SWICK Watering Systems: Letting The Plant Water Itself

[SweetSue]

This is exactly why I decided to try the "wet/dry" cycle with my swick. I just let the reservoir dry out and then I top "feed" (will be alternating between aloe/coconut/agsil and enzyme teas) the plants letting excess run out the bottom and when they stop dripping I place them back on their swick .

What do you think?

I think you're on the right track. This is one of the better things we learned about utilizing the SWICKs - use the wet/dry cycling through early veg as the plants set their roots. Then, when you get to flower, never let them go dry. Rad modifies that by letting his go dry at the end, but I haven't yet let my reservoirs ever go dry. I'll be experimenting with this approach during my next grow, which starts next week.

I use the same drenches too. Have you added lactobacillus serum to the mix yet?

 

[yankeetoker]

I think you're on the right track. This is one of the better things we learned about utilizing the SWICKs - use the wet/dry cycling through early veg as the plants set their roots. Then, when you get to flower, never let them go dry. Rad modifies that by letting his go dry at the end, but I haven't yet let my reservoirs ever go dry. I'll be experimenting with this approach during my next grow, which starts next week.

I use the same drenches too. Have you added lactobacillus serum to the mix yet?

Thank you for your response, SweetSue! I know you use the same drenches (because I learned a lot following your threads)!

Will have to look up using lactobacillus serum....I know they carry out lactic acid fermentation, how does it help?

 

[Dr Bob]

Time to head out and find a couple 4X2' deep container for my girls! This system looks to be a great solution for so many things.

The only question I can think of so far is how does this affect everyone's humidity?


Bob

 

[Radogast]

Time to head out and find a couple 4X2' deep container for my girls! This system looks to be a great solution for so many things.

The only question I can think of so far is how does this affect everyone's humidity?


Bob

A SWICK releases some humidity, but not as much as I expected.

I generally leave three 5-gallon buckets of water in my 8x8' veg room(8 54W T5s) so that I always have on hand a supply of tap water that has been sitting at least a day. (I keep them in the veg room because the surrounding basement is colder.) I have a 2.5 x4' SWICK in the same room that holds about 15 gallons of water.

*All humidity ranges below are the range the humidity typically swings between lights out and lights on every day.


My humidity in winter with a closed window to the outside (cold) and no exhaust fan is 25-40%.
My humidity adding the open water buckets is 45-70%.
My humidity adding both open water buckets and a SWICK full of water is 50-75%.


In my 4x8' flowering room(2 600W HPS), my humidity with a temperature controlled exhaust fan is 30-45%
My humidity after adding 15-30 gallons of water to a 4x8' SWICK is 40-55%
My humidity after adding one 5-gallon bucket of standing water is 40-70% - so I don't do it any more.
I have added 60 gallons of water, but there is a slow leak, or wicking up my walls or something. The stream of water on the floor raises the humidity to 70-85%.

I run T5 CFLs and HPS. Your results may vary.

 

[Dr Bob]

That is great in information Radogast! I need to just get some airflow going in the space and not be so lazy about circulation. Practically everyone on here grows in more humid conditions than I do. What are your RH conditions outside the tent? Is it humid in New England or dry during winter?

Tomorrow I need to go find big tubs!

Bob

 

[SweetSue]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Radogast again."

You're really on the ball tonight Rad. I say that as if it's a rare thing. LOL! It sure is nice having you as part of the crew. Thank you so much for being right where you were needed tonight.

I also found that the full SWICK reservoirs didn't have as much effect on humidity swings as I'd anticipated Dr. Bob.

We've had a number of members leave their grows for extended periods utilizing the SWICKs, and they came home to happy plants every time. I had a basin once that I took out of my tent and set off to the side for over a month and it was still damp in the bottom. My daughter's been keeping my fallow no-tills going with once a week refills of the reservoirs. We can't let the soil dry out. The thrips would be upset.

Set your reservoirs up, drop the pots on there and have a safe journey without worry, knowing your plants will happily water themselves while you're gone.

 

[Radogast]

That is great in information Radogast! I need to just get some airflow going in the space and not be so lazy about circulation. Practically everyone on here grows in more humid conditions than I do. What are your RH conditions outside the tent? Is it humid in New England or dry during winter?

