bobblehead makes a drip system for plants of varying sizes...

bobblehead · Jul 13, 2011

Hey guys! I've received some feedback from my friends here on ic that assembling a drip system seems like a daunting task. Really it's the opposite, and I"m going to show you just how easy it is.

Supplies used:
1/2" tubing
1/2" elbows
1/2" "T" to connect the pump
1/4" tubing
1/4" "T's"
1/4" micro inline shut-off valves
drip stakes
EDIT: I was told to insert a 1/4" elbow in the feed line just above the top of the water in the res, so that some water get squirted back down into the res. That will break the siphon, and add dissolved oxygen.

Tools:
scissors
something pokey to make a hole in the 1/2" tubing... I drill with a small bit is good, or just a knife... It's not difficult to puncture.

First thing's first, you have to make your manifold. This is just a rectangle made from 1/2" tubing. The water pump will connect to this, so you just insert a 1/2" T and plug in the water...

Then you make a small hole in the 1/2" tubing, and insert a 1/4" T.

Then you just attach the drip lines, with micro inline shut-off valves and drip stakes on the end.

and repeat the process as many times as you need.

All that's left to do is put the plants back in.

I turn all the valves off when I stick them in the pot. Then when I hook up the water, I will go to each plant and open the valve just enough to let the right amount of water out, w/e that is for the particular size pot. I'll do several short feedings throughout the day using a digital timer.

megayields · Jul 13, 2011

ok this is the most informative thread on how easy it is to build a drip system, where were you 6 months ago when I almost flooded my basement with my attempt at a drip-system lol.

Thank you bobble!

Hundred Gram Oz · Jul 13, 2011

Cool thread man, how often do you feed? Do you have an inline tap at all? I had to install one on my system to get the water pressure perfect. Drip systems are so handy.

bobblehead · Jul 14, 2011

Yeah I have an inline tap with a 1/2" T, I just forgot to take a picture of it. You just cut the 1/2" tubing and insert the T, and connect the pump... I'll add a picture a little later.

I don't know how often I feed cause I just put it together today... but I'm thinking several 1 minute increments...

laylow · Jul 14, 2011

HGO You stoner... i looked at the pic's and thought the same questions as you then looked back and theres the answers lmao... :smoky:

7 times a day..

nice one bobble looks easy, what you got a per second timer?..as in you can break the times down to as little as a second...

man its late im stoned i need to go to bed....

bobblehead · Jul 14, 2011

I still have to buy a new timer... but a standard digital timer has like 8 settings that can be as short as a minute... So I'm thinking I'll start with 3-4 1 minute feeds a few hours apart and go from there.

MIway · Jul 14, 2011

When do you sleep man?

Going to be interesting around your parts the next few months... new pods, new round, new seeds, watering system... didn't you have an advanced degree in there... plus building your first ultralight & learning to read in braille... and you said something about a competition. Fuck, I'm worn out just thinking about all your projects!!! ;-)) Balls to the wall man!

bobblehead · Jul 14, 2011

MIway said:
When do you sleep man?

Going to be interesting around your parts the next few months... new pods, new round, new seeds, watering system... didn't you have an advanced degree in there... plus building your first ultralight & learning to read in braille... and you said something about a competition. Fuck, I'm worn out just thinking about all your projects!!! ;-)) Balls to the wall man!

sleep is for the dead... I get lots of weed naps though. lol

~Shhh~ · Jul 14, 2011

Nice addition with the valve controllers, love a good drip system!

Kroggi · Jul 15, 2011

Nice thread Bobble

Nice and simple instead of all the loop explanation. Easy to understand, and pictures almost speaks for them selfs.

About the timer, u could use one of those USB, PC sockets ? Like a USB programable multi socket, that way u can break it down to a second if i remember right

Looks kinda like this:

EDIT: Correction, it says: Time interval between the events – from 1 minute to 180 days;

bobblehead · Jul 15, 2011

Ok, if you haven't figured out how to get the water into the manifold yet... I have the pictures you're looking for.

You just cut the manifold, and insert a 1/2" T. EDIT: You can just remove that elbow on the corner, and use a "T" instead... silly stoner...

AOD2012 · Jul 15, 2011

pretty sweet. so right now bobble, are all those pots in your veg tent staying pretty moist all the time? got my drip system set up all good for the flower room, still gotta work out the veg cab.

you arent watering to runoff since your using dripclean right? just need to see how often to water and what not. take it easy homey.

aod

bobblehead · Jul 15, 2011

Well I'm still getting it dialed in... and I should have used aquarium silicone around the 1/4" T's to prevent any leaks...

But yeah, the idea is to minimize the runoff... and keep them moist but not soaked around the clock.

I have to look at picking up some 55gal drums... so far the only guy to answer said he needed me to purchase a minimum of 10, and I was like yeah right...

Big Tree · Jul 16, 2011

great post

great post

Thanks for the info, great post. As for the 55 gal black plastic drums, my hydro guy has them new for 45 bucks and they have 2 screw in ports on a removable cover with a steel band lock ring. Check around locally as there out there.

Hundred Gram Oz · Jul 20, 2011

Drip systems are the shit! That's what I love about coco, it can perform like soil or a hydroponic medium depending on what you want. The plants in coco can be forced to take in a hell of a lot more feed than in soil, plus auto watering just makes life so much easier.

Yeah laylow I still can't see that LOL, I'm a bit stoned though. Bob do you ever have any problems with water syphoning to the plants after the pump turns off? I had this problem last run when the rez was above the plants.

bobblehead · Jul 20, 2011

Hundred Gram Oz said:
Drip systems are the shit! That's what I love about coco, it can perform like soil or a hydroponic medium depending on what you want. The plants in coco can be forced to take in a hell of a lot more feed than in soil, plus auto watering just makes life so much easier.

Yeah laylow I still can't see that LOL, I'm a bit stoned though. Bob do you ever have any problems with water syphoning to the plants after the pump turns off? I had this problem last run when the rez was above the plants.

I haven't had any siphoning yet... but it's not air-tight either. I have all sorts of little leaks... I'm going to redo the manifold and use silicon... then maybe I'll have a siphoning problem. lol :laughing:

laylow · Jul 20, 2011

few little drips here and there in the veg tent wont hurt water will evaporate creating a lill more humidity

bobblehead · Jul 25, 2011

I did have a siphoning issue while I was gone... I only had a 20gal res set up though, so no big deal...

I was told to insert a 1/4" elbow in the feed line just above the top of the water in the res, so that some water get squirted back down into the res. That will break the siphon, and add dissolved oxygen.

Groseph · Jul 26, 2011

Exactly... you need a spot above the water line in your reservoir to allow air to suck in and break the siphon.

You should really edit your initial post to include this as I can see many following your instructions while not reading the rest of the thread and ending up with a big wet mess on their hands.

The barb which allows some water to squirt back into your reservoir is a MUST! It is not optional unless you plan to have your reservoir at a lower position then where your plants will be.

-Gro

Pakrat · Jul 26, 2011

bobblehead, nice job. Neat.

bobblehead makes a drip system for plants of varying sizes...

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