I'm trying to figure out how best to use a SIP for my garden. I need to travel for work and fun longer than the 4 or 5 days watering will allow. I also like the natural efficiency and and a huge believer in K.I.S.S so this just looks like a good solution for me. I have a 3' x 4.5' flower room that I'd like to SIPify. I am about to switch to a perpetual grow and think a shared basin would work really well for my requirements and tendency to over/under water. I am thinking I could do the same in my veg as well if it works well for me in flower, wouldn't be a shower basin for that one. Anyone out there that's done this? I would like to attempt to get this right the first time and would love some input. I'm a solid DIYer so hit me with your thoughts. I plan to get a shower tub basin and I want to use a float valve that I'll feed with a refrigerator water line direct to a nearby water pipe. I'm still not clear in my head how to do this but I will be studying my toilet tonight, same concept right? The plant res will have a float valve which opens a valve to turn on the water. Never have to water again right? I will use the existing drain and then just empty it via gravity to a basement drain for cleanings or whatever I need. Not sure where to plumb in the fill or if I can just put the hose into the res but that should be simple. I'm not sure what I want to do to get water to the plants yet. I was thinking a wick of some sort out of each pot. I use Air Pots and modifying the bottom portion of my air pot to either hold some kind of cup or wicks would be easy. I could even just place them in the basin but don't think that's advised. I'm leaning toward a wick or putting a soil extending cup in each airpot. A wick seems way easier but I'm not sure which is better. With the soil method can I just extend the soil into the basin, how deep does go? With the wick I'd probably do two or more, lots of people using different materials, not certain what works best.
I think I'm sold on the idea. I will probably be doing a test run of one plant with a 5 gal airpot and a polyester wick, 4 braided pieces into a water tray and then spilt the through the middle of the pot and into 4 directions at the bottom once in the pot. If this works, I'll go big scale, but I think I can do this really easily without really any investment other than a couple bucks for some polyester cord.