We all know that. And even if the variants are numerous, the principle remain the same. Most of people i know use it like me : in leaving it in a warm corner and constantly monitor it to check the humidity and the state of the medium and the seeds.
Sometimes i forget it and the paper get dry, sometimes it’s the reverse, sometimes i’m far away, and sometimes i don’t find anymore “warm spot” because each network switch, router, DSL box and fridge have seeds placed above. Specifically with cold weather.
Something like xx years ago, this seed sprouter became the natural evolution for me. It’s cheap, around 10€, and very easy to use. The majority of these models have multiples layers so you can launch a good numbers of seeds of three strains at a time, per seed sprouter. No more medium also, condensation do all the job.
In a perfect world you have to change the water one time a day, but i’ve already forgot it one week and it can handle it with the reserve of water. The seeds will survive.
But one more time, the heat was necessary and each time i’m using an heating mat for something other than working a dry sift hash, i get problems. So, the invasion of the house still a problem and a bit more risky with the volume of water.
One winter, we organize a “mini-cup” between three growers after a hot debate online and i see this in the house of the host. Kind of neo-hippie with zero gluten and all these stuff. He made us a fabulous salad with sprout that are inside and I instantly fall in love with the machine.
In the picture it’s my third, i order them the most cheap i can because there is not much difference and i need to mod them a bit to perfectly fit my need. Sometimes i’m happy and i get a “mini” model and sometimes like this spring i get the XL model. It’s pretty random.
This thing do everything for me : heating the seeds at three different rates (cold, medium,hot), it keep the seeds heavenly moist and not with stagnant water but with mechanically oxygenated water. For around 15/18 bucks directly from the source.
You don’t have to mod it to use it, it work without. But with a couple of simple tricks, it become more efficient for my use and easier to put anywhere.
First thing to understand is the system. Not rocket science. There is a pump that push the water in the column and finish in a gyratory sprinkler. With the pressure of the water, the water jets coming from the holes make spin the thing.
But i just want to germinate seeds, no to make salad with it. So i reduce drastically the column to finish just above the second tray. There is twos to three trays superimposed. Best setup tested is twos trays, with seeds in the first below. The second tray permit to distribute water not directly on seeds, and they stay where you have placed them this way. It make some shadow also. Each tray is split in four quarters by separators.
The system don’t run all the time, it’s intermittent. The pump and the water heater are running by cycles. Reducing the general height keep the temps more stable and more long.
Put a flashlight inside, behind the column and make a mark that is just above the sprinkler. The closer the better. After that take measurement and make points all around to place a duct tape. I cut it with a dremel and a disc. Don’t get crazy on RPM and don’t insist, it’s a cheap plastic. Make twos times the whole turn at least to make a clean cut. Manually with a metal saw i broke it, so i prefer to take my time.
After that, i use a “heater” (in picture) to warm well the plastic and to make it flush inside the lid. Do it outdoor or with a RVK just above. Emanations are pretty hardcore.
Then i wrap it with duct tape to minimize the light inside.
If ever you want to know how it’s made inside …
On right : the water heater
On center : the pump
On left : the controller/timer/AC adapter
For EU user which like me are totally against the idea to use a cheap chinese 110 volt socket with a cheap chinese adapter :
A bit shitty to solder the phase cable but worth the peace of mind to get rid of the socket and the adapter. No ground. A scavenged cable on a dead fan do the job.
And done, ready to fire. If you’re obsessional, you can unclip the sprinkler with a screwdriver and pass a file to reduce the factory’s cuts and chunks. A little dab of dremel for the holes for the finitions and to have a nice fine rain. Don’t get mad on diameter and keep the original ones. The pump is just enough powerful to spin the sprinkler, even with a reduced column.
Later, i will try to adapt the “zombie tea” to this machine. Replacing the last step by this sprouter. Can’t use humic acid and kelp in this machine, the pump die fast and the sprinkler will be clogged fast.
And also i don’t think afterward that the last step of the process is necessary : letting sit the seeds in the paper moistened with kelp/humic.
To be continued …