damn, that was fast. speed of light. in some foreign countries i've been to, when you are sitting in a line of cars and the light changes to green everybody instantly leans on their horns. i mean so fast that you know that they are poised, ready to go, inches from the button.
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passive plant killer
- Thread starter delta9nxs
- Start date
yes, this would work if you take a piece of the same capillary mat cut to fit and shoved or installed (doesn't "installed" sound more exact than "shoved" even though it may not be?) into the medium about 2" with enough hanging out to insure full contact with the capillary mat. this would positively drain the pwt after each pulse. the capillary adjustment for moisture content is the ability to raise or lower the tray the capillary mat is in contact with.
drawbacks are that you are going to have to do something about controlling algae and there is some thinking that needs to be done about how you would feed the system as the trough for the mat end has to be movable up and down plus maintain the same water level all the time.
compounded by two way flow requirements. a simultaneous pulse onto a group of plants is going to produce a volume of flow downward into the mat that is going to travel back into the trough, which needs to maintain a set level.
maybe a piece of rain gutter with an overflow at the needed level returning to the reservoir and a small continuously operating pump providing just enough flow to maintain the level in the trough or gutter.
the reservoir container could be fed by float valve from an elevated volume tank sized for whatever time frame you need.
for me a better way to approach this is from space limitations, if you have any.
"pulse watering, hand watering, drain to waste, float valve controlled, sub irrigated, what esle? self levitated..."
how did you know? we have a leak, people! goddamnit IF, i told you to at least slide wheels under it or something so people would think it was being supported.
actually, we are involved with it on this level because we are nerds. you don't have to know, understand, or even care about how or why it works, if you don't feel like it.
there is virtually no learning curve if directions are followed. we can take a wino from behind the bus station and turn him into a zen master horticultural guru in about five minutes. which tells you a lot about self-styled horticultural guru zen master's.
yeah, i've thought about writing and marketing a book but stopped when i realized it would only be a pamphlet. with cartoons, of course.
we are trying to simplify and speed up construction. and i think that people building new should just go ahead and use the 1/2" grommet and hose system that has proven to be so reliable in hydro apps over the years.
i use tire valves because i'm a cheap scottish bastard who likes cheap shit. oh boy! a bag of 50 valves for only 12 bucks! then i'll spend 100 man hours of labor on them to make them work.
there are three distinct steps that you can take to ease into this. each step will grow a plant fine and the components are retained at the next level. i'll try to start putting something up on that later today
cheap too!
how did you know? we have a leak, people! goddamnit IF, i told you to at least slide wheels under it or something so people would think it was being supported.
actually, we are involved with it on this level because we are nerds. you don't have to know, understand, or even care about how or why it works, if you don't feel like it.
there is virtually no learning curve if directions are followed. we can take a wino from behind the bus station and turn him into a zen master horticultural guru in about five minutes. which tells you a lot about self-styled horticultural guru zen master's.
yeah, i've thought about writing and marketing a book but stopped when i realized it would only be a pamphlet. with cartoons, of course.
we are trying to simplify and speed up construction. and i think that people building new should just go ahead and use the 1/2" grommet and hose system that has proven to be so reliable in hydro apps over the years.
i use tire valves because i'm a cheap scottish bastard who likes cheap shit. oh boy! a bag of 50 valves for only 12 bucks! then i'll spend 100 man hours of labor on them to make them work.
there are three distinct steps that you can take to ease into this. each step will grow a plant fine and the components are retained at the next level. i'll try to start putting something up on that later today
cheap too!
T
thesloppy
Unfortunately, I have tons of space restrictions: I'm in a 28"x15"x60" cabinet, and trying to maintain some stealth as well, so I try to stay within the confines of the cab. Currently I've got a pair of 14"x14"X3" trays, which each have 9 2-liter bottles acting as pots (I take pride in ghetto DIY/re-purposing), and I just dump water into the trays for feeding, with top-flushes to waste every couple weeks. The trays are on shelving that can be moved up and down, with some space below, which is where I was thinking of stashing a small reservoir, but it's pretty tight underneath...maybe 28"x15"x12".
Thanks for another great breakdown, though. As I figured, it's probably not as simple as I was trying to make it, and magically re-configuring what I've got, in the space available, is probably a near impossibility. A pair of 5 gallon buckets would fit well in the space, which is probably what I'll start working from at some point, but as I said earlier, I think it's the hiccups associated with the switch SoG to vegging/growing larger plants that spooks me at this point, more than the PPK design/experimenting, which I would consider fun.
that's really tight and i personally have zero experience in an area that size. i think you need to talk to our resident cabinet ppk expert, the most patient grower i have ever heard of, Oldone, if we can get him this time of year. he's probably out on the edge of the ice with his harpoon spearing baby seals.
style of growing, large plants, small plants, plant numbers, horizontal or vertical lighting are not relevant to the principles being used here.
