Watering routine

[Stunned]

Man, I'v got to figure out a better system for feeding my girls.
This is my third grow, all in 100 % pure coco, and getting water is starting to become a real chore
I get RO water in 5 gallon containers at Crappy Tire, and while it's cheap, it is a pain.
This grow, I'm doing 4 plants and at this stage where they're into the second week of flower
The girls are going through 18 gallons a week! I sure hope they don't require even more.
Those auto watering systems like Alien and the like sure look sweet.
I know I still have to get water but at least I only have to mix once and then forget it.


Or maybe I should install an RO unit to my house's water main.
That would probably make more sense. Or do both
Any way, this is the last grow doing it this way

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Get an RO Buddy, like $60

Get an addapter for your bathroom sink

Get 5gal buckets or camping jugs

Fill em in yer bathtub

What I do, once I got to where I had to fill 15gal at a time at the gas station, I was done....lol

 

[Stunned]

agree
going out for 18 gallons a week is crazy
I'd pay someone like Culigan a reasonable fee to come in every few months to change filters on the House main
and I'm going to pay attention to some of the auto feed threads

 

[gr865]

I just put an RO in my home. I bought RO for way too long.
I put 18 gallons of solution in my rez every 5 days, doing 8 cycles a nite. I just redid my irrigation in the past few months. Love it, working great, no concerns if I have to be away for a few days at a time.
You can see the system here.
GR865's new Irrigation Setup

 

[seriousburner]

What size pots are you using? I was using less than 4 gallons a week with 4 plants, in 3 gallon smart pots. And that was hand watering.

 

[dakotamoon]

RO's have come a very long way. They waste an incredible amount of water - but if your water is like mine: 800ppm (from natural limestone wells), it's no choice. Funny with my coco grow - I've been so involved with PH and PPM - then last night I encountered this - "Voltage is Healing" .. an amazing book .. how do they measure voltage in our bodies, by PH? Who knew? This is a fascinating subject, we literally are batteries - just like the Matrix. Do a quick search for Jerry Tennant, amazing man: first to ever perform oupatient ophthalmic surgery, first to use a laser, first to use lenses for post cataract surgery.

 

[Stunned]

What size pots are you using? I was using less than 4 gallons a week with 4 plants, in 3 gallon smart pots. And that was hand watering.

They are 3 gallon Airpots (green bottom)
If I feed to 15% runoff, I'm giving them almost 3 gallons a day
Is this typical or normal?

 

[seriousburner]

They are 3 gallon Airpots (green bottom)
If I feed to 15% runoff, I'm giving them almost 3 gallons a day
Is this typical or normal?

You do not need that much waste. Water just enough to start some runoff. Mine were taking about 2 cups a day. I would say give each plant 2 cups each and watch for waste. It will only take a few minutes to see if they need more or less

 

[Stunned]

You do not need that much waste. Water just enough to start some runoff. Mine were taking about 2 cups a day. I would say give each plant 2 cups each and watch for waste. It will only take a few minutes to see if they need more or less

yeah.... 2 cups won't be near enough to get runoff on a daily feed
maybe.... 6
they drink like nobody's business
right now it's usually 8 cups to get any kind of runoff
something I'v been noticing with this grow that I haven't seen on previous
is droopy after the feed..... one in particular just sags soon after a feeding
I'v not seen this before, the plant always comes back
it's not PH, temp, PPM
and I thought over watering wasn't in play
but it sure looks like at least one of them don't like too much water

 

[MickFoster]

Why not use tap water? It's all I ever use with no problems and it eliminates the need for a calmag supplement.

 

[seriousburner]

Why not use tap water? It's all I ever use with no problems and it eliminates the need for a calmag supplement.

I do the same but I still have to use calmag

 

[Stunned]

hmmmm....
I don't think my water supply is particularly hard
maybe this using RO water is overkill

 

[gr865]

You should check the ppm's of your tap water. I thought the same thing years ago, why not use tap. I checked my tap water and it hovers around 800 ppm, the state max for drinking water/tap is 1000 ppm. I do not drink it or use it for cooking, just washing dishes, clothes and body.
I put an RO under the sink with a 3 gallon holding tank. Was a good one, gets one gallon RO per one gallon waste, the best I found. Capable of 70 gallon/day.

 

[dakotamoon]

Ditto, check our your ppm from the tap. Our water comes from limestone wells, and is full of cal mag.. it's over 800ppm, and I killed my first seeds with it, way back when. Many here in town mix their RO water (mine is 60ppm) with the 800ppm - but I like to mix distilled with the tap water to bring it down to around 200ppm.

 

[Perfect Sun LED]

I build my own auto feeding drip systems. Cheap and super easy.