Is it possible to make an automated watering system using a fountain pump?

[electraus]

Hey everyone! I will be going in and out of town for varying amounts of time over the next few months, so I’m trying to put together an automated irrigation system, but the caveat is that I live in an apartment and do not have access to a hose faucet.

I have honestly been losing my mind because I had no idea how I was gonna pull this off until I remembered that water pumps exist. I don’t have a crazy amount of trees at the moment but all are in (mostly) aggregate soil, so a drip system is pretty much out of the question. I would need to use those little sprinkler heads that you stake into the soil.

I am just about the least handy person on the planet, so while I can conceptualize this in my head, I have no idea how to actually execute. I don’t even really know what most of the parts that I need in order to put this together are called, so I have a few questions:

1) how powerful of a pump would I need to pull this off? My balcony is about 12 feet long and 10 feet wide. There are shelves lining the entirety of the front and sides.

2) there will be a few instances where I’ll be gone for up to 2 week periods at a time, so for the sake of not running out of water and needing to buy a super powerful pump, I assume it would be a better, more budget friendly idea to buy 2 or 3 smaller, less powerful pumps/water reservoirs than just one giant reservoir and a beast of a pump (?)

3) can someone provide a list of the names of the parts I’ll need for this and maybe give me a rough idea of how to actually execute this and/or point me to a reliable resource?

I feel like I remember seeing a post on here where someone detailed their step-by-step process of creating an irrigation system with the small staked in sprinklers and tubing like I’m trying to do, but I can’t find it and I’m pretty sure they had access to a hose faucet.

Bit of a long post, so thanks for reading through. Any and all advice/help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[bonsaichile]

You probably dont need a pump. Water pressure from your spigot should be enough. Buy a timer and you should be all set

 

[electraus]

You probably dont need a pump. Water pressure from your spigot should be enough. Buy a timer and you should be all set

I think I worded my original post incorrectly. I meant to say I don’t have access to a spigot. As in, I don’t have a tap fixture to attach a hose to on my balcony.

Sorry, as I mentioned, I’m 100% a city boy and not a handy/DIY-inclined person in the least, so I don’t really know the correct terms for any of these things.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I will be watching this for reference, as I hope to set up a similar system for my trees this spring. As I understand, it takes a fairly hefty pump to provide the spec pressure for irrigation fittings. Also, you may want to consider the weight of whatever reservoir you use, when full. A 100-gallon tank will weigh over 800lbs. Some balconies will not support that sort of weight, and you could be on the hook for damages if the structure fails. Just a thought.

 

[Wood]

Do you have a power outlet you can connect to? I've pondered one for my apartment balcony, but I'd have to provide a battery power supply too

 

[sorce]

How many trees?

I think the easiest way to set it up would be to use an under bed storage box, boxes, to put the trees in, and a larger one as your water reservoir with the pump.
Set it up as a flood and drain hydroponic system.
Small holes in the tree containers, that drain slower than the pump fills them, could be routed back to the reservoir.
Then all you need is to set the timer on the pump to not overfill the boxes.



Sorce

 

[Cajunrider]

Just buy a faucet to garden hose adapter from Amazon/Home Depot/Lowes and set things up normally.

 

[mook1178]

I think I worded my original post incorrectly. I meant to say I don’t have access to a spigot. As in, I don’t have a tap fixture to attach a hose to on my balcony.

Sorry, as I mentioned, I’m 100% a city boy and not a handy/DIY-inclined person in the least, so I don’t really know the correct terms for any of these things.

Get an attachment for your Kithcen sink. Home Depot or Lowes if you live in the US. Ask for help and they will point you to the correct attachment.

 

[Wood]

Get an attachment for your Kithcen sink. Home Depot or Lowes if you live in the US. Ask for help and they will point you to the correct attachment.

And run the hose through the balcony door, leaving it open while OP is out of town for up to two weeks?

 

[mook1178]

And run the hose through the balcony door, leaving it open while OP is out of town for up to two weeks?

Lol. That didn't cross my mind, but at least I want the only one to suggest it

 

[Cajunrider]

Lol. That didn't cross my mind, but at least I want the only one to suggest it

Guilty here as well.

 

[Vali]

3) can someone provide a list of the names of the parts I’ll need for this and maybe give me a rough idea of how to actually execute this and/or point me to a reliable resource?

If I remember correctly, We are the bonsai supply released a YouTube video a while ago explaining these things.

