Ah okay I see. Thanks for clearing up my misunderstanding. Is that to do with having sufficient pressure to ‘service’ all the lines?
A few things that I've learned about growing in coco with a drip systm DTW
- Thread starter Hundred Gram Oz
- Start date
Ah okay I see. Thanks for clearing up my misunderstanding. Is that to do with having sufficient pressure to ‘service’ all the lines?
p0opstlnksal0t
Active member
I've got 32 sites and a 1.5" header that loops around the whole room and back to the res. I pinch off the return valve about 3/4 shut. I'm using a 3100 gph pump. This pump has been perfect. It quickly presurizes the main header and feed's each plant site almost identically. I designed the header so that it would accomplish this. It's sloped back to there's so the header doesn't stay full of water baking in the grow room.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00489Q0VM?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00489Q0VM?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd
Miraculous Meds
Well-known member
400gph would do well for that size manifold. I run up to 32 1/4" tubes, with 1/2" manifold, for my top feed 3x6 table.
epicseeds
Member
Sorry what do you mean by a valve exactly? Can you link to me a picture or explanation please?
Sorry what do you mean by a valve exactly? Can you link to me a picture or explanation please?
its a simple shutoff ball valve that goes between the pump and the manifold... to regulate pressure and flow... sometimes each feed line will need them to even out the flow....
Trich_Tyson
Active member
I only feed 12 pots unregulated off my pump which i believe is a 730 gph bottom draw magdrive.... its enough... not enough pressure for my my dramm 1000 water breaker on a 25 foot hose.. but the 1000gph can keep up with that..
now.. don't quote me on this, but if you can find jackmayoffer's post on his drip manifold system, i believe he used a sprinkler timer and/or some sort of relay to feed groups.. i think the timer had separate lines, that in your case would feed 16 plants for a minute (or whatever time), then switch over to another line feeding the other 16.. again don't quote me on it, but i believe that was part of his system and would allow you to run fewer and/or smaller pumps.
If you want to get pro about it, use a Toro Evolution Ag sprinkler controller to split your garden into zones using sprinkler solenoids. I use a similar setup to feed 14 zones from 3 different reservoirs / nutrient mixes using one pump (Leader 1HP).
Bwanabud
Active member
Correct, the valve must go on the outlet side of the pump...or it starves the pump of water...and can burn it's azz up. On the outlet side the pump gets all the water it wants(to supply to piping, or to cool motor), and you can fine tune the total gph rating/timer run time to perfection(amount of pots, size of pots, head pressure static).
Just stopping by to bump this awesome thread.....we have been rocking a variation of this technique for a while now and just absolutely kill it. Regularly getting 2.5 per table...a few times bumped up to 3. We run between 6 and 8 per table in 6" pots, drip 5 times a cycle (lights on). Running Canna Coco A&B with a bloom booster and a lil epsom salt. Can not speak highly enough about the system and the results. Once you figure out how to not overwater the coco, its game on! Best of luck everyone!
Does the toro evolution let you asign each zone separately as in minutes apart on the same program?.I have a basic orbit 4 zone controller and the only way that i can seperate zone 1 from zone 2 say like 5 minutes apart is to put em on a different program.As it stands zone 2 kicks on as soon as the 1st one stops.
Sort of... The EvoAg lets you set up up to 3 separate 'looping' schedules (A, B, and C) that can each have their own start time, end time, on time, and off time. You can add any valve to a schedule and it will follow that schedule's rules. When a schedule executes it fires off each valve one at a time in order according to the rules until it's done. Schedules can run concurrently.
A simple example is two separate rezs to two separate destinations with completely different timings. Schedule A controls the inputs (rezs), Schedule B controls veg output, and Schedule C controls flower output. Veg and flower can both have multiple zones.
That’s how the Orbit controller operates.Solenoids power up one at a time Simultaneously.It would be awesome to be able to have a 30 second delay per zone at the same program.
ThaMagnificent
Member
I want to get into drip but don't know where to start. Is it better to convert my existing flood tables into drip or try a floraflex all in one kit?
If you have flood tables ur way ahead of the game..
Just buy some 1/2” poly.. some 1/4” poly some t’s and elbows and of u want to have more control some 1/2” ball valves and some 1/4” ball valves
Run a rectangle (manifold) with the 1/2” poly around the outside of ur flood table
Set up with a 1/4” poly line to each plant..(make sure the 1/4” lines are all the same size)
That’s basically it.
There is a great diy thread here on ic
If u googleico’s manifold it should bring you to the thread
Just buy some 1/2” poly.. some 1/4” poly some t’s and elbows and of u want to have more control some 1/2” ball valves and some 1/4” ball valves
Run a rectangle (manifold) with the 1/2” poly around the outside of ur flood table
Set up with a 1/4” poly line to each plant..(make sure the 1/4” lines are all the same size)
That’s basically it.
There is a great diy thread here on ic
If u google
ico’s manifold it should bring you to the threadMiraculous Meds
Well-known member
Mowood took care of ya. I copy picos ideas too. I like open 1/4" lines, so theres never clogs. Also level manifold, and equal 1/4" tubes to each site, and watering is equal. Id add a by pass valve or anti siphon valve. or with the 1/2" raindrip for manifold line, I usually just plug a 1/4" barbed connector into it, inside the res, so it can shoot into the res, mixing and adding oxygen, but also breaking the siphon, so the plants don't get overwatered once the pump turns off the cycle. You can use pvc manifolds or whatever you want. The trick to open ended tubes with no drip emiters (to avoid clogs and high pressure/high wattage pumps), is the level manifold n equal 1/4" lines to each plant site.
Ive bought a few of the flora flex components. They are fine, but overpriced for what they are. I bought the large ones for 7 gallon pots, and the hole made for the plant wasn't close to big enough for my plants. lol
ThaMagnificent
Member
If you have flood tables ur way ahead of the game..
Just buy some 1/2” poly.. some 1/4” poly some t’s and elbows and of u want to have more control some 1/2” ball valves and some 1/4” ball valves
Run a rectangle (manifold) with the 1/2” poly around the outside of ur flood table
Set up with a 1/4” poly line to each plant..(make sure the 1/4” lines are all the same size)
That’s basically it.
There is a great diy thread here on ic
If u google
Is the square manifold made out of tubing or pvc pipe? I think another member on here (Apenous?) has a similar design with pvc
also saw this on ebay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bay-Hydro-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
I do the manifold with 1/2” poly (not pvc).. just cause it’s easier to work with..
and miraculous meds is right about the need for an anti siphon valve.. (I just use a 1/4” barb just inside the Rez) u’ll want that or u’ll drain ur entire Rez the first time ur pump shuts off.
and miraculous meds is right about the need for an anti siphon valve.. (I just use a 1/4” barb just inside the Rez) u’ll want that or u’ll drain ur entire Rez the first time ur pump shuts off.
I also quit using drip emitters ( no need for them and they only clog ). I just run 1/4” open ended lines (or I’ll throw a 1/4” ball valve on the end if I need to adjust flow a bit..