D
disciple
D
disciple
those grommets will leak before your ingenious tire valve-latex will. but they probably wont leak
we can also do thru-hull (aka flood&drain) fittings. the hole is drilled out, the threaded end is pushed thru and then the nut is tightened down over the gasket. I use silicone on them as well. BUT SO MUCH WORK!!!
the 1/2" line is really cool b/c the flow is speedy. but the installation sucks. I've got to use a hair dryer to get the hose to seat over the barbs properly. and 1/2" line (at least mine) is way more rigid...
whereas:
the tire valves are so quick to install. drill a hole and snap it in. done. if u have the right size latex tubing it is just pushed on with ease. thats it and it doesn't leak. plus it's more pliable so u can move PPKs around easier
on a new build out I'd maybe consider going 1/2" if I only had, say, (5) PPKs.
the tire valves are the industrial, multi-plant, long term use solution. you build it once and never f**k with it again.
Thanks Delta and all the other contributors. I really appreciate your passion.
R.Fortune
R.Fortune
¨Therefore, aliens! No, that's a different show. Therefore, predictable results.¨
but who gave us the ability to predict the results?
ALIENS! Tonight the new episode was about Da Vinchi btw
So I´ve been thinking about automation again,
Home depot has a $7 GE plug-in digital timer, should be capable of 20 on/off cycles with each lasting 1 minute. In Anti´s thread, Bobble? suggests using a t-fitting and in-line valve before the manifold to adjust the amount of water being delivered during that 1min cycle. This should mix the reservoir up a bit too. Still unsure about what size pump to order, probably a 396gph for around $30.
So lets say you got 20 clones in beer cups, SOG, DTW. Could you somehow deliver equal amounts of water while the inline valve is being adjusted? Looking to get ~100ml a cycle from each 1/4¨ hose. Maybe using -something- like a cap/plug on the end of the tubing where a smaller hole can be drilled and easily cleaned/unclogged? Can´t decide whether or not to have pressure in the manifold/tubing, or use the pump to fill up another bucket/reservoir with the tubing going into the bottom. Then just adjust the in-line valve so a ~gallon gets pumped in, and allow gravity to do the rest (within the next minute~s).
Would probably only feed during the day, with a 1min on/10min pause for lateral movement/1min on pattern every 2-3 hrs.
The in-line valve would have to go on the manifold side with a pump that size
but who gave us the ability to predict the results?
ALIENS! Tonight the new episode was about Da Vinchi btw
So I´ve been thinking about automation again,
Home depot has a $7 GE plug-in digital timer, should be capable of 20 on/off cycles with each lasting 1 minute. In Anti´s thread, Bobble? suggests using a t-fitting and in-line valve before the manifold to adjust the amount of water being delivered during that 1min cycle. This should mix the reservoir up a bit too. Still unsure about what size pump to order, probably a 396gph for around $30.
So lets say you got 20 clones in beer cups, SOG, DTW. Could you somehow deliver equal amounts of water while the inline valve is being adjusted? Looking to get ~100ml a cycle from each 1/4¨ hose. Maybe using -something- like a cap/plug on the end of the tubing where a smaller hole can be drilled and easily cleaned/unclogged? Can´t decide whether or not to have pressure in the manifold/tubing, or use the pump to fill up another bucket/reservoir with the tubing going into the bottom. Then just adjust the in-line valve so a ~gallon gets pumped in, and allow gravity to do the rest (within the next minute~s).
Would probably only feed during the day, with a 1min on/10min pause for lateral movement/1min on pattern every 2-3 hrs.
The in-line valve would have to go on the manifold side with a pump that size
T
thesloppy
Good advice, disciple. This is one of the first methods I gave some thought to, with the catch being that all the rubbermaids/totes I can find that fit my footprint are too small, and will result in me losing a couple of plants from each side, and centralizing my plants in the middle of my cab....which would be fine in a horizontal setup, but I've got a vertical, bare bulb, and that's the opposite of how I want the plants situated.
That is some tech most often associated with Heath Robinson... but DHF, D9, and our Bobble generation are all aware of it...
slops, I drew you a picture. I took a picture of it. Maybe I'll post. But mPPKs are wicked easy. In your space. One trip to home depot/ace/wallmart and you'z done.
I officially view this thread as a SuperThread.
Much like a Superfood the nutrition (information) to shinola ratio is unheard of.
Much like a Superfood the nutrition (information) to shinola ratio is unheard of.
Posted in the vert thread even though it has horizontal as well.
We shall see if the mods let it fly.
I hope all of ya come by and leave a flaming bag full of shinola on my porch, along with your knowledge, insight, concern, questions, and general sarcasm.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=5049692&posted=1#post5049692
We shall see if the mods let it fly.
I hope all of ya come by and leave a flaming bag full of shinola on my porch, along with your knowledge, insight, concern, questions, and general sarcasm.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=5049692&posted=1#post5049692
it would be better though if I could deliver that 100ml ASAP from a simple 1/4" vinyl drip tube, more of a pulse, like how its currently being dumped from a cup. So any guesses on how fast this stream would flow when minimal pressures are involved, Im thinking it will only take 5-10 secs to get that amount? So this would typically require a much more costly timer, but Im already using the cheap GE model for the lighting. This is when the lost ancient alien technology would help.
