Specifically designed for the needs of the soil/coco grower in mind, the EasyFeed System allows you to automatically water any number of plants without the need for pumps or even electricity! The system benefits from larger 16mm pipe used throughout so there is no risk of pipe blockages whatsoever. It also features a battery powered water timer that allows you to control your watering frequency. It can be infinitely extended and install anywhere!
How Does It Work
The EasyFeed is a simple yet highly effective system for watering your plants. Each of the pot trays contain a adjustable float valve, these are all linked together via flexible hose and connect to the water timer and water butt which is filled with your nutrient solution. The water timer will open the valve when the user-set irrigation cycle is activated and allow water from the butt to be gravity-fed through the pipework and into the bottom of each individual pot tray. The trays will continue to allow water in until the float valve reaches it's set limit at which point the flow of water to that tray will cease. Once the irrigation cycle time is complete, the water timer will then close the valve and no more water will leave the water butt until the next cycle begins.
The use of the water timer allows the user to really tailor their feeding schedule to the plants exact requirements at different stages of growth, ensuring a proper wet/dry cycle can be achieved. This also means the use of additional aerating medium such as perlite or clay pebbles is not always necessary in order to use the system. The adjustable height of the float valves mean individual plants within the same system can be given different watering amounts too.
The system is available in a range of four different pot sizes to suit the needs any grower; 10L, 16L, 22L or 30L. These high quality fabric pots air prune the roots resulting in even better growth compared to standard plastic pots. They can be used over and over again by simple cleaning between use.
How To Use The Alien EasyFeed System
The EasyFeed is very easy to setup. Firstly fit the float valve into each of the pot trays and securely fasten with the washer and nut to get a watertight connection, then fit the female connector to the thread on the float valve and tighten by hand. Cut a piece of pipe to connect the water timer to the outlet on your water butt, then fit a green hosetail to the other side of the water timer and use another length of pipe to connect the inline filter.
We then suggest laying out your pot trays in your desired grow space first, to work out the spacing. Now working from the inline filter, measure and cut lengths of pipe to link the pot trays together. Tee pieces are used to branch off from the main line in the row to each float valve and elbows are used at the end of a row to cap it off.
Tip - warm the end of the 16mm pipe in hot/boiled water to make it easier to slide on to the fittings and create a strong watertight seal.
Once your system is connected you can introduce plants. You can plant straight into the supplied fabric pots if you wish, however this may mean a period of hand-watering is needed to establish roots within the pots. Alternatively you can place several plants in small pots into each tray and allow the system to water them before moving them into the fabric pots. The float valves are adjustable in each tray so you can tailor how much the tray is flooded. The higher the valve means the more water can enter the tray. The system is designed to be used with soil or coco however other absorbent media can be used if desired. The medium can be aerated if you wish with clay pebbles or perlite, however this is not a necessity as the water timer will allow you to achieve a wet/dry cycle.
The water timer requires AAA batteries. You will need to set a run time on the timer in order for the system to work. A general rule of thumb to follow is to set a time that is just the right length that all pots have been allowed to reach their maximum fill level. Simply set the flood time to 'on' and time how long this takes, then choose this setting. The water time will require adjustments as your plants grow. For example young plants may only need watering every 3 days, whereas established plants may need watering 1-2 times per day. We recommend allowing the medium to dry a little between cycles. Monitor your plants and after a few days you will be able to establish a clearer understanding of what cycle times are needed.
What Size Water Butt Do I Need?
The EasyFeed Systems do not come with a water butt, this is so the grower can choose a size that best suits their needs. Below we have included a rough guide as to what is suitable for each system. We recommend adding a water pump to your water butt where possible to keep the nutrient solution moving and prevent stagnation, this is especially important for those using organic nutrients.
10-16L Systems
4-12 Pot - 100L-120L
15-32 Pot - 225L-280L
36-60 Pot - 400L-550L
80-100 Pot - 700-780L
22-30L Systems
4-8 Pot - 100L-120L
9-21 Pot - 225L-280L
24-40 Pot - 400L-550L
48-100 Pot - 700L-780L
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