Self Watering Containers

Something like this might work
http://media.animalnetwork.com/channelmedia/urbanfarmonline/UF1004b_TerryWick.pdf

saw this awhile back too...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYZtqs9AlM&sns=em"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYZtqs9AlM&sns=em[/ame]

 

hahah that woman is awesome!

 

Alright guys. You got me thinking about the SIP smartpots. I think I have a clean design all for under way under 100. I had a lot of this shit laying around. I went to lowes to get the rest. 

1-mortar pan 36x24x8
Shop 36" x 24-1/2" High Density Polyethylene Large Black Mixing Tub at Lowes.com

2-10" square net pots for aquatic plants
Shop smartpond 10" Water Garden Plant Basket at Lowes.com

2-15gal smart pots
1-8' 4" corrugated drain pipe (flexiable kind)
Shop FLEX-Drain 8' Perforated Expandable Drain Pipe at Lowes.com

1- piece pvc w/45
Zip ties
Hydrotron (i have a shitload lying around now that i've gone back to the dirt)

Clean out the mortar pan and assemble the extend the drain pipe and insert one end into the other forming a circle. Place it in the mortar pan and make it fit the interior perimeter of the pan. Mark your fill location on the corrugated pipe this is where you are going to cut and insert the pvc w/45 i found that the corner was the best place for my fill location. Mark and drill the over flow holes 1" above corrugated pipe. Fasten your fill pvc to the side of the pan. I drilled 2 holes and fastened with zip tie. Make sure when you fasten the fill you drill above the overflow holes. Now place the 2 netpots in between the corrugated pipe. Place the smartpots on top of the net pots. With a razor knife cut the bottom of the smartpot in a "X" going almost corner to corner. The object being that the net pots once inserted into the bottom of the smartpot will have these triangular flaps running down the sides that will help with the wicking. Insert net pot into newly cut "X" forcing it till the rim is tight against the bottom of the pot. Now fold as much of the smarpot into the net pot. Fill the tub with hydrotron up to the top rim of the net pot. Now pull out the smartpot from the net pot so that it is now resting on top of the hydrotron. Fill the smart pots with soil and your good to go. I place this all on a dolly with 2" 360 degree 175lbs casters.

 

Pictures please!

 

LMAO!! Just happy I am not the only one having trouble trying to visualize the construction of this.

 

I got pics. I just need to figure out how to post them, but here is the where the idea came from.
http://insideurbangreen.typepad.com/.a/6a00e39824809288330133f2082c88970b-500pi

Now imagine the pipe not zip tied in the middle. It covers the perimeter. The 2 10" net pots are in the middle of the corrugated pipe. Then the hydrotron is filled in around the net pots and corrugated pipe. The corrugated pipe is for even water distribution. The hydrotron is used to support the smart pot. It's the same concept as the sip bucket. Net pots are used in place of the solo cup when inserted in the cut on the bottom of the smart pot.

I'll try to get pics up today.

 

nice i can totally visualize this now can wait to see pics

 

I can appreciate you guys trying to do this as big and badass as possible, but I think you're going to a lot of trouble for nothing. Have you seen the results from the folks who have been using these? 5 gallon buckets will MORE than meet your needs. G45's girls are fucking huge using 5 gallon buckets. I dont think my grow room could handle something more badass than the 5 gallon buckets.

 

I agree though I did add some fuel to the fire. Ya know, whatever people decide to do is their business and none of mine kind of thingy.

Bigger is not always better. I did a 10g container in addition to 7.5's, a 5 and a couple of 3's. For me and my current environment the 7.5's rule and a 10g offers nothing much in addition to them so I'm settling on 7.5's. WTF does that have to do with anything? Nothing except that bigger is not always better.

LOL, last time G and I we're having a serious convo about the sipper's he actually expressed a desire to step it DOWN to 3.5g sippers because the 5g sippers under 1000's just plain grow too phrikkin' BIG. They actually end up falling over they're so top heavy.

IDK... stick with the 5's for an indoor sipper IMO. If you're growing outside go as big as the Montana sky!

 

Tried to rep ya for that one...can't. Love your way of thinkin though, and I loooove, love, LOVE your new sig!!

 

Im getting ready to build a 4 plant 5 bucket system (1 control bucket) in my 4x4 space.Which means I have a 1x1 space for each plant under my 1000w. Think I'll have any extra space in there? lol

 

I'm trying several sizes outside but I am trying to use as much of the 5 gal bucket for the reservoir as possible so I don't have to make a trail w/the hose. So far so good. I couldn't believe the jump in the originals I made (10 gallon Mobys) this a.m.

 

I get where you guys are coming from, but where in the rule book that says one plant per pot I use the 7.5 and like the result. The objective for me was to do this as easy as possible with a majority of the stuff being recycled or re purposed. These plants will be lst over 60 days. I was looking at the dolly and it can be outfitted with a screen. I want to run a couple of these no-till. Harvest. Put new in, top dress and train while the other is ripening. Just wheel them in and out. I'm trying to get all my shit dialed in with all this organic growing stuff and this is one of those things you fling out and see if it sticks.

 

Agreed, I normally run to plants a different stages of flowering. It seems when I remove one the other gets a spike in growth so I don't mind at all.

 

Also on the subject of the roots growing through the wick, what do you guys think about spiraling a nylon rope to completely fill the wick tightly? I have used it as a wick before and it's a lot faster then Peat Moss as far as capillary action is concerned, thinking I might try it in one of my SIP buckets.

Also I altered Edro's design and instead of using the PVC pole I went with a flexible hose (old garden hose) because I am cheap and it was free! I think it might make it easier to hook up a funnel for watering!

SIP buckets are taking over my life.

 

If/when I decide to try this (I'm so sorely tempted!) I thought I'd use some pond pump tubing I've got laying around. Same size pretty much and just slightly flexible I was also thinking about covering the bottom (or most of it) with an old cotton t-shirt cut in strips that hang down into the water. Don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

Only thing I would be worried about with the t-shirt material is dye's leeching into the res, nylon rope is wicked cheap meng haha

 

Nah....OLD, white t-shirt

 

Just adding some different SIP designs!

Inside Urban Green : SIPs
Rain Gutter SIP