Autopot system here. Going to set it up asap.
3.9 gallon pots. I’m going to be using Canna coco mixed 50/50 with perlite. The reason I chose Canna was simply because the hydroponic store near me had it, and highly recommended as it was prewashed and buffered.
However they also recommended Canna A&B nutrients. They carried every brand of nutrient imaginable, and said the Canna A&B system worked especially well with coco and Autopots.
Anyone have experience with it?
Yes, I use canna AB, Rhizotonic, PK13/14 and calimagic calmag in coco. Pretty easy to use, you can actually follow there feed chart and it does work very well. I normally use the normal feed rate, they also have a light and heavy feed schedule as well on there website. I just got auto pots in the mail. I will be trying them out soon. I got the geo pot 5 gal fabric set up with 12.5 gallon res. I was also wondering if i can use perlite at the bottom of the pot because i got no hydroton. If one of the experts wants to chime in with that answer please it would be appreciated. I will say if you got questions about canna nutes the guy you want to talk to is @Dman1969 he grows magazine worthy plants i gotta say and always willing to help.
Good luck dude
You may be able to use the chunky perlite in lieu of hydroton but I am not sure. I use the airbases in mine, you drop them in first and push some of the coco or soil down into the holes. Like the pebbles or hydroton, it keeps the roots off the bottoms. They are reusable. Good luck.
Is there a best brand of clay pebbles or a certain kind that most use? I have no experience with them so I’m clueless. I hope i can get away with just layering with perlite for this run. But good to know what to buy for future runs. As always tganks for any help, appreciate it.
Unfortunately, I used the air bases right away and never bought the pebbles. Plenty here do use them and can chime in. I have read they may require a good rinse before use, which the auto pot article posted mentions.
I switched to AutoPots in 2021 and I forgot to get hydroton before my first run so I went without and had no issues. Been growing the same way since with no issues. I use a cocoa/perlite mix that’s about 60/40 in cloth pots with no air domes or anything else in the pots
Thanks @Dman1969 i should have just asked ypu to begin with, but i was tired and baked so i didnt lol. That was very good information i really appreciate it. Like i mentioned a while back ill probably be picking your brain al9ng my first auto pot adventure.
Thanks again brotha man, 
It will be My Pleasure My Brother 
Used these for a couple grows. Was drain to waste last grow so I used a ton of it. If you find yourself doing the same u can save a ton of $ ordering in 5 liters. I think it’s like $125 for 5 liters of each an and b canna coco.
I am on day 23 of a grow and am using sane setup and nutes.
In search of mentor is title
It’s a long thread as it has previous grows. But I document ok and would be happy to help. I’m learning the autopots too and can probably fill you in on what works well if I’m ahead of your schedule.
Mind you that I just potted in the pots about a week ago as this was not my original plan.
Thank you for the offer.
I’m still waiting for my new seeds to arrive. I’m hoping to get cooking within a week.
Really looking forward to it. But I look forward to each grow.
Yeah I like the autopots but there are a few quirks I’ve found
Quirks? Such as?
The medium you use is very important. The setup of the pot as far as airdromes, perlite etc is important.
I got fungus gnats. Mosquito dunks cured the issue but this medium stays wet. And I’m in 50/50 coco perlite.
Ph of reservoir is extremely important and will shift more than a regular drain to waste.
I believe that it is important to start your plant in the autopot
I’ll tell you why.
I had a couple seeds not sprout. So I had 2 seeds that I planted directly into the autopots about a week later than the first seeds I planted, which were in regular fabric pots.
Anyway. I hadn’t planned on using autopots in the beginning of this grow. So I have 2 plants started in autopots and 3 transplanted. The 2 younger plants planted directly into the autopots are a ton more healthy than the transplants. And I was very careful w the transplant.
The younger plants that were planted directly into the autopots overtook the transplants by week 3 and now dwarf them.
I believe this is because the tap root grew straight down in the seeds planted into the autopots. I think the transplant roots grew other directions. I’ll look when I harvest but this is my idea.
I am limited to 5 plants so that’s what I grow. The autopots seem to throw off alot of moisture. It’s probably the plants but I’ve found that it’s much more difficult for me to get the humidity inside the tent toward the humidity outside my tent. But winter is on the way and I have a dehumidifier.
Another thing of note on the direct planting. The seeds i directly planted are in preflower. The seeds I transplanted are a week older but are a week behind in development.
Won’t know if it really matters until harvest time but all signs point to planting directly into pot and have watering until you know your tap root has gone to the bottom of the pot. Probably when leaves touch the edge of pot but I think this only applies to plants planted directly in the pots. Transplants will be bigger before they drink healthily from the pots.
Great info.
Thanks for taking the time to post. Looks like I’ll be planting directly into to 3.9 gallon pot.
One other thing. I’m curious what kinda light you are using and how well you are going to be able to control humidity. I ask because autoflower aren’t auto all the way. The veg cycle can be manipulated to get larger plants. I fim and get really nice results.
How can you manipulate an auto flowers veg time? I know you can with a photo but not an auto?
My light source will be the same one I’ve been using for over 10 years.
600-1000w MH/HPS on a digital dimmable ballast.
1000w is a tremendous amount of light in a 4x4. But when I’m able to control it, the buds are like rock candy.
I’ve been using same light as you for 5 years in a 5x5 tent. Plants love it i agree 100%. I always have a heat issue when i put in the hps bulb. I run out room to raise light up, that’s what killed me. Plus cost a bit to run it.
