Drip feeding coco

[kentboy1296]

I had a question about drip feeding coco... If using a drip system can u run it 24/7 as long as its just keeping the coco moist with minimal run off?

 

[seriousburner]

Yes but you have to be careful of over watering

 

[kentboy1296]

Yes but you have to be careful of over watering

Ok, thanks for the reply

 

[HigherTheHigh]

You can buy a controller and setup the flow as well as time settings but I found watering like that created pests for me with it being always moist, I have watered upwards of 3-4 times a day with coco but the second the top 1/4 layer gets to wet I always got pears unfortunately.

The dripper controllers aren't very much.

 

[Bucudinkydow]

Before I converted to an auto replenishing swick system, I used emitters and pond pump on a timer. I used three emitters in each 7 gal rag bags. Matured plants required as much as 2 minute intervals every 8 hours. I set the bags on a thick bed of perlite to absorb runoff and then the plant could re-uptake the excess between intervals. Worked pretty well but I’m much happier with the swick system since I’ve worked the bugs out.

Good luck
BCDD

 

[kentboy1296]

Thanks for everyone's input

 

[Stunned]

as long as you're draining properly, like into a run off table
you'll never over water it

 

[d42zero]

Yes but you have to be careful of over watering

Isn't the whole magic of coco that it can't be overwatered?

 

[seriousburner]

Isn't the whole magic of coco that it can't be overwatered?

No. It can be over watered with a drip system. You can hand water to waste 3-4 times a day and not be over watered. But a drip system that constantly runs to waste will over water it. And I mean constantly as in a never ending flow, even if it's just a tiny trickle, will not allow any oxygen to get to the roots

 

[d42zero]

No. It can be over watered with a drip system. You can hand water to waste 3-4 times a day and not be over watered. But a drip system that constantly runs to waste will over water it. And I mean constantly as in a never ending flow, even if it's just a tiny trickle, will not allow any oxygen to get to the roots

Ahh I suppose that makes sense, coco is supposed to hold oxygen but now you say that I guess that's *after* the water has run off..

I'm glad this came up as I'm currently designing an auto watering system for my next grow and constant drip vs. timed watering is something I've been trying to decide on... it makes sense that the whole 'cant overwater coco' thing relies on the water being able to drain off so air can fill the empty space

 

[Stunned]

No. It can be over watered with a drip system. You can hand water to waste 3-4 times a day and not be over watered. But a drip system that constantly runs to waste will over water it. And I mean constantly as in a never ending flow, even if it's just a tiny trickle, will not allow any oxygen to get to the roots

yeah... I don't know about that
The fluid going into it is fully oxygenated and it's passing right through the vessel

 

[SteveJasmine]

Okay, In a 70/30 Coco perlite mix I feed by hand once or max twice a day during veg and once a day or even once every couple of days during flower. If the bags/pots are light they get a feed, if they are heavy I leave them. I like to hand water because it gives me a chance to check everything and that way they each get what they need rather than just soaking everything. I've also had no issues not watering to runoff either.

 

[seriousburner]

Ahh I suppose that makes sense, coco is supposed to hold oxygen but now you say that I guess that's *after* the water has run off..

I'm glad this came up as I'm currently designing an auto watering system for my next grow and constant drip vs. timed watering is something I've been trying to decide on... it makes sense that the whole 'cant overwater coco' thing relies on the water being able to drain off so air can fill the empty space

Correct.

 

[seriousburner]

yeah... I don't know about that
The fluid going into it is fully oxygenated and it's passing right through the vessel

No it's not. I don't use any type of air stones in my reservoir (because I use Blumats). And I have zero problems.

 

[kentboy1296]

What about using a system like this or autopots

Anyone have any experience?

 

[d42zero]

If that feeds them from the top, sort of like a Wilma system (like this: Wilma Hydroponics Systems | Greens Hydroponics), then that's what I was looking at doing. I was going to set it up with a reservoir underneath (probably one big one) and have water pumped a couple of times a day.

At the moment I water by hand with fresh nutes that drain into a runoff reservoir which is emptied once a week or so, it's a LOT of work and the nute runoff is getting dumped without being recycled. I don't really see why you couldn't recycle the nutes as long as you kept an eye on PPM and pH and adjusted the reservoir as needed, it's the same idea as any other recirculating system..

I'm also a newbie and I haven't fully researched this system yet so I could be talking out my arse, this is just where I'm up to with the idea.