Drip rings?

MPL

Member

• Apr 15, 2017

• #1

Giving coco a try and was wondering - do most folks use a drip ring with coco?

I'm using coco and perlite (Coco Pearl by Cyco) in 2 gallon smart pots. I made a bunch of drip rings out of 1/4" distribution tubing but they cracked and sprayed water everywhere. Quite wasteful. I suppose the diameter of the rings was too small and the poly material couldn't take the short radius.

Anyway, I have all the cracking drip rings pulled up now and just have the 1/4" tubing shooting directly into the coco. I have big pumps and am wondering if it might be coming out too fast, going through the coco before it has a chance to wick around. I have 650gph pumps (not very good ones) pushing 10x 1/4" drip lines.

I'd like to avoid water channels in my medium, but have always heard you don't need drip rings with coco. Any insight here would be most appreciated. Thanks!

 

Last edited: Apr 15, 2017

Greenlife1

Member

• Apr 15, 2017

• #2

For 2 gallons i just put a t at the end of the 1/4" tubing.
Yeah thats a big pump for what u are doing. I run a eco plus 180 an that handles 12 pots.
Even with that small pump it only runs for 1 min to get run off.

 

eric2028

Well-known member

Veteran

• Apr 15, 2017

• #3

I run open end 1/4 inch in coco dtw. As long as it's absorbing into your coco and not running down the sides of your smart pot you should be good to go. I run 12 sites per 400 gph pump. Pump runs about 9 minutes daily. Been using this technique for about 2 years.

 

MPL

Member

• Apr 15, 2017

• #4

Hmm I can put 20 plants per pump with some T fittings so I'll give that a try. Hopefully it slows my water rate down so that the coco can absorb it all.

I stuck Ts on the end of my 1/4" tubes last night too. Great minds think alike! hehe

 

issack

Active member

Veteran

• Apr 16, 2017

• #5

Open line or a T is the way. Drip rings clog. I like to watch my water flow so I know every pot gets the same.
I run 48 2 gal pots, and I have a 320 gph pump that feeds 1 minute 15 sec every 2 hours after roots established and things are pumping.

 

Buddler

Well-known member

Veteran

• Apr 16, 2017

• #6

MPL said:

Hmm I can put 20 plants per pump with some T fittings so I'll give that a try. Hopefully it slows my water rate down so that the coco can absorb it all.

I stuck Ts on the end of my 1/4" tubes last night too. Great minds think alike! hehe

Click to expand...

I switched from open ends to basket stakes spread the juice better and use ball valves to slow down flow for better absorbtion..

 

Bush Dr

Painting the picture of Dorian Gray

Veteran

• Apr 16, 2017

• #7

If your coco doesn't absorb water straight away it's too dry, the fresh feed/water should go straight into the damp coco

Don't forget to rinse those drip rings out properly at the end of each run, you should be flushing the whole lines too or the crud will block a 1/4" line

 

J

JJ Lowe

Active member

• Apr 17, 2017

• #8

I run 2gph drippers, just the cheap ones from Home Depot. one 1/4" line into a t then with 2 drippers per plant. I replace them every run just for good measure. Got a filter bag for the pump and an inline filter. Never had one clog. 2 gallon pots, 10 min 4 times a day
Using growmore powder nutes and fulvic powder.

 

J

JJ Lowe

Active member

• Apr 17, 2017

• #9

.

 

MPL

Member

• Apr 18, 2017

• #10

I got some of those basket stakes to try out and the 1/4" line wouldn't fit properly over the nipple on them. The nipples were too small, like they were meant for a smaller line.

Buddler said:

I switched from open ends to basket stakes spread the juice better and use ball valves to slow down flow for better absorbtion..

Click to expand...

How much water coming out of the line is too much?

I took out the two 650gph pumps and replaced them with 1 400gph pump and I'm still getting too much flow. Gonna stick a ball valve between the pump and the lines and use that to adjust things.

Why does my distribution line keep cracking? Grrr this stuff sucks.

Thanks for all the input here guys. It has been very helpful so far.

 

Buddler

Well-known member

Veteran

• Apr 19, 2017

• #11

MPL said:

I got some of those basket stakes to try out and the 1/4" line wouldn't fit properly over the nipple on them. The nipples were too small, like they were meant for a smaller line.



How much water coming out of the line is too much?

I took out the two 650gph pumps and replaced them with 1 400gph pump and I'm still getting too much flow. Gonna stick a ball valve between the pump and the lines and use that to adjust things.

Why does my distribution line keep cracking? Grrr this stuff sucks.

[/quote
You ll figure it out now keep tinkering I use 3\4 in pvc drill holes use tophat grommet pico style last forever those ball valves will slow er down those stakes should fit

Click to expand...

 

Old Toker

Well-known member

• Apr 19, 2017

• #12

Hey MPL....not sure how quickly/slowly you want to water. I am feeding 8 plants in two gal fabric pots with a 594 gal pump. Each pot has two 1/4" driplines with Ts on the end. So 16 drip lines running off a 1/2" distribution manifold. I feed 8x daily with feed times between 10-30 seconds ea depending on which feeding and whether I'm looking for runoff. As long as the pots are not overflowing....I don't think you can water too fast. But I'm certainly willing to listen to a different opinion. Good luck.