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beaniebeagle

indoor irrigation....anyone ever use a pond pump???

beaniebeagle
18 years ago

looking to use a pond pump on a timer for irrigation in my basement

has anyone ever tried this??

need to be able to limit the amount of water that could potentially spill on the floor, so hooking it up like an outdoor drip irrigation setup is not an option

Comments (6)

  • mrpike
    18 years ago

    What are you growing in your basement?

  • beaniebeagle
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    mainly orchids, but everyone on that forum has their automatic watering systems in a greenhouse, not a basement that cannot drain if there is a problem

    looking for a way to keep some water on them when away on vacation, some will dry up when I'm gone for almost two weeks. all they need is a little bit every few days, but a little every day is ok. overwatering is not a concern

    basically the idea is a small pump in a large bucket of water (so any mishap will limit the water on the floor)...the pump on a timer for short periods of time, with drip irrigation parts and a way to collect overflow

    just wondering if anyone tried something like this with success

  • twolips
    18 years ago

    Beanie, there is a system like that, it is called "Green Genius" Here is a link with some information on it. You put the pump in a bucket, just like you want. Maybe this is what you are looking for.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Green Genius

  • beaniebeagle
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    i saw this last year...and forgot all about it.

    its actually close to what i was planning...but having the option of volume and intervals up to 12 days, the price of getting two of them makes up for the time i would spend putting together my own setup and tweaking it

    thanks

  • mystrique
    18 years ago

    Hi,

    Stumbled upon this interesting link. ;)

    Here is a link that might be useful: DIY Indoor Drip Irrigation System

  • bocasite
    17 years ago

    Hi-
    You may have read my answer to another inquiry (below). Pond pumps can be used when coupled with other irrigation components. Together they make up an automated system, for a timing mechanism is generally used as control and flow control elements are required as well. These things can be tricky for 'runaway systems' are common. The technology requires several elements for flow control and timing control, otherwise minor disasters can result.
    "Hi-
    Just came across your inquiry. The advice given by others sounds worthy of follow-up but here's another aspect. We had been in the building automation business and made and sold automated, irrigation systems used in homes, offices and commercial facilities. Auomation can help with watering and lighting. Our patented APM (automated, precision micro-irrigation) systems had been on the market for years. They were built into new or retrofit structures to water mainly container plants and were generally part of a comprehensive building automation system capable of doing many things, including providing supplementary lighting. Simpler systems were available as well. What I'm trying to tell you is that used properly, automation can solve many irrigation and mainntenance labor problems in homes and indoor commercial growing situations. One of the problems traditionally facing interior landscape firms is that of pay scales and labor turnover. Automation reduces labor content in all situations, but has considerable economic benefits in contractural plant-care situations. The bottom line is, that automation is not a complete replacement for manual plant maintenance for other matters have to be attended to, but does save enormous amounts of time and money when it comes to the irrigation tasks... irrigation is the main time-consumer."

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