SIP Club - Getting Hydro/Coco Results In A Soil Based Medium

[Ke0ncp]

Man loving these SIP pics. Always did love a good sip pic!! Hahaha

Here are my current SIPs

Family photo Day 73 and day 45 of flower

• Ke0ncp
• Apr 23, 2024

WG flower Day 73 and day 45 of flower

• Ke0ncp
• Apr 23, 2024

Watermelon Day 73 and day 45 of flower

• Ke0ncp
• Apr 23, 2024

Banner Day 73 and day 45 of flower

• Ke0ncp
• Apr 23, 2024

 

[Bode]

Highya Ke,

Love those very frosty fat buds!! They're looking very happy and well-cared for. Nice job!! Happy Smokin'

 

[g-one-three]

I tried my hand at building a SIP bucket. I am using the GroBucket inserts but needed another so I'm making one. Does this pot for the wicking foot look alright?

 

[Azimuth]

Looks good as long as it extends to the bottom of the second bucket (or close to it).

 

[AKZ]

Hi all and thanks for contributing to this thread. I am wrapping up my first SIP grow using FFHF soil with Grobuckets and aside from some self-induced excess nutrient and light issues the size of the plants were uniformly larger than soil with fabric pots from the previous grow. I'm sold on SIPs.

I plan to use Promix HP, Grow Dots, and Recharge with autos for the upcoming grow. I swear @Carcass mentioned it previously, but do you recommend mixing the Promix HP with perlite, and if so in what proportion? My memory seems to pull 40% perlite, but I can't recall if that was with the Promix HP.

I plan to do the standard 15 grams of Grow Dots per gallon of Promix HP, so about 60 grams losing a gallon to the reservoir. These plants will be outdoors with a fabric cover for the buckets and a modified lid to retain moisture higher in the bucket. They will be up on a deck with decent airflow.

Besides the perlite ratio and pest control any good tricks or things to keep an eye on specifically?

I appreciate any insight you all can share.

 

[Carcass]

I swear @Carcass mentioned it previously, but do you recommend mixing the Promix HP with perlite, and if so in what proportion?

Hi, AKZ, and welcome to 420!
Yes, I did add perlite to my ProMix one time, just because I had a little to use up...I don't usually add any though- I figure those ProMix guys seem to know their stuff, so I use it just like they produce it, and it works great...I also haven't pH'd anything since I got that bale of ProMix, and that right there is enough of a reason for me to stick with it..
One thing about the Grow Dots- they crap out about 50 days after activation, so you'll need to figure what nutes you're going to finish her up with...
Good Luck, and have fun!

 

[Olddog Newtrick]

Hi all and thanks for contributing to this thread. I am wrapping up my first SIP grow using FFHF soil with Grobuckets and aside from some self-induced excess nutrient and light issues the size of the plants were uniformly larger than soil with fabric pots from the previous grow. I'm sold on SIPs.

I plan to use Promix HP, Grow Dots, and Recharge with autos for the upcoming grow. I swear @Carcass mentioned it previously, but do you recommend mixing the Promix HP with perlite, and if so in what proportion? My memory seems to pull 40% perlite, but I can't recall if that was with the Promix HP.

I plan to do the standard 15 grams of Grow Dots per gallon of Promix HP, so about 60 grams losing a gallon to the reservoir. These plants will be outdoors with a fabric cover for the buckets and a modified lid to retain moisture higher in the bucket. They will be up on a deck with decent airflow.

Besides the perlite ratio and pest control any good tricks or things to keep an eye on specifically?

I appreciate any insight you all can share.

When I inquired about the perlite, I was told it wasn’t necessary and not recommended in the wick foot. I packed my wick foot firmly and added about 15% perlite to my fox farms ocean forest (which has some perlite already)
I don’t know anything about premix though.

 

[Blumentalist]

Hello all, I’ve been following this thread for a while now. Been off the grid for a while due to a house fire. Finally got things back together and starting to grow again. Just wanted to drop a picture of my new little ladies.

 

[Carcass]

Finally got things back together and starting to grow again.

Damn, you're up and running big time!
That looks great, glad you're back at it

 

[AKZ]

Thanks for the response Carcass. That info is helpful, particularly with the lifespan on the Grow Dots. My current plan would be to finish with the FF Tiger Bloom I have left over from the previous grow.

I appreciate folks weighing in.

 

[Azimuth]

Hey @AKZ and @Blumentalist. Welcome to The Club!

Glad you've found the SIP structure worthwhile. I know I'm unlikely to grow in any other type of container from here on they really are that good.

 

[Blumentalist]

Hey @AKZ and @Blumentalist. Welcome to The Club!

Glad you've found the SIP structure worthwhile. I know I'm unlikely to grow in any other type of container from here on they really are that good.

I really like the concept, and so far the plants are coming along pretty good. Even looking to make some mini sips for seedlings

 

[Azimuth]

I really like the concept, and so far the plants are coming along pretty good. Even looking to make some mini sips for seedlings

Check out my design post on page 2 of this thread if you're looking for ideas.

