Works like a charm, used reebar for support and left a segment open for easy access to the plants, growing some to tomatoes and capsicums the tomato plant within 4 weeks has gone all the way up(about 1.8m) and the caps are coming also. Thank you for your video, it was great.
Rob you're an inspiration. I've decided to do the same on a hundred acres at Maryborough. I have to refurb the 80 year old house first though so I'm going to put up some videos of that. Regards for now neighbour.
+aussie bob Hey Bob. Am glad the clips have given you some food for thought mate. 100 acres would be a challenge to work. I have problems tending the 680m² here at times. Cheers mate & all the best.
Great wicking system Rob Bob! I think I'm going to use this basic idea for some wicking barrels on an upstairs balcony for a house I will be building soon! Thanks for sharing
Glad you liked it.. We always wanted something similar on a deck here but since getting into aquaponics I think we'll have a fish powered herb garden instead ;) Cheers & all the best to you all..
Thanks a lot for this video, I am currently using beds for planting but I have also been thinking about harvesting rain water and planting in pots/barrels and this looks excellent with the auto top up. Reading the comments I am happy to see the solution to the freezing problem as well (I live in Sweden with long and cold winters).
Have been guilty of missing a few barrels here & there Larry so might be setting a few more up this way ;-) Would like to set the front IBC beds up this way as well but that will be an end of season project & will need a much larger reservoir ;-) Cheers mate & all the best..
Hi Rob Bob I've managed to up load some photos to give you an idea of where we are heading with our property near Bendigo. I got the wicking bed idea from Gardening Australia I then You Tubed that and found your channel and haven't looked back since thanks mate
Thank you for the info Rob this video along with mojoe60 I have a really good idea on what direction I am going to go with. All the best to you and yours
Might be adding another one to the series yet George.. Should be easy enough to do but will let the barrels dry out for a day or so first to make them lighter to manhandle.. Cheers mate..
Thanks Brendan :-) I enjoy fiddling around with different builds/projects.. I have a quick clip on some new aquaponic beds I'm wanting to put up but have made a deal with myself to catch up on comments before I do ;-) Cheers mate & all the best..
An Excellent example of a Self-Watering Wicking Bucket system! :D Thanks Rob! Think I need to watch this twice..or thrice :) I'm currently making a similar system out of 20L buckets using a 200L barrel as a water supply. Love your work mate :)
I know, I'm well overdue to post a video ;) Hope to post one soon about the Mini Solar-powered Aquaponics and the Self-Watering Bucket System in progress :)
Long time viewer, first or second time replier .... this is the kind of small-scale wicking system I NEED to build! Any idea Rob what you'll be planting in these, or suggestions on types of plans that would suit a wicking system better than others? Keep up the good work!!
These barrels have strawberries & yacon in them for now. Think I might add a few herbs to the strawberry barrels as well later today.. I haven't really come across any plant that hasn't done well in them yet.. Will be sure to let folks know when I do though.. Cheers & thanks for the question :-) Have a great one..
Thnaks Robert.. They have been working well so far.. The strawberries are struggling a bit but the beans & yacon are doing really well in them.. Could just be the heat of summer getting to the strawberries so will be leaving them in for now.. Hope all's well with you & yours.. Cheers mate..
I have a wicking bed construction question.... I have seen a few suggestions that it is a good idea to have the drain for the wicking beds set low, and have an external pipe to determine the height, enabling the complete drainage of the bed when desired. I notice that in your videos, and most other peoples wicking beds they seem to have the drain holes set at the height directly. What is your opinion of this extra feature? what sort of life expectancy do you get from the wicking beds? do you need to renovate the beds often, or just run like a normal garden, ensuring the drain hole is not blocking? does, not draining it completely have a detrimental effect? or does restricting water to enable the reservoir to dry up naturally before watering have the same effect? At the moment I am constructing the first of 4 wicking beds, using 2.4m sleepers 3 high so they are large beds, due to the slope in the yard, I have sunk them in the ground a bit so I dont think I can facilitate this feature anyway, though I wanted some sort of clarification as to the effect on the bed that not having the ability to completely drain the bed will have. Any thoughts would be great. Cheers Robert
Robert Waters I think the drain pipe is a good addition on wicking style beds but don't think it's necessary myself.. I can see where it would come in handy on smaller set ups like the barrels or storage totes so you can remove the water when you need to move them around the yard.. I have found that the beds will dry out fine without a drain as the plants take up all the moisture.. One feature I didn't include on the earlier beds was a nice straight fill pipe so I could use a dip stick to see if the reservoirs need a top up.. All the newer IBC beds have straight fill pipes that run to the base of the unit so I can get an accurate water level before filling if need be to see how much the bed is using.. I have let some beds run dry unintentionally with no apparent long term damage to the worm population but there would of been some loss in number of the smaller organisms as the soil dried out I think.. The plants all bounced back well which was a relief.. Some of our beds have been in place for 4 years & are still growing strong.. would like to re do a few but only to increase the water holding capacity of the reservoirs.. Have never had a drain pipe assembly I make up block but did have a few drains that were just holes in the IBC with shade cloth glued over them clog up.. Turned the beds into a swamp actually :-/ I've found that feeding the the beds with compost & organic matter keeps the worms, micro organisms & fungi active as well as help to replace the used up nutrients.. Some folks use worm feeding stations to help with this where I top dress with aged horse manures & mulches a few times a year to provide them with food.. Hope that helps some mate & let me know if you want any more information.. Am a tad fuzzy tonight & might of missed a bit.. Cheers Robert..
Hahaha yeah I know the feeling mate, was a bit like that this morning actually just plodding along mind in neutral.... Yeah that is awesome mate, answered all my questions for the time being, now I just need to crack on to getting these beds up and running. Did get a little bit done this morning, sorted some alroc#1 blend (only 1 supplier I could find on the coast and that is all they had), some mushy compost $1.50 a bag (not too bad I thought), some cow crap (though cause it was raining only got 1 bag that was not sloppy from the parents house) and when I mix it with my own compost and existing garden soil, should work a treat I should hope.What is this course you said you were doing? if you dont mind me asking..... there are so many innovative gardening ideas it can get a little confusing sometimes a bit like a mine field of what to invest money into etc, though at the same time it is great with so much inspiration, ideas and people pushing the boundaries etc.... cheers Robert
Robert Waters Sounds like an OK soil mix mate.. Doing a Permaculture design certificate.. Just finished the introduction & am enjoying it :) Cheers, Rob..
