Coco SIP how and what to feed?
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xtsho
Well-Known Member
SIP stands for Sub Irrigated Planter meaning it's watered from the bottom using capillary action to pull water/nutrient solution from a reservoir into the grow medium. There is no top watering. I haven't done a sip with coco but I've used blumats which is somewhat similar in that capillary action is used to maintain a consistent moisture content.
If I was going to do bottom irrigation with coco I would do fabric pots on a capillary mat myself.
effexxess
Well-Known Member
Here's a good thread. Describes DIY 5 gallon bucket self watering system.
5 gallon self wicking and monster cropping experiment
I tried a couple of these on a pepper and a tomato plant first. They are flourishing so I took the plunge and transplanted 4 plants into their own self wicking buckets. With the exception of the grandaddy purple they love 'em so far. I think the GDP is getting too much water, leaves are canoing...
www.rollitup.org
xtsho
Well-Known Member
You can always add water from the top but then that defeats the purpose of a SIP. Sub Irrigated means from the bottom.
If you want to water from the top then just use a standard pot which I guess you could still call a SIP if you want. Surface Irrigated Planter.
Hook Daddy
Well-Known Member
I’m running sips now for the first time, so not an expert by any means. I have top watered on occasion when I top dress to feed, then top water some just to get it going. I even mix a little jacks bloom boost in the water I use to top water. I didn’t see any other good way to add nutes. I don’t think adding them direct to the res is a good idea since there’s not a good way to flush salts out and there’s never run off, or minimal at best. So far it is working well, adding about a gallon a day to the res of just plain tap water, then top dressing and watering once a week or so.
Is that what SIP stands for????. Wow who would have ever known.
Thanks hook That’s what i was wondering, if feeding the res is a viable option. I guess flushing the sip out occasionally would be easy enough if it works? (feeding the reservoir). I’m thinking i would much prefer feeding the res I sure do like easy.
Thanks hook That’s what i was wondering, if feeding the res is a viable option. I guess flushing the sip out occasionally would be easy enough if it works? (feeding the reservoir). I’m thinking i would much prefer feeding the res I sure do like easy.
xtsho
Well-Known Member
Well it can stand for other things.
RFC 3261 SIP: Session Initiation Protocol - IETF
Sip - a small amount of liquid taken into the mouth with the lips
SIP "Sustainability in Practice."
SIP "Systematic Investment Plan"
effexxess
Well-Known Member
You mean like these: AC Infinity Self-Watering Fabric Pot Base, 4-Pack
weedstoner420
Well-Known Member
What you're referring to sounds more like a hempy bucket. In my mind, SIP = soil/compost with dry nutrients pre-loaded and top-dressed if required, only water goes in the reservoir and only a small amount of medium is submerged, Hempy bucket = inert medium like perlite or coco coir, with the entire bottom few inches being a "reservoir" that's saturated with nutrient solution.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
A sub irrigated planter would be difficult to "flush", if possible. In my earthbox, there's soil wicks. Too much disturbance I feel would wash the wicks out, like In the case of "flushing". Why not just do dwc? It basically would be the same thing.
DWC is a little further than i want to go right now. I thought about tryin Hempy buckets and most likely will one day. Just thought a coco sip would be fun(and hopefully easy) i guess lol. But yeah the question is i guess is feeding the reservoir in a coco coir SIP (like a hempy bucket) do-able and are there any potential pit falls
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Is it do-able? I'm sure it is. I talked to somebody the other day that does it, but I feel it becomes more like dwc, where the coco is just holding the plant in position, like hydroton.
speedwell68
Well-Known Member
SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)
Sub-irrigated planter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sub-Irrigated Planter 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...
www.rollitup.org
xtsho
Well-Known Member
A capillary mat is different.
Cap Mat Systems | Sustainable Village
Capillary mats are a felt-like material that supplies water by wicking moisture up through the bottom of pots/containers.
GrassBurner
Well-Known Member
If you want easy go with a soil sip. You're gonna get about the same growth rate as coco. There's nothing easy about dwc or similar setups, too much to do. Get some good soil, top dress every couple weeks, and water every 2-3 days. Easy peasy 
pjmac
Active Member
I grow in SIPs. Use soil is my suggestion. Use living soil and probiotics for the best results. If not, my method may be useful until you get there. Or you may like my way and use it
Mine is an 18 qt planter and the res holds ~2 gallons with a 1.5" gap. It's made from file totes. My wick is a 5" net pot. I keep the soil covered with a black trash bag. I fill the res with plain water until the soil stops sucking it up then plant my seed.
Keep in mind that my soil isn't up to the task this way. Living soil is a true SIP (as stated above). Mine is a hybrid without the complications of DWC or top watering. I've dialed it in to where I know that @ about 3 weeks, I need to start feeding. That's usually when the blue looking spots start in between the veins of the fans. I use the AN ph perfect trio from then on. I feed every watering at 8ml/gallon and never flush. No deficiencies or lock out.
Mine is an 18 qt planter and the res holds ~2 gallons with a 1.5" gap. It's made from file totes. My wick is a 5" net pot. I keep the soil covered with a black trash bag. I fill the res with plain water until the soil stops sucking it up then plant my seed.
Keep in mind that my soil isn't up to the task this way. Living soil is a true SIP (as stated above). Mine is a hybrid without the complications of DWC or top watering. I've dialed it in to where I know that @ about 3 weeks, I need to start feeding. That's usually when the blue looking spots start in between the veins of the fans. I use the AN ph perfect trio from then on. I feed every watering at 8ml/gallon and never flush. No deficiencies or lock out.
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
I would save your time and just setup a simple top-feed system with runoff drainage.