Need help with coco irrigation

[BCrocker]

I need help with irrigation and coco pots!

40 x 10 gal pots in a 12 x 12 area, Coco/perlite

Tried 3/4" drip line with 1/4" coming off of the drip to each pot. 1/4" line then tee'd off into 1/4" 2.5gph dripper line, each made into rings.

Worked ok, but it gets clogged... I tried just normal 1/4" line with some T's... But it doesn't water all the pots evenly.. Not sure what else to try here.

 

[S1N1ST3R]

Google hydro halo

 

[BCrocker]

those look to work not bad.. Although.. would all 40 get water evenly? Filter is a must on this next setup..

 

[KennyPowers]

i also set up a table with the Ts after hearing people liking them. in 5 gal pots i didnt like the coverage i was getting with 2 Ts, so i increased it to 3 and that worked pretty well. in addition i twisted the stakes i had holding them in and made it so it held them 1/2" to 1" above the medium. worked better that way. turning the flow down on the pump also helped some when the Ts were laying right in the coco, and allowed it to seep through a bit better.

after trying those things im still kinda lookin for another method tho..

what was clogging your drippers? i have been thinking about setting up the fanjet sprayers and octabubblers that JMO was using.

 

[justsomeguy]

hydro halos work perfectly and set up easy. button drippers have to be replaced a couple times before harvest. or you could throw some ancient forest, worm castings or vermiblend on top. that slows the drainage enough to pool up and spread.

 

[hogan400]

Hey bc how goes it man. The hydro helper is super dope and the spray holes are a tiny bit larger to aid in the problem you have. however I also recommend a few extra tips

1. Run tea once a week because it will feed on the rotten detritus/algae that plugs drippers and keep plants happy.
2. Use larger pumps and create more pressure because it breaks the salts/dirt/algae up too.
3. You could consider drip clean since it will break up the shit as well.
4. Use 1" solid pvc with ball valves to single plant sites or maybe small groups, then use 1/2" or 3/8" flexible black poly to block light and connect the hydrohalos to the poly for a clean worry free get down that give a little spacing flexibility.

hope this gives ya a few idears...

 

[BCrocker]

thanks for the info.

1" ball valves too? or do I go down to 1/2" valve , and then the halo dripper ? I believe it is 1/2" for the 9" version. What size of pump do you think I will need? It's actually going to be 42 pots

 

[Jalisco Kid]

With forty plants you need to make it simple. I would never use drippers,just asking for trouble. I would look at some rainbird manifolds(very easy to install and clean) the ones I use start with an X. Throw the built in screen out and use 2) 1/4 lines per plant. That would allow you 4 plants/manifold. I would water with a irrigation timer.This would allow you to use a smaller pump. Just time your watering so that each plant gets at least 3/4 gal/watering if your plants are of decent size 2x a day.

 

[BCrocker]

Looking in to these now. Would I build a frame of 1" pvc, then put a 1/2" riser for each 4 plants? (8 port rainbird on top of each riser

 

[budfriend]

Yeah JK I just set up a 5 gallon- 6 plants a tray coco dtw. The spot had short ceilings so my usually way does not work well.

How would i get equal and even drip. I have looked and thought of everything and read a zillion threads.

Looked at the halos, bluemats, sprayers that jack uses.

What do you think would be the best way no clogs

Thanks

 

[Jalisco Kid]

I like open 1/4" tubing on a timer. As for the plumbing use balance pipes to keep pressure equal thru-out.

 

[Confuten1]

Tried the halos for a similar set up bit with less plants an they didnt seem to water evenly, but then again mabe i meeded a bigger pump or set up zones like JK said.

Have u looked at jackmayoffers feed set up? He used this set up for beds but it would be super easy to set up for potted plants. This is the set up ill be using starting this weekend.

Confu...

 

[budfriend]

So I decided to go with the blumats. There is alot of info on icmag on this. ...Sorry logic but no info here...lazzyman has been doing a pretty good sized grow for a few years now and has not swithed. Dude definitely knows what he is doing and im sure he has done it other ways before so im sure quality is not affected. There is anther thread there too im going to read

http://www.sustainablevillage.com... Here you can buy 50 packs of the trumph for 215. For 5 gallon NGH pots im going with two of the mediem sized ones. Might do the largest ones waiting on some posts to be answered. Either way im doing two just to be safe.

Plus i get to learn a new grow style...always fun...pure coco is new to me too. done it once before. Plus i've always wanted to buy some land but don't like being far from the ocean so this works perfect. I would be able to go once every 3-4 days...maybe less....once i master it..put three in the pots.

Everyone keeps saying to keep your nutes simple so no clogs. I have been adding way to much junk lately anyway

Good luck

 

[hogan400]

Sorry BC, i been pretty sick lately. 42 pots you will want 2 pumps most likely. And you can use 1" or 1/2" ball valves, its a personal preference. For savings of a few bucks do 1" and at each site go to the 1/2". Easier would be something simple like the cheap hydro 1/2" ball valves. Look at deacons setup for a very nice and well designed system. Im doing a double 12 site room right now. Ill have pics and a thread on it in a week.

 

[hogan400]

Jalisco is 100% on the using of irrigation timers and the method employed. Its very effective and should never plug. I would still use a good quality strong pump. Blue Line, Iwaki, Pan world, Mag drive are all great pumps with low defective rates. Cost a little more but worth it imo.

 

[jsclimb]

Its all about what kind of nutrients your using, if there too thick you might want to consider using some sm-90 to make the organic nutrients more soluble in the solution. It not only helps your mixture more evenly distributed throughout the rez but prevents fungus gnat and aphid larvea. SM-90n works as a systemic so it stays with the plant for some time. Its a excellent wetting agent for foliar spraying and also can stop spider mites. Protecting your roots from bugs and also making your liquid penetrate your soil more evenly to allow a more even water, which is key. Get a 3/4 y-filter, this will filter out most the gunk, leaves, etc before it enters your lines. Any commercial operation has one in-line with there drip system. You need 2' 3/4 threaded bulk heads and the y-filter, its like $13. have 3/4 run across your pots in a ring. (circle) not around the pot around the entire setup. your 3/4 line connects to a 3/4 tee and branches 2 ways creating a constent pressure. The right amount of GPH (gallons per hour) on the pump are crucial to creating the right amount of flow. its good to clean out your lines with h202 after every round as well. I would also change your lines after every 2 rounds of flowering, you cant stop all bacteria. I rock the blustake sprayers. 3/4 lines with 1/4 tubing connecting sprayers. 2 sprayers per 10 gallon rootspot. cloth pots prevent plants from getting root bound, just spend the money. also you could get a pump filter bag to wrap around your pump to cut down even more gunk.