Great design. Makes sense to link several barrels. Nonetheless, do you need a large donut reservoir in the barrel, if the water is constantly being replaced by the main reservoir? Would a 1 inch, 25 mil, pipe with holes drilled in it work to saturate the sand? The evapotranspiration rate removing the water must be very low. A slow, constant dribble into the sand would be enough, wouldn't it?
That's a fantastic system my friend ! I'd have to figure a way to drain them prior to winter and have strong enough containers to resist the freezing. Excellent !
For winter you could either add a tap to the reservoir bucket, or tip it and dump the water out, and then take the piping off from in between the buckets and use the outlets to pour the water out of the other parts as well ***** it's more work in the fall and spring, but it should work well, you don't have to get 100% of the water out either, just enough that when it expands from freezing it won't break anything. That's what I do with my rain barrels, I can't drain them straight to the bottom because of where the taps are, but as long as I get the water level down to the level of the taps I never have a problem.
Love the video! Have you seen the Larry Hall rain gutter grow system yet? It looks interesting too. I've been wanting to try something like this for a while. Thanks for the videos! I really enjoy them all.
I have seen Larry's different systems & think they're great.. He has switched on a lot of folks to growing their own which is fantastic I think :-) Would like to know how you get on if you decide to have a crack at either system.. Cheers..
Rob, I am surprised that you haven't got the auto fill hooked up to your aquaponics reservoir. The level of added nutrients you'd get for the little amount of water loss would be astounding. Definitely something I will be doing in the future once I have my AP system setup again.
Have something similar planned but it will be in the aquaponic system itself ;-) Just need to work out how to fit it into the limited space I have at the moment :-/ You have got me thinking on another system I want to set up, thanks.. Cheers & have a great one..
Thank you for very succinct explanation. Very clear video instruction. Question: is the black corrugated tube for aeration? Will it aerate despite the black mat & sand on top of it? I’m about to try this system, I’m a bit intimidated with all the circumference of all the fittings /connectors.
Hi Tess. The slots in the pipe allow water to leak out into the base so iut can be wicked up into the soil. They would also helps air get into the root zone as the water level drops. Cheers & happy growing.
Great Info ya share with us Rob Bob, and you may have answered unknowingly a question of mine about sugar cane fiber, since its sugar cane harvest time over here, among the various fruits in season is sugar cane, peeling the outer layer, we chew on the inner core and extract the cane juice, leaving the dry pulp, saving a bag's worth so far, well it smells a bit alcoholy, so its o.k. to use it as mulch?lol,....what a comment i make ya! :)
:-D Think I got it all Joe ;-) Should e fine to use if you let it dry out before putting it on the beds.. If it was to wet it might heat up & compost a bit if put on to thick.. Cheers matte & all the best..
just an idea but what would happen if you were to put some fish emulsion in the reservoir and you it kind of like a very simple hydroponic system. i think i might try that if get the time. this is still excellent as it is, i love the simplicity.
Might have a few issues with anaerobic bacteria moving in if the water wasn't being used up fast enough Ted.. This system has barely used 5L/1gal since being set up so think it could be a problem if I added some at this point.. Might be different in the future once the plants mature though.. I do top water with compost tea or seaweed/kelp fertilisers to give the plants a kick every 3-4 weeks here so I think that helps them along.. Cheers mate..
I live in MN. Can you leave the buckets out over winter with just the reservoir with water and have it make it through winter? Or can I tip the bucket to get most of the water out? I don't plan on putting worms in since they would die over winter anyway.
Lynn Johnson Hey Lynn.. Have never had to deal with winter freezes here but think it could be a good idea just to be on the safe side.. I have seen one chap put a few of his on pot plant rollers (little trays with wheels) so they can be brought into the garage over winter & set up under grow lights for fresh herbs.. Hope that helps some Lynn & have great weekend..
Brilliant design. Thanks for sharing. Question.... how often will the lower level of cane mulch and soil in the barrels need to be replaced/replenished?
+Frank Grimaldi Hi Frank & sorry I missed your post mate. As long as the top of the water has a decent amount of sand over it I don't think it matters. For me I would have the water over the pipe as that means there would be more water available should the reservoir run dry for whatever reason. Hope the build went well for you mate & sorry again for missing your question, Rob.
No worries Rob thanks for the reply, can imagine you must be busy keeping up with it all, have the first lot of wicking beds happening seem to be working well feeling pretty excited, thanks again cheers
I have old working boxes made from styrofoam that were broccoli crates. The commercial potting soil is used in them has turned to greyish dried out sand. I believe that soil may be too salty to use, and I wonder if I can remove the salt from.that soil in some way. or just use it in the bottom as you've done here.
You could use it in the base if it's not salty Ian otherwise I'd just toss it. If it's salty & in the reservoir it will affect the plants down the line I think.
Rob, can one use a nutrient rich water supply in addition to or instead of the the soil mix......i.e. just using sugar cane mulch and say, potting mix layers and watering with a seasol/worm casting mix in the water? Cheers
I've seen folks do that Neil & they haven't reported any issues back to me. I prefer to just add those fertilisers as a liquid feed to the top on the beds/barrels myself. Would like to know how you get on if you have a crack at it yourself. Cheers mate.
Excellent Rob - Can we get wicking action in a barrel without cutting into half ? In a complete barrel So that I can grow some papaya & mango on my terrace, pls do reply,
I have had a Papaya growing in a ½ barrel for a number of years now. This is the original build if you're interested, th-cam.com/video/VPxj8e2r7H0/w-d-xo.html It had a bit of damage to the trunk & some rot has set in but was more than happy with the number of fruit we got from it. Hope that helps some.
Hi Elizabeth.. They get a daily watering for a week or so from the top when I'm starting off seeds or planing out seedlings but after that not so regularly at all.. When I do it's mainly with liquid fertiliser but also with water if we are expecting a 40°C/104°F day & the plants are only young.. Hope that helps some & have a great one.. Rob..
