To power or not to power

[KGB]

I have noticed threads indicating that if power is lost you can go 24-48 hours of dark when in flower without harming the grow then pick the cycle back up.

Any truth to this?

The reason I ask is I may have to go out of town for 5 days and I don’t think there will be enough water. If it turns to that I could shut the light off for the last 24 to 48 hours to slow water intake.

Any thoughts?

 

[Hippie420]

I'd leave the lights on and figure out a drip system. Five days without water if well watered beforehand shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[KGB]

I'd leave the lights on and figure out a drip system. Five days without water if well watered beforehand shouldn't be a big deal.

There will be two gallons in each reservoir and the soil in each box has 8 gallons in the soil itself. I just don’t want it to fully dry out as you can’t rehydrate peat moss inside a container.

I may try setting the light at 50% tomorrow to see if that slows water intake

 

[Hippie420]

That might be a good idea. Shouldn't hurt the plants any. Gets cloudy outdoors in nature, sometimes for weeks here in the Mitten.

 

[T_Dub]

Im smoking, so this might be a stupid idea.

Can you drop an aquarium pump in a 5 gallon bucket of water (or bigger if possible) and attach a smart electrical outlet. I know with my Kasa smart plugs, I can turn them on and off wirelessly. Then you just run the pump for x number of minutes to refill your earthbox per day to top it off. It would require a little testing to fine tune timing. How much water do you need in your absence?

 

[Flower]

There will be two gallons in each reservoir and the soil in each box has 8 gallons in the soil itself. I just don’t want it to fully dry out as you can’t rehydrate peat moss inside a container.

I may try setting the light at 50% tomorrow to see if that slows water intake

What do you mean you can’t rehydrate peat moss in a container?
I run straight peat moss and perlite in cloth grow bags.
I routinely check their weight, and only water when they feel light.
Are you saying I shouldn’t be letting them dry out that much with peat?

 

[KGB]

What do you mean you can’t rehydrate peat moss in a container?
I run straight peat moss and perlite in cloth grow bags.
I routinely check their weight, and only water when they feel light.
Are you saying I shouldn’t be letting them dry out that much with peat?

When peat moss dries out it becomes hard and won't wick water very well. If you break up the soil and rehydrate it it's fine. But you can't break up the soil with the roots still alive. It's a shock.

Let me put it like this. Notice how sometimes when you let one dry out water kinda "runs though it"? The proper solution for a grow bag would be to put it in a larger container of water so it soaks. Then when the water drains it will begin to wick again.

Just my opinion