Drip System questions

Hey Everyone!

I've been growing in 5gal coco pots for years now, used to use ebb & flow trays and loved the automated aspects of it so im designing a Drip system for my coco pots to try out.

I've done a good amount of reading and searching on my questions regarding my design but I wanted to get a few opinions and/or answers from people with experience.

Basically my design is a square of PVC with a Cross section in the middle, creating 4 - 4x4 squares.

My hoping was to use the middle junction as the distribution point for the water so that I get a well balanced flow and pressure throughout the system.

But as I read more I'm wondering if that's even a needed measure to take? I've seen people make the square PVC and then a T Connection on one side of the square for the distribution line from rez., But what's the pressure like on the opposite side of the PVC square? Im asking because I want to make sure I'm getting exact amount of feed on every plant, not have good pressure right by the distribution line from rez and low pressure on the opposite back side of the PVC square.

Also I'm wondering on pump size for the system, I'm thinking a 550 size submersible pump will be fine? Going to be moving water about 8-16 ft from rez to input junction on the PVC squares.

Thanks for any help!

How many plants you watering?

I would over size the pump and install a pressure reducing valve, the adjust said valve to the correct pressure.

I did the pvc design originally with mister landscaper drip manifolds. It worked great, but I found a much simpler way for smaller grows.my setup: I use a cheap 400 gph active aqua pump in my rez, 1/2 hose up to the top of rez with a 90 elbow to stop kinking. Also at the top I have a 1/4 inch barbed fittings aimed down to break gravity when pump shuts off. Then 1/2 hose goes into bloom room (about 15 feet away). I have a total of 2 octa bubblers per line(the red and black ones, washers removed). The octabubblers attach via a hydro plumbing part that’s a tee. It has 2 1/2 inch barbs with a 3/4 male threaded on top. The octabubblers screw right down.
The system works very well, but super simple to setup. Each row of 6 plants gets water for about 7 minutes x2 a day.

you only need a 4 x 4 square manifold you don't need a bar dividing it into 2 x 4 sections for even watering.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=8283134&postcount=435

I'd build it out of 1/2" pvc and use those grommets at the link I posted above. his first post shows a view of his manifold. his manifold design can be found here if you search the site for the pico manifold.

I run this manifold style in 3/4" and my lines are just pressure fit into place with no grommets. the plants all water evenly with no issues and I personally never glue my manifolds I like being able to take them apart and there is never enough pressure to make a joint fall apart.

add an inline filter and rinse it every week or two and a pump filter bag and you will have no issues.

Pics of setups please

I used 3/4 hydrofarm soft dark tube wit tees going to manifolds going to each tray. The manifolds are 3/4" pvc with holes drilled and grommets for 1/4" tubes that go to each plant. Each manifold had a shut off valve and the 1/4" tubes had shut off controls as well. Worked pretty well. The plants sat in the trays previously used for ebb and flow and returned overflow nutes.

Thanks for the responses Everyone!

Usually I have 32 plants divided into 2 sections of 16. Both different stages of flower.

I switched up my design a little bit, instead of doing the square around the plants in PVC, I'm going to do a PVC line straight threw the middle of each side, each side will have 2 of these Rainbird Xeri-Bird 8 Outlet FPT X Barb Distribution Devices and I got these 1/4 fitting feeder spickets that screw up and down on the top to adjust the feed flow, they feed in multiple directions.

I felt for the amount of plants (16 each side, separate reservoirs) that 1/2" PVC lines will be fine coming from rez to flower room. Any input on why I might look at something bigger like 3/4" or 1" PVC lines would be appreciated.

The reservoirs, one will literally be on the other side of the wall from it's plants, about 5-6 ft total PVC lines. The other side I'll have to bring into the room and then go down to the right about 10-12 ft (starting on the side further away)

Any Input, advice, anything is greatly appreciated!

I've also decided to get pumps that I will mount outside the reservoirs, not submerged, just because they look of higher quality, more power. Still open to using a submersible pump tho, figured I'd make that decision once I have the PVC laid out and assembled.

One side of the room is coming down today and tomorrow, so I'll be putting stuff together later this week and weekend, PICS TO COME!

I'll get some pics on Friday or Saturday once I get the one side chopped and cleaned up.

Got everything setup and going threw testing today. I've found that after the pump turns off, it maintains a small current that causes my bublers to drip very slow and consistent. I waited for awhile to see if the pressure would reduce, but I ended up having to pull the pump out of the water to stop the small current.

After typing this up I'm headed to Lowe's and Depot for some parts, going to add a pressure valve of some sort to the lines.

But for now this is what I have goin

Mondi 1/2 HP sump pump


1/2" PVC pipe with 1/2" nipple adapter for flexible hose connection


1/2" PVC routed to these Rainbird heads from Amazon, I had to open them up and remove the dripper plugs that restricted the flow way to much.


1/4" flexible hose to mini sprayers from Amazon, I like how u can adjust flow on each individual sprayer!


Controlled by this guy, still need to route new wall outlets in the room for these so I can use the photo cell ability for day only control. This isn't set to what I'm going to be using for on/off times yet I just put it random for testing.



Ran a 1/4 bin of H2o2 water threw the system and everything working tip top! But then once I filled the actual 65gal bin, once the pump kicks off, the flow keeps going. I'm thinking I need one of these pressure regulators, but if anyone has any Input on this I'd appreciate it! Gonna wing it for now and grab some parts to try lol

Cheers!

Tried a bunch of different valves and configurations, ended up drilling a small hole in the 1/2" flexible hose from pump to PVC lines just above the water level and used one of the drip regulator pieces I took out of the Rainbird to plug the hole, allowing just enough air to stop siphon effect, also only creating a small drip while feeding, which drips back into the rez.