Hey Matt.. I have done some clips on how I activated it & added it to a bed but that's about it.. I have noticed that the beds it went into have improve in production & plant health terms but it's all anecdotal unfortunately.. A good channel to check out for char related tests is Patrick's OneYardRevolution.. He did a series of test on char & rock dust in his garden with plans to continue it to see how the results progress over time.. Stephen at ***** did the same style of test & has gone a set further with testing the plants themselves but am not sure if those clips have been posted yet ( I'm a bit behind with my watch list at the moment).. Hope that helps some & have a great one..
I'm looking into building these using four IBC containers. What should I look for in a good float valve? You changed which one you were using, but I'm not sure what makes a good one for this application.
Sorry I missed this question. Did you end up setting the system up? I've been told that the kerick brand are reliable by folks that use them a lot. You could probably get a larger one as the reservoir needed for IBC's would have to be larger I'd think. Cheers.
Nice setup, Rob. I've been following Mojoe60's vids. Found them interesting and inspiring. Glad to see you doing a vid on them as well. I hope to do something similar but with a little different twist I have in mind. If I can ever get past all my other projects. Got a little problem I hope you can help with on my existing wicking pots. I've put netting over the overflow tubes as you did but the y kept getting blocked anyway. I managed to fix one of them by making a cup shape (about 1/2 inch larger than the drain pipe) out of mesh wire, covering it with a fleece then placing it over the drain pipe inside. The other were already filled with plants and I couldn't do anything but go out when it rained and give a poke through the drain with a stick. Do you have any idea what I may have done wrong that they got blocked anyway?
Hey Jay.. They made a sweet looking system I think.. Are the drain pipes in sand or in soil? I haven't had any issues with sand but have had a few of the first barrels I made get clogged up with soil when I didn't make the sand layer deep enough.. Let me know how you get on mate & hope all are well over there.. Cheers..
Hi RobBobs Backyard Farming you specified in one of your videos to use coarse sand, is fine sand ok as well? I have made one using fine and it seems to be working out but I am about to roll out this system with 6 of them in a self watering chain so want to get it right. Thanks for this video I had seen your other one and devised a system which was very similar to this feeding from a rain barrel off the downpipe. I had not thought of using a float in between great tip =)
Hey Nige.. I haven't used fine sand by itself to tell you the truth, only bedding sand which has a lot of fine powder/sand in the blend.. Coarse sand is cheaper here so is what Iv'e been using for a while now.. Being course I also think there would be more voids between the grains allowing the reservoir to hold more water over all.. Not sure that's needed in a auto top up system though as there will always be water available to the soil in the barrel.. Would like to see the build once you're done.. Cheers mate & have fun with the build..
They should do a lot better than conventional beds as the plants will always have access to water Byron. Having the water in the base will also help to conserve water too. I would keep them under some sort of shade structure or have the ability to cover them on the hottest of days though. We grow under a 30% here in the subtropics where the temp gets up to 107°F through summer. Hope that helps some mate & happy growing.
That's a really great setup, I'll be very interested in how is progresses! Out of curiosity, what is the water source you use for these barrels? Is it rain catch or well?
We use treated town water here.. We do have a 3 stage carbon filter on the water coming into the house to remove the chlorine though.. Hope to have a few large tanks set up once we do some renovation work here.. Cheers..
Actually just found it I think -> www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-DN15-1-2-Size-Plastic-Adjustable-Float-Valve-Switch-fr-Water-Tower-/281344284472?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item41816d1738
dunniss That's the one I got but am not as happy with it as the old red ones we had left over from the Wetpot days.. I think in for a build like this they would be fine though.. Cheers..
No problem mate.. Your channel is well worth the plug methinks ;-) We get the top hat grommets from hydroponic supply stores here.. Cost less than a dollar each so help to keep the price of the build low.. Cheers & all the best mojoe..
Hi Robert & sorry I missed your comment. This was shot on a Cannon SX50HS & they have updated the model to a SX60HA. At the moment I'm using a Panasonic HC-VX870M & it's also a few years old now & been replaced with new models since as well. Sorry again for missing your question. Rob.
+Steve Hughes Hi Steve. I'm more inclined to add liquid feeds directly to the soil than through the reservoir. I think it's better to put it where it will do the best job rather than letting it wick up. Don't add much worm teas as most of the barrels here have enough compost worms in them already. I do add a fair amount of compost teas though. Cheers mate.
Hi There & sorry I missed this. I get them from the local produce store around Ipswich. You can pick them up from $15 to 30 each depending on your area I've found. A few good deals also come up on Gumtree from time to time as well. Hope that helps some. Cheers & all the best.
Hi there. You could leave it open if you don't think any debris would get in there & clog up the pipe work 👍 As ours is under the lime tree I have the lid on at all times. Am also a bit concerned with mosquitoes breeding in there. A bit of mesh over the top would help to keep them & debris out though I suppose. Cheers & all the best.
i was thinking of a double layer of shade cloth to act as a filter/blockade for mosquitos which would still let the rain in. thanks for the response! you are the first youtuber to respond to me. it means a lot.
+Brian Liang Hey Brian. I haven't as yet mate. I think I'd probably set up a tray system for Root pouches to sit directly into rather than a barrel system. I have a few trays going at the moment set up like that but need to top them up every 2-3 days with the heat we have at the moment. Would like to set them up on a float system but finding decent quality floats is a bit of an issue. Would like to see what you come up with if you have a crack at a system.
+RobBobs Backyard Farming Yes, I plan on building something based off all the great info you've provided. At this point I notice your wicking barrels videos are from 2011 to 2014 and I just looked into root pouches after your comment here to see that's 2015 relevant. In your experience do you now favor root pouches vs wicking barrels? I have a rain water system I think I can easily integrate into your 55 gallon barrel system but may go back to the drawing board if you feel like root pouches are the way to go.
+Brian Liang Think I just commented on a FB message you sent ;) I think the air pruning pouches are the way to go. Still need to integrate some form of reservoir in the base of stand alone pouches though but do think the tray method works great too. Have you seen the clip with the wicking root pouch at all? th-cam.com/video/0691bdHnxyo/w-d-xo.htmlm59s
I got the top hat grommets from our local hydroponic store & they cost just under a dollar each from memory.. Let me know if you want their details.. Cheers..
