Hey all! I recently set up a 4 pot xl system split between 2 tanks just in case… I’m on day 16 and only using water. For now. I turned the pots on and I’m constantly ph’ing every day. I start at 5.6 and end up 24hrs later around 6.4 ish. I’m using coco loco. Both tanks have a wave maker but the water stinks. I have well water which is just under 100ppm. The wave makers also have a little bit of brown crud on them and the water after 3 days is cloudy. Any advice is very much appreciated.
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Coco Loco is a soil blend, and not sure why they call it that. A ph of 6.5 is closer to where you want to be.
The reason that your ph is bouncing is 100 ppm is very clean water, and it doesn’t have enough TDS or ppm to hold a steady ph.
As you start to add nutrients to the reservoir it will be more stable. But since that mixture has nutrients I cannot advise you, as to when to start feeding.
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Ok. That’s why I haven’t fed yet. I had a massive grow just before the autopots and I had lockout feeding at 6.4. So I was advised to drop to 5.9 and never had a problem after that. That’s why I was looking for that number. I didn’t feed until the 28th day so I figured it’ll be around that time to feed as well. Thanks for your comment!
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@Brian384 Also I have learned that any type of organic nutrients in the reservoir will cause a mess with odors. Your well water has a little something that leads to a bacterial growth when exposed to air. You may want to filter this out.
Jacks 321 with plain coco and perlite is a proven combination here. I haven’t read about soil in AutoPots.
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One last tip. You may want to check the ph in the AutoPot trays. I have found it about .30 different from the reservoir.
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Yea I’ve definitely checked the trays and I’m much higher there. I’m actually kind of pissed off because I assumed because my last grow had huge yields for autos I decided to go with the same soil. I didn’t know the coco loco was only 45% coco. I knew I should have went with cultivation nation. And I do have organic nutes I want to use up. Cronk lineup. All the research I did for these autopots and I got some damn soil…. Thanks again for the knowledge.
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@ I have needed to disconnect an AutoPot tray from the reservoir. In order to change the nutrients in that plant, and use some organics. I would remove the tray cover, and manually fed the tray with solution. I would wait until the tray would go dry, and then flood it higher than the valve does. This dry cycle may work better with the soil in the AutoPot. You can always just try this with one pot to see if it improves it. Just saying.
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I grow in autopots and I’ve never heard of soil in a autopot. Don’t get me wrong it may work fine. But to my knowledge autopots were designed for coco. It’s more like hydro than soil.
The grower that posted before me @Ickey has a good idea how to make it work. The flood and dry out the tray thing will probably work fine 
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Yup I was just telling a buddy the same thing. Since it’s soil I think it’s smarter to give a dry period. Last grow was my first and I basically watered to drought. Man what a bummer. I’m almost tempted to rip them out and do it the right way. Thanks again!
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Watering the tray isn’t all that hard, just a pain for me to get on the old hands and knees to do it. But if this old man can do it! I think AutoPot recommends using this method for thick organics.
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I’ve been wanting to use the autopots since my first/last grow and thought that’s what I had was coco. Im still debating whether to rip them out and start over or just let em ride. I hate buying from a dispo… thanks @Dman1969
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I did want to use the fish sh!t and recharge too… but I also realized that it’s hard to get in a 4x4 with 4 autopots. Did some lst yesterday and my knees are still jacked. I should have got a 5x5 and coco instead of soil…
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Don’t rip them out. If they are doin good. Just remember to let it dry up then flood. I bet it will be fine. 
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I guess a foam pad is the only suggestion that I have for the knees.
I am running four 3.9 gallon AutoPots in a 5x5. I kinda wish I had went with a 4x4. The light requirements are much more with the 5x5, and is 25 square foot vs 16. When the the plants are mature there is some room in the 5x5 but not enough to move around in, and I still need to craw under under the plants to get to the trays. But a 4x4 or 5x5 would still be a hard decision for me even now.
Another negative about the AutoPot, is that they require removal of the plants from the tent for trimming. I use a large planter tray to sit the pots in while moving. Otherwise they drip everywhere.
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Yes I agree with the whole statement. I had large saucers from the last run and I dripped them all over the place to the saucer to lst. I don’t really have the space for a 5x5 but at this point I think it’s worth it to make space. I’ve been debating on the spider farmer g8600 for the 4x4 so hopefully it’s enough for a 5x5. Not trying to be the best just want the best possible outcome.
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I use coco loco often and in auto pots. PH of 6.3 in veg, that’ll drift a little and 6.5 in flower with the same. I also only add 6 gallons in the res and have a wave maker moving the mix 
Gelato Auto in coco loco and auto pots
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@OGIncognito What nutrients do you run in the reservoir Jacks? I have found that the Jacks RO formula is as clean as 321, but has less ph movement in the reservoir.
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Jacks 321 and silica on a 4/2 schedule. Tap water is my source
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That is one advantage of tap water they kill off the bacteria, before the water is sent out the piping.
Do you use Jacks at full strength once the CocoLoco starts to fade out?
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Full strength around the end of week 4ish or 5. Coco loco is my go to bag medium when I’m too lazy to mix up coco. I start seeds in this medium as well. FF’s best line IMO, slurry test from the bag have been around 2500 consistently
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