#1

DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:48 am
by Monoxide | 649 Posts | 2595 Points

I didn't want to spend lots of $$ on a DTW table " all though it would be nice" is there any advantage to the DTW over a drip tray?

Is it better to let the water seep through and go to waste, or is it A ok to let it soak back up what passes into the drip tray?

Once thing I know I would like about the DTW system, is the flushing. Right now, I just water the last 3 times to flush. But I also wonder if its just soaking back up and really not flushing.


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#2

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:29 am
by Cubby | 1.267 Posts | 4795 Points

Have you considered getting a Ebb&Flow table from Craigslist?

With the Ebb table you get both a DTW and a tray. When you use the the E&F fittings it can be a "tray", take out the fittings and it will drain to a bucket, floor drain, or whatever.

Just a thought.


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#3

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:58 am
by Monoxide | 649 Posts | 2595 Points

hmm, sounds interesting. I have not seen one before. Is it better to let it drain to waste? or is it fine to let is soak back up within the soil?


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#4

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:45 am
by Cubby | 1.267 Posts | 4795 Points

Quote: Monoxide wrote in post #3
hmm, sounds interesting. I have not seen one before. Is it better to let it drain to waste? or is it fine to let is soak back up within the soil?



For weed I run hydro, but for house plants and weed outdoors I use smart pots. With the smart pots I always pour the water/nutes in the tray the pots are in and let them wick it up. As long as the plants aren't left sitting in water (for an extended period of time) it works fine. If they soak it all up, I add a little more water/nutes to figure out how much they want. Obviously as they grow they need more, so this way they get what they need without over watering

I believe drain to waste is just pouring water/nutes in a reservoir, and letting the plants wick up what they want for a certain amount of time (say 30 mins), then letting the water/nutes drain out.




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#5

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:06 pm
by surfinc | 1.748 Posts | 6388 Points

Maybe a vortex bubbler at the drain and you could reuse??


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#6

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:05 pm
by Monoxide | 649 Posts | 2595 Points

Ah, I have always poured through the soil and let it drain out in the tray and let it sit awhile until it wicks it back up. If it sits for 30ish minutes and doesn't wick up. I use a baster to suck up the water and toss it in my garden outside.


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#7

RE: DTW or Tray

in Beginners Starting out Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:11 pm
by Cubby | 1.267 Posts | 4795 Points

Quote: Monoxide wrote in post #6
Ah, I have always poured through the soil and let it drain out in the tray and let it sit awhile until it wicks it back up. If it sits for 30ish minutes and doesn't wick up. I use a baster to suck up the water and toss it in my garden outside.




I do basically the same, but I give it to my house plants. With smart pots you can't really top water, because it just leaks out the sides before it soaks in, and looks like you over watered.





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Last edited Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:13 pm | Scroll up



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