SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

[weedstoner420]

Microbeman suggest 15 inch depth for microbes to peak. Is anyone maintaining 15 inches as it seems all these tubs are a few inch short?
found round buckets 60l at 20inches allows 5 inches for water does that seem cool ?

Someone in this thread has definitely diy'd one using a 27 gallon tote, which Home DePot suggests is 15.27" high.

And with SIPs because you're hardly ever watering from the top, you can mound up the soil over the rim of the container to get even more depth

 

[GenericEnigma]

Microbeman suggest 15 inch depth for microbes to peak. Is anyone maintaining 15 inches as it seems all these tubs are a few inch short?
found round buckets 60l at 20inches allows 5 inches for water does that seem cool ?

I've never heard that depth governs, but I know it's easier to maintain a living soil with larger volume. Seems a cube shape would be easier than a plank shape, I guess? Still, I had success with those hardware store totes. Moisture level is key, which is where SIPS come in.

Now I wick with 4" of gravel from oversized saucers into 15G pots. Works just as well for keeping the soil going.

 

[2cent]

I've never heard that depth governs, but I know it's easier to maintain a living soil with larger volume. Seems a cube shape would be easier than a plank shape, I guess? Still, I had success with those hardware store totes. Moisture level is key, which is where SIPS come in.

Now I wick with 4" of gravel from oversized saucers into 15G pots. Works just as well for keeping the soil going.

Comes from this
Think deep. Soil microorganisms function at heirachical levels, each type functioning within the homeostatic strictures of its given levels (e.g. moisture, oxygen, CO2, porosity) passing on components of degradation/digestion to the adjacent heirarchical level. Myriads of fungal structures and pathways remain inplace. Thus, we have the basis for not tilling. The indigenous peoples of the Terra Preta beds claim that so long as the soil below 20 CM remains intact, fertility will remain or be restored. If it were me I'd go for at least 12 inches depth.
and

SIP Containers

Is anyone using a Self Irrigating container?

www.icmag.com

trying to find suitable containers problematic 12 inch and 10 gal so kitchen bins seem best 60l leaves 10l water at base ?

like this and use the big standard way of pipe n perlite base and sit the soil on top
or plastic pot base

 

[GenericEnigma]

Comes from this
Think deep. Soil microorganisms function at heirachical levels, each type functioning within the homeostatic strictures of its given levels (e.g. moisture, oxygen, CO2, porosity) passing on components of degradation/digestion to the adjacent heirarchical level. Myriads of fungal structures and pathways remain inplace. Thus, we have the basis for not tilling. The indigenous peoples of the Terra Preta beds claim that so long as the soil below 20 CM remains intact, fertility will remain or be restored. If it were me I'd go for at least 12 inches depth.
and

SIP Containers

Is anyone using a Self Irrigating container?

www.icmag.com

trying to find suitable containers problematic 12 inch and 10 gal so kitchen bins seem best 60l leaves 10l water at base ?
View attachment 5295820
like this and use the big standard way of pipe n perlite base and sit the soil on top
or plastic pot base

Sounds more like you're talking about soil horizons. Some people layer soil types. Some have homogeneity.

I doubt soil hierarchies would be applicable to most indoor grows. Personally, I start with shovelfuls of backyard dirt and use mostly local inputs, so I have had to consider such elements in building and tuning my soil. But my soil still has no hierarchical classification per se. And I don't layer.

I'd love some one-on-one time with a soil scientist who is boned up on recent research.

There is a lot of posts in this thread showing different techniques and containers. Find something new and let us know how it goes!

 

[2cent]

Sounds more like you're talking about soil horizons. Some people layer soil types. Some have homogeneity.

I doubt soil hierarchies would be applicable to most indoor grows. Personally, I start with shovelfuls of backyard dirt and use mostly local inputs, so I have had to consider such elements in building and tuning my soil. But my soil still has no hierarchical classification per se. And I don't layer.

I'd love some one-on-one time with a soil scientist who is boned up on recent research.

There is a lot of posts in this thread showing different techniques and containers. Find something new and let us know how it goes!

Check out microbeorganics.com he is and on YouTube he shows his results under the scope amazing man and will talk to ya too lol

he does amazing work into compost teas etc showing optimum levels for bacteria and fungi

 

[weedstoner420]

Harvest time for this one, day 101 of 12/12...




As I mentioned previously, this was an extremely low-effort grow. A tiny freshly-topped clone straight to 12/12, leftover soil from the previous round, top-dressed with Tomato Tone and worm castings before transplanting. Nothing else added during the grow except water in the res, which I had to refill a total of 6 times. That and tying up the stems with pipe cleaners is all I did between transplant and harvest. And she didn't lose a single leaf, which I guess qualifies this as a successful grow.

I still have two clones from the same plant in the other side of the tent. They're about 6 weeks behind this one, although I don't think I'm going to let them go quite as long...

Also got some cool mold growing on the surface:

 

[cannabiscrusader]

This sip holds 6 gallons of water and 11 gallons of soil. First net is attached directly to the sip lid.



I use landscape fabric as end caps. Leaving the landscaping fabric long on the center pipe (on both ends) acts as the wick.



I love weed

 

[weedstoner420]

View attachment 5298124

This sip holds 6 gallons of water and 11 gallons of soil. First net is attached directly to the sip lid.

View attachment 5298125

I use landscape fabric as end caps. Leaving the landscaping fabric long on the center pipe (on both ends) acts as the wick.

View attachment 5298126

I love weed

How do you top-dress if the net is attached to the lid? Or do you not need to?