Tomorrow I need to go find big tubs!

Bob

New England humidity -

There are dry days, especially in the summer. Most of New England that is not covered by streets or mountains is within 1/2 mile of a swamp. It might be different in parts of Maine where no one lives, I have never been there. I hear they have moose. Moose love swamps.


After growing up in the near desert of California and living in the actual desert of Arizona, New England feels moist. Altanta and Houston are much moister.


It is dry indoors because the heating oil furnace, or fireplace, or something else is burning our air to keep us warm. Fire dries water.

It is moist outdoors in winter because there is snow. It was moister today because it was warm enough to melt snow.

Since I grow in the basement, the RH is comparable to outside at ground level (where the snow is) mixed with indoors (where the fire is.) I dehumidifiy my basement to 45% RH. Most basements in New England are moist. A dry basement is listed in real estate listings with as much pride as a gazebo or scenic views..

Since my house is completely surrounded by running water, my house RH is higher than the county average

I don't know the RH numbers, I only measure RH in my grow rooms

 

[Atulip]

You can customize your swick beds with some 2"x6" wood and some thick painters plastic.

Oh and I see about a 10-15% increase in humidity with swick.

 

[Dr Bob]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Radogast again."

You're really on the ball tonight Rad. I say that as if it's a rare thing. LOL! It sure is nice having you as part of the crew. Thank you so much for being right where you were needed tonight.

I also found that the full SWICK reservoirs didn't have as much effect on humidity swings as I'd anticipated Dr. Bob.

We've had a number of members leave their grows for extended periods utilizing the SWICKs, and they came home to happy plants every time. I had a basin once that I took out of my tent and set off to the side for over a month and it was still damp in the bottom. My daughter's been keeping my fallow no-tills going with once a week refills of the reservoirs. We can't let the soil dry out. The thrips would be upset.

Set your reservoirs up, drop the pots on there and have a safe journey without worry, knowing your plants will happily water themselves while you're gone.

Sue, you are awesome! With each person that tells me this wont be something to endlessly fret over I feel stress drop away. This is one of the best runs that has ever blessed my tent and to loose it would be, well, less than pleasant.


Bob

New England humidity -

There are dry days, especially in the summer. Most of New England that is not covered by streets or mountains is within 1/2 mile of a swamp. It might be different in parts of Maine where no one lives, I have never been there. I hear they have moose. Moose love swamps.


After growing up in the near desert of California and living in the actual desert of Arizona, New England feels moist. Altanta and Houston are much moister.


It is dry indoors because the heating oil furnace, or fireplace, or something else is burning our air to keep us warm. Fire dries water.

It is moist outdoors in winter because there is snow. It was moister today because it was warm enough to melt snow.

Since I grow in the basement, the RH is comparable to outside at ground level (where the snow is) mixed with indoors (where the fire is.) I dehumidifiy my basement to 45% RH. Most basements in New England are moist. A dry basement is listed in real estate listings with as much pride as a gazebo or scenic views..

Since my house is completely surrounded by running water, my house RH is higher than the county average

I don't know the RH numbers, I only measure RH in my grow rooms

Thanks again! My question was answered and I learned something about the northeast. We have moose too! And you are right, they do love a swamp. Yummy stuff to eat! We are so cold much of the winter that it sucks the moisture right out of the air.

Favorite trick for a winter visitor to Alaska. Take them outside while working (only reason anyone comes up when it is really cold) with a cup of coffee. It needs to be -25 F or so for this trick to work. Take the super hot coffee and throw the drink out of the cup straight up into the air. Do this close to the person so they kinda freak out.

It disappears! The air is so dry that it vaporizes instantly. Very cool to see.

You can customize your swick beds with some 2"x6" wood and some thick painters plastic.

Oh and I see about a 10-15% increase in humidity with swick.

And yet again more stress about this fades away! Thanks! Cool bin you made. I have some of that plastic around too. Hmmmm!


Reps all around!

Bob

 

[Radogast]

You can customize your swick beds with some 2"x6" wood and some thick painters plastic.

I love how you worked a magical phrase into your grow op.

Oh and I see about a 10-15% increase in humidity with swick.

