I figured it's a good idea to post this here. Thanks to
@Humanrob and
@SomeGuy and
@hyroot for the help and inspiration.
People ask about SIP rez size frequently. I've been working with these 18gal rezzes using a homemade ROLS mix for a whole cycle, and they did great, even with no airstones!
Here's what I got in 'em:
4" perforated drain pipe
4" drain pipe end plug that fits on the end of the drain pipe pieces
3.5" hole saw
18gal rubbermaid roughneck container and lid (6 of these fit comfortably in a 4x4 apollo tent as two rows of 3, and you can get 7 in if you stuff them in a 2-3-2 |
=| config)
2' lengths of 2" dia sch40 PVC pipe
2-1/2" hole saw
7gal root pouch cloth pot with handles (did 5gal last time, and it was fine but 7gal is better)
Drill your two holes through the lid. The pot hole is dead center, but try to be strategic about the fill pipe location - you want these to be easy to get to for watering because it's hard to move 150lbs of SIP in the middle of flower. This is especially important in a tent. When drilling the holes, go slow and steady or you'll make a mess.
Expand your 4" perforated drain pipe, and cut its length about 2 nodes above the edge of the container with the lid on. You're going to want this to be long enough to stick up into your cloth pot on one end, while resting comfortably on the bottom of the rez at the other end.
Use scissors to make a cuts down those first 2 nodes around one interior end of your drain pipe, and use your thumbs to dimple the other end for your wick bottom cap. When you affix the cap, don't leave big gaps between it and the dimpled pipe. The other crinkle-cut end will fit up through the bottom of the lid.
Make sure to clean everything, even if it's brand new. Spray your gear with tapwater and scrub with a clean cloth. You can even use a mild detergent like Bronner's or something, just make sure to rinse a bunch.
Let 'em dry out fully. Here in the desert, it doesn't take long.
Take your 7gal pots, poke a hole in the middle, and use scissors to cut a small 3" +. This is where you'll fit the crinkle-cut end of the drain pipe. Don't make the + too big.
Put that end of the drain pipe through the bottom of the bag. It should be a snug fit, pushing the ribbed flaps up through the cloth pot's + opening. You want your pipe fitting tightly into both the lid and the bottom of the pot so that, if you use supplemental teas from the top, it doesn't drain much down into your rez and sour it.
Fit the lid and pot assembly down on top of the rez. Be easy, as the ribbed pipe can bend if forced, so make sure it's not too long before you clamp the lid down. You want the pipe hanging straight down, so the end is resting comfortably against the bottom of the rez. Fill this pipe with coco to a mound at the top. Don't knock the bottom cap off or spill your coco into the rez - fill gently and take your time. It's worth doing right the first time.
Here are a few that took 30min to clean, cut and assemble one morning:
The last thing is to transplant your ladies, add water to within about 1-2" of the bottom of the lid (about 15-16 gal of water) and then add a plastic cover on the top around the stem to make the pot wick. It's critical to transplant, add water to nearly (but not quite) the top of the rez, then add a little water to wet the soil in the cloth pots - but not enough to drain out the bottom/sides of the cloth pot. Add slowly and surely from the top of the soil. Water down the white fill pipes can be added as quickly as you want, just make sure to look down them to prevent overfilling. I used filtered tap water, but RO would be best.
You'll also want to cut plastic evaporation barriers for the sides of the pots. I use 3mil clear plastic, and cut it into 48" x 10-11" strips for the sides, and a rough 12" x 12" circle for the tops. It's important to provide these evap barriers for proper wicking here in the desert, especially the top, but see what works for you and your garden. Lots of people use bucket lids and such.
This is what my SIPs looked like in use at day 49F: