Automated watering system: Question

[spliffas]

Question!

I will be going on holiday for 12 days, and my babies needs to be watered, I need a simple home DIY solution to keep my plants somehow happy. Looking for a cheap and simple solutions, I know I saw somewhere some kind of system, but it was ages ago and I can;t find it :x

Any ideas?

Sorry if the wrong forum.

Thanks in advance.

 

[odam2k]

How long do you have to implement a solution?

 

[spliffas]

How long do you have to implement a solution?

a little bit more than a month.

Thanks

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Tub
Timer
Pond pump
Air pump
Air stones
Garden watering system

Easy peasy

Also probably cost $100-150, I just did one, but also depends on how many plants yer watering and what medium and how much water they need per watering

 

[spliffas]

I was thinking the same, but I think it's cheaper and I only need for one go. Should be 7-8 plants in total in soil and 2gal pots. I was thinking, what type of pump (how many watts I need?) Let's say 5-7 waterings in total in 12 days.

I was thinking, maybe there is a simplier sulution without pump and etc, just with plastic bottles or any other simmillar system?

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Those plastic watering bottles won't last 12 days

I have a gravity system I used but still is around $100 said and done

 

[Tony Urban]

Unfortunately you aren’t really going to find a cheap plastic bottle solution, that is going to be very dependable for a little over a month. Not without research, building, and testing being done well ahead of time. Even then it will cost a few bucks, something like Chris is talking about would work.

I have the autopot system and I can probably get away with leaving for a week or two if I fill the reservoir to the top. Longer if I had a bigger reservoir.

The cheapest solution is to have a friend water your plants while you are away.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

My 5gal DWC lasted 8 days.... with drops to spare but it's in early flower, not drinking a gallon a day....yet

 

[Greenlizard]

I think Chris's solution is probably your best bet.
I have a very similar setup but it's not automated exactly.
I have watering spikes in my pots attached to a main feed line that goes out to my pump. I just fill up a bucket with water or nutrient mixed water depending on what the plant needs, throw in my pump, and plug it in.
If I were going away for 10 days I would think that with a good feeding the day before I leave they should get along ok with just water. I would have to add a timer to my pump to create an automated system.
Your timer would have to allow for very precise adjustments due to not wanting it to run too long. Depending on the size of your grow you can just fill a bucket or a larger reservoir such as a big trashcan and let the timer kick in for a couple minutes at a time perhaps two or three times while your away and that should keep them happy. I suppose this then depends on your growing medium. If it's soil this will work. Or even a soilless mix except for coco. Coco would require much more I would think.

 

[spliffas]

I think Chris's solution is probably your best bet.
I have a very similar setup but it's not automated exactly.
I have watering spikes in my pots attached to a main feed line that goes out to my pump. I just fill up a bucket with water or nutrient mixed water depending on what the plant needs, throw in my pump, and plug it in.
If I were going away for 10 days I would think that with a good feeding the day before I leave they should get along ok with just water. I would have to add a timer to my pump to create an automated system.
Your timer would have to allow for very precise adjustments due to not wanting it to run too long. Depending on the size of your grow you can just fill a bucket or a larger reservoir such as a big trashcan and let the timer kick in for a couple minutes at a time perhaps two or three times while your away and that should keep them happy. I suppose this then depends on your growing medium. If it's soil this will work. Or even a soilless mix except for coco. Coco would require much more I would think.

Maybe you have photo how this thing looks like? And how powerful my waterpump should be? Probably this would be the very best solution...

Or maybe Self Watering Spikes (those organic, brown ones?), or maybe water spikes but each pot 2-3 spikes in it?

Thanks

 

[Greenlizard]

Sorry these photos don't show everything but it's all I got stored in my phone at the moment.
As for what size pump you need I suppose that depends on how many plants you have? For my 4 plants I have a 400 gallon per hour pump called a black water. I have a ball valve along the main line so I can turn it down a bit. You will most likely need the ball valve to adjust the flow so you don't water too fast.