Hi Rob, Hope all is well. do you have an updates of this set up? I have looked through your extensive video list couldn't find it. Here in UK we should be able to start gardening outside in few weeks or so 😃. Still getting frost here. 😔 Anyway, big fun of your handy video and always looking forward to the next. Take care and happy gardening. Mohammed
+ANR Design & Print Alom Hi Mohammed.. I actually filmed a bit for the last walk around clip on them. It got cut out due to the length though unfortunately. At the moment it's growing some nice looking ginger in one & the taro I popped into the other two did really well I think. There are a few things I think I would do differently like add "nut & tail" joiners between the barrels to make them easier to move around if need be or to add more onto the series. Hope that helps some mate & hope you get off to a flying start with your season. Cheers.
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming Hi Rob, thank you for your prompt reply. I dismantle all gardening staff after the season. So your nuts and bolt idea is really help full. Cheers
+ANR Design & Print Alom Just so you know what I'm talking about, we call this a nut & tail. cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server800/63c4e/products/104/images/235/fitting00__96789.1272419287.1280.1280.jpg?c=2 Hope it helps 👍
+ANR Design & Print Alom Popped down & took this shot of the ginger for you 👍 facebook.com/Bitsouttheback/photos/a.417629381619813.91747.417625838286834/989845967731482/?type=3&theater
I like that mate. Just need some place flat. Going to cheack out mojoe60 s stuff thanks for the heads up. Are the barrels from your personal whisky supply ;-)
Shame about the soap lol. I would like to get he tomatoes that Gardening in Norway Halvor sent me on something like that then I have less chance to bugger them up over summer or when away. I have no chance with tomatoes in the ground here. The small pot I made last year worked great and the basket thing lol. I think it would be perfect for for the tomatos. Cheers ;-)
Southpaw Davey Am looking at setting up 2 barrels just for some dwarf tomatoes in the hoop house here Dave.. Not sure if the ground is flat enough to have them hooked in series though..
You could try hydroponic stores JY. If youi can't find any locally I just added a few sizes to my Amazon Influencer Page if that helps at all. www.amazon.com/shop/bnbob01?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp Sorry it took so long to respond. Cheers.
Thanks +Danny Davis.. Left a comment on your clip mate as I can't tag you here... Looks like you have a great set up mate.. Here's a look for others interested in a few pictures of Danny's set up.. mycreswickfarm
Hi Rob,
Thanks for sharing. Simple and every efficient method.
Suresh
Melbourne.
No problem Suresh & hope it gives you a few ideas..
Cheers mate & have a great one.. :-)
Works like a charm, used reebar for support and left a segment open for easy access to the plants, growing some to tomatoes and capsicums the tomato plant within 4 weeks has gone all the way up(about 1.8m) and the caps are coming also. Thank you for your video, it was great.
Nice one Patrick 👍
Cheers & have a top one.
Fairly simple in concept but looks dead effective. Nice one mate.
Cheers Andy.. Think the strawberries will be very happy in there..
Have a great one mate :-)
Thanks for sharing your wonderful watering system.
Hope it gave you a few ideas Patrick..
Cheers mate & have a great one..
Rob, I absolutely love this design! Putting the barrels in series is really smart. What a great way to conserve water.
Will also help watering the patch more efficient as well which can't hurt Patrick..
Cheers sir :-)
i have seen others use this idea but you have the cleanest and most easily understandable explanation. thanks for the video, rob.
Glad you liked it & thanks.. If you have any queries feel free to ask..
Cheers..
Rob you're an inspiration. I've decided to do the same on a hundred acres at Maryborough. I have to refurb the 80 year old house first though so I'm going to put up some videos of that. Regards for now neighbour.
+aussie bob
Hey Bob.
Am glad the clips have given you some food for thought mate. 100 acres would be a challenge to work. I have problems tending the 680m² here at times.
Cheers mate & all the best.
very cool! i love the simplicity, i feel like i could actually do this!
Hope the build goes well DG. 😁👍
Great wicking system Rob Bob! I think I'm going to use this basic idea for some wicking barrels on an upstairs balcony for a house I will be building soon! Thanks for sharing
Glad you liked it.. We always wanted something similar on a deck here but since getting into aquaponics I think we'll have a fish powered herb garden instead ;)
Cheers & all the best to you all..
Great clip Rob.What a good setup.
Thanks.. Looks to be working well so far :)
Cheers & have a great one..
I really enjoy all your videos. You have a lot of good ideas.
Thanks Green Nerdy..
Cheers & have a great week..
Thanks a lot for this video, I am currently using beds for planting but I have also been thinking about harvesting rain water and planting in pots/barrels and this looks excellent with the auto top up.
Reading the comments I am happy to see the solution to the freezing problem as well (I live in Sweden with long and cold winters).
Am glad the clip & comments have helped you out with a few Ideas Marco. 👍
Cheers mate & happy growing.
this is great!!! thank you so much. I have access to several barrels and was thinking about this. The multi barrel hook up is genius. Love it.
Would be great to see what you come up with Donnalda :-)
Cheers & all the best..
thanks
Always Giving us great Ideas... Excellent!
Hope they help you out some down the line..
Cheers :-)
Hi Rob,
Love the simplicity of that design. Nice job!
Jim
jmartin015
Thanks Jim..
This post slipped through some how..
Cheers mate & have a great weekend..
Nice idea mate. Love it, will try it soon in my place
Would like to know how it works out for you..
Cheers & all the best..
Well thought Rob ! Great set up for people who can't check their barrels daily.
Have been guilty of missing a few barrels here & there Larry so might be setting a few more up this way ;-) Would like to set the front IBC beds up this way as well but that will be an end of season project & will need a much larger reservoir ;-)
Cheers mate & all the best..
That looks like a great system! :) Thanks for sharing :)
Hi Rob Bob I've managed to up load some photos to give you an idea of where we are heading with our property near Bendigo. I got the wicking bed idea from Gardening Australia I then You Tubed that and found your channel and haven't looked back since thanks mate
Thank you for the info Rob this video along with mojoe60 I have a really good idea on what direction I am going to go with. All the best to you and yours
No problem mate & am glad both our clips have helped you out some..
Cheers mate & all the best..
Rob.
Looking awesome there Rob Bob very easy simple way to keep the wicking barrels topped up, as they say a KISS system usually the best :-)
Might be adding another one to the series yet George.. Should be easy enough to do but will let the barrels dry out for a day or so first to make them lighter to manhandle..
Cheers mate..