 

[cannabiscrusader]

I don't need to. I mix 1/2 cup of dr earth 4-4-4, and 1/2 cup of flower girl. 1/2 cup of 4-4-4, and a full cup of flower girl in trenches around the top. Recharge with azomite, dolomite lime, and langbeinite every other grow.

 

[LewberDewber852]

I don't need to. I mix 1/2 cup of dr earth 4-4-4, and 1/2 cup of flower girl. 1/2 cup of 4-4-4, and a full cup of flower girl in trenches around the top. Recharge with azomite, dolomite lime, and langbeinite every other grow.

^^This^^
K.I.S.S
I badly want to make some of this size. I used the city pickers and they worked decent for sure. You build ur soil or is ur base bagged?
Tap water?

 

[cannabiscrusader]

Pro mix with some extra perlite, ewc, and compost. Just tap water. Used em1 for a minute, but I found it unnecessary. The plants don't give a shit about what the water smells like. Sometimes I add some molasses, but I think that may be out of boredom

 

[GrassBurner]

Whatup strangers, hope everyone is well!! I'm finally back on track. My disabled mom moved in with me a few months ago, and despite a no pesticide speech, she emptied a can of raid in a 400 Sq ft cabin with plants in flower, a couple weeks from being finished. Chopped them all down and started over.
I found a really special Dracarys pheno, I've got 7 clones of it running. 2 in 15 gallon sips, 5 in 2 gallon sips. It reeks of strawberry. Not quite a fresh picked strawberry, more of a candy or jam smell. Tastes just as delicious when it's smoked, reminds me of a little Debbie strawberry shortcake. Got 2 mother plants I'm gonna keep around. I also have 2 Tire Fire and 1 Zkittles x Dosidos from Archive going. Flipped them on memorial day. Here's the big tent. Got 3 plants in the 2x4 not pictured.


Also have a couple Cherokee Purole tomato plants in the veg tent for Dad. We don't get enough sun in the woods to produce fruit.

 

[Nizza]

Obtained this broken sip, repaired it with some epoxy, zip tape, pvc , o rings and zip ties.
I took some old coco and compost, added a bunch of amendments and planted 6 tomatoes in there as a test to see how it does. So far the tomatoes are growing, I also added micro clovers on top I love recycling!

 

[curious2garden]

Obtained this broken sip, repaired it with some epoxy, zip tape, pvc , o rings and zip ties.
I took some old coco and compost, added a bunch of amendments and planted 6 tomatoes in there as a test to see how it does. So far the tomatoes are growing, I also added micro clovers on top I love recycling!

View attachment 5304155

I'm growing in 4x4 raised beds with all my old coco media. I've used it to amend my desert soil and now I use a blend of dry nutrients (I mixed myself) to feed them. Speaking of which I need to get my butt out there and spray.

My orchids have a cover crop too:

 

[Nizza]

I'm growing in 4x4 raised beds with all my old coco media. I've used it to amend my desert soil and now I use a blend of dry nutrients (I mixed myself) to feed them. Speaking of which I need to get my butt out there and spray.

My orchids have a cover crop too:
View attachment 5304164

Got any recipes you've made up? I am new to amending, and I have tons of coco to amend !

 

[curious2garden]

Got any recipes you've made up? I am new to amending, and I have tons of coco to amend !

The mix is for my vegetables. I'm not secure enough in plant bio to mix dry for my cannabis. I use Dr Jacob Mittleider's recipes. The school I spent my first year of undergrad at had an Ag school and he was there and that was how I met him.

I was going to give you a site link but you'd be better off in some spare time just searching on his name. I believe Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening was based off Dr M's research and field study.

 

[Hook Daddy]

Here’s a few pics of my sips and grow. The sip info is in my journal along with everything else. I forget to post in here, yet this is where I learned more than anywhere else. This is at week 8 of 12/12. This is Bubba Kush 1.



This is Bubba Kush 2.



This is the DoSiDo

 

[GrassBurner]

Here’s a few pics of my sips and grow. The sip info is in my journal along with everything else. I forget to post in here, yet this is where I learned more than anywhere else. This is at week 8 of 12/12. This is Bubba Kush 1.

View attachment 5304310

This is Bubba Kush 2.

View attachment 5304312

This is the DoSiDo

View attachment 5304316

View attachment 5304313

Nice work!! Any way you could spread those colas and get some airflow around there? Maybe a light defoliation in the center. I had some big beautiful nugs like that a year or two ago. When I cut them down the buds had mold inside, and they were crammed together like yours are now when they were growing. I'd hate to see that hard work go into the firepit like mine did

 

[Hook Daddy]

Nice work!! Any way you could spread those colas and get some airflow around there? Maybe a light defoliation in the center. I had some big beautiful nugs like that a year or two ago. When I cut them down the buds had mold inside, and they were crammed together like yours are now when they were growing. I'd hate to see that hard work go into the firepit like mine did

There’s actually more space than it appears between colas, and I know what you mean. I have had the same problem in the past. I have the room at about 50% RH, and 4 fans blowing on them. I am constantly removing fan leaves as they yellow. I didn’t get my trellis net up as soon as I would like on this grow so they are starting to lean a bit and crowd each other, but as they do I am using wire to straighten them out and hold them up. I may do some extra defol soon as they only have a few more weeks to go.

 

[SlownLow86]

Good day!
Topping up the reservoirs isn't as much fun as it used to be... so I've added a float valve. Now I fill an 8 gallon container, on a shelf next to the tent, with a hose from the tap. Easy Peasy.
It's been 8 days and all looks well. No leaks, thank the gods.
I plan to eventually bypass the reservoir and connect the tap directly to the control box.

View attachment 5288079View attachment 5288080View attachment 5288081

Yes! I've been thinking about this for years! I knew it was possible. Man, I'm stoked to see this!