so your mileage will vary depending on strain.
There should be no need to flush, even at they end. I taper down rather than flush, doing RO top offs the final week or 10 days.
The only need to flush in my opinion is of you have lockouts. In that case, flush with a half strength solution until the runoff is the same as what you are flushing, then resume feeding.
Hope that makes sense. Just waking up and my eyes are a little blurry still...

Click to expand...

1.5 EC`s the equivalent of 750 ppm`s @ .5 conversion kushy , and will make yas happy with no weekly flushes needed to get rid of potential residual salt buildup , but.......

Listen to Arm....He knows the drill.....bet on it...and.......getchas some dripclean and implement it into yer juice mix @ 1 ml per gal and things`ll fall into place.....

Good luck on yer dripper setup...and......

Peace....DHF...........

So 15 gallon pots smart pots or nursery pots? Smart pots hold more water, which is why I ask.

When planning a drip irrigation system, starting with container size is first priority. Second is medium, for the fact its density will have direct influence on irrigation frequency, volume, EC.

Are we talking coco without perlite, or do you plan to mix a preset percentage of perlite with the coir medium?
Once these variables have been established the operator can then determine the most appropriate emission devices to supply water to the plants.

Pressure compensating emitters are very useful for most any application since they consistently emit an accurate volume of water to the plant site despite fluctuations in system pressure. On the market are several PC emission devices that can, more than adaquitly supply water to your containers.

Are you planning on employing for the job or using city water pressure?

What size is your mainline?

If I can be of assistance, please let me know. Thank you and good luck.

N-P-Kali

Wow all good questions and have really been thinking of so much since I have actually switched into flowering as of today.

They are 15Gal Nursery pots with the holes in the bottom.

Pretty much 2/1 ratio. (Coco/perlite)

Employing? I guess. I use my own pump and mix all my own nutes with R/O water.

My main coming out is 1/2in... So far I have pretty even coverage over all the pots.

It took them a while to grow roots since i transplanted right before I hooked them up. But with every watering I notice a difference. I am really loving the drip system so far. I have good run off and and have seen huge increases just in veg. Im a little nervous to flower....I dont want to over fertilize with my nutrients. But im going to start low and work up. I really like flushing and stating fresh which i can do still but my plants are way outgrowing my normal routine. Im experianced enough to know burn/problems/ect so for know im going to go for it.


Thanks for the help and Im excited to see what happens.

Any input on "Screen of green' also would greatly help.

Put screen up right before Turn... Good or Not?

Damn !!!! theres some great info given out here !!! I'm listening....

Screen needs ta go on/in when yas flip em to fill in said canopy during stretch.....and then......

Once stretch is completely over , get rid of everything under the screen that the lights can`t penetrate deep enough to get to.........and.....

Keep ppm`s in the 750 range ftw.......Good luck and......

Peace...DHF..........

Kushy said:

N-P-Kali

Wow all good questions and have really been thinking of so much since I have actually switched into flowering as of today.

They are 15Gal Nursery pots with the holes in the bottom.

Pretty much 2/1 ratio. (Coco/perlite)

Employing? I guess. I use my own pump and mix all my own nutes with R/O water.

My main coming out is 1/2in... So far I have pretty even coverage over all the pots.

It took them a while to grow roots since i transplanted right before I hooked them up. But with every watering I notice a difference. I am really loving the drip system so far. I have good run off and and have seen huge increases just in veg. Im a little nervous to flower....I dont want to over fertilize with my nutrients. But im going to start low and work up. I really like flushing and stating fresh which i can do still but my plants are way outgrowing my normal routine. Im experianced enough to know burn/problems/ect so for know im going to go for it.


Thanks for the help and Im excited to see what happens.

Any input on "Screen of green' also would greatly help.

Put screen up right before Turn... Good or Not?

Click to expand...

Oops. What I meant to say “Are you planning on employing a pump?” You obviously picked up on the gist.

Ok. So your in nursery pots with a 50/50 coco perlite mixture. Are you taking your rooted cuttings and transplanting directly in the 15”s? Or are you starting with 1 or 2 gallon pots and then stepping up? Reason I ask is because you mentioned something about slowed root growth and I was curious about your modus operandi for transplantation of rooted cuttings.

What type of emitters are you using currently? What type of pump? Submersible? Have you installed filters to protect the emitters? Pressure regulator? Do you use a time clock to control the pump and valves, or do you switch the pump and valves on manually? How often and for how long do you irrigate and do you know about how much water each container receives daily?

These are all important details that should be taken into account when designing, installing, and operating drip irrigation systems.
An easy preliminary design example would be (10) 15-gallon containers are being supplied water with pressure compensating (PC) emitters rated for 24 liters per hour (lph). From here you need to calculate the quantity of flow in the system by multiplying the number of containers to be supplied with water, in this case 10, by the emission rating of your emitters, 24lph. So [10 x 24lph]= 240lph. 240 liters per hour (lph) or 63 gallon per hour (gph) is the volume of water the system will need in one hour. Further we can calculate the hourly volume requirement down to the minute (gpm) by dividing the hourly value in terms of (lph) or (gph) by 60, since 60 minutes make up one hour. 240lph/60min= 4 liters per minute. Or 63gph/60min= 1.05 gallons per minute. Now you have a portion of the necessary information to begin correctly sizing the irrigation pump.




So your mainline is ½” sch 40 PVC? I’m assuming you used ½” PVC and then adapted into the black drip tape closer to the containers?


If I remember correctly I saw someone recommending you stay away from emitter since the clog. That’s true to an extent. All emission devices can and will clog because they have such small orifices which easily obstructed with clogging agents (physical, chemical, and biological). The obstruction can reduce degree of emission, the uniformity of distribution, and therefore, this can reduce plant growth. It’s important to remember once the system has been obstructed, it becomes more difficult to restore the normal water flow. Therefore we, as operators, must prevent the obstructions in filters, lateral, and emitters. The clogging can be prevented with good maintenance and periodic service of the system. To operate and to maintain a drip irrigation system in a good working condition, the following considerations are important for keeping the system in adequate working order.

1.) Pay strict attention to the filtration and flushing operation
2.) Maintain an adequate operating pressure in the main, sub main, and lateral lines.
3.) Flushing and periodic inspection of the drip irrigation system.

If clogging is due to precipitation of salts, cleaning with acid will help to dissolve the chemical deposits. Cleaning the irrigation system between crops with acid to avoid salt build-up should be practiced as part of a general maintenance routine.


Hope this helps.

Any chance we can see some pictures?

Heres a couple pictures of the setup will have more as soon as I get time. Hopefully this answers a couple questions.