DIY Reservoir Gauges | Making water level indicators - Semi-Hydro & Self-Watering pot hack!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Just a thought, but you could could also make some sort of base or raft out of polystyrene or a light weight material, and glue the straws to that so they sit more upright. That's what the professional self-watering pots do, they have a plastic raft and then usually a polystyrene ball underneath that pushes the raft and the tube up, or the raft itself is sealed and buoyant. Obviously here they rest against the side of the tube. Not sure if that's a problem but just thought I'd put it out there, I'm sure there are loads of easy ways to improve these! 🙂

[@tbru13]

thank you for this wonderful idea. I have some very deep pots & could not find straws that were both tall & wide enough. Found 50cm x 16mm wide plexiglass aquarium tubes - going to give these a try.

[@FarrahStegen]

Yes the straw sits against the edge what I fine is it won't come back down with out har tapping it and flicking it

[@stevecarter8810]

Yes, the hole in the top has to let the air out so the water can get in, so the straw will move. Otherwise the water will be held back by the air pressure inside the tube. Great build and clear video thanks!

[@aleksandarhristov6977]

I like that there are people that blend aesthetics and functionality, keep up the great work!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! I hope it's useful, it can probably be tweaked and improved lots but just for some ideas 🙂

[@NinjaOrchids]

In Swahili we have a word for handyman / handy woman .. fundi ! 😃 this is fundi stuff! Great video 👍🏼👍🏼

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Fundi! I love it 😀 FunDI Y 😂

[@NinjaOrchids]

The Orchid Room oh !! 😃😃 that’s a great version of the word! FunDI Y !! I like it! 👍🏼

[@o_o8203]

Lechuza is shaking! 😂

[@TheOrchidRoom]

🤣🤣🤣 Maybe not quite up to their standards, but maybe with some tweaks along the way we can get close 🤔😂 I love lechuza, but couldn't afford one for every orchid 🙂

[@sheiselwilliams1]

Thank you so much. I love both of these methods. Will definitely be trying these with my orchids that I have in semi-hydro.

[@lucythecat529]

Well that was very clever of you to come up with this. Very cool! 😎. Cheap and easy too!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

It's an idea fully originated from staring at how the reservoir gauge pots I have bought worked, if they didnt want us to copy they should hide the mechanisms, not make you assemble the straws and rafts yourself, right? 😂

[@lucythecat529]

The Orchid Room 👌

[@TrishsOrchidLife]

Love how the scientist comes out. I ❤️that you always keep the esthetics in mind when you do your videos

[@TheOrchidRoom]

😂 Think I will always be a nerd 🤓 💗

[@chelsyp]

Oh my gosh I’m so glad I found this video! It’s brilliant!! Thank you so much for sharing 💕

[@TheOrchidRoom]

There are some other videos floating around using a similar method but possibly using more long lasting materials I think, these lasted around a year before they seemed to get gummed up with debris/fertiliser build up, but as a cheap short term hack they're great. There are ways to make them more long term I think, but then again, some of the ones I bought as self-watering pots only lasted a year before the same seemed to happen 🤷‍♀️

[@gazsto9510]

Hi Annabel, that's a brilliant idea, so I have adapted it to suit my larger planters and it's working great. Thanks and appreciated!

[@Meskarune]

omg this is genius

[@suethorpe7850]

I always wondered how semi hydro works. Thanks for the tips 👍

[@elainereilly4686]

Thank you so much for this video....you are the best DIY gauge maker!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks!! 😀 I am sure I'm not, but I'm really glad you think so! 🙂

[@bernieleung1]

Thanks, Annabel for this very clever and very useful DIY project. You are definitely a very handy person. I will try this out very soon!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! I hope it works and is useful 😀 I find mine invaluable for the laelias, I did not realise how fast they were drinking at all! It probably needs a few tweaks but it's an idea to build on, and seems to be working well so far!!

[@KP-gw5zv]

Now that is very clever. Never thought of doing that but now I can. Thank you. Love this video and keep them coming. I have learned so much from you and able to try them out on my orchids. Have a real great day.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks Kim, hope it is useful! I'm sure it needs some tweaks at some point but so far I'm super happy with them!

[@GoldenArrow297]

Brilliant idea💡

[@OrchidNerd]

Thanks for the video! I was thinking of making some water gauges for exactly the same reason - having trouble watering on time when the seasons change. I'll be looking online for some of those test tubes and straws :)

[@Twinleo1]

Wow. This is amazing! Thank you for making this video. These look great!

[@wandashaw3551]

Love this idea. Thanks for sharing and I'm going to make this my next Orchid project. Wish me luck! 🤗

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks!! Glad you found it useful! Good luck, I think there are probably lots of ways you can improve it or tweak, but as a basic idea it seems to work well and I find it very helpful for my smaller pots thay dry faster 🙂 Also for the miltoniopsis that drink a full reservoir in a week at the moment 😅🤦‍♀️

[@wandashaw3551]

The Orchid Room thank you! I just got my very first miltoniopis yesterday and she is beautiful! Hope I can keep her happy .

[@trishal2223]

Thanks Annabel! That is so helpful!!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful! 🙂

[@lelew2308]

Wow! Thanks for this very informative vid!!

[@CheeryOrchids]

Brilliant!🤩 thank you so much anabelle!😀❤️

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks and no problem! 😀 I hope it's useful!

