Well, to start off, this is simply a comprehensive list of SIP's and all things SIP related. Links will be listed down below if you wish to not read through this long explanation. What is a SIP? Wikipedia defines a SIP as: Sub-irrigated planter (SIP) is a generic name for a special type of planting box used in container gardening and commercial landscaping. A SIP is any method of watering plants where the water is introduced from the bottom, allowing the water to soak upwards to the plant through capillary action. [1] It is possible to automate the watering and thus SIPs are popular with professional landscapers in buildings or urban settings. SIPs are available as products, under brand names such as Planter Technology [2] (commercial) and EarthBox [3] (consumer), or as do-it-yourself projects made from plastic buckets and boxes. [4] Why are SIP's beneficial? These 2 pictures are 2 different strains, they went straight from rooted clone to flower, as you can see, compared to just a solo cup, the solo SIP's growth is almost double in size. Not only is there a decrease in water usage in a plant to plant comparison than found in a typical pot, but it also near doubles the production output of a garden. This type of design allows for a bottom up watering approach rather than a top down approach that is typical in potted plants or plants growing in a standard garden. Since the water is pulled up from the bottom, as long as the water reservoir remains full the plants will draw the water as needed. There is no risk of over- or under-watering the plants. Now take note, that most 99% of us using SIP's are also organic, and using water only. I find also, that since the top layer of your soil seems to stay somewhat dry since your not top watering that pests are deterred from the medium, and there are not dry spots in the containers either. Sharkbaits's thread. http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-marijuana-growing/1135124-s-i-p-ahhs.html noobwannB's thread. http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-...annbs-self-wicking-smartpot-ghetto-setup.html mosesnumb's thread. http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1130237-diy-sip-highdea.html eddro's thread. http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-grow-journals/957636-eds-organic-sips.html http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1075960-self-watering-containers.html If anyone else has any links I've missed lemme know and I'll add them in.
Thanks for all the info!! I was already thinking of switching over to SIP buckets, now I'm convinced!! Lol
First time reading about this. Good shit man thanks. I have to stuff my brain with all this and then apply. Sent from my iPhone using GC Forum
Depending on your room available, noob and myself are both working on smart pots that sip from a reservoir. I would recommend air pruning style fabric pots over plastic.
I have a sip grow right now and organic..its my first grow...and i will never switch. So impressive, prevents me from overwatering. And the growth is exploding now with no work!
Great job mosesnumb!! Tried to rep ya, too soon. I'll catch ya later though I've not mentioned this anywhere else, but it's possible that there's a trichome increase using this method as well. It'd be interesting to test this out. I can't be certain because the strains I grew this grow were new to me, but every single plant grown in my smart pot SIPS have been absolutely covered in trichs, whereas my previous grows were sparse.
What kind of light are you using?? Everything I'm hearing about SIP is giving a growing boner, I love growing so much and just want to produce the best meds possible!
Just a 400 watt hps. Threw a 250 watt 6500k cfl in there toward the end, but they were way frosty before that. Had the same light fir my last grow though and not a frosty plant to be found
My first light was a 400w, had stretching problems with Sativa's. if you want to get more light with the same bulb I would suggest a light mover. I'm going to buy one for my 1000w so I can downsize to just the one 1000w instead of 1000w & 600w.
Here's another good SIP thread. Nice job mosesnumb. http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1075960-self-watering-containers.html Im blown away at the overall health of the plant. Constant moisture and air to the root system. Happy microbes and happy plants. Big happy plants produce big happy buds. All aboard the SIP train...
There's no moving my light...my growroom (and grows) is pretty small. Only growing for personal meds (2) and neither of us are heavy smokers so if I want to keep growing and not fill my house with jars of weed, small is good I'm pretty happy with the 400w...added the cfl for the added light spectrum more than anything
My wife and I are all day smokers. Both of us have arthritis, PTSD, and I have SCOLIOSIS on top of all that. And we kept running out in between grows, so I kept upgrading my room lol. Wish I had just skipped 400w & 600w lights and gone straight to 1000w! Could have saved some money! I'm also growing for my buddy who's a cancer survivor thanks to MMJ.
These SIPs rock. I dont own a scale. Using my one good eye while balancing on a stool I say that my initial run came in around .75 gpw with sativas. Made the 13 weeks worth it. That is with 4 different phenotypes of 2 breeds. With good genetics and the rest of your shit dialed in I see now reason you couldnt hit 1 gpw easy. Got a little wiggle room noob, no-till root test on the way.
I am excited about using SIP and organic's. I was pulling 1.011 gpw with the 1000w and hydro. 5.94 oz per plant (ACID). I hope to get around 7 oz per plant with SIP, organic, and a light mover. Just need to scrape together the money to buy the pots and light mover!
I'm starting to make the first lava rock pebble smart pot wick system, or LRPSPWS as I like to call it. I'll post up pics tonight along with a write up. Really need to come up with a better name.