Looking for some Insight w/ Drip Irigation

[EmpireCC]

I just set up my drip irrigation system to water my plants in coco.

Currently in veg but will be switching to flower in about one week.

As of right now I plan to begin watering 2 hrs after lights come on and stopping any type of water atleast 2 hour prior to light out.

Equipment I’m currently using:

1. 800gph Vivosun pump
2. 1/2 pvc pipe to manifold
3. 3 - 8 port manifolds (1/4” line)
4. Floraflex matrix 3” drip rings (w/o pads)


This is my first time running a drip system so I’m looking for a little help the following:

1. How long I should run the water for?
2. How many times per day?
3. What kind of timer should I use?(one that potentially does second intervals?)

 

[Creeperpark]

I don't understand why no one is answering your post maybe because no one has the experience. Maybe someone will come around Today.

 

[Creeperpark]

Try the indoor grow hydro section in Cannabis growing forum and see if someone can help you there.

 

[StickyBandit]

Maybe @LouDog420 will help you out. He gets some fantastic results. If you get a chance have a look through his grows

LouDog's LED Lounge

Well, here we are IC. Hopefully some friendly faces are still around and pop into say hi. There was a LouDog's Lounge about a decade ago, but we're moving into the 21st century with the new LEDs... So welcome to LouDog's LED Lounge. I've been mucking around on IG and Overgrow for the past...

www.icmag.com

 

[LouDog420]

Check this post and the one two down by me for relevant info

LouDog's LED Lounge

Here is a great police song for you bud. If you don’t have Spotify look up Corey Smith Fuck the po po on YouTube. I all but guarantee you will enjoy! Good luck on your new run! Fungus Knats have decided they will do everything they can to ruin my current run. It’s back and fourth daily and I...

www.icmag.com

Specifically on your questions:
1) 1%-4% shots by total pot volume (hard to do unless you're running pressure compensating emitters)
2) as many times as needed to saturate and runoff. I'm normally between 4 to 8 times daily depending on plant size and growth period
3) I daisy chain two timers, one for hours and another for minutes/seconds. Info at the link above

Hope this helps,
LD

 

[Dime]

I just set up my drip irrigation system to water my plants in coco.

Currently in veg but will be switching to flower in about one week.

As of right now I plan to begin watering 2 hrs after lights come on and stopping any type of water atleast 2 hour prior to light out.

Equipment I’m currently using:

1. 800gph Vivosun pump
2. 1/2 pvc pipe to manifold
3. 3 - 8 port manifolds (1/4” line)
4. Floraflex matrix 3” drip rings (w/o pads)


This is my first time running a drip system so I’m looking for a little help the following:

1. How long I should run the water for?
2. How many times per day?
3. What kind of timer should I use?(one that potentially does second intervals?)

I ran constant drip for years 24/7.

 

[Ca++]

I just set up my drip irrigation system to water my plants in coco.

Currently in veg but will be switching to flower in about one week.

As of right now I plan to begin watering 2 hrs after lights come on and stopping any type of water atleast 2 hour prior to light out.

Equipment I’m currently using:

1. 800gph Vivosun pump
2. 1/2 pvc pipe to manifold
3. 3 - 8 port manifolds (1/4” line)
4. Floraflex matrix 3” drip rings (w/o pads)


This is my first time running a drip system so I’m looking for a little help the following:

1. How long I should run the water for?
2. How many times per day?
3. What kind of timer should I use?(one that potentially does second intervals?)

800gph isn't a useful pump spec. You won't be putting a bath full of water through in 3 minutes. It's just not relevant. Pumps for drip systems are primarily interested in pressure. Generally a bar, because most emitters are rated to do their output with a bar or pressure in the pipes. There are limited emitters rated at half a bar.
A Bar can also be called 15psi or 10 meters of head.

Truth is, most pumps fail miserably, and your drip rings probably don't warrant the description. As a pairing, nobody will be able to calculate run time. Even if we did know the size of the pots and other such necessities.

What I can say about run time, is run until run-off. That's the most basic way of looking at things. Some should come out the bottom.

How many times per day, is when they are ready for a drink. You don't avoid the ends of the day, or even the night. They get it when they are ready. If you use 40L of coco per meter, that is probably one a day. Once they are filling the space. However if they are not touching, that 40L might last 2 days. If they are just nursery sized, the 40L might hold too much water and run out of oxygen before it's gone.
Many coco growers run small pots for multiple fertigations per day. With just 15L of coco per meter, you might need 3 a day. Perhaps a 4th in the night.

From a science led prospective, you should know how much water your system delivers in the 1 minute interval your timer likely provides. Then you know what they drink per day, and can divide it up. Keeping in mind they drink at half the speed with the lights out. They don't stop. They just go twice as long between feeds. Though your results will vary. Timing how long it takes until runoff, in terms of water used, is something considered throughout.

As an example, I might be on 3 a day, of 3 mins each. As they get bigger, I need 3.5 then 4 mins each time. At 4.5 minutes until runoff, I know they had been really quite dry. I have to start putting in more than 13.5L and this means moving from 3 a day, to 4 a day. 4 a day of 3.5 mins to get runoff. Then I need 4 mins. Then i need 4.5mins. Which means I was as dry as my system wants to get. So I much give more than 18 mins, and that means 5 a day.
At 3 a day, you can do just before lights on, 6 hours later, 6 hours later, then almost 12 of dark till the next.
At 4 a day, you start needing one in the night. It's every 4.5 hours lights on, and 9 hours lights out.
At 5 a day, you are looking at every 4 hours lights on, and every 8 lights off.
You need to really see what is working, as outside influences change.


There is a notion of near constant drip. Where the coco is said to offer enough air, even when soaked. Perhaps some course coco does. Coco peat likes to dry back though. Cannabis on the whole likes some dry-back. Water until runoff, then wait until the coco is about as dry as store bought compost before watering again.