 

[Old Salt]

Here's mine.

I use it for 2-3 daily waterings. The timer is very flexible, and should do what you need. All parts should be available through Amazon or e-Bay.

 

[spliffas]

Thanks for info, what do u think about this one?

 

[Gazoo]

I found this for 30.00 shipped on the Azone , Have not needed it yet but always like to
have some weapons available

I would be cautious trying to use
more than a few watering lines as the pump does not seem to be real strong
but it can be adjusted by having a longer water time.

EDIT: I suspect Long watering lines may be an issue as well especially if using more than
a couple lines ?

Sorry I have not done any testing

 

[Greenlizard]

Thanks for info, what do u think about this one?

Interesting... Looks like it works by capillary action? no power required?

 

[Old Salt]

I found this for 30.00 shipped, Have not needed it yet but always like to
have some weapons available

I would be cautious trying to use
more than a few watering lines as the pump does not seem to be real strong
but it can be adjusted by having a longer water time.

EDIT: I suspect Long watering lines may be an issue as well especially if using more than
a couple lines ?

Sorry I have not done any testing

I saw these when I looked for an off the shelf solution. The timing was not good enough. I water when the lights are on, two or three times. During flower that would be at 7:00 AM, 12:15 PM, and 5:45 PM. Lights are on from 6:45 AM to 6:45 PM. The timers in those are straight interval timers, so for three waterings per day, I'd need to set 8 hour intervals with an appropriate on time. At least one of the waterings would be during the dark hours.

I can't remember whether the on time for those can be set to the second or not. The timer I'm using lets me set up to three on times per day, and set the length of that on time to the second. The drippers, and pump I'm using are set to deliver 250 ml (1 cup) per minute. That means I can control the amount of water to about 4ml per plant each time the pump comes on.

There are other systems out there that check the water level in the soil, and allow you to deliver a set amount whenever the water level drops below the set point. I'm just not familiar with any of them.

 

[Gazoo]

I saw these when I looked for an off the shelf solution. The timing was not good enough. I water when the lights are on, two or three times. During flower that would be at 7:00 AM, 12:15 PM, and 5:45 PM. Lights are on from 6:45 AM to 6:45 PM. The timers in those are straight interval timers, so for three waterings per day, I'd need to set 8 hour intervals with an appropriate on time. At least one of the waterings would be during the dark hours.

I can't remember whether the on time for those can be set to the second or not. The timer I'm using lets me set up to three on times per day, and set the length of that on time to the second. The drippers, and pump I'm using are set to deliver 250 ml (1 cup) per minute. That means I can control the amount of water to about 4ml per plant each time the pump comes on.

There are other systems out there that check the water level in the soil, and allow you to deliver a set amount whenever the water level drops below the set point. I'm just not familiar with any of them.

Have not read the instructions in a few months but I am sure this is the model that can be adjusted to
5 sec water time. Also the method used to set time was a bit confusing WAS NOT a simple hr/time on off time thing

BUT the cost was right

 

[Gazoo]

I saw these when I looked for an off the shelf solution. The timing was not good enough. I water when the lights are on, two or three times.

EDIT; Just pulled the instruction manual and see
it can be set from 1 to 99 second watering intervals

Can also be programed for multiple times a day

Example from manual
"If you wanted to set the unit to run 5 times a day you would need to set the frequency to 0.2 (1/0.2=5)."

SO I see what your saying its broken up evenly by the number of times a day

Never really sunk in until you SPELLED it Out for me

 

[Remystemple]

Tub
Timer
Pond pump
Air pump
Air stones
Garden watering system

Easy peasy

Also probably cost $100-150, I just did one, but also depends on how many plants yer watering and what medium and how much water they need per watering

god i wish it was that easy lol. maybe my pump is just too strong.

 

[Remystemple]

can't get your buddy to feed them for you?