 

[Fenderbender]

Hey @AKZ and @Blumentalist. Welcome to The Club!

Glad you've found the SIP structure worthwhile. I know I'm unlikely to grow in any other type of container from here on they really are that good.

I'm doing my first fabric pot grow again after 5-6 ? SIP runs
I'm kinda still looking for the right feed with the SIPS.. in the fabric pot I can use up my Biocanna nutes which I kinda really like as they are very simple to use and not a lot of components and I don't need to ph as when I've added the nutes to the water in the right ratio and I measure I am where I need to be, they work great in a pot BUT they are not great for the SIPs as they are not meant to go into a reservoir or sit in water for days and even when you top dress them they tend to make a smelly and slimy reservoir, smells like dead sealife on the shore, not nice.

I don't like the synthetics, they do work but that silts out like crazy and requires flushes.
So yeah I have three bottles of T.A. I'm not using as well.

The Bionova pellets I used now are interesting but are indeed a timing issue, I'm thinking planting into the SIP vs seeding into the SIP might also be a better move when using them.
I kinda do want to experiment a bit more with those.. as well I do like the just adding water process and they can veg a mean plant it seems

And there's the Biotabs I want to try out in a SIP, as their site also states don't let the medium dry out, I think they like autopots, so I feel that's a good candidate.. and the process seems interesting, prep the soil with a starter, make a hole for the myco & bacteria where the plant goes, push down two tabs in the rest of the pot, and then just add water until week 5, then it's one feeding and extra bacteria and just water again till end. Or there's a PK compost tea as well you can bubble and add for week 5-6-7 of flower.

I feel with both of those methods I should also probably finally try to pack my SIP full of soil instead of working with the intermedium.. as this skews the system way more to hydro as most of my roots grow into the hydroton and into the res and don't care about the soil at all.

So yeah SIPs are great but I wanna find the breeziest feed.

 

[Blumentalist]

Check out my design post on page 2 of this thread if you're looking for ideas.

That’s where I got the inspiration

 

[Stonecrusher]

I am getting ready for summer outdoor grow and have started a new journal with the seedlings. I have been following the SIPS and I think I have a good idea for making my own on the cheap. Our local university has a Property Redistribution site that sells all kinds of used stuff. These recycling bins are approx 20 gallons and were $5 each. The 4" perforated drain pipe fits perfectly as shown and creates a 2.5 gallon reserve when I tested it by filling with water until it drains without soil.
I will probably use these at my "Satellite Grow Sites" so my accomplices don't have to be masters of watering. I may try one at home for fun too but this would mess with my plans of using my 30 gallon pots outdoors.

Question: Is there an ideal ratio of reservoir- to-soil/medium? According to my shitty math the res is approximately 12.5% of the total volume. Care to comment? Id appreciate it.

PXL_20240424_205914807.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_205902382.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_204245990.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_204230134.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

 

[Bode]

Highya SC,

I think I'd remove the middle piece, or make it smaller. You need a 'foot', a way for the medium to extend down to the water to wick the water up to the plants roots. I do something similar, except using the 4" drainage lengthwise, and cover with weedmat. Then put in your medium. I have three pieces side by side, and still enough room to pack the medium down both sides of the 4" drainage. Worked well last year! Happy Smokin'

 

[Azimuth]

Question: Is there an ideal ratio of reservoir- to-soil/medium? According to my shitty math the res is approximately 12.5% of the total volume. Care to comment? Id appreciate it.

No more than 20% I'd say though I don't think that's been tested. Your 12.5% is about what mine run at.

 

[Stonecrusher]

No more than 20% I'd say though I don't think that's been tested. Your 12.5% is about what mine run at.

Im glad to hear that, your SIPs work amazingly well. I think a lot of the 5 gal sips I see have ~ 1Gal res which is 20%.

 

[RedskinnedRhino]

I am getting ready for summer outdoor grow and have started a new journal with the seedlings. I have been following the SIPS and I think I have a good idea for making my own on the cheap. Our local university has a Property Redistribution site that sells all kinds of used stuff. These recycling bins are approx 20 gallons and were $5 each. The 4" perforated drain pipe fits perfectly as shown and creates a 2.5 gallon reserve when I tested it by filling with water until it drains without soil.
I will probably use these at my "Satellite Grow Sites" so my accomplices don't have to be masters of watering. I may try one at home for fun too but this would mess with my plans of using my 30 gallon pots outdoors.

Question: Is there an ideal ratio of reservoir- to-soil/medium? According to my shitty math the res is approximately 12.5% of the total volume. Care to comment? Id appreciate it.

PXL_20240424_205914807.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_205902382.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_204245990.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

PXL_20240424_204230134.jpg

• Stonecrusher
• Thursday at 6:20 AM

That's basically how my SIPs are built. Never any issues, unless I cause them by getting crazy with the potions.