Diary World's First Wilma Auto Hempy!!

[StickyBandit]

I don't know if it actually is but it's a catchy title it's probably been done many times before
Much of the credit (if this works) goes to @HEMPY who took the time to run me through his method, cheers bud
I already had the Wilma system (any bin with a lid will do) so it was a small step to where it is now

I had 4x spare Ghost Train Haze clones ready to go

I'm trying 10L buckets this round and placing a sieve with the handle cut off in the bottom with the feeder tube sitting against it
It has the usual 10mm hole about 50mm from the bottom and is filled just above it with perlite then topped off with coco that was hydrated with Mills Basis Nutes 1.0EC 6.2pH. Will feed 1.5EC once they take properly
Not sure how often to run the pump but I'll try daily and work it out as I go
The 4x4 tent has just finished a round of Holy Grail Kush so it's the perfect spot to try this

 

[Creeperpark]

I love your setup friend. It's very interesting to watch you work. Thanks for sharing your work with us. I'm going to ride with you for a while.

 

[StickyBandit]

I love your setup friend. It's very interesting to watch you work. Thanks for sharing your work with us. I'm going to ride with you for a while.

Thanks for the kind words Creeper, I appreciate the interest

 

[StickyBandit]

It's been a week now and nothing has been touched! This could be the best unattended grow system ever
Check out the growth, and that includes a settling period!

 

[JanKowalski]

Interesting set up Sticky!

 

[StickyBandit]

7 days later....
End of week 2 totally unattended and nutrients NOT topped up!
I bent a few branches gently yesterday to give better coverage but apart from that I've only looked.
I'll be topping up the water today although if I had filled it to the top from the start I might have gotten another week, and I might throw a net over it rather than pruning, so easy, I'm feeling lazier already!
With the addition of a float valve and large res I think it would go well over a month but it would be a complete jungle! As it is it's nearly time to flip
The water timer runs 15 mins daily (the minimum for this type) which does a 99.9% flush
I'm looking at the cheapest/easiest way to convert the rest of my room

Edit: Added 50L rainwater, Mills Basis nutes 1.0EC 6.1pH

 

[blondie]

Looking great!

 

[JanKowalski]

When i was growing in similar hempy containers, just hand watering once a day, with little runoff, the results were similar. I found little annoying collecting water at the bottom everytime, here the best of both.
Bullet proof

 

[Desert Dan]

I don't know if it actually is but it's a catchy title it's probably been done many times before
Much of the credit (if this works) goes to @HEMPY who took the time to run me through his method, cheers bud
I already had the Wilma system (any bin with a lid will do) so it was a small step to where it is now

I had 4x spare Ghost Train Haze clones ready to go

I'm trying 10L buckets this round and placing a sieve with the handle cut off in the bottom with the feeder tube sitting against it
It has the usual 10mm hole about 50mm from the bottom and is filled just above it with perlite then topped off with coco that was hydrated with Mills Basis Nutes 1.0EC 6.2pH. Will feed 1.5EC once they take properly
Not sure how often to run the pump but I'll try daily and work it out as I go
The 4x4 tent has just finished a round of Holy Grail Kush so it's the perfect spot to try this

View attachment 18939655 View attachment 18939656 View attachment 18939657 View attachment 18939658 View attachment 18939659

Very nice! Runoff drains back to the res? How often do you plan on changing it out?

-DD

 

[StickyBandit]

Very nice! Runoff drains back to the res? How often do you plan on changing it out?

-DD

Thanks Dan
I don't change it out exactly, I wait till it's low then top up 50L. I want to see if that works ok before making more work for myself, that's my modus operandi, to make the laziest indoor grow ever

 

[Creeperpark]

Thanks Dan
I don't change it out exactly, I wait till it's low then top up 50L. I want to see if that works ok before making more work for myself, that's my modus operandi, to make the laziest indoor grow ever

I love your set-up friend thanks for sharing. If you change your nutrients completely you will have an improved Cation exchange capacity. The plants will grow better with a complete nutrient ratio. As the nutrients get used up the nutrients can get depleted.

 

[StickyBandit]

I love your set-up friend thanks for sharing. If you change your nutrients completely you will have an improved Cation exchange capacity. The plants will grow better with a complete nutrient ratio. As the nutrients get used up the nutrients can get depleted.

We're coming into a bit of a drought and are on tank water... Ah! who am I kidding. I'm just too lazy
I do appreciate the advice though and if I see any serious problems I may yet do a change
The Mills Basis AB is a start to finish balance and I actually wondered whether the P-K nutrients left behind during the veg cycle will contribute to boosting the buds toward the end or just balance overall so this is something I'd like to test. Every process I can cut out is one step closer to making this the laziest grow on earth

 

[Prs2xs]

Hello Sticky-Could you tell me where to find out how to build one of these systems? I currently am forced to do my grows by "remote control" due to my employment keeping me away from home for 4-5 days per week. This looks like a new possibility, without me having to monitor by webcam and operating pumps remotely!
Thanks!

 

[StickyBandit]

Hello Sticky-Could you tell me where to find out how to build one of these systems? I currently am forced to do my grows by "remote control" due to my employment keeping me away from home for 4-5 days per week. This looks like a new possibility, without me having to monitor by webcam and operating pumps remotely!
Thanks!

