NutSystems - Origin Mini 8

The NutSystems Origin Mini 8 is a complete drip system with eight 1.65 litre pots on a 50 litre reservoir. You may know it as Wilma: that is the name this system sold under for years, and NutSystems, formerly Nutriculture, now brings it out as Origin.

Small pots, a large reserve

What sets this model apart is the ratio. Eight pots of 1.65 litres hold under fourteen litres of substrate between them, while 50 litres of nutrient solution waits underneath. Small pots dry out fast, and that is exactly where a generous reserve helps: the pump has plenty to draw on and you top up less often than the pot size would suggest.

That makes the Mini 8 a fit for plants that stay compact, for cuttings you want to grow on for a few weeks before they move, and for anyone who wants to learn how a drip system behaves before large pots go on it.

How it works

The pots stand in a tray that rests on the reservoir. The pump in the reservoir pushes the solution through a manifold to one dripper per pot. Whatever the pot does not hold drains through the tray back into the reservoir, so nothing is wasted.

Which dripper for which substrate

According to the wholesaler there are two dripper types for this system: a black one for clay pebbles and a blue arrow dripper for soil, coco and rockwool. Clay pebbles are recommended, because the returning water then stays clean. Plan on cleaning the system roughly every two weeks.

Technical Specifications:

• Pots: 8 x 1.65 litres
• Reservoir: 50 litres
• Dimensions: 90 x 45 x 21 cm
• Method: drip irrigation with return to the reservoir
• Included: pots, irrigation system and pump

Frequently asked questions

Is the Origin Mini 8 the same as the Wilma Mini 8? Yes, it is the same system under the new name NutSystems uses.

Does it come with a timer? The maker names the pump and the irrigation system, not a timer. Plan on a separate timer to set the watering cycles.

Will it fit a 90 x 90 grow tent? At 90 by 45 cm it takes up half of such a tent. Do measure the inside, as tents often run a little smaller than their name.

Can I use larger pots on it? That is what the Small Wide 8 with its 11 litre pots is for. On the Mini 8 the tray sets how much room there is.