The Guerrilla irrigation thread: Automatic systems, selfwatering planters and more!

[Lazyman]

I'd recommend the Tropf BLumat autowaterers, as each plant would get/use exactly as much water as it needs, with no pumps or timers, just gravity fed. Check this site out for more info:http://www.blumat.at/automatic-watering-system.php#bltropf

I just set up 60 of them in my veg room (indoors) and have another 100 for flower. After 3 days of use I'm hooked, regardless of the plant size every one has a perfect amount of moisture. My reservoirs top themselves off daily, and each string of plants has it's own manifold (3/4" poly hose) with blumats plugged into it. Very simple, but at $5/valve not exactly cheap. You can feed through the line as well, I do recommend salt-based nutes instead of organics to avoid clogging the little 3mmOD line.

 

[brah]

nice read

 

[Endur]

Gravity Feed Drip Irrigation?

Gravity Feed Drip Irrigation?

what's up fellows.
I am In the process of making my list of supplies for this years Guerrilla Outdoor. I am looking for some good ideas for my water lines.
This is how my setup is.
I have a natural spring, that flows all year. I located a good size pond, that's sitting on bedrock, and stuck my 3/4 polly hose in the pond. It runs down the creek about 100 yards, then cuts away from the creek another 100 or so yards. It goes to a good size opening, close to 100 X 75 foot. I then have a off/on ball valve on the end to the 3/4 line, which reduces down to 1/2 polly tube. The 1/2 line is then ran in lengths of 75 foot on an incline. I then run 1/4 lines to each plant, with a 1/2 gallon drip emitter. This system is all gravity feed. Only problems is that i need to figure a way for the 3/4 line that sits in the spring to not get clogged. I have a screen over it but it get plugged with algae/ small leaf particles. and the other problem is the animals chewing the lines.
This worked fairly good last season, but i needed to go visit the spot every 7-10 days.
I'm looking to not visit so much this year, but still make it work. I would appreciate any pointers/ or suggestions, or if you need any additional info.
Thanks A Bunch...
ENDUR

Last years grow.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=2771606#post2771606

 

[.clunk]

what's up fellows.
I am In the process of making my list of supplies for this years Guerrilla Outdoor. I am looking for some good ideas for my water lines.

I checked out the link in your post, great looking grow, very similiar to my setup although I think you had better results! I've used a gravity assisted drip-system for a few years now and while I'm still learning I might be able to provide a bit of help.

The easiest/most reliable intake that I have seen made is from a small piece of PVC pipe, around a foot long and maybe 6" diameter with two end caps and a connector of some sort to plug your 3/4" line into. Using a hole saw you can drill as many 1" diameter holes in the PVC as possible (leaving the end caps untouched though), then cover it with fine window/bug screen mesh from the hardware store and use zip ties to hold it all together, what you're left with is a cylinder with holes covered in mesh..you should have a good mental image by now. More holes to take water in=less chance of getting plugged..even if one is plugged another might be fine. If your intake is just going to be sitting on the bottom of the spring, maybe just drill the holes on one side so there are no holes on the bottom where it would be resting on the gunky soil in the bottom of the spring.
I think that regardless of the setup you'll likely still have to clean the intake out once and a while and probably purge the lines on occasion too. You could probably get better filtration by using the above mentioned intake then covering it with an athletic sock too, this should keep out alot of fine particles but might restrict flow a bit too-experiment with it and see if it'll work for you.

A couple other things you can do to make life easier:
-use larger (2gph) emitters, the holes aren't as small so they don't get plugged as easily.
-use cleanable flag-type emitters, if you do need to clean them out they are easy to work with.
-use an inline filter of some kind at the junction of 3/4 to 1/2 inch pipe; this is probably where alot of gunk is getting trapped and causing problems. The only problem with the filter is that it will reduce pressure (or require more pressure than you might have to work properly). If you're running the water line a long distance downhill or down a steep bank you'll probably have enough pressure but it's still something to consider.
-if the lines are being chewed then the only way to get around that is to bury them, although I guess it depends on what kind of animals you're dealing with. Last year I had massive problems with a bear chewing the lines; I didn't bury the line and paid the price dearly. A friend who I sometimes help out with work had buried his lines where possible and covered the rest with rocks and logs and brush but left a 10ft section exposed. Wouldn't you know that the bear went straight for the exposed section and caused him some serious problems. Also, brand new waterline has more plasticky smell and is more enticing for animals to check out. After a couple years of use the line will lose it's "freshness" and not be as interesting to critters.


After reading through your thread again, I'm just wondering what the spacing on all those plants was? They look pretty tight but still had enough room to grow; would you plant this close together again or try for a bit more elbow room?

 

[Endur]

Thanks so much .clunk,
I know exactly what your are talking about, with that type of filter. I think your insight will make it a lot easier for me this year. Thanks again man. I will get all the supplies needed, and I might show a how to in a few weeks.

(Quote) After reading through your thread again, I'm just wondering what the spacing on all those plants was? They look pretty tight but still had enough room to grow; would you plant this close together again or try for a bit more elbow room?

I'll probably not do them so crowded. I kinda got a late start last season, so i didn't think they would get as big as they did. I also used 100 clones. But with my seed grows, i always plant a little more than double .
I have another spot scouted out. It looks promising, more sun. so less plants.
peace.
ENDUR

 

[.clunk]

Sounds good ENDUR, I'd like to see some photo's as you get things together too. I'm piecing materials and devices together for this season and I'll hopefully be posting pics as everything comes together so hopefully other people can learn from me and I can continue to learn from all you guys.

