Automated feed help plz

[oldbudnew]

Hi all.
Long story short I a busy guy so therefore I've been considering bottom feeding. I grow in coco 11 litre pots. I would like to, well need to due to going away for a week during this crop, go automated.

My idea is simple. Each plant (20) has it's own drip tray and will be bottom fed. I'm thinking a large res with a pump in, a 13mm (1/2 inch) feed pipe coming off it capped with the 20 individual feed lines tee'd off it. Have pump set on a timer to deliver x amounts of feed in x amount of time. Obviousely I would need to time how long it took to deliver say one or two litres to each tray and set the pump to that time.

1: would this pump do the job?
Specification:
-Flow Rate Max : 1000L/H;(260 GPH)
-Power: 8.5W
-Head Hmax: 1.3m
-Outlet Connectors Length: 20mm, 28mm
-Outlet Connectors Diameter: 12mm,12mm
-Dimension: 80mm*65mm*50mm

2: would I encounter any differing flow rates from the outlets nearest and furthest?

3: any issues I should expect?

I would use an inline filter, a main stop valve at the start of the feed line and an individual manual stop valve on each feed tail to the individual pots.

Am I on the right track? If not steer me.

Thanks

NB

 

[zem]

pump sounds too small for 20 lines. most coco growers feed with injector drippers that deliver the ferts below the surface

 

[oldbudnew]

Thanks any recomendation on pump size? Not feeling dripper systems I don't think tho

NB

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

You will absolutely have differeing rates of flow to the different pots. To make it equal, you will have to balance the lines--all lines the same length, with the same samount of turns in them.

I am a plumber and would worry about this system--there are simply so many things that can go wrong, which would either result in a flood or the plants being harmed. This IS a hobby that takes a great deal of time, but IMO, automating it so that you do not have to tend to your garden will probably not end well. First, all plants do not uptake nutrients and water at the same rate. I anticipate that some of the drip trays will still contain water when you get ready to feed again, which would result in a flood. Or overwatering. The water left in the drip trays could get icky.

Some kind of recirculating hydro system with a main res would probably be a better choice for someone who did not want to take care of their plants.

 

[zem]

You will absolutely have differeing rates of flow to the different pots. To make it equal, you will have to balance the lines--all lines the same length, with the same samount of turns in them.

I am a plumber and would worry about this system--there are simply so many things that can go wrong, which would either result in a flood or the plants being harmed. This IS a hobby that takes a great deal of time, but IMO, automating it so that you do not have to tend to your garden will probably not end well. First, all plants do not uptake nutrients and water at the same rate. I anticipate that some of the drip trays will still contain water when you get ready to feed again, which would result in a flood. Or overwatering. The water left in the drip trays could get icky.

Some kind of recirculating hydro system with a main res would probably be a better choice for someone who did not want to take care of their plants.

THG how do those large coco farms do with long driplines? i have seen videos they would be injecting lines not taking that much care and they achieve uniform distribution. It could be that they use a mixture of perlite with coco to make it airy enough to prevent clogging even if the watering is not uniform.
Anyway, I have always had my growroom automated using flood and drain in growrocks where there is no way to overwater.

 

[oldbudnew]

You will absolutely have differeing rates of flow to the different pots. To make it equal, you will have to balance the lines--all lines the same length, with the same samount of turns in them.

I am a plumber and would worry about this system--there are simply so many things that can go wrong, which would either result in a flood or the plants being harmed. This IS a hobby that takes a great deal of time, but IMO, automating it so that you do not have to tend to your garden will probably not end well. First, all plants do not uptake nutrients and water at the same rate. I anticipate that some of the drip trays will still contain water when you get ready to feed again, which would result in a flood. Or overwatering. The water left in the drip trays could get icky.

Some kind of recirculating hydro system with a main res would probably be a better choice for someone who did not want to take care of their plants.

Hey now lol. The main reason for needing some kind of automation is to cover me when I go away for a week at the end of October. The rest of the time I could get by.
A recirculating system is out I the question.

Regarding getting all the lines of equal length that's something I could overcome surely. As for the amounts the plants need I would be well in tune with that by then. If they were up taking water at different rates how would I go about adjusting the flows to the individual pots? If I had a stop valve on each pots individual line could I partially restrict flow using the stop valves dial down the flow to certain pots?

NB

 

[zem]

the dripper itself can be adjusted by screwing or unscrewing it but the flow rate decreases as they clog with time and need to be cleaned periodically

 

[oldbudnew]

Drippers again! Grrrrr. Lol. Ok how's about this then......
I know nothing about drippers. Could they be adjusted open enough that I could fix them to the drip trays and use them to poor the water into the drip tray? That way I could adjust the flow using the drippers.

