Once you go coco... err. Help me design a small DTW coco system.

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jguit

jguit

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I've been growing in ProMix HP for the past few years and it's been serving me well but i've noticed the bales being sold locally are a bit dry and to be quite honest, hand watering is getting a little old. Plus i think it'll be fun to switch things up and try something new.

I will be getting a new 4x4 tent and will retire my current 3x3 to veg/cloning duties. My requirements/growing needs are pretty small as I only grow a few plants for myself and family. I'd like my growing footprint to remain 3x3 or thereabout and utilize the rest of the 4x4 for environmentals (humidifier, fans, filters, etc.).

I'm lucky in the sense that I have a basement ejector pump in my grow room. I can pump the 'waste' directly into the ejector sump without any fuss. I feel that this is one of the biggest obstacles that I wont have to worry about.

I'm mechanically inclined and have no problem building things if need be (wooden frames, plumbing, etc..), so i will be open to any suggestions. The tent is be approx 7' tall and i'd like to utilize the space as best as possible.

My thoughts were to use x4 2 gallon pots on top of a 3x3 tray which drains to a lower tray that pumps the waste into the ejector sump. I would use an Jain Octa bubbler to distribute the feed into the 4 pots. The plan would be to have 2 sprayers per pot in case one clogs.

First questions...

Would 2 gallon pots be optimal for this setup or should i consider smaller pots? I dont plan on growing trees in a space that small. Any container suggestions?

Any ideas for the table / waste reservoir? My thoughts were to build a wooden frame that would hold a 3x3 tray that drains into another tray below w/ a sump pump that pumps out the waste water. I would love to hear some suggestions for this. I'm sure some of you will have some clever ideas. FWIW, the ejector sump is only a few feet away from the tent. It's possible to drain directly into the sump negating the need for a bottom reservoir. I'd only be restricted by the openings of the tent.

Once i figure out how to tackle and build this part, I'll move on to the reservoir and plumbing.

Thoughts?
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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I've been growing in ProMix HP for the past few years and it's been serving me well but i've noticed the bales being sold locally are a bit dry and to be quite honest, hand watering is getting a little old. Plus i think it'll be fun to switch things up and try something new.

I will be getting a new 4x4 tent and will retire my current 3x3 to veg/cloning duties. My requirements/growing needs are pretty small as I only grow a few plants for myself and family. I'd like my growing footprint to remain 3x3 or thereabout and utilize the rest of the 4x4 for environmentals (humidifier, fans, filters, etc.).

I'm lucky in the sense that I have a basement ejector pump in my grow room. I can pump the 'waste' directly into the ejector sump without any fuss. I feel that this is one of the biggest obstacles that I wont have to worry about.

I'm mechanically inclined and have no problem building things if need be (wooden frames, plumbing, etc..), so i will be open to any suggestions. The tent is be approx 7' tall and i'd like to utilize the space as best as possible.

My thoughts were to use x4 2 gallon pots on top of a 3x3 tray which drains to a lower tray that pumps the waste into the ejector sump. I would use an Jain Octa bubbler to distribute the feed into the 4 pots. The plan would be to have 2 sprayers per pot in case one clogs.

First questions...

Would 2 gallon pots be optimal for this setup or should i consider smaller pots? I dont plan on growing trees in a space that small. Any container suggestions?

Any ideas for the table / waste reservoir? My thoughts were to build a wooden frame that would hold a 3x3 tray that drains into another tray below w/ a sump pump that pumps out the waste water. I would love to hear some suggestions for this. I'm sure some of you will have some clever ideas. FWIW, the ejector sump is only a few feet away from the tent. It's possible to drain directly into the sump negating the need for a bottom reservoir. I'd only be restricted by the openings of the tent.

Once i figure out how to tackle and build this part, I'll move on to the reservoir and plumbing.

Thoughts?
So I had some help from a few members when I was starting coco. These threads may help give you some ideas as to how you want to set it up.

