DIY Self Draining Saucers and Automated nutrient/water feed

[HazyTrichomes]

I saw a great guide on another site by Dr. MJ Coco on building self draining saucers for grow bags. I made a version using a 5 gallon bucket and lid. I cut the top portion of the 5 gallon bucket. Then drilled a 1/2 inch hole in center of lid to fit the irrigation barbed fitting. I used 1/2 inch tubing with some irrigation barbed fittings from lowes. I found the 1 inch thick x 12" x 12" draining mats from homedepot.com....

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For the automated nutrient/water feed i found a semi transparent volume unit labeled 5 gallon bucket from lows and a 550gpm pump from amazon. Orderded some extra barbed fittings that lowes was out of on amazon. Also ordered some nozzles from amazon. i drilled 1/8 inch holes in the tubing and insertied the nozzles in each. Then looped the tubing on a T barbed fitting. Drilled two holes in floor of grow closet and fed the 1/2 tubing thru. The saucers easily handle 2 - 3 liters being dumped into a 3 gallon grow bag that is already at 100% saturation, and not overflow. Adding extra drains would allow alot more flow if needed but doubt it would ever be needed. Only time the saucer overflowed was when I left the 550gpm pump on too long while testing and pumped like 5 or 6 liters into the bag in 20 seconds.

This build was very cheap and easy to complete. I hope this thread helps someone out or gives them better ideas and shares.

 

[Garage_Grower]

Very clean and well made!

 

[HazyTrichomes]

Forgot to post the timer that i use. Amazon water pump

 

[Animatey]

Nice job, looks great!

 

[AutoWonders]

Forgot to post the timer that i use. Amazon water pump


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Interesting looking timer. Have you been using it very long? Wonder how long it will last?

 

[HazyTrichomes]

Interesting looking timer. Have you been using it very long? Wonder how long it will last?

It has decent ratings. I've only been using it for 2 weeks. Time will tell.

 

[noone special]

excellent diy

 

[growbot]

Forgot to post the timer that i use. Amazon water pump


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I just bought that myself and love it over the s319s, hated those things (firmware and either second or minute(s) but not both.

 

[growbot]

I dig your build, but from experience that cleae tubing is gonna clog up when it gets super green, had to switch to black agricultural rubber hose. Making a ring out of the agricultural hose sucks though because it kind of self seals, the holes don't stay consistent whether drilled or melted. I ended up using a "Hydro Halo I bought for 8 bucks and it works great.

 

[HazyTrichomes]

I dig your build, but from experience that cleae tubing is gonna clog up when it gets super green, had to switch to black agricultural rubber hose. Making a ring out of the agricultural hose sucks though because it kind of self seals, the holes don't stay consistent whether drilled or melted. I ended up using a "Hydro Halo I bought for 8 bucks and it works great.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll look into other tubing for next grow.