Thanks
NB

 

[zem]

well, drippers are of many different types, normally can be adjusted. however i dont understand what you mean by drip tray? you need to be able to provide for each plant an even amount of liquid. i would never try to adjust the flow for every plant differently. the only way i can see it done using drippers, is to mix a lot of perlite with the coco to make it airy enough that it cannot be overwatered, that way you will just make all the driplines with an even flow or you could even consider flood and drain, which is my preferred way and i use only growrock

 

[oldbudnew]

Drip tray, as in a saucer. So each pot had its own saucer. Bottom feeding coco works very well so the idea was to have a pump on a timer with feed lines to each individual saucer. The pump would switch on long enough to deliver a set amount of feed directly into the saucers that the plants could then suck up from there. In my experience any water left in the saucer that the plant did not suck up would evaporate by the time the next feed was due anyway. Also its nearly impossible to overwater coco so long as feed intervals arnt too close together. Im already bottom feeding my plants and its super simple. One feed once a day at the same time each day and all the pots are at the same weight or same dryness consistantly.

NB

 

[zem]

i don't know what's about that, but i hear it all the time, that you cannot overwater coco, i guess it is because some coco contains a lot of coco chips that make it more airy than other types of coco like the one that i have, which i felt like it held a lot of water for my purposes, but my trials were not very elaborate until i concluded that growrocks is preferred for me. anyway, reused coco chips will break down into fine coco so i guess that regularly adding fresh coco to the old helps too. since a recirculating system is out of the question, then just make good drains and water it as needed and let the runoff drain away instead of laying in the saucer. it is not advisable that you fill the saucer every feed, because when it is automated, it will probably remain filled and this might damage the roots. all you need is driplines and drains, that is how coco growers do it

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I do not like drippers. I use them outside for hanging pots as they are such a PITA to water, but all in all, I find them very undependable.

LOL--I have overwatered coco--I think that is part of my problem with it is that it holds so much water.

Large operations most likely have some kind of regulators on their lines if they are different lengths. You can try it out for yourself, but the first lines and the shortest lines are going to distribute more water.

There is also the problem of plants using differing amounts of water. My Satori can drink up about twice the nutrient solution of some of my other strains. It really is tough to automate a system after the fact.

 

[zem]

THG it is very simple to automate a flood and drain grow, since you have no risk of overwatering

 

[oldbudnew]

Hi, lines of different lengths is very easy to overcome. Keep em the same length lol. T the 13mm main line into two equal length lines down each side of the room each leading to an 8 way manifold. I'm dropping my plant numbers to 16. Then make each 4mm line for each pot the same lengths as each other. After that flow could be changed to each plant/strain using adjustable drippers. Tedious to fine tune that tho. But doable.

On the subject of coco I use, and only ever have used, canna coco pro and I very loosely fill my pots, I don't press it down at all. Never caused me any issues at all I.e over watering and have read plenty threads elsewhere stating the same. Maybe it's dependant on the type of coco used? Don't know.

Does sound like drippers are going to be my best shot at pulling this off. Not worried (much) about clogging as it's only really needed to perform 100% for that one week. It would be nice to use the system full time but at least I'd usually be around to overcome any potential issues like that.

I guess a safety barrier for this would make sure my plants are sat on top of huge trays to catch any possible over watering issues and raise the pots off the trays surface so the pots arnt sat in any water that could potentially end up in the trays.

NB

 

[zem]

look up videos about greenhouses who grow hydroponic tomatoes cukes and peppers, i have seen countless times the speakers touring the farm removing injector drippers to show the water flow. it would give you a good idea how it is done and i really doubt that they use any fine tuning to those huge farms

 

[oldbudnew]

Well it's looking like I'll have to bite the bullet and construct a run to waste set up. 21mm white drainage pipe and it's accessories (the common stuff that solvent welds together and is easy to buy almost everywhere and cheap) should do nicely.

I'm thinking (attic grow so can't purchase huge trays due to loft hatch width issue) have 8 grow bag trays (100x50 cm), 4 each side of room with two plants in each. Raise trays off floor and have them raised more at one side so water runs to that side of tray. Using tank outlets (from the 21mm range mentioned) installed after drilling hole in said end of grow bag tray.
It would then just be a case of linking tray to tray down each side and then bring both drains together before exiting the pipe at a slight angle accross the attic and out of the vented sofit under the guttering. I could them simply fit the pipe into the down pipe of my guttering. The most expensive part would be buying 7 more grow bag trays. Bloody rip off for what they are. The only thing I may have to do is heat the grow bag tray with a hot air gun to push down and create a dip where I intend to drill in and fit the tank outlet. Just because grow bag trays arnt the deepest things and the tank outlets are a bit chunky.

NB

 

[zem]

make sure that the pvc pipes that you get are food safe. many are intended only for drains and contain lead, BPA, and many harmful chemicals that are not safe to use with potable water, food, or growing.

 

[oldbudnew]

Sure for the feed lines etc I'd use the food grade stuff from a hydro store online. Can't see it being an issue with the waste pipes.

NB

 

[oldbudnew]

On the subject of lead. I don't think any of the plastic pipes we use here in uk have anything to do with lead

 

[zem]

oh i didn't notice that it was only a waste pipe that you want to use, i thought that you would grow in them.
On the lead topic, it is put in sewage drain pipes, but never in water lines, i know that at least some do contain lead