I think this is it

 

[electraus]

I will be watching this for reference, as I hope to set up a similar system for my trees this spring. As I understand, it takes a fairly hefty pump to provide the spec pressure for irrigation fittings. Also, you may want to consider the weight of whatever reservoir you use, when full. A 100-gallon tank will weigh over 800lbs. Some balconies will not support that sort of weight, and you could be on the hook for damages if the structure fails. Just a thought.

I don’t think I have enough trees that I’ll need anywhere near a 100 gallon tank. When I water manually with my watering can, I use about 4-5 gallons max but I like to DRENCH my trees until water is pouring out the bottom profusely. I don’t think I’ll need any more than 50 gal and that’s already being pretty liberal.

In regard to the max weight of my balcony, I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem. My apt complex consists of two 30 story buildings that connect at the 5th floor. I’d be pretty impressed if even that 100 gal tank you mentioned would have any effect on this behemoth’s structural integrity lol

 

[electraus]

How many trees?

I think the easiest way to set it up would be to use an under bed storage box, boxes, to put the trees in, and a larger one as your water reservoir with the pump.
Set it up as a flood and drain hydroponic system.
Small holes in the tree containers, that drain slower than the pump fills them, could be routed back to the reservoir.
Then all you need is to set the timer on the pump to not overfill the boxes.

View attachment 479151

Sorce

Woah this sounds intriguing. What term(s) can I Google to further research this method?

 

[electraus]

@Wood, @mook1178, @Cajunrider I can’t say I’ve ever left that door open for 2 whole weeks but considering I live on the 17th floor, an intruder coming through the balcony door isn’t super high on my list of worries. Honestly, if they manage to make it up here, they can just take whatever they want. They’ve earned it at that point

 

[AJL]

Might it not be easiest to ask a friend to call in and water when youre away from home?

 

[electraus]

Might it not be easiest to ask a friend to call in and water when youre away from home?

I have a south facing balcony that easily receives more than 9-10 hours of direct California sun everyday. I’m in NorCal, but even here, afternoon temps in the dead of summer hardly ever dip below 85 F and very commonly reach or exceed 90 F.

From mid-June to September, I have to water at least twice a day, but up to 4 times for my maples and coast redwoods during last summer’s massive heat wave where temps hovered above 110 F for about a week, peaking at 116 F for 2 consecutive days. All this to say that the only person on this planet I could ask to do this kind of favor for me for up to 2 weeks at a time on multiple occasions is my mother and the last time i tried this, about 1/4 of my collection died tragically

 

[sorce]

Woah this sounds intriguing. What term(s) can I Google to further research this method?

Flood and drain hydroponic

Sorce

 

[JackHammer]

How many trees are we talking about and can they be positioned into tubs that would drain water onto other trees/the resivor? Maybe you could set up a cheap sump pump on a day timer for 15 min. Or, you could probably find a fancy timer to go like every other day. Or, you could start/stop a smart timer/outlet from your trip if you needed to.
One big tub, flows into others and eventually drains into resivor. If you can't get the bases all covered in water, you could cover the pots with moss and burlap so that the water is wicked up. This may also dry out the pot if there is lots of wind and burlap so keep that in mind.

 

[ShadyStump]

So far I think @sorce has the best idea for a beginner friendly setup, and you would need to worry about running out of water either.

If repeated flooding is an issue for any of your tree species, you could split the difference with the same general setup but the top part for the trees drains freely, and use the rotating sprayer heads for the drip type system you originally thought of. As a bonus there, if the trees are enclosed in a plastic bin, you'll only need a few or just one larger sprinkler to water every tree.

I'd start with the big plastic storage tubs, no lids necessary but you might get them anyway in case you have need of them in the future. Get 2 stackable ones of the same dimensions, except one two or three times as deep to be the reservoir. Cut/drill your drain holes in the shallow one, set it on top of your reservoir. A small pond pump would do it for moving the water. Get one rated for a pond the size of your reservoir, or something with an adjustable rate. Ask at your local garden or hydroponic shop, and they'll be able to help you. If you want to try the drip line sprayers, find one already made for a 1/4 inch line. Any decent plugin timer will do for turning your water on and off.
TEST IT THOROUGHLY BEFORE DEPENDING ON IT.

You could cut just a few drain holes and use some PVC to make fittings that allow for adjustable drain rates, but that'd take you a bit further down the diy rabbit hole. As would skipping the timer and in stead using a float valve.
I only mention these to point out how far you can go fairly easily. Projects like these can become an obsession of their own once you get going.
Enjoy!