Need advice on feed system

Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
I'm setting up a hydro type automatic feed system for my soil grow. I've ordered a pump, hoses, fittings, ect. I'm planning on using a plastic tote for my resivour. Do I need a air bubbler and air stone? Also I'm hand feeding twice a week as per my feed chart. Can I just add nutes and adjust to proper ppm in res, I'm assuming. Any input is greatly appreciated
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
you'd be better off buying a small water pump, some tubing and some 90's and make a small waterfall in your res. adds DO and keeps your nutes mixed up too.
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
you'd be better off buying a small water pump, some tubing and some 90's and make a small waterfall in your res. adds DO and keeps your nutes mixed up too.
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That's a good idea. But if it's always flowing, how do I control the pots being fed at specific times
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Mroutdoors said:
That's a good idea. But if it's always flowing, how do I control the pots being fed at specific times
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i do auto watering hempy buckets. i have a 6 outlet manifold on a bigger water pump that i have a digital timer on to control feedings. the smaller circulation pump runs 24/7
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
Oh, 2 pumps. I'm kinda stoned at the moment. I guess that would be better for keeping it mixed up. How high do you keep your ppms
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Mroutdoors said:
Oh, 2 pumps. I'm kinda stoned at the moment. I guess that would be better for keeping it mixed up. How high do you keep your ppms
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not to be a smart ass, but i let my plants tell me where they like the EC/ppm at. right now, i'm running at 0.5EC (250ppm roughly) and they are in there 2 week of 12/12. i've never been above 1.2EC (600ppm)
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
No offense taken bro. I'm on my first grow and I've been going off my soil feed chart from FF. So far so good. As I get more experience I'll be better at seeing what's best. Plus so far I've only fed every other water . So I was thinking every other, compared to every time would equal half strength
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Mroutdoors said:
No offense taken bro. I'm on my first grow and I've been going off my soil feed chart from FF. So far so good. As I get more experience I'll be better at seeing what's best. Plus so far I've only fed every other water . So I was thinking every other, compared to every time would equal half strength
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soil you "should" be able to run much higher ppms than my hydro setup. i think most dirt growers do something like water, feed, water, feed etc. which sounds like what you are doing. keep on keeping on!!
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
if they seem healthy now, just cut your feed in half and water/feed every day instead of water, feed, water feed
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info. I'm trying to get it set up so I can leave them alone for short periods of time while I'm away
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
I'm gone once a month for 4 to 5 days. So a auto watering system will be great. Plus as they are filling up my tent they are a pain in the ass to water
 
Mroutdoors

Mroutdoors

Well-Known Member
Maybe some day I'll be comfortable enough to go to all hydro. But for now it seems soil is way simpler IMO. I'm sure I'll try it all some time or another
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
that's why i like hempy buckets. run them like hydro but they can't be overwatered.

i went away from rdwc/dwc just because i do go out of town and they need to be babysat alot.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Mroutdoors said:
I'll have to look into hempy buckets. I'm in five gallon buckets with drain holes drilled in bottom. Not the best containers
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you are so close! 5 gal bucket with a 7/16" hole 2 inches up from the bottom as a drain. i use growstones as my medium. there's a hempy bucket!!
 
im4satori

im4satori

Well-Known Member
well in this case I might recommend you try feeding EC 1.0 or 1.2 and not ramp up to the high EC some soil guys do

those guys feeding plain water everyother so they leach the nutes out every other watering

in your case you want to dose nutes with every watering.. so you just need to find the EC that works in your set up without causing accumulation in the medium

when your plants are set to water take a sample from the run off that comes from under the pot

if the waste water leaving the pot EC is higher than the feed water ...lower the EC

on the other hand.. if your feeding ph of 6.5 and the water exiting the pot is 8.0 your EC is to low


Originally Posted by OldPhart
Basic cheat sheet:
Ec goes up, PH goes down=plants require less nutes.
Ec goes down, PH goes up=Plants require more nutes
Ec stable, PH goes up=Equilibrium=Good thang.
 
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