I recently read here on one of the forums to not top water while using these self watering bases. Supposedly by top watering it washes the salts down into the bottom soil and could mess things up. I’m using living soil. I want to add some nutrients during flower. Does anyone here know if I made a compost tea and put it in the self watering basin, would the wick absorb the nutrients or would it be a waste of time?
4 Likes
@Willum Any thoughts?
2 Likes
I fed nutrients from the basin. The wicks def needed replacing during the grow. But I can’t speak to any issues. I alternated a cple of feeds with top feed. It was suggested to me that was a mistake. This last grow was my only one with the bottom feed, and only my 4th overall. So my info & experience is not deeply field tested. Sorry I can’t be of more help. I did get a bit more than 4ozs from the one plant, and I’m enjoying the yield very much! Good luck with your grow! 
2 Likes
Thanks for the feedback. It’s good to know that it’s possible to feed the soil from the wicks. I’m going to try it.
2 Likes
And again from my limited experiences, this last root ball was as big as any previous. For what that’s worth…
I’ll use it again this fall.
Cheers!
2 Likes
I’ve used both the ACInfinity self watering bases and AutoPots. The AutoPots are fed from a reservoir and if you top water you will create an issue with the salts. I don’t believe there is any such issue with the ACInfinity bases if you top feed and let the runoff fill the base.
I’m gone 5 days a week and am currently using both. The AutoPots with coco and the ACInfinity bases with soil.
The AutoPots let you feed for as long as the reservoir is big. With a typical 12 gallon reservoir you can feed a single plant almost 3 weeks.
With the ACInfinity bases I top feed until I get runoff, then fill the bases with an additional gallon of water to get an extra day or two out of the watering so I can be gone 5 days without worry, but if something were to happen and my return delayed 6 days they plants will dry out and wilt.
In summary, I don’t think the ACInfinity bases require you to bottom feed.
5 Likes
Good info. Thanks!
I had no idea what autopots were before your explanation. I’m always looking for ways to simplify this new hobby of mine. Thanks for sharing.
1 Like
I’ve been using Autopots for a couple of years with good success. Never used soil or living soil in them and would be reluctant to make any kind of organic tea as it stands a good chance of clogging the lines.
You do have to set up your pots specifically for bottom watering/feeding: a layer of hydroton with your medium on top. I’m currently using coco/perlite and Jack’s.
6 Likes
@Myfriendis410 , I completely forgot that I had originally planned to run clay balls or similar at the bottom of the Autopots at some point.
I’ve been running coco / perlite and even ran one with just coco.
Have you run both ways / seen any benefit of a hydrotron / similar layer? I’ve not seen anything in the roots that concerns me to this point and haven’t had any problems with the coco wicking, etc…
Really love running Jack’s in the Autopots, runs so clean that I rarely have to clean anything mid-grow unlike some other lines (Looking at you AN Sensi Coco……).
1 Like
Yeah; I don’t even flush with Jack’s. The Hydroton is supposed to slow down the amount of liquid wicked into the medium.
I’ve done the Autopots with the supplied plastic pots and used air domes. I’m currently using Fabric pots and IME found better success that way over the plastic pots. Plus I’m not having to run an air pump with fabric pots. You’ll get some root infiltration into the tray but just make sure roots are clear of the mechanism and all’s good.
2 Likes
Makes sense, and yeah, I got the XL Set-up with the bags and have only run the bags myself. Typically fabric cheapo’s from Amazon and no issues. Running a Rain Science bag on one side this grow and will probably move to them going forward. 
Def do keep an eye out for roots, plenty make it through the bags, none through the Pot Socks yet, but I may upgrade to their newer drawstring style for the next grow anyway just to be safe.
1 Like
This is only my opinion and a practice I have used with autopots.
If you all remember Nicky, he did the same. I do both. I primarily use the reservoir and will also top feed. I turn off the intake, let the tray almost go dry and then top feed. I remove the runoff from the tray. I do this when I want to add Tribus, FishSh’t or some advanced nutrient supplements like Nirvana and Big Bud.
4 Likes
That would be a good way to add organic stuff without risking clogs.
3 Likes
What cheap replacement bags did you use? I saw some on 247Garden but the shipping is nuts. The rain bags fit pretty well, too?
1 Like
This is the last round I ordered. I’ve been running the 3 gallons (my preference) so can’t speak to if the larger sizes fit properly but these have been excellent.
1 Like
Great, thanks! I might invest in the rain science bags.
1 Like
They have some newer style bags as well (Rain Science) that I think are intended for Autoflower plants but they specifically say they fit well in the Autopot XL. I think the only difference is they are slightly taller but I need to look at details better before I order them.
This is the 3 gallon rain science ibags, right? The 5 gallon bags are too wide (has to be less than 10.5” I think).
1 Like
The ones that they list as new / Autoflower bags says:
Note: Our 5g Rain Science auto flower bag also fits well in the Autopot XL System.