Some great ideas Rob! Great video! Thanks for sharing, my friend!
No problem Keith & hope the clip comes in handy.. Would be great to see a set in your green house ;-)
Cheers mate..
Watched all your vids bob , keep them coming, there very interesting and easy to follow, cheers man!
Thanks Lee. Am glad you're enjoying them.
Have a great one.
loking beautiful
Thank you 😊
My word Rob, but you look well coiffed!
Thanks John :-) Have a new stylist on the books ;-)
Cheers mate..
This is something I'm going to try with IBC wicking beds
Gordon Pilcher have you been able to this with the IBC’s?
Excellent Video!
Thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it :-)
Have a great one..
Excellent video Rob, I always enjoy watching your methods and set-ups.
Best Wishes, Brendan.
Thanks Brendan :-) I enjoy fiddling around with different builds/projects..
I have a quick clip on some new aquaponic beds I'm wanting to put up but have made a deal with myself to catch up on comments before I do ;-)
Cheers mate & all the best..
Great video and clear information. Thank you for sharing.
An Excellent example of a Self-Watering Wicking Bucket system! :D Thanks Rob! Think I need to watch this twice..or thrice :) I'm currently making a similar system out of 20L buckets using a 200L barrel as a water supply. Love your work mate :)
Will be great to see how you'r turn out Nathan.. 200L will see them right for a few weeks which would be great..
Cheers mate take it easy..
I know, I'm well overdue to post a video ;) Hope to post one soon about the Mini Solar-powered Aquaponics and the Self-Watering Bucket System in progress :)
***** Has only been 8 months ;-) Would be good to see how it's travelling..
That is a great system Rob. Food for thought :)
Thanks John.. Would like to build a larger set up at some point..
Cheers mate :-)
Long time viewer, first or second time replier .... this is the kind of small-scale wicking system I NEED to build! Any idea Rob what you'll be planting in these, or suggestions on types of plans that would suit a wicking system better than others? Keep up the good work!!
These barrels have strawberries & yacon in them for now. Think I might add a few herbs to the strawberry barrels as well later today..
I haven't really come across any plant that hasn't done well in them yet.. Will be sure to let folks know when I do though.. Cheers & thanks for the question :-)
Have a great one..
Mate, this is a pretty nifty idea..... definitely worth looking into a bit more.
Thnaks Robert.. They have been working well so far.. The strawberries are struggling a bit but the beans & yacon are doing really well in them.. Could just be the heat of summer getting to the strawberries so will be leaving them in for now..
Hope all's well with you & yours..
Cheers mate..
I have a wicking bed construction question.... I have seen a few suggestions that it is a good idea to have the drain for the wicking beds set low, and have an external pipe to determine the height, enabling the complete drainage of the bed when desired. I notice that in your videos, and most other peoples wicking beds they seem to have the drain holes set at the height directly. What is your opinion of this extra feature? what sort of life expectancy do you get from the wicking beds? do you need to renovate the beds often, or just run like a normal garden, ensuring the drain hole is not blocking? does, not draining it completely have a detrimental effect? or does restricting water to enable the reservoir to dry up naturally before watering have the same effect? At the moment I am constructing the first of 4 wicking beds, using 2.4m sleepers 3 high so they are large beds, due to the slope in the yard, I have sunk them in the ground a bit so I dont think I can facilitate this feature anyway, though I wanted some sort of clarification as to the effect on the bed that not having the ability to completely drain the bed will have. Any thoughts would be great. Cheers Robert
Robert Waters I think the drain pipe is a good addition on wicking style beds but don't think it's necessary myself.. I can see where it would come in handy on smaller set ups like the barrels or storage totes so you can remove the water when you need to move them around the yard..
I have found that the beds will dry out fine without a drain as the plants take up all the moisture.. One feature I didn't include on the earlier beds was a nice straight fill pipe so I could use a dip stick to see if the reservoirs need a top up.. All the newer IBC beds have straight fill pipes that run to the base of the unit so I can get an accurate water level before filling if need be to see how much the bed is using..
I have let some beds run dry unintentionally with no apparent long term damage to the worm population but there would of been some loss in number of the smaller organisms as the soil dried out I think.. The plants all bounced back well which was a relief..
Some of our beds have been in place for 4 years & are still growing strong.. would like to re do a few but only to increase the water holding capacity of the reservoirs..
Have never had a drain pipe assembly I make up block but did have a few drains that were just holes in the IBC with shade cloth glued over them clog up.. Turned the beds into a swamp actually :-/
I've found that feeding the the beds with compost & organic matter keeps the worms, micro organisms & fungi active as well as help to replace the used up nutrients.. Some folks use worm feeding stations to help with this where I top dress with aged horse manures & mulches a few times a year to provide them with food..
Hope that helps some mate & let me know if you want any more information.. Am a tad fuzzy tonight & might of missed a bit..
Cheers Robert..
Hahaha yeah I know the feeling mate, was a bit like that this morning actually just plodding along mind in neutral.... Yeah that is awesome mate, answered all my questions for the time being, now I just need to crack on to getting these beds up and running. Did get a little bit done this morning, sorted some alroc#1 blend (only 1 supplier I could find on the coast and that is all they had), some mushy compost $1.50 a bag (not too bad I thought), some cow crap (though cause it was raining only got 1 bag that was not sloppy from the parents house) and when I mix it with my own compost and existing garden soil, should work a treat I should hope.What is this course you said you were doing? if you dont mind me asking..... there are so many innovative gardening ideas it can get a little confusing sometimes a bit like a mine field of what to invest money into etc, though at the same time it is great with so much inspiration, ideas and people pushing the boundaries etc.... cheers Robert
Robert Waters
Sounds like an OK soil mix mate..
Doing a Permaculture design certificate.. Just finished the introduction & am enjoying it :)
Cheers,
Rob..
Great design. Makes sense to link several barrels. Nonetheless, do you need a large donut reservoir in the barrel, if the water is constantly being replaced by the main reservoir? Would a 1 inch, 25 mil, pipe with holes drilled in it work to saturate the sand? The evapotranspiration rate removing the water must be very low. A slow, constant dribble into the sand would be enough, wouldn't it?
Nice project Rob. Well done :-)
Thanks Graham.. Have a great weekend mate..
Cheers..
