@Nicky @SilvaBack203 Im doing my first auto pot grow.
I’m going to use coco. Was wondering about clay pebbles, how many? Reusable? Alternatives?
Has anyone osed the new air bases supposed to eliminate pebbles
If i don’t respond quickly, im really having troubles with site. I load it and it just flashes… i have to delete bookmark and create new link. Sometimes that doesn’t work 
I use straight coco. I might have a cew growmies that have the experience you need besides Nick. @Graysin @JJ520 @Borderryan22
I use coco with perlite with a layer of mini golf balls on the bottom.
Thanks @SilvaBack203 I think Nicky uses straight coco too. Appreciate the tags, very interested in different techniques. Pebbles are pretty expensive upon evaluation 
Thanks, i was wondering about those glass stones for aquariums. I got a bunch of those
Thanks for the tag @SilvaBack203 I’ve only done straight coco sorry
Does everyone use the air domes? @SilvaBack203 @yourviolentpast @Borderryan22
Yeah, same here.
I used an air dome in one pot and none in the others. Haven’t noticed an actual difference. But it was autoflowers, so far from a scientific side-by-side.
Nope, never used one.
So I actually have been using coco perlite on the regular, and I never got into the air domes during the early days because of the hassle… However
I am currently running a clone test of coco vs coco perlite to see if I can find a difference.
It’s early and I can’t say for sure.
The two on the right are in straight coco.
The largest of the 4 and the smallest of the four but that’s how the clones were so I’ll see what yeild is like at the end vs the two medium sized ones in coco perlite mix on the left.
I would try the new air tray bases, air provides a boost, not huge sometimes but it does generally do slightly better (think aeroponics).
The old air domes and pebbles were not the most user friendly, the plastic golf balls was better with an air stone but a hassle to clean after and re use as well (buy an enzyme)
These new bases look much improved so ide try them.
Just haven’t got there yet.
If I had to re build my system today ide go with new valve 5’s, fabric pots, air bases, a 400gph pump in a flextank pro, and ide us Jack’s, fishshit, and advanced nutrients ph up /down.
In a tent with AC infinity T series fan, and using an apera ph40 blue pen.
Ide toss 2 in coco and 2 in coco perlite and run 4 clones until I decided what works better.
I trust coco perlite more in my head but there is a caton exchange argument that may benefit straight coco… The risk with straight coco is it can get water logged easier so ensuring the autopots are not turned on to early is very very important for full root growth If using strsifh coco.
If your careful straight coco probably will take the slight advantage… But This remains to be proven in a clone test which I’m trying to do for the last year lol…
That’s my 2c everyone thnx for the tags and helping me still touch base with everyone.
@Nicky That’s more than 2c gotta be at least 5 bucks!!
Dang, i wish you were already done with control group. That should help learn alot starting from clones. You need one with and without airdomes now 
Time for a new tent
I’ve been thinking about this a long time as you may know… even more the last couple days. So far I’ve only ordered the 4 pot setup, 12.4g hard res, 3.9g hard pots. I’ve grown in fabric only so far and it sucks cleaning them for reuse. I don’t need the 5g xl spring pots. I think that’s only size in fabric. Plants been growing too big in 3g fabric anyway Personally, with this setup, i think i could work with 2g fabric on individual bases.
I definitely planned on getting the airbase and dome, but i changed my mind and going to do this first run in coco only. It does look like a hassle, esp 1st time in autopots. I’ll probably do a couple inch layer, at bottom, with perlite then straight coco. The airbase setup is about $100. More if you need the pump. However, after getting the pots, 2 new bricks of coco, silica blast, 6lb kit of jack’s and a new little digital microscope I’ve reached my budget. Ill get the airdomes next run maybe
Thanks for the input sir
Oh your going plastic?
Then definitely go air asap.
I’ve spoken with Jason the ceo of autopots a time or two before and he was very helpful when I was over turning every stone I could.
In short he explained to me that in their commercial grade Research and development grows fabric beat plastic hands down but commercial growers don’t want fabric they want plastic for quick re use and longevity for years to come. However plastic always out Preformed when air domes were used, they never did plastic vs fabrics with air for some reason.
I do think fabric with air will be the best and I’m going to test it in coco vs perlite with air eventually… Just not there yet since it all costs money and this is all a giant money pit to me since I smoke maybe half a ounce a year.
So yes definitely get air when you can afford it if going plastic
Alright bro, ya sold me. I’ve got a couple weeks minimum on my current grow… (see pic 
)
A few weeks in solo cups and one transplant, I should have some time. I’ll get the airbases and domes. The airbase replaces clay i guess… so hopefully thats all i need and can use coco with some perlite if necessary. Will the bubbles raise the ph in the base?
What a monster of a tent wow nice job!
I wish I could deal with that much flower if I grew it lol…
Definitely tag me in harvest pics.
You won’t regret air bases in plastic, looks like you have the ability to benefit from them to as your grow is fairly dialed in.
Keep that humidity under control!
Thanks Nicky, definitely my best so far. It’s a 5x5 and the buds are forming 90° angles from the corners. I just did most of what you told me coco, Jack’s, silica, microbes… watch temps and rh (i struggle). Not sure why i have some areas showing deficiency of some sort. But they’re at 91 days so probably starting to die. I think ill have 16-20oz. I’m gonna dislocate my elbow pressing rosin probably
I’m starting to feel that way. Even with the wife smoking it up, I think we’ll be converting most of the flower into rosin, hash, QWET, or literally whatever else packs more of a punch. Plain flower’s too hard on the lungs.
I can’t fathom they’d raise it enough to care. I use airstones in my hydroponic reservoirs and didn’t notice a dramatic pH drift. As long as you keep the reservoir in check, every time they get a fresh drink it’ll be the right pH. FWIW, I’ve not ever actually seen a pH induced lockout. I have seen a nutrient lockout due to oversupply of nutrients. It’s my general impression that plants exude hormones to alter the pH so they can uptake the nutrients they need - some rough googling backs that up, but I admit I didn’t look very deep. I’m largely just surmising based on my own experiences where I’ve triggered every deficiency and toxicity in the book, nailed nutrient lockout, and even managed to get weird root ooze. I can’t say it’s impossible, I just don’t think pH is quite as critical as we make it out to be - the “Range” is good to stay within, but immediate doom won’t befall your grow if the air gets you up from 5.8 to 6.3. 
I’ll be very curious to see how the new air base perform for you - I haven’t investigated them yet.
I sure have . One plant was just a train wreck almost over night. I was in soil, when i did a slurry test, the ph was 3.7… after a couple flushes and babying it straightened out but took about 3 weeks after i did an emergency transplant. Alot of what i tried made things worse Never did figure out how the ph got so low. The other plants were fine. Same everything (maybe:wink:)
@Nicky @SilvaBack203 @Graysin @Mr_Wormwood
Hi guys, here’s 3 of the 4 plants harvested. Banana Blaze still in tent
Everything collapsed
Very nice
Congratulations