I can give you the basic information. The base is a Wilma or Origin system which you can look up on line, maybe youtube. The one I have has about a 60L reservoir and is 900x900 in a 1200x1200 tent. For a much cheaper option you can instead use a fish bin with lid and a pump inside and sit 2 x 10L hempy buckets on top. I also run an air-stone in the res because it just makes sense!
It's nearly 2am here but I can maybe do a full build tutorial some time if you like?
Have a look through this thread https://www.icmag.com/threads/recirculating-shallow-water-culture.18125600/ from @alpo who peaked my interest in this type of system a while back
Since then I've tried a few ideas and settled on this combined with the bottom fed hempy because there are no drippers to clog up, it can't back siphon and it can't be overwatered easily because it has an overflow hole. Maybe I could document a cheap DIY one if you have any more questions

 

[Airloom]

I can give you the basic information. The base is a Wilma or Origin system which you can look up on line, maybe youtube. The one I have has about a 60L reservoir and is 900x900. For a much cheaper option you can instead use a fish bin with lid and a pump inside and sit 2 x 10L hempy buckets on top. I also run an air-stone in the res because it just makes sense!
It's nearly 2am here but I can maybe do a full build tutorial some time if you like?
Have a look through this thread https://www.icmag.com/threads/recirculating-shallow-water-culture.18125600/ form @alpo who peaked my interest in this type of system a while back
Since then I've tried a few ideas and settled on this combined with the bottom fed hempy because there are no drippers to clog up and it can't be overwatered easily because it has an overflow hole. Maybe I could document a cheap DIY one if you have any more questions

I’ll be setting up once I find an approved grow space


Fascinating

 

[StickyBandit]

21 days in
Probably needs water in a day or two. It's been quite warm here, said 33°c in the car today and it's a little humid
I might flip tomorrow and throw a net over it if I can muster the energy
There are some fungus gnats feeding on the roots so health is not perfect but they're still growing well
I think 15 min/day is to long for watering or I need to drill more drain holes to stop the level rising or open the return valve a little to slow the flow, you get the idea. I do like this style timer for reliability so will probably go for more drain holes so they get a good flush

 

[Airloom]

There are some fungus gnats feeding on the roots

I lost my 3 year old GDP solo cup bonsai plants to those buggers.

I have used mosquito dunks in the past.

I’m pretty sure someone here posted they used Microbe-Lift BMC. It’s a liquid suspension of the same strain in the dunks (BTI) that was developed for koi ponds I think. It’s available on Amazon and is very easy to use just needs to be refrigerated. Has to be applied in low light and watered in afterwards not to runoff. It does work in my experience. In soil mediums I learned from an extension service that placing a 1/2” slice of potato on the surface weekly can be a great way to monitor the presence/population of larvae in your soil. THAT tip really lowers the anxiety and the need for those annoying sticky traps…just my experience in soil.

I think they’re deceptive but deadly if not taken seriously

Great looking plants dude

 

[StickyBandit]

I lost my 3 year old GDP solo cup bonsai plants to those buggers.

I have used mosquito dunks in the past.

I’m pretty sure someone here posted they used Microbe-Lift BMC. It’s a liquid suspension of the same strain in the dunks (BTI) that was developed for koi ponds I think. It’s available on Amazon and is very easy to use just needs to be refrigerated. Has to be applied in low light and watered in afterwards not to runoff. It does work in my experience. In soil mediums I learned from an extension service that placing a 1/2” slice of potato on the surface weekly can be a great way to monitor the presence/population of larvae in your soil. THAT tip really lowers the anxiety and the need for those annoying sticky traps…just my experience in soil.

I think they’re deceptive but deadly if not taken seriously

Great looking plants dude

Thanks for the advice bud
While they're in the veg phase I'll use an auto timer kitchen spray unit to blitz them. No mucking around! I've tried all the BTI but it's good for control but not eradication ime. We have loads of them and it's continual so it's not a big deal to me

 

[Prs2xs]

I can give you the basic information. The base is a Wilma or Origin system which you can look up on line, maybe youtube. The one I have has about a 60L reservoir and is 900x900 in a 1200x1200 tent. For a much cheaper option you can instead use a fish bin with lid and a pump inside and sit 2 x 10L hempy buckets on top. I also run an air-stone in the res because it just makes sense!
It's nearly 2am here but I can maybe do a full build tutorial some time if you like?
Have a look through this thread https://www.icmag.com/threads/recirculating-shallow-water-culture.18125600/ from @alpo who peaked my interest in this type of system a while back
Since then I've tried a few ideas and settled on this combined with the bottom fed hempy because there are no drippers to clog up, it can't back siphon and it can't be overwatered easily because it has an overflow hole. Maybe I could document a cheap DIY one if you have any more questions

Thanks for the info Sticky-sorry for the late response, been out of town working! (thats why I need a good automated system!}

 

[StickyBandit]

Thanks for the info Sticky-sorry for the late response, been out of town working! (thats why I need a good automated system!}

I've been getting about 10 days on a water currently but I'm trying to dial it in a little now, I think 15 mins is a bit long, maybe 2 mins would be about right or run every second day, but that's all part of the learning, the idea seems sound
It could probably go longer unattended with 3 or 4 waterings a week