Complete DIY project for orchids and hydroponics.
For many, the best watering system for orchids is the immersion of the pot. But I am very lazy: since I had a couple of orchids, I have studied this automatic irrigation system for the windowsill.
The pots are watered with cyclical dives controlled by a timer. A watering cycle is adjustable in duration (flow) 1...60 minutes, and in repetition (ebb) from every 2 minutes to one every 14 days, to adapt to all needs. In the case of multiple cycles within 24 hours, the timing between day and night can be differentiated.
This project can also be used in hydroponics, for all types of plant, according to the method known as 'ebb and flow' (flow and reflux: like the tides).
The project criteria are:
- Flexible project, easily modifiable and adaptable to different needs.
- Availability of the parts (many references are for the Italian market, but from the photos and descriptions it is easy to find similar products: all the parts are very common and not critical)
- Simplicity and reliability of DIY operations
- Low cost
We can consider this project divided into two parts:
- containers: grow tray and reservoir
- special timer for ebb & flow
Compared to mechanical timers, which usually have a resolution of 15 minutes, and a 24-hour cycle, this timer is very flexible: one minute resolution, cycles until 14 days. This timer can be integrated into any Home Automation project that uses the MQTT standard, it is simple to construct and it has a ridiculous cost.
For the full story, see orchis-sonoff-en01.pdf (english version) or orchis-sonoff-it01.pdf (versione italiana).