Micro water pumps?
Jun 24, 2009 at 1:30 AM Post #32 of 38
I have a few potted vegetables outside right now, in 5 gallon pots they want about half a gallon of water each daily, but are still growing so later in the season they may need more.

If you cover the soil around the stem with plastic it will reduce evaporation (except of course where the trickle system tube is placed through it). That in combination with water absorbing crystals would probably allow them to survive for a week, but I wonder if you just need to get someone more reliable to water them every couple days instead, or in conjunction with the above ideas, have someone come once in the middle of your trip to refill the trickle watering container.

Also with a slow trickle system, put the tube down into the soil, preferribly with some gravel around it so mud doesn't block the tube opening. In warm weather if it just drips onto the surface of the soil it may mostly evaporate before much gets down to the roots.

Fortunately you can give anything you come up with a test run, use the system for a week while you're still at home so you can monitor plant health and water levels over that period.
 
Jun 24, 2009 at 2:46 AM Post #33 of 38
Quote:

Originally Posted by deltaydeltax /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyone know where to get some? I need some really small battery powered water pumps for a proof of concept project. My many Google searches have lead to only a few, and in some cases, not relevant items at all (read nursing products).


These are fairly expensive, but if small size is what you want you can't do any better than this:

TCS Micro Pumps

The smaller model only uses 420 mW, so battery power is an option.

Is there a reason you want a micro pump and not a regular sized pump with 3/8 or 1/2 inch fittings? With a single 3/8 inch line running down the middle you could use these to run a smaller line to each plant:

McMaster-Carr

Just make sure the pump you get is self priming, otherwise it is a pain to make it work.

Steve
 
Jun 24, 2009 at 3:53 AM Post #34 of 38
Check this out.... seems to be what you're trying to do
Size may not be right but....
 
Jun 30, 2009 at 7:15 AM Post #35 of 38
Over the past couple weeks of 85-95F weather I almost drown to death a pepper plant because I had forgotten I put water absorbent crystals in the bottom of the pot and slightly mixed in with the potting soil.

Given this result and that the plant is still in moist soil several days later while all the other plants start shriveling if they aren't watered every 36 hours, I suggest doing a test run with lots of water absorbent crystals. You may not need to do anything more than that.
 
Jun 30, 2009 at 4:17 PM Post #36 of 38
Jun 30, 2009 at 5:06 PM Post #37 of 38
Quote:

Originally Posted by frijones /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Why not work the problem from the other way? You can get an adapter that converts your kitchen faucet output to be able to connect to a garden hose. Then you could install a drip irrigation kit set up with a timer.

For example:
Adapter: Aquarium Accessories - Python Products (bottom of the page)
Drip starter kit: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...3+90039+529714
Timer: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...3+90039+502214

Just a thought.

-Aaron


I'll refer you to my earlier post:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/mic...ml#post5731799
 
Jul 2, 2009 at 12:49 AM Post #38 of 38
Water timers run on batteries. I have seven on my property, and the batteries are good for about 2 years. You could store all of this under your kitchen sink (and easily hook it up there) and just pop it out when you take off. You might like it so much (not having to water your plants) that you will leave it on full time.
 
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