Great job
Cheers Richard.. Mind if I share it in the group ?
That's a fantastic system my friend ! I'd have to figure a way to drain them prior to winter and have strong enough containers to resist the freezing.
Excellent !
Rob Bob is a great resource!
For winter you could either add a tap to the reservoir bucket, or tip it and dump the water out, and then take the piping off from in between the buckets and use the outlets to pour the water out of the other parts as well ***** it's more work in the fall and spring, but it should work well, you don't have to get 100% of the water out either, just enough that when it expands from freezing it won't break anything. That's what I do with my rain barrels, I can't drain them straight to the bottom because of where the taps are, but as long as I get the water level down to the level of the taps I never have a problem.
Conrad I think we might have a new way to grow here ;)
I know I'm thinking about where to put one already Stephen
Always :) it does a lot of damage !
Little tip: I just have used some old pantyhose to cover Ag-pipe where the cloth was damaged or had big hole in it, works well too.
nice work mate!
Thanks Mr Steven :-)
Cheers mate..
Great setup, Rob!
I`ve been thinking of doing something similar in my greenhouse, but haven`t decided anything yet.
All the best,
Halvor.
Would be great to see what you come up with Halvor..
Thanks mate & hall the best,
Rob..
Nice setup!
Cheers mate :)
Love the video! Have you seen the Larry Hall rain gutter grow system yet? It looks interesting too. I've been wanting to try something like this for a while. Thanks for the videos! I really enjoy them all.
I have seen Larry's different systems & think they're great.. He has switched on a lot of folks to growing their own which is fantastic I think :-)
Would like to know how you get on if you decide to have a crack at either system..
Cheers..
Rob, I am surprised that you haven't got the auto fill hooked up to your aquaponics reservoir. The level of added nutrients you'd get for the little amount of water loss would be astounding.
Definitely something I will be doing in the future once I have my AP system setup again.
Have something similar planned but it will be in the aquaponic system itself ;-) Just need to work out how to fit it into the limited space I have at the moment :-/
You have got me thinking on another system I want to set up, thanks..
Cheers & have a great one..
Thank you for very succinct explanation. Very clear video instruction.
Question: is the black corrugated tube for aeration? Will it aerate despite the black mat & sand on top of it? I’m about to try this system, I’m a bit intimidated with all the circumference of all the fittings /connectors.
Hi Tess. The slots in the pipe allow water to leak out into the base so iut can be wicked up into the soil. They would also helps air get into the root zone as the water level drops.
Cheers & happy growing.
Great Info ya share with us Rob Bob, and you may have answered unknowingly a question of mine about sugar cane fiber, since its sugar cane harvest time over here, among the various fruits in season is sugar cane, peeling the outer layer, we chew on the inner core and extract the cane juice, leaving the dry pulp, saving a bag's worth so far, well it smells a bit alcoholy, so its o.k. to use it as mulch?lol,....what a comment i make ya! :)
:-D Think I got it all Joe ;-)
Should e fine to use if you let it dry out before putting it on the beds.. If it was to wet it might heat up & compost a bit if put on to thick..
Cheers matte & all the best..
Took a while to get used to the new hat..... but the tubs look great Rob!
:-D thanks Justin.. Is slowly getting worn in ;-)
Cheers mate & shall catch you over >>
just an idea but what would happen if you were to put some fish emulsion in the reservoir and you it kind of like a very simple hydroponic system. i think i might try that if get the time. this is still excellent as it is, i love the simplicity.
Might have a few issues with anaerobic bacteria moving in if the water wasn't being used up fast enough Ted.. This system has barely used 5L/1gal since being set up so think it could be a problem if I added some at this point.. Might be different in the future once the plants mature though..
I do top water with compost tea or seaweed/kelp fertilisers to give the plants a kick every 3-4 weeks here so I think that helps them along..
Cheers mate..
I live in MN. Can you leave the buckets out over winter with just the reservoir with water and have it make it through winter? Or can I tip the bucket to get most of the water out? I don't plan on putting worms in since they would die over winter anyway.
Lynn Johnson Hey Lynn..
Have never had to deal with winter freezes here but think it could be a good idea just to be on the safe side..
I have seen one chap put a few of his on pot plant rollers (little trays with wheels) so they can be brought into the garage over winter & set up under grow lights for fresh herbs..
Hope that helps some Lynn & have great weekend..
Brilliant design. Thanks for sharing. Question.... how often will the lower level of cane mulch and soil in the barrels need to be replaced/replenished?
I have never replaced them D'vorah. I use it just at the start as a separation while the soil settles.
Hope that helps.
Hi Rob, how high should the water level be, above or below the top of the ag pipe, thanks.
+Frank Grimaldi
Hi Frank & sorry I missed your post mate.
As long as the top of the water has a decent amount of sand over it I don't think it matters.
For me I would have the water over the pipe as that means there would be more water available should the reservoir run dry for whatever reason.
Hope the build went well for you mate & sorry again for missing your question,
Rob.
No worries Rob thanks for the reply, can imagine you must be busy keeping up with it all, have the first lot of wicking beds happening seem to be working well feeling pretty excited, thanks again cheers
+Frank Grimaldi
I think yours was one of the last in the big catch up Frank ;-)
Glad to hear they're going well for you.
I have old working boxes made from styrofoam that were broccoli crates. The commercial potting soil is used in them has turned to greyish dried out sand. I believe that soil may be too salty to use, and I wonder if I can remove the salt from.that soil in some way. or just use it in the bottom as you've done here.
You could use it in the base if it's not salty Ian otherwise I'd just toss it. If it's salty & in the reservoir it will affect the plants down the line I think.
Rob Bob's Aquaponics & Backyard Farm thank you. Just as I thought. :)
Rob, can one use a nutrient rich water supply in addition to or instead of the the soil mix......i.e. just using sugar cane mulch and say, potting mix layers and watering with a seasol/worm casting mix in the water?
Cheers
I've seen folks do that Neil & they haven't reported any issues back to me.
I prefer to just add those fertilisers as a liquid feed to the top on the beds/barrels myself.
Would like to know how you get on if you have a crack at it yourself.
Cheers mate.