And then you show me up by giving a clear, concise answer instead of rambling

 

[sonicDlf]

Dr Bob , that Coffee vaporizing has just reminded me of this pic .
This Is What Happens When You Throw Hot Tea Into The Arctic Air

 

[Dr Bob]

That is it! Talk about a way to make someone jump back! Very cool picture he got of it.


Bob

EDIT: Looking at that pic and having done it many times myself, all I can think is he must have had a big cup o tea there.

 

[sonicDlf]

Hi Bob on the larger pic it looks like he is using a thermos flask .

 

[SweetSue]

I'm glad we're able to diffuse that angst Dr. Bob. You'll never look back after this trip.

Atulip - kuddos to the wife for building her own. It inspired me to think about making a specialized box for my tiny closet.

One of the tricks I learned was to keep the reservoirs filled but lift the pots above the perlite during those times when I wanted to encourage root growth by sitting them on landscaping drain grates like these.

They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and I have an extensive collection myself. Handy little things that can also be used to adjust plants vertically under the lights to level out the canopy. They're found in the plumbing department of your local hardware store.

Sonicdif, I had to give you reps for that amazing share. It says in the article they took numerous thermoses of tea with them and played until they got the shot he was after.

 

[Atulip]

Atulip - kuddos to the wife for building her own. It inspired me to think about making a specialized box for my tiny closet.

She wanted to make sure the internet knew she built it, because I'm not allowed to use her power tools.

I'd go for like the 3mil plastic. I used like 1mil, whatever was cheaper. I poked a hole in my bigger swick reservoir and it leaks out to the tent liner. Still contained though, but thicker plastic would be better.

 

[SweetSue]

She wanted to make sure the internet knew she built it, because I'm not allowed to use her power tools.

I'd go for like the 3mil plastic. I used like 1mil, whatever was cheaper. I poked a hole in my bigger swick reservoir and it leaks out to the tent liner. Still contained though, but thicker plastic would be better.

Good point about the plastic. Give that handy wife a high five from me.

 

[MaxHeadroom]

Great information, I can see SWICK having a part to play in my second grow, with the wet/dry cycle method in the early stages.

You've all inspired me to play!

 

[Piña Delores]

Just over a year ago, I attempted my first indoor grow. It didn't fail, but it was far from a roaring success.

Problem number one was over watering, whilst trying to keep my soil moist. I thought of something my Gran used to do with lengths of string, and bowls, to WICK water to her (house) plants if she went away. I was already useing SmartPots, so I googled, "will smartpots wick water". This also led me to Noobwannab, but more importantly, SweetSues first grow, and 420Mag

I've been lurking and learning ever since. Thank you all

A year later and my 2nd grow's almost finished, still far from perfect, but I think I'm brave enought to post a pic lol ......

2 plants, on seperate lava rock swicks in my little box (900mmx450mmx700mm), all of it DIY. 4 x 39w T5's, and 33 x 3w leds. BioBizz soil and neuts. The plant on the left is Buddah Seeds The Kraken, and it really is a monster, love to see what a pro grower could do with that, can't remember the one on the right, but it hasn't done as well.

Reckon I'm about 10 days away from the chop. The Kraken........

not the best of her buds, but the best at the front for a photo.

Really would like to see what someone more experienced could have done with her.

I could not recommend this watering method enough, it WORKS, thank you Sweet Sue and

Still got loads to learn, but one less thing to worry about

So got the stuff for an outdoor summer swick setup, and .....

so you might see more of me, in the community grow thread, but back to lurking again for now.

Thanks again all, this really is a great community

 

[Radogast]

Welcome Pina Dolores


Don't be shy. I'm sure they'd love to hear your voice over on the Dark Devil community thread. There are some good and enthusiastic growers talking about it

 

[SweetSue]

Pina Delores. That brought a sweet smile to my face. I'm so glad we were able to inspire you. I think you should pat yourself on the back. Nice grow going there. I could learn a thing or two from you.

I'll look for you on the Dark Devil Community grow. I'd also hope you'll post pictures so the outdoor grow. I'm tempted to grow one out on my balcony this spring, improve I can make it stealthy enough. I think I can do that.

It's always good to meet a new face. Continued luck with the SWICKs.