drip irrigation questions.

[Black Thumb]

Would like to set up an automated system.
want it to be as simple as possible im sick of hand watering and i dont want to build a system that needs constant maintenance and clogs or has issues.

I Was thinking of grabbing Rain Bird Dripper/Emitter, 1 Gallon Per Hour and running several dozens on and on/off timer ( once i measure )

Would using drippers be a good idea or just using open end of hose with a stake and let it pour freely and just time the running water without a dripper ?


Im thinking drippers because if i do an open ended free running water i was thinking it will give the last plant at the end of the hose less water because it would take time to build pressure so all the watering sites if open ended wont have the same pressure ?

 

[Airwalker16]

It all depends on your pot and plant size. Do whatever works best for you man.

 

[Black Thumb]

1 gal. sog. I have been hand feeding trays with a bucket but sometimes plants in the back dont get as much water and its just not even watering. After 25+ years of lugging buckets im tired


I guess my only question is emitter or just open flow both on a timer. I Just have doubts open flow would give even pressure to all tables and sites.

 

[zypheruk]

if doing sog a simple flood and drain setup would be easier and more reliable.

 

[CannaCountry]

Adjustable drip emitters work fine for me (0-2 gph), although many here will suggest they'll clog up over time. I suppose some of this depends on what you're feeding (I understand organic nutrients and drip emitters don't jive very well.) and your overall grow maintenance. Some will say the residual 'salt' in your feed line will eventually solidify and clog the emitter, but if you're feeding daily or more so, you shouldn't have an issue. You're basically flushing out the line each time you feed. The advantage of an adjustable emitter allows you to adjust each plant individually so as their needs change you can change with them, regardless of what your other plants may or may not be doing. Otherwise you end up having to feed all your plants the same, regardless if some are ahead or behind the others in terms of their feeding needs. In terms of the open flow; I've always been afraid of the open flow because of the pump I'm using (I'm afraid it might dump too much water too fast. Perhaps if you had a way to adjust your pump pressure an open flow would be ok...many here use this method.) In terms of getting the same amount of water to each plant, just be sure each feed line is the same length, and your pressures and volumes will on average be pretty darn close for each plant.

 

[gr865]

Would like to set up an automated system.
want it to be as simple as possible im sick of hand watering and i dont want to build a system that needs constant maintenance and clogs or has issues.

I Was thinking of grabbing Rain Bird Dripper/Emitter, 1 Gallon Per Hour and running several dozens on and on/off timer ( once i measure )

Would using drippers be a good idea or just using open end of hose with a stake and let it pour freely and just time the running water without a dripper ?


Im thinking drippers because if i do an open ended free running water i was thinking it will give the last plant at the end of the hose less water because it would take time to build pressure so all the watering sites if open ended wont have the same pressure ?

I built this a few grows ago, don't use dripper's, I put a .25" tee inline.
This is a pic from my last grow, it was a monster crop, one plant in a 10 gallon smart pot. I had 9 distributing tees.
You can see the solution coming from the tees.

Now that was on a single plant, I normally grow vertical 5 plants in 2 gallon smart pots with 3 distributing tees per pot.


My DIY manifold, you can see the 5 lines going to the pots and the red .25" tubing making the loop around the plant. Note, each line has a cut off valve (Black quarter turn valve) and a quick disconnect to each plants (the white connector at the right of the pic).
Here in my rez setup.
The lower rez is used to replenish the upper rez, between the two I get about 15 gallons of solution.

Closer view of upper rez.


I had siphoning from the upper rez do to the height of the rez so I up a simple anti-siphon valve on the line to the distribution manifold and problem solved.


This has worked great for me for a number of grows now.

Good luck on you setup.
GR

 

[Major Blazer]

^ I really like that dripper ring idea. I want to try DTW one day and that's perfect - I was having trouble finding good sized drip rings for my 2gal smart pots.

 

[gr865]

^ I really like that dripper ring idea. I want to try DTW one day and that's perfect - I was having trouble finding good sized drip rings for my 2gal smart pots.

Build your own!

 

[projectinfo]

1 gal. sog. I have been hand feeding trays with a bucket but sometimes plants in the back dont get as much water and its just not even watering. After 25+ years of lugging buckets im tired


I guess my only question is emitter or just open flow both on a timer. I Just have doubts open flow would give even pressure to all tables and sites.

i just cut a little v. With a blade. The water dribbles out.

3 inch net pots. Clones in hydroton clay balls. On 2x4 tables. With drain lines going back into res

 

[Black Thumb]

The drippers SUCK ass, some drip some don't.

Im going to cut them off and just use a stake to hold the hose and let it just flow freely and time it.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[OriginalRoots]

Not sure your grow medium. I use a recirculating drip system. To get rid of clogs you need an inline filter. My pump feeds from my reservoir to the inline filter, then to the drip manifold. Super efficient and never clogs. (knock on wood). If you also add a mesh filter onto the end of your drain line, it will catch any bits that would normally get mixed into your reservoir.