Excellent Rob - Can we get wicking action in a barrel without cutting into half ? In a complete barrel So that I can grow some papaya & mango on my terrace, pls do reply,
I have had a Papaya growing in a ½ barrel for a number of years now. This is the original build if you're interested,
th-cam.com/video/VPxj8e2r7H0/w-d-xo.html
It had a bit of damage to the trunk & some rot has set in but was more than happy with the number of fruit we got from it.
Hope that helps some.
This would have worked good for my wicking beds, Too late now though.
Am thinking about doing a silly thing & setting up the front IBC's this way mate.. Will need a much larger reservoir though methinks ;)
Cheers..
New to wicking b e 're but have had two different aquaponic units. Do you water the wicking beds from the top ever?
Hi Elizabeth.. They get a daily watering for a week or so from the top when I'm starting off seeds or planing out seedlings but after that not so regularly at all.. When I do it's mainly with liquid fertiliser but also with water if we are expecting a 40°C/104°F day & the plants are only young..
Hope that helps some & have a great one..
Rob..
I have been thinking of something similar with 20 litre buckets.
Have seen a few people use the buckets all hooked up.. mojoe60 mentions LDS preppers system in his clip... Might be worth checking out..
Cheers Phil..
Very nice one Rob! Have you done any tests or videos on the effectiveness of adding the biochar?
Hey Matt..
I have done some clips on how I activated it & added it to a bed but that's about it.. I have noticed that the beds it went into have improve in production & plant health terms but it's all anecdotal unfortunately.. A good channel to check out for char related tests is Patrick's OneYardRevolution.. He did a series of test on char & rock dust in his garden with plans to continue it to see how the results progress over time.. Stephen at ***** did the same style of test & has gone a set further with testing the plants themselves but am not sure if those clips have been posted yet ( I'm a bit behind with my watch list at the moment)..
Hope that helps some & have a great one..
Rob Bob thanks Rob, I will check that out.
I love automation
I'm looking into building these using four IBC containers. What should I look for in a good float valve? You changed which one you were using, but I'm not sure what makes a good one for this application.
Sorry I missed this question. Did you end up setting the system up?
I've been told that the kerick brand are reliable by folks that use them a lot.
You could probably get a larger one as the reservoir needed for IBC's would have to be larger I'd think.
Cheers.
I Like it! : )
Thanks Uncle Bete..
Hope all's well over the ditch..
Cheers..
Things are being ok... just arguing with a leak from the fish tank to the sump. As in re-everything for moving the water from and to there. : /
Nice setup, Rob. I've been following Mojoe60's vids. Found them interesting and inspiring. Glad to see you doing a vid on them as well. I hope to do something similar but with a little different twist I have in mind. If I can ever get past all my other projects. Got a little problem I hope you can help with on my existing wicking pots. I've put netting over the overflow tubes as you did but the y kept getting blocked anyway. I managed to fix one of them by making a cup shape (about 1/2 inch larger than the drain pipe) out of mesh wire, covering it with a fleece then placing it over the drain pipe inside. The other were already filled with plants and I couldn't do anything but go out when it rained and give a poke through the drain with a stick. Do you have any idea what I may have done wrong that they got blocked anyway?
Hey Jay.. They made a sweet looking system I think..
Are the drain pipes in sand or in soil? I haven't had any issues with sand but have had a few of the first barrels I made get clogged up with soil when I didn't make the sand layer deep enough.. Let me know how you get on mate & hope all are well over there..
Cheers..
Rob, do you mind explaining it again for me? I didn't get it all the first time. Thanks buddy. Good job.
What info are you chasing mate?
Cheers..
Rob Bob My stupid sense of humor. You are so thorough brother. Pleasure to watch.
C3 Voyage I had a thought that might be the case but have been burnt before & offended folks with my reply ;-) :-D
Cheers mate :-)
Gracias por enseñar
Hi RobBobs Backyard Farming you specified in one of your videos to use coarse sand, is fine sand ok as well? I have made one using fine and it seems to be working out but I am about to roll out this system with 6 of them in a self watering chain so want to get it right. Thanks for this video I had seen your other one and devised a system which was very similar to this feeding from a rain barrel off the downpipe. I had not thought of using a float in between great tip =)
Hey Nige.. I haven't used fine sand by itself to tell you the truth, only bedding sand which has a lot of fine powder/sand in the blend.. Coarse sand is cheaper here so is what Iv'e been using for a while now.. Being course I also think there would be more voids between the grains allowing the reservoir to hold more water over all.. Not sure that's needed in a auto top up system though as there will always be water available to the soil in the barrel..
Would like to see the build once you're done..
Cheers mate & have fun with the build..
no worries doing a few this weekend, the first one is growing great, put basil, turmeric and a tomato in it
How well will this work in an area that regularly gets to 110 to 120 degrees in the summer, with very low humidity, and strong dry wind?
They should do a lot better than conventional beds as the plants will always have access to water Byron. Having the water in the base will also help to conserve water too.
I would keep them under some sort of shade structure or have the ability to cover them on the hottest of days though. We grow under a 30% here in the subtropics where the temp gets up to 107°F through summer.
Hope that helps some mate & happy growing.
That's a really great setup, I'll be very interested in how is progresses! Out of curiosity, what is the water source you use for these barrels? Is it rain catch or well?
We use treated town water here.. We do have a 3 stage carbon filter on the water coming into the house to remove the chlorine though.. Hope to have a few large tanks set up once we do some renovation work here..
Cheers..
Hey Rob, where did you buy the float level gauge? Any link as I can't find a similar one on ebay. Keep the great videos coming!
Actually just found it I think -> www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-DN15-1-2-Size-Plastic-Adjustable-Float-Valve-Switch-fr-Water-Tower-/281344284472?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item41816d1738
dunniss That's the one I got but am not as happy with it as the old red ones we had left over from the Wetpot days.. I think in for a build like this they would be fine though..
Cheers..
thanks for the plug, i got 31 subscribers in 14 hours. i really like the grommets you used where did you find them?
No problem mate.. Your channel is well worth the plug methinks ;-)
We get the top hat grommets from hydroponic supply stores here.. Cost less than a dollar each so help to keep the price of the build low..
Cheers & all the best mojoe..
Good job mate. Could you please tell me what camera you are using as I would like to do some you tube videos. Bob Manly, Glenrowan,Vic
Hi Robert & sorry I missed your comment. This was shot on a Cannon SX50HS & they have updated the model to a SX60HA.