I do have an idea to get that short duration of flow evenly across the multiple tubes using gravity, while being stuck with that 1 min runtime. The pump would be in a 20gal trash can leading to a 5 gal bucket/manifold located ~1ft above on a shelf. The T-fitting+valve would still be used to divert the majority of the water. The 20 -1/4" tubes, each 5ft long, would enter the bucket at the same height-about 3/4 the way up (just drill, angle cut +pull = sealed well enough?). Another 1/4¨tube near the bottom so it can fully drain each time, but it might require another valve/larger pipe here for adjustments. The pump will turn on for 1min each time, and if I can adjust the diverter valve slightly (and it doesnt change position over time), the water will only cover the feed tubes during the last 5-10 secs. Any chance this will work?
EDIT - cant decide whether to go with vinyl or poly 1/4"tubing? poly seems safer/stable, but stiffer so it might not bend/seal as well
dam surface tension/air bubbles may be an issue after a quick test with air-line. Bubbles stayed in the line after the bucket fully drained and it took a second or two after refilling to ´push´ them out. The line does seem to fully drain when both ends have angle cuts and the height difference is more than 1ft though
I do have an idea to get that short duration of flow evenly across the multiple tubes using gravity, while being stuck with that 1 min runtime. The pump would be in a 20gal trash can leading to a 5 gal bucket/manifold located ~1ft above on a shelf. The T-fitting+valve would still be used to divert the majority of the water. The 20 -1/4" tubes, each 5ft long, would enter the bucket at the same height-about 3/4 the way up (just drill, angle cut +pull = sealed well enough?). Another 1/4¨tube near the bottom so it can fully drain each time, but it might require another valve/larger pipe here for adjustments. The pump will turn on for 1min each time, and if I can adjust the diverter valve slightly (and it doesnt change position over time), the water will only cover the feed tubes during the last 5-10 secs. Any chance this will work?
EDIT - cant decide whether to go with vinyl or poly 1/4"tubing? poly seems safer/stable, but stiffer so it might not bend/seal as well
dam surface tension/air bubbles may be an issue after a quick test with air-line. Bubbles stayed in the line after the bucket fully drained and it took a second or two after refilling to ´push´ them out. The line does seem to fully drain when both ends have angle cuts and the height difference is more than 1ft though
All my connections are made with black latex tubing.
Tire valve-latex-polytube
The manifold has tubing-latex-tubing.
In the future I could imagine some aero nerd will have a pressurized tank with a solenoid to the top feed of every bucket with some specific timed interval of so many ml release all powered off a 12v deep cycle battery.
was worried vinyl might offgas indoors, chose this poly tubing instead
Netafirm WHITE (PE) Tubing 0.16¨ID $7 for 100ft
Reflective white tubing is completely opaque to prevent algae growth, solid white for long term durabilty (not coated or layered white) producing COOLER water temperatures
Some parts of the tubing wont be shaded, and although they shouldnt have any water left in them between cycles, when less bacteria growth was mentioned - I couldnt say no. Pump wont arrive for a week though
Netafirm WHITE (PE) Tubing 0.16¨ID $7 for 100ft
Reflective white tubing is completely opaque to prevent algae growth, solid white for long term durabilty (not coated or layered white) producing COOLER water temperatures
Some parts of the tubing wont be shaded, and although they shouldnt have any water left in them between cycles, when less bacteria growth was mentioned - I couldnt say no. Pump wont arrive for a week though
This is from Antis thread stickied in the vert section.
Just wanted to share because I also have had great results with increased humidiy.
A solid 33% increase in yield.
Snook
Still Learning
VPD... I'm just getting it down.. 77F / 70%RH.. a weener. See Urban Garden Magazine, here: http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/07/plantworks-part-1-humidity-and-vapor-pressure-deficit/ , not that teh PPK didn have something to do with a great yield (for me) 2 >SSSDH = 12z/each, dry, 1 >SSSDH = 6oz dry and one F13= 6oz dry.. I'm amazed at this total, 34oz dry, 4 plants, 600w to 1200w hps (2x600w, stacked, naked. but a clone of that SSSDH that produced only 6oz, is enormous and will probably run the same 12zs or more.in a friends grow.. sameysamey F13..
here are some piccs of the tail pieces from them, the F13 was the dark wick, the sssdh was the other discolored wick and the two clean/cler ones produced the 12z/ea. when first taken out of the pot (top bucket) it was bright purple, now dark purple.. I have no clue why. all 4 tail piece had what looked like a giant dreadloc in it (roots andmedia). all else was the same.. I will say that the F13 smells/tastes nothing like it did previously but still killer. Any ideas?
here are some piccs of the tail pieces from them, the F13 was the dark wick, the sssdh was the other discolored wick and the two clean/cler ones produced the 12z/ea. when first taken out of the pot (top bucket) it was bright purple, now dark purple.. I have no clue why. all 4 tail piece had what looked like a giant dreadloc in it (roots andmedia). all else was the same.. I will say that the F13 smells/tastes nothing like it did previously but still killer. Any ideas?
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disciple