 

[microgram]

Jocbear: Look up some batteries from some local hardware stores, then google for the manufacturers information. For a 5AH bump, almost any battery 30$+ will do the job.
These Batteries are over kill for what you need, but it's a good price point. They're 12V 20AH and good for most pumps for short durations. (half hour-1 hour)

Anyone can easily make a collapsible rain barrel, all you need is about 40-50$ in rubber (cheaper at wholesalers of course), a tap and some rubber cement. Or you can do what some guys do with the 20 trash cans daisy chained, expensive though, hard to hike in and not very stealthy.

 

[Endur]

Guerrilla irrigation Filter

Guerrilla irrigation Filter

Here is my D.Y.I Guerrilla irrigation Filter. I picked up all supplies from a local Home Improvement Super Store.
The materials are as follow,
1) 4'' Septic leech line (came in 10' length so i had a sales associate cut it in half for me).
1) 3/4'' PVC pipe

2) 4'' PVC end caps

1) 3/4 PVC slip/male threaded adapter

1) 3/4 PVC slip/female threaded adapter

1) 3/4 PVC slip/ to 3/4 barbed adapter for 3/4 polly hose

1) tube of Kwik Seal

1) package of Sediment Shield

2-3) 10'' Zip ties (sorry forgot to get pics)

first step
I cut a section of the 4 inch leech line to 16'' in length.

I then drilled more holes around the entire 16'' section.
I used a razor blade to help clean up the spurs, caused by drilling the extra holes.

2nd,
I then cut a 4'' inch section of the 3/4 PVC pipe.

3rd,
I now drilled a hole a little bigger than 3/4 in one of the end caps.

4th,
I then slipped the 3/4 slip/male threaded adapter through the end cap, and then threaded the male adapter to the female adapter.
I then connected the 4'' inch PVC pipe to the end of the slip/male threaded adapter and the 3/4 barbed adapter and sealed it up with the Kwik Seal.
should look something like this

5th,
I let the kwik Seal cure over night. I put everything together, and it should look like this

Lastly,
I cut a piece of the Sediment Screen large enough to wrap around the 4'' leech pipe, and then secure it with the 3) Zip ties.
I will get a few pictures up tomorrow, when completed.
If anyone has any questions, comments are appreciated.

I will keep you posted how this works out.
peace
ENDUR

 

[Endur]

Completed Filter.....

 

[.clunk]

nice, that's exactly it! Hopefully it works out well for you.

 

[jocbear]

Thanks for the info Micro. Thought i was gonna need something with a lot more juice, you probably just saved me $150...thanks brother!

 

[nugga-boo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XukGlLa135s

Showing my 22gallon tote + toro water timer + 50feet poly 1/2inch

 

[BCGG]

Good stuff BackCountry.

I was thinking of using inflatable
kiddie pool for a res for next year .
That way it can be deflated and carried
in and out of the field easily. Then again
it could be easily punctured by curious or thirsty
wildlife. better than a tarp tho.

Great diagram and pictures.

 

[gaiusmarius]

superb thread, really helps to give some ideas for guerrilla watering systems. thanks guys for sharing your methods, big ups for sharing your irrigation tricks here Backcountry.

 

[statefarmguy]

use a float valve in the res that feed yur plants from an other res fed from the creek ...

thats a really good idea.. less traffic + rep 4 u myfreind

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

What are the maximum number of plants this system could feed?

 

[Junkhead]

Thank god It rains where I'm from. This is just more stuff for them to find.

 

[Smoke_A_Lot]

*BUMP*

Could any one help a brother out? Any one have experience with this system and the number of plants it will take care of?

 

[DirtEhandZ]

Love this thread

 

[GEMiNi GENETiCS]

Great thread BC!! Thanks for paving the way and putting so much info out here for the rest of us.

I am looking to install a low pressure gravity fed drip system and looking to bounce some ideas around and see some different ideas off some guys that have real world experience

plot is a gulch style field running East to West about 150' away from a year round stream
between tree line and a 30' berm.. .. 12-18 plants will be in mounds

Head Pressure:H*.433 .. .. H=25' ... 11PSI

(2) 32-gal res' with one set to constantly top off the lower res
25-30' head height
30' of 3/4" poly from res to a toro zero pressure timer
40' of 1/2" poly into middle of plot then T off into 2 60' lengths
1/4" poly lines off 1/2" to plants split to 2 drippers per plant

**not sure if I should use 1/2gph or 1gph drippers for consistent pressure from beginning to end**

OR

(2) 32-gal res' with one set to constantly top off the lower res
25-30' head height
30' of 3/4" poly from res to a toro zero pressure timer
40' 1/2" poly to middle of plot T off into 40' lengths
1 drip manifold at the end of each 1/2" poly line
1/4" poly line from manifolds to each plant .. .. I like these manifolds cause you can swap out individual barbs from .5gph-2+gph as the season progress'

Any guys with real world guerrilla gravity fed irrigation like either idea? I figure 1gal per plant every other day which will give me 10days between re-fills..just unsure of how efficiently the water will be delivered to the plants on flat ground with pressure under 15psi.

Will have a few inline filters so don't worry about sediment and drippers

Will be using a PVC Hand Pump