At the moment I'm using a Panasonic HC-VX870M & it's also a few years old now & been replaced with new models since as well.
Sorry again for missing your question.
Rob.
what are your thoughts on creating worm tea/extract directly in the reservoir ?
+Steve Hughes
Hi Steve.
I'm more inclined to add liquid feeds directly to the soil than through the reservoir. I think it's better to put it where it will do the best job rather than letting it wick up.
Don't add much worm teas as most of the barrels here have enough compost worms in them already. I do add a fair amount of compost teas though.
Cheers mate.
Hey Rob! I'm in SE QLD also, but wanted to know where you get your barrels from please!?
Hi There & sorry I missed this.
I get them from the local produce store around Ipswich. You can pick them up from $15 to 30 each depending on your area I've found. A few good deals also come up on Gumtree from time to time as well.
Hope that helps some.
Cheers & all the best.
I have a big problem with the float valves plugging up. what are the better valves I can use?
I've only used these cheap ones but have been told that the Kerick brand of float valves are of decent quality Jeff. 👍
great video! would you be able to leave the reservoir open to collect rainwater or do you reccomend keeping everything closed?
Hi there. You could leave it open if you don't think any debris would get in there & clog up the pipe work 👍 As ours is under the lime tree I have the lid on at all times. Am also a bit concerned with mosquitoes breeding in there. A bit of mesh over the top would help to keep them & debris out though I suppose.
Cheers & all the best.
i was thinking of a double layer of shade cloth to act as a filter/blockade for mosquitos which would still let the rain in.
thanks for the response! you are the first youtuber to respond to me. it means a lot.
Hi Rob. Thanks so much for your videos. Quick question. Do you combine your Air Pruning barrels in your Auto top up wicking barrels?
+Brian Liang
Hey Brian.
I haven't as yet mate. I think I'd probably set up a tray system for Root pouches to sit directly into rather than a barrel system. I have a few trays going at the moment set up like that but need to top them up every 2-3 days with the heat we have at the moment. Would like to set them up on a float system but finding decent quality floats is a bit of an issue.
Would like to see what you come up with if you have a crack at a system.
+RobBobs Backyard Farming Yes, I plan on building something based off all the great info you've provided. At this point I notice your wicking barrels videos are from 2011 to 2014 and I just looked into root pouches after your comment here to see that's 2015 relevant. In your experience do you now favor root pouches vs wicking barrels? I have a rain water system I think I can easily integrate into your 55 gallon barrel system but may go back to the drawing board if you feel like root pouches are the way to go.
+Brian Liang
Think I just commented on a FB message you sent ;)
I think the air pruning pouches are the way to go. Still need to integrate some form of reservoir in the base of stand alone pouches though but do think the tray method works great too.
Have you seen the clip with the wicking root pouch at all?
th-cam.com/video/0691bdHnxyo/w-d-xo.htmlm59s
Hey Rob, where do you get those rubber grommets from?
I got the top hat grommets from our local hydroponic store & they cost just under a dollar each from memory..
Let me know if you want their details..
Cheers..
Do you find weed mat ok to use or is it better to use geo tek fabric
I think the fabric is better but I was getting the weed cloth a lot cheaper at the time.
Rob,
where do you do your filming/home?
thanks
BigAl
Is all in the backyard BigAl..
Cheers mate..
Where do you get your grommets from? Thanks
Hydroponic & farm supply stores normally have them. 👍
Hi Rob, Hope all is well. do you have an updates of this set up? I have looked through your extensive video list couldn't find it. Here in UK we should be able to start gardening outside in few weeks or so 😃. Still getting frost here. 😔
Anyway, big fun of your handy video and always looking forward to the next. Take care and happy gardening. Mohammed
+ANR Design & Print Alom
Hi Mohammed..
I actually filmed a bit for the last walk around clip on them. It got cut out due to the length though unfortunately. At the moment it's growing some nice looking ginger in one & the taro I popped into the other two did really well I think.
There are a few things I think I would do differently like add "nut & tail" joiners between the barrels to make them easier to move around if need be or to add more onto the series.
Hope that helps some mate & hope you get off to a flying start with your season.
Cheers.
+Rob Bob's Backyard Farming
Hi Rob, thank you for your prompt reply. I dismantle all gardening staff after the season. So your nuts and bolt idea is really help full. Cheers
+ANR Design & Print Alom
Just so you know what I'm talking about, we call this a nut & tail.
cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server800/63c4e/products/104/images/235/fitting00__96789.1272419287.1280.1280.jpg?c=2
Hope it helps 👍
+ANR Design & Print Alom
Popped down & took this shot of the ginger for you 👍
facebook.com/Bitsouttheback/photos/a.417629381619813.91747.417625838286834/989845967731482/?type=3&theater
I like that mate. Just need some place flat. Going to cheack out mojoe60 s stuff thanks for the heads up.
Are the barrels from your personal whisky supply ;-)
:-D No Dave but the Scotch one did have around a litre of whisk still in it.. Smelt a bit soapy though so wasn't game to try ;-)
Cheers mate. :-)
Shame about the soap lol. I would like to get he tomatoes that Gardening in Norway Halvor sent me on something like that then I have less chance to bugger them up over summer or when away. I have no chance with tomatoes in the ground here. The small pot I made last year worked great and the basket thing lol. I think it would be perfect for for the tomatos.
Cheers ;-)
Southpaw Davey Am looking at setting up 2 barrels just for some dwarf tomatoes in the hoop house here Dave.. Not sure if the ground is flat enough to have them hooked in series though..
Do you or any viewer have a link to order the grommets at a good price? I can not obtain them locally.
You could try hydroponic stores JY.
If youi can't find any locally I just added a few sizes to my Amazon Influencer Page if that helps at all.
www.amazon.com/shop/bnbob01?ref=ac_inf_hm_vp
Sorry it took so long to respond.
Cheers.
thanks
Thanks +Danny Davis.. Left a comment on your clip mate as I can't tag you here... Looks like you have a great set up mate..
Here's a look for others interested in a few pictures of Danny's set up..
mycreswickfarm
Like
Thanks for the Ideas!!! I have a video of mine going up now... th-cam.com/video/6r5J3ilsVnI/w-d-xo.html
trollforge Nice one.. Hope the barley grows well for you in the tub mate..
Cheers..
Earth is flat