This isn't like a hempy bucket in that respect, the soil should be pretty evenly moist throughout and not require top-watering. And the roots don't always grow down into the reservoir, sometimes they just stay in the soil.
Thanks for the info! Interesting, After all the reading I did on these, I thought the purpose of the water reservoir was for the roots to seek out and grow into? similar to a hydro.
In my 17 gallon Home Depot totes I use 2 4” net pots, works well. Also still very hard to move by the way, especially when the soil is still wet or water is in the res. I just put mine on wheels, which then gave me a place to put screws so I made the scrog net attach to each individual SIP, and they can all move easily and individually.
One to two weeks for me. Though I water just at planting, since I cover with plastic.
Yeah, all the nutrition is in the soil, the reservoir is just there to keep the soil evenly moist. If some roots grow into it, great, but it's not required.
When I load up my sip with soil, I wet the wick very well, and then each two of these inch layer of dirt gets watered to damp, and each layer added until the sip is full of dirt, then transplant clone or seedling, and I water once at the start just enough to wet the already existing roots and then I don't water again because the sip soil was already damp, and the wick is already working, the plant will get water from the soil long before roots get into the reservoir
My grows always have water roots , I tried air stone a couple of times but eventually found no benefits from them, but yes I have always had water roots even on my tomatoes in the summer
my homemade sips are a little weird so if I just put the soil in and planted I may top water once or twice to 'prime' it. Seems to work for me.
Good idea!! I made a 4' lazy susan for 5x5 tent. Attached risers to base to support scrog net. Then, as lazy susan in rotated, net rotates with it. Holds two 27g. SIPS and one 7 gallon.
I do the same, but usually 7-10 days before I flip. Like you excellent results.
Some Sipers says top watering first, no water in bottom res, in order to build root growth in the entire pot so that it can absorb nutrients well. Once healthy roots in most of the pot fill the bottom res. Dont have a horse in this race so do what you like and makes sense to you
What is done can also depend on conditions, so this is great advice.Some Sipers says top watering first, no water in bottom res, in order to build root growth in the entire pot so that it can absorb nutrients well. Once healthy roots in most of the pot fill the bottom res. Dont have a horse in this race so do what you like and makes sense to you
I do the same, transplant into the SIP pots at 4 weeks old then 3 or 4 days later I flip them.
Do you topwater the feed or go straight to the reservoir with it? And if straight to the res do you have salt buildup problems? I use dry fertilizers and sometimes a “tea” i guess you’d call it.
I go right into the reservoir. I do have salt build up problems at the end of the grow. I have considered putting drain cocks on the bottom of the pots to enable flushing with clean water. What I did last time instead was top water with straight water then vacuumed out the reservoir with my wet or dry vac. a couple of times.