[@llanadonna]

These are so cute!

[@alinparsegian]

Super easy, super useful super idea! Thank you❤️

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! I hope it helps and works for other people, and gives people ideas on how to tweak or improve 🙂💗

[@Sockermonstret]

This is brilliant! Thank you! And it looks cute as well, good job 🤩😍

[@yadigarklckaya5989]

You are great thank you so much this video is very helpful to me I am begining to recreate my pots like you right now 🥰❤️🙏🏻👊🏻

[@yliberal6355]

Great idea!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Glad you think so! :-)

[@wrighthouse2024]

Excellent video I’m going to try it

[@debbieleedy59]

Great DIY! Thank you!

[@Lanasleaves]

I love these!

[@athena2012]

Thank you!

[@pitschl]

Great video, thanks a lot!

[@woowooone]

Thank you so much for this!

[@roseport20001]

Brilliant 😀

[@aaronsarinana1654]

Nice!

[@FarrahStegen]

Hiya, OMG i love the concept!. So my straw is sticking to the test tube and not going down any tip please

[@barbaradumler6503]

Great job! Thank you!

[@valiumsurbanjungle2041]

This is perfect, thank you!!!! 😍

[@henrilebovic5229]

This is genius! Just wish I could somehow do it with my violet pots. The easiest thing would probably be to mark the max water level on the inside of the pot, but I don't know with what. Any ideas? Tried sharpie but it didn't last

[@apc7716]

When watered and do you let 1 week without watered and how to fertilize with this system? Thanks Anabel to share your experience 🥰😘😆

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Reservoir always kept topped up, that's the principle of traditional semi-hydro 🙂 I have a few watering and fertilising videos in a playlist if you are interested, or in a recent frequently asked questions video 🙃

[@teresawelcome8354]

The V shape at the end of the smoothie straw is for the purpose of letting the liquid get in...

[@beegardenhoney256]

What did you fill the water reservoir with beside water? Soil, clay or stone pebbles?

[@cliffordtaylor3556]

Where do you buy the tube and the pots that have a reservoir

[@matyboy6139]

Have u tried not adding the polystyrene? And just glue the ends closed on the straw. I cant see the polystyrene making it float more since it doesn't touch the water at all. Unless its keeping the straw from collapsing on it self, but I dont think it is. Just curious

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Yes I have, seems to make it float better- the ones with the polystyrene floated higher and more reliably. Could just be providing a better seal though rather than actually improving buoyancy in any way.

[@SamuelAccio]

Great video! For the self watering set up, do you generally find an inner pot with a diameter slightly larger than the outer mask? Or do most of the clear pots have a lip so they sit snugly on top? Looks like you went through a lot of trial and error to find the right combinations! PS. The orchids you sent me are all doing well! :)

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! And I'm really glad your orchids are getting on well, thanks for letting me know 😀 Oh you wouldnt believe how many different size and types of pots I have bought over the years trying to find self watering combos 😂 the taper of the pots matters too! The pots with the lips work best as they you have something nice and easy to pick up also. Some of the cheap outer pots I have are too tapered at the base, so inner pots wont go deep enough to sit snugly. But they're good for semi-hydro, and some other cheap lipped pots I bought from garden centres fit those too, because they're shallower. It's a real headache. And then you find ones that work together and are cheap and amazing, and the supplier stops doing one of them... 😂 Someone could make alot of money off me if they just made some cheap self watering combos with clear inner pots 😅

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

This might be a stupid question, but why do you need the poly at the bottom of the straw? If you're sealing the end of the straw with hot glue, it should work as a bob without it, no?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Seems to float better with than without, unsure why? Maybe it just forms a better seal than glue alone and is nothing to do with the actual material 🤷‍♀️

[@taryn4080]

can one use any string for wicking water?

[@japanick2002]

Hello! I tried putting this together today with a large smoothie straw and a smaller normal sized straw inside. I made several but none of them rose/fell with the water. Is there a trick? It’s almost as if the straws stuck to each other.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Hi there! No trick, mine work every time, have you tried floating your sealed inner straw on it's own to see if its an issue with the seal on your straw not creating buoyancy, or a combination of the 2 materials? You'll probably need to optimise and troubleshoot as you go. Any ridges at the base of your inner straw that could stick inder the outer straw? Outer straw fully to the bottom of the pot?

[@FarrahStegen]

Hi did you find a solution sitting with the same issue

[@FarrahStegen]

Hiya did you find a solution I have the same issue

[@АллаМурашкина-п3ы]

👏😊

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! 🙂

[@liverocks2025]

I am not comfortable with the strength of the glue. Will the glue hold?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Yes, it holds well, it's not placed under any pressure, I'm not asking it to support anything heavy structurally, and is supported by media. Most of my self watering ones aren't even glued. If you aren't comfortable, you can use mitrebond, but that's going to be tough to get off. This is just my method I had a few requests for, you are welcome to take the idea and improve on it.

[@iliasdelis1949]

What are the dimensions of the plastic tubes?

[@KJ7JHN]

Styrafoam cup??

[@Oliccino]

can u just stick a spaghetti into the ball? or would that be too heavy?

[@far3467]

glue from glue gun is not waterpoof and will come away over time, use waterpoof glue like bondtite

[@ThatanOmega]

It may be cheaper to buy a water gauge, you can get them for £1-2

[@jeromefridmann6108]

Brrrrrrr. What did U say ??