Grow Mediums How hard to change Autopots over to a drip line system?

[St. Tom]

Until I figure out a recovery system, I'm still stuck with sucking out the run-off. Kind of makes me want to water/feed less, lol. I just recently tried to germ 4 CDLCs for a quick run in fabirc pots, but only 1 germinated. I'm thinking maybe I need to let a seed warm up for awhile, instead of just taking it out the fridge & dropping it in water for 16 - 24 hours. That's the only thing I can think of as I've had trouble germing seeds from the same 10 pack. I really hate it with seeds being so expensive anymore! Anyways, I dropped a Grape Crinkle seed & planted it last last night. Once it gets big enough I'm going to try & adapt the res. I found some 3/8 to 1/4 inch adapters & I'm going to see what happens after I add some 1/4 inch soaker hose. If you want to follow along the links are in my siggy.

Bro I was just thinking why you have never been on cultivators or have you to save u buying seeds also I've never stored my seeds in a fridge just in an airtight container so maybe letting them get room temp but I'm unsure if that will help also I will follow from ya sig

 

[Need4Weed]

Bro I was just thinking why you have never been on cultivators

It's usually a timing issue for me & sometimes I get behind on updates. Like right now I need to update my grow that's nearing finish. Think I'll do that as soon as I catch up on my notifications.

 

[Zaaboot]

I'm considering gravity watering for my little outdoor vegetable garden ; I just had a 1000l tank installed at a height of 1,40m, which should be good for added gravity pressure. I'm yet to find the right system to work with that. Will follow your post and maybe it will give me some ideas

Try the Tropf Blumats - that is what I have started using, a little fidgety to start but once right, you just add water. With that much pressure buy the pressure reducer as well and you are good to go. Essentially a gravity fed system, but requires low pressure, it feeds the plants based on the moisture of the soil with clay carrots

 

[JP1]

Here's my drip setup with parts and price list

Grow Room - Drip setup with parts list and prices

This has 2 drippers for each pot but easily customizable Here's the pump. $23 Here's the timer $18 All the other parts are from drip depot 1/2in poly tubing 50ft $12 1/4in poly tubing 50ft $4 1/2in elbows to run tubing to pump in res 5pack $2 1/2in end cap $0.88 1/4in barbed coupling 10 pack...

www.autoflower.org

 

[Need4Weed]

I thought I would update this thread to let everyone know that yes, it can be done!

As it turns out, 1/4 inch tubing will fit fairly tight into the black AutoPot tubing. By inserting a brass fitting into the smaller tube, you can then use a clamp and tighten the fuk out of it. I did 2 pots this way and I did get a leak at the junction pictured, but it was an easy fix with a nut driver. I'm guessing that this could be adapted to 4 pots if you went to 1 emitter for each pot. I did use a smaller pump, Amazon product and an inline filter, Amazon product and believe it or not, I got it all contained within the reservoir. So instead of the pump lifting the nutrient solution to the top of the res, it flows right out the grommet at the bottom. I also learned that you can get pressure fittings that work on the AutoPot tubing. I used 2x elbows, one inside the res, and the other on the outside before the cutoff valve. It will even work at a trickle without the pump on and that's why I installed the cuttoff valve to close off the flow. My res is full right now, so I can't get a picture of the setup, but the pump sets side ways in the res with 90 degreee hose fitting where it connects to the inline filter. Then using adapters, I was able to get it down to a barbed fitting that would fit the AutoPot tubing. I than cut the tubing at the middle of the res and added a 90 degree pressure fitting. There's even room for a small agitator to keep the nutes mixed up. It only takes about 2 minutes to get run off after you turn the pump on, so at the moment it's working great!

 

[Need4Weed]

Here's a diagram I created with my meager puter ability!

 

[DCLXVI]

Strong work rigging that up!

 

[JP1]

I thought I would update this thread to let everyone know that yes, it can be done!
View attachment 1557420

As it turns out, 1/4 inch tubing will fit fairly tight into the black AutoPot tubing. By inserting a brass fitting into the smaller tube, you can then use a clamp and tighten the fuk out of it. I did 2 pots this way and I did get a leak at the junction pictured, but it was an easy fix with a nut driver. I'm guessing that this could be adapted to 4 pots if you went to 1 emitter for each pot. I did use a smaller pump, Amazon product and an inline filter, Amazon product and believe it or not, I got it all contained within the reservoir. So instead of the pump lifting the nutrient solution to the top of the res, it flows right out the grommet at the bottom. I also learned that you can get pressure fittings that work on the AutoPot tubing. I used 2x elbows, one inside the res, and the other on the outside before the cutoff valve. It will even work at a trickle without the pump on and that's why I installed the cuttoff valve to close off the flow. My res is full right now, so I can't get a picture of the setup, but the pump sets side ways in the res with 90 degreee hose fitting where it connects to the inline filter. Then using adapters, I was able to get it down to a barbed fitting that would fit the AutoPot tubing. I than cut the tubing at the middle of the res and added a 90 degree pressure fitting. There's even room for a small agitator to keep the nutes mixed up. It only takes about 2 minutes to get run off after you turn the pump on, so at the moment it's working great!

Keep an eye on that water lever in the rez. I tried something very similar to this and the water level in the rez would keep slowly dropping until it got down to the level of the drippers because of gravity and syphoning effect and I had a couple of floods until I figured it out. Solution ended up being putting a wider rez on the floor below plant level so it doesn't suck it out, or a check valve if you can manage to find one that fits

 

[Need4Weed]

Strong work rigging that up!

Thanks for the kind words, but it took about 10 trips to the hardware store, (guesstimate $50 for fuel), and approximately $100 in parts. So I think a smarter man could have done it for less time and money!

Keep an eye on that water lever in the rez. I tried something very similar to this and the water level in the rez would keep slowly dropping until it got down to the level of the drippers because of gravity and syphoning effect and I had a couple of floods until I figured it out. Solution ended up being putting a wider rez on the floor below plant level so it doesn't suck it out, or a check valve if you can manage to find one that fits

I'm using the old cutoff valve from the AutoPots, so no trouble so far! Thanks for your input and if it does flood, I hope it happens where the tubing is over the big drain pan I put in at the start of this grow!