I've noticed that when I fill the res. I fill till the water is above the 4" pipe and at the base of the smartpots. It's always receded by the next morning below the top of the pipe.
High Caliper Growing, the company behind Smartpots, also makes something they call a pot pruner which is pretty much what you described. They only have sizes readily available for the most common greenhouse pots, but they seem willing to work with new sizes on a smaller scale.
[quote name='"InTheGarden"']Hey noobB, I made some SIPs using Sticky's design and they are awesome! I used lava rock instead of hydroton and didn't do the black plastic pipe around the inside. Next one will have the black plastic flex stuff, just to take up space and make it lighter and easier to move around. But the growth rate is really, really impressive. I do a perpetual grow and the SIP plant, in a 2 gal smart pot, put in on 10/12 is twice the size of a plant in a 2 gal smart pot (no SIP) put in on 10/4. Same organic soil, clones from same mother, etc. It's really impressive. Every plant of mine that goes to flower from now on will be in a SIP, no question. I'm working on a big tub filled with river rock, so that I can easily add and remove plants in the smart pot sips (since I do a perpetual). Unrelated, but I love those concrete mixing tubs. Where have these been all my life? It makes a perfect indoor "potting station" for repotting and transplanting plants without making a mess.[/quote] LOL I grew up steeling my uncles mixing tub to fill with water and pretend it was a pool. I guess my family was too cheap to buy me a $10 plastic pool.... Those would work great for mixing soil in too. Good idea.
[quote name='"InTheGarden"'] Hey Carlo I'm still trying to get over my fear of posting pictures online. And still trying to figure out how to do it safely. I'm almost there![/quote] Don't trip about it. I've been posing pics from my iPhone for a couple years now with no problems. If you're posting from a computer than I wouldn't worry at all. If you have an iPhone go to settings, then go into locations. There will be a setting to turn off the locations on pics. It's super easy.
That's good advice for sure and the same applies for Droid and WinPhones. The default is to track and report everything going on with the phone. And then there's Exif information.... Ultimately for photo safety one wants to strip the Exif information that is stored when the picture is taken. Here's a link for a good primer on Exif info. This isn't all inclusive and I'm sure with some more detailed research if location services and those personal items so common with smart phones, default computer names, ISP's etc., are turned on then the Exif information is more extensive. So, if posting pictures online is of a huge concern then one probably wants to strip the Exif information from the picture before posting it. There are free tools online available that both read Exif information on your pictures but also tools to that will strip all the Exif information off the picture. Here's the primer. Exif Info Primer A simple search using "exif stripper" will provide a good many links for "free" software (you never know everything that's installed ) that will strip the Exif on all pics. As for ISP's tracking what we do, a key strategy in committing the perfect crime is: Tell no one.
Thanks for the tips Possuum! I am very well versed in the "tell no one" rule. My garden is very secure from discovery by anyone other than a nosy ISP employee (again with the posting pics concern), or accidental fire, etc. I'm just worried about someone at my ISP being nosy and calling the authorities, or deciding to check out my garden for themselves. I know I'm being paranoid (I really do ), but I just want to make sure that my garden is as safe from discovery by virtual means as it is in real life. If using a camera camera, not a smart phone camera, does the concern with exif data still apply? Thanks again for the help!
ITG your computer adds exif info, so yes. Unrelated, but I said I'd report back. My jerry-rigged SIP is awesome!!! Completely working, and for the first time ever I've got white, healthy roots trying to grow out of the smarties! No room this grow, but with my next one I'm going to try the same method using a 7 gal smartie
Awesome! How cool is it to see the roots growing out of the smarties? I've never had that happen with my non-sip smarties (except a little on the bottom). How high are you keeping the water level in the perlite tray? Are you doing any top-watering or is wicking the only water source? I would love to be able to do something like that with mine, just put the smart pot on top of a wick tray without cutting anything and all that, but it just didn't work well for me when I tried it. So tell me more! Thank you for the info on exif data. Glad I asked, I thought it was just a concern with smart phones (see why I'm nervous about posting pics lol? It's because of my lack of knowledge about computer stuff- I'm afraid I'll inadvertently post something that will get me into trouble just because I don't know any better).
