DIY moisture detector

[raggyb]

How are going to estimate the weight of the plant as it grows, constantly shifting position?

Great question! Thank you! Some of the plant's weight come from nutrients it takes out of the soil. For that part the total weight is the same. But you're right because more importantly the amount of water that is retained in the plant accounts for much of the weight, and some H and O and light energy are be converted into non water plant matter.

Doing some estimates. I could pick a whole mature plant and weigh when dry to estimate non water weight. I haven't done that so I'll take a guess and say it's a pound. A pound is about a sixteen oz or 2 cups of water. So if I changed nothing, it's going to say it's watering time when there is still a cup of water in the soil. That's not that much left for a big plant, and since I only look once a day it could have been like that for a while and might actually have drank the last 2 cups in that time.

I don't think I can lift a pot with a big plant in it and tell a 2 cup weight difference so I'm still a go on this.

 

[raggyb]

and root ball weight?

Good point. Gotta include the rootball in that dry weight.

 

[WordzyBoii]

You should patent this before the dutch green houses steal your idea.

 

[raggyb]

Not to mention I could add top dress and do add nutes. So some real challenges here.

 

[blake9999]

Too many variables to re-calculate as the plant grows. A one foot tall plant will weigh drastically different then a four foot tall plant. Just the extra amount of moisture in the new growth will change over time, and the rootball as others have stated. I hate to say this but your invention is going to be a FAIL. Good try though. I personally would go with one of those cheep probes you just stick in they soil and read.

 

[raggyb]

eh, comments I ran across say the cheap probes don't work well. I'll try this and see how it goes. I don't think adjusting the balance from time to time is as hard as you think.

 

[xtsho]

Stick your finger in the soil. Works every time.

 

[raggyb]

Stick your finger in the soil. Works every time.

Ha! I do like the price of that method. And more accurate than lifting in my case. But I'm hoping for something better than my finger. Like, you don't know what you don't know, you know? More tools to try to understand what's happening with the plant. I'm a so so gardener and I have to fall back on the basic scientific method. It's part sifting through opinions, and two parts trial and error. To try to become a better grower, but on the cheap my friends.
See you in church

 

[Midnight Warrior]

eh, comments I ran across say the cheap probes don't work well. I'll try this and see how it goes. I don't think adjusting the balance from time to time is as hard as you think.

Like any tool, you have to know how to use it. Look at the BlueLab Combo Meter Plus, does PH in soil and water, Tds, EC, pretty much just about everything, except for photon, will need a separate meter for that

 

[1212ham]

Step 1.

View attachment 4207027
Weighed a pot with a typical amount of dry soil in it to get an estimate.

I had a pot on an old shipping scale. The digital readout was on top of the tent.

 

[vostok]

no account for the increase in volume, mass or increasing weight factor? even x 1.5 is better than zero

those Chinese water probes are cheap shit they are just as effective as this noobs ideas

lift the pot or be dammed

nice try if growing Cacti..?

good luck

 

[raggyb]

no account for the increase in volume, mass or increasing weight factor? even x 1.5 is better than zero

those Chinese water probes are cheap shit they are just as effective as this noobs ideas

lift the pot or be dammed

nice try if growing Cacti..?

good luck

Increase by a larger factor is easy. But if you think the factor was zero that's dumb. Zero times any number is zero.

 

[raggyb]

I had a pot on an old shipping scale. The digital readout was on top of the tent.

good idea for like one really big plant!

 

[Galwaith]

Nutrients are taken in at a micro level, how would you be able to tell how much nutrients were taken by the plant between the containers soil, the roots, or the plant itself? You would have to know the chemical weight of the 3 primary nutrients and also the chemical weights of micros. Plus you also have gaseous break down and decomposition of the soil. Which isn't necessarily taken in by the plant itself but is broken down into salts and what not.

 

[OldMedUser]

Just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it SHOULD be done.

This is one of those things.

 

[raggyb]

Nutrients are taken in at a micro level, how would you be able to tell how much nutrients were taken by the plant between the containers soil, the roots, or the plant itself? You would have to know the chemical weight of the 3 primary nutrients and also the chemical weights of micros. Plus you also have gaseous break down and decomposition of the soil. Which isn't necessarily taken in by the plant itself but is broken down into salts and what not.

@ALl y'all basically this is exactly like lifting the pot, but only better HAHAHAHAHA. @Galwaith I'll grant you gasoff from the soil would cause error, and runoff with soil particles. But that is negligible. And it's still better than lifting the pot. And it doesn't matter if the soil or roots or leaves make it mass, you're weighing the total. Most of the variable mass is water. What are we, 98% water?

If you weigh your pot, you have more information. That's how you learn. If you had a scale under every pot you'd learn even more. But if you just want to learn with your arms or your dongs or whatever then fine, stick your dongs in there to see if it's wet!

 

[Galwaith]

@ALl y'all basically this is exactly like lifting the pot, but only better HAHAHAHAHA. @Galwaith I'll grant you gasoff from the soil would cause error, and runoff with soil particles. But that is negligible. And it's still better than lifting the pot. And it doesn't matter if the soil or roots or leaves make it mass, you're weighing the total. Most of the variable mass is water. What are we, 98% water?

If you weigh your pot, you have more information. That's how you learn. If you had a scale under every pot you'd learn even more. But if you just want to learn with your arms or your dongs or whatever then fine, stick your dongs in there to see if it's wet!

I'm just going to leave this here and laugh my ass off... No one insulted you, no one denigrated you to deserve that response. If putting a scale under your pots makes you feel like a scientific genius, by all means, you go for it!

However, unless you're able to measure the weight of your pots on a micro and macro scale, the only thing you're weighing is soil, water and plant material, without any consistency, information, data, or ANYTHING about weights and measures of the things you're adding to the pot.

How much did the water weigh before you added it? do you add the same exact amount everytime?

Weighing your pot does nothing, it just tells you what the entire mass weighs...

YOU probably don't even know how much the fucking POT itself weighs..

You want people's input on your idea and then insult them when you don't like their input.
SO figure it ouy on your own, go ahead and keep playing genius, your plants, your waste of life, your waste of time.

 

[raggyb]

Oh my god, funny man. You better ease up on the dope, dope.