I would honestly go with 1 gal if you can autofeed.


 
jguit

jguit

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Hey @Aqua Man, how is the condensate pump working out for you to pump out the waste? Going that route would eliminate the need for a large bottom waste pan and save a few inches of height! I'd imagine with my small footprint, the amount of waste wouldn't overwhelm the pump.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Hey @Aqua Man, how is the condensate pump working out for you to pump out the waste? Going that route would eliminate the need for a large bottom waste pan and save a few inches of height! I'd imagine with my small footprint, the amount of waste wouldn't overwhelm the pump.
Works great for me. I have my feed runoff and my dehuey drain running to it. So I never have to empty the dehuey either.
 
jguit

jguit

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I'd just go with 1 gal personally.
Do you think x4 1 gal pots is sufficient for a 3x3 area? Obviously, I'd have to feed more frequently but i guess it wouldn't matter since it'll be automated. How would I calculate the size of reservoir needed? I'd like it to last at least a few days with the option of swapping it out for a larger reservoir if i needed to leave the garden a little longer.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Do you think x4 1 gal pots is sufficient for a 3x3 area? Obviously, I'd have to feed more frequently but i guess it wouldn't matter since it'll be automated. How would I calculate the size of reservoir needed? I'd like it to last at least a few days with the option of swapping it out for a larger reservoir if i needed to leave the garden a little longer.
Yeah that should work well.

So in 1 gal you feed 250ml of nutrient solution. I'd say around 8x a day would be roughly your highest feed frequency but alot depends on your environment.

So 4 plants would be 1 litre per feed. So around 8 lirtes a day when the plants get bigger. So just over 2 gal a day at peak is my guess. A 5 gal pail should be fine but you can go bigger if you need. It's wont be until later in veg that you will likely need to feed more than 2-3 times a day so even at 3 times a day a 5 gal will last you 6-7 days
 
jguit

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Excellent.. Then I could swap out the 5 gallon for something bigger in the rare event I was away for longer than a few days.
 
Dirtbag

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Do you think x4 1 gal pots is sufficient for a 3x3 area? Obviously, I'd have to feed more frequently but i guess it wouldn't matter since it'll be automated. How would I calculate the size of reservoir needed? I'd like it to last at least a few days with the option of swapping it out for a larger reservoir if i needed to leave the garden a little longer.
You'll see the true benefits of coco by limiting the pot size to 1 gallon in that space,and use fabric pots. They'll grow hydroponically fast, it will literally blow your mind coming from promix. More coco does not equal more bud, you'll get bigger plants faster by using less media and feeding more often.
Aqua Man gave you solid tips there, I have a coco grow diary somewhere here too that is interesting and follows my progression from promix to coco and rockwool. Might be worth a read for ideas.
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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You'll see the true benefits of coco by limiting the pot size to 1 gallon in that space,and use fabric pots. They'll grow hydroponically fast, it will literally blow your mind coming from promix. More coco does not equal more bud, you'll get bigger plants faster by using less media and feeding more often.
Aqua Man gave you solid tips there, I have a coco grow diary somewhere here too that is interesting and follows my progression from promix to coco and rockwool. Might be worth a read for ideas.
This man speaks the gospel. 😇
 
jguit

jguit

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Less media less often is quite alright with me! Schlepping 75 lb bales of promix suuuuuucks! My back will be thankful.

I used to grow in RDWC bubble buckets over a decade ago. If the growth is anything like that (which it looks like it is), I'll be happy. I just hated the constant noise!
 
AmokNewb

AmokNewb

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I just built a very similar system in my first grow diary. Works like a charm! However I am using 5G cloth bags. I will definitely go a lot smaller next time. I also went with the halo vs the drippers. I felt it was less lines running around and would hopefully water the entire pot more evenly. Good luck on your build, you are going to be glad you did it.
 
jguit

jguit

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I have a question about condensate pumps in general. Most if not all seem to have a dry contact safety switch. I understand this is meant to be hooked up in series with a low voltage thermostat. Is there a creative way to use this safety switch to turn the reservoir pump off in case of a flood condition? I'd imagine it'd require a relay/transformer of some sort. It looks like there was a product on the market by Jackson Systems but it is no longer available.

 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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I have a question about condensate pumps in general. Most if not all seem to have a dry contact safety switch. I understand this is meant to be hooked up in series with a low voltage thermostat. Is there a creative way to use this safety switch to turn the reservoir pump off in case of a flood condition? I'd imagine it'd require a relay/transformer of some sort. It looks like there was a product on the market by Jackson Systems but it is no longer available.

Wish I could answer that... I can look into it later tonight.
 

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