[quote name='"InTheGarden"'] Awesome! How cool is it to see the roots growing out of the smarties? I've never had that happen with my non-sip smarties (except a little on the bottom). How high are you keeping the water level in the perlite tray? Are you doing any top-watering or is wicking the only water source? I would love to be able to do something like that with mine, just put the smart pot on top of a wick tray without cutting anything and all that, but it just didn't work well for me when I tried it. So tell me more! Thank you for the info on exif data. Glad I asked, I thought it was just a concern with smart phones (see why I'm nervous about posting pics lol? It's because of my lack of knowledge about computer stuff- I'm afraid I'll inadvertently post something that will get me into trouble just because I don't know any better). [/quote] I ran out of perlite so I only have about 3" with about an inch of standing water. Mine are actual smart pot brand which is probably the difference. I just got some more perlite though so I'm thinking I may go 4-5".... If you right click on your photos and choose properties you should be given the option to remove all exif info. Then, at least until you modify it again if you upload it, it should be ok. Sent from my iPad using GC Forum
ITG, only if your camera camera is personalized with stuff like your name, date, and time would be possibly stored as Exif data if the camera camera itself logged that. Just strip it with a free Exif stripper. And, FWIW, even if you live in a draconian state like FL or TX would you ever have to be worried about nosey so-n-so's wanting to know your addy. IDK. Some days one just says the hell with all the snooping and pooping and lets it fly to the GC. Which by the way, can track your nomdegurer simply by tracing back your email addy etc. etc. etc. Pretty large amount of work for anyone to tackle just to take down a couple or four plants IMO. But I feel ya. I know how it is to think the jack boots are outside in the black suburban just waiting on the warrant you know. Keep it simple. But around here your stoner buddies eventually want you to lift up your skirt and show everybody whatcha got. It's just the way it goes. Hell, even BigDaaddy, ChunkDaddy, Chunk showed everybody his goods, including a microphone, one time back in.... oh about 2008 I reckon (LOL). That other feller everybody raves about never did show one necrotic spot on anything he claimed to grow. So, that's how it grows I reckon . If it doesn't feel right don't do it. In the end it's just all for phun anywho. . Know whud I mean?
Wanted to post a couple of pics to illustrate my last several posts (lots more in my journal). Here's the roots growing out of the smartpot after only 1 week with this system And here's a close-up of the actual tray. Perlite is about 2" deep (added another inch or so today) and I cut the bottom out of a styrofoam cup (lower right) which is fairly clear of perlite so I can monitor the water level on te bottom. Pots (smartpot brand) just sit on top of the perlite. I've added perlite to every saucer and utilized this method with my entire grow as of today, including my over 3 ft tall Tangerine Dream in a hard plastic pot. I'm thinking because it's perlite if I push the pot down a bit so that it comes in contact with the soil it may just work with a hard pot as well.....we'll see
Personally, i'd water it into the plant itself. That's what I've done thus far with any 'additives', which admittedly have been few. It's the only way it's not going to get diluted every time you add water. Just my opinion though, and I admit to the staus of noob
[quote name='"Tree dogg"']Does anyone have any thoughts on filling the water res with an ACT? ~ tree[/quote] Ive used a BIM to clear up alge but never an ACT, I dont see it being much help seeing as the wicks remain water logged.
I invented my own and I had stellar results. My tomatoes plants (and fruit) were over double the size of the ones I didn't have in the settup. You get a normal pot with a water catch basin at the bottom and a fish tank. The pot rests above the fish tank. A pump runs water to Tue plants basin (not the top soil) and then waterfalls back into the tank. Put some rocks in the basin to act as a nitrogen.filter. the fish will fertalize the plants and.you can get earthworms and compost for the topsoil. If you have a problem with overwatering just get more pots and alternate it daily I have one with a tomato and one with a pumpkin. Don't use those plastic tubs that I used they suck. My next settup with use something better.