Johnny Chimpo
Member
Thanks for the pic NF...I was curious...think I have some laying around I wanted to use for a wick cloner. 
JC
JC
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automatic plant watering system
- Thread starter bongman1221
- Start date
HighonPottery
Member
i tried the wick system once. i personally wouldn't rely on it for a whole grow, but it is a good idea for vacationing. i ended up using the wicks you use in a tiki torch. they are made of fine nylon fibers and then wrapped in a thicker mesh. i found packs of replacement wicks at a dollar store. i think you could use the rope pictured above, but the torch wicks are fairly rigid and can easily be pushed through a hole in your pot. for more money you could go with the smartvalve or one of those really fancy houseplant watering systems that do like a dozen pots.
G
Guest
HighonPottery said:
I think the loose rope works best.
There's more to it than just the capillary action. The deep seeking water roots of the plant actually start to follow the rope to the rezzy. These roots are OK to to be exposed to light and air. They are not like the sensitive feeder roots.
There is a very interesting write up in the latest issue of Skunk Magazine with pics. This system concept is not new to me. I just never considered it for more than outdoor crops. It will work excellent for my mothers which I have to drive 2.5 hours each way to water every third day. I can go with automation but I don't trust mechanics and power for a week at a time but this is absolutely fail safe once you figure out the small details like water levers in the rezzy and the size of rope.
Also, you don't just simply stick the wick in the drain holes
you cut lengths that will fit in one hole and out the other and reach the bottom of the rezzy. 2 ropes for 4 holes. They pass solid under the root mass like an "X".
There is no over watering with this system...ever.
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HighonPottery
Member
i think northernfarmer is on the right track with his rope going through one hole to the other. i like that idea. with the wicks i tried out, i drilled a hole the size of it and pushed it up into the soil like 2-3" for contact. i never had any problems with the wick system. i only tried it once, and i may go back to it if i ever go somewhere for more than the span of two waterings. i also tried out one of those "green genius" watering units. i actually bought it to water my bonsai plants during the summer. it is a little battery operated pump with 8 hoses. you can set the frequency as well as volume to pump out. it sits nicely in a gallon jug and also comes with a metal clip brace for a bucket. i think i bought it for like $30. i dont have any pics of it, but you can google it.
2buds
Active member
Probably more than you want to tackle but I use Brute trash cans for reservoirs, a diaphragm on demand type pump capable of running dry(found her humming a few times and still working) with built in PSI cut-off, a sprinkler timer and sprinkler valves for watering plants at set amounts and times. Lots of PVC plumbiing and drip irrigation heads with dripper lines in all pots. A little pricey to build but works like a charm. Been using it almost 2 years. Peace
rastagrass
Member
go to home depot and they have a drip system with everything except a pump for 10 bucks. then all you need is a brass fitting that connects from your pump to your waterline.
Hey check this out, I made it a bit ago. Automatic watering system, made it for about 20-30 $$. Pretty easy.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=77793
GrassArt
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=77793
GrassArt
the very best thing for wicking is capillary matting which you can get from any half decent garden supply place-not a growshop although they will likely have it too but you will get it at a "Straight" garden centre for sure.... you can sit it in a tray and have the end of the mat in a res, wet the mat with a jug to get the capillary action going, put the end of the mat in the res and put ur pots on top-it is vitally important for this system that the media in the pots makes contact with the mat so either use bottomless pots or have some half inch wide wick strips going inside the drain holes and the pot standing on them, with the strips between the mat and pot and the end of the strips leading into the drainholes and touching the media.... or you can cut strips for the normal wick system method enering the bottom of the pot and hanging in a res
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