After doing tons of reading and researching today I am going to purchase the Spring Pot XL 6x system for my 8x4 flower tent, then eventually the same system for my 4x4.
I am looking for some information on other things that I will need to get that don’t come with the system.
Any add-ons, extras, must haves, things you wish you ordered when you first purchased, or things you didn’t realize you needed until after you got set up.
I will be running RO water, coco/perlite(70/30), Jack’s 321, recharge, and I know I need silica.
What brand of silica do you recommend for my setup?
I will not be using the air stones
What do you line the bottom of your pot with? I read some people use chunky perlite, clay pebbles(I want to avoid), or nothing at all except the medium?
For now I think that’s all the questions I have as my reading of everyone’s post has answered most of my questions. If I do think of anything else I’ll ask away.
Feel free to give any tips/pointers if you would like.
I got couple people to tag, but feel free to tag anyone else @Nicky@Not2SureYet
I didn’t mean to post twice. I was trying to tag at the end of my first post and it just closed out on me and disappeared. So I just retype it all and posted it. I apologize for that didn’t realize it posted it lol
I wish I would’ve bought some extra tubing, shutoff valves, the silicone squishy things and some extra t fittings. It would’ve been less expensive to buy it all together because of shipping cost for the small parts you might need later. Truth be told my system isn’t up and running yet so I have no practical experience. Very soon though…
That’s our job to keep everything tidy. Purp has you dialed in.
I run Autopot XL’s and chose hydroton in lieu of coco chips. My system came with a copper coated pad that prevents roots from growing out of the bottom. If using plastic pots you may want to reconsider using air. If using cloth pots it’s not necessary.
I know @Nicky has a thread in here for autopots starting out. One thing I wish I would have done is got the kit with the hard pots. You can get 5 gallon soft pots cheap for these from 247garden. I run air with both the hard pots and soft. I didn’t do to good my self with no air in the soft pot I tried. If you go air. it is a lot cheaper to go with air stones as to air domes. About 1/4 the cost. I have the 1/4" lines. But use these “in 1/4 inch” They work great and are much easier to use that the rain birds. I have yet to have a leak and use these fittings every where. Just make sure the end you put in the valve is clean. Hasn’t been used on some thing else. I am using clay balls. But am trying the plastic golf balls next. @ravenchief is doing great with them. I got a few of these kits. in 1/4"
I ended up placing a second order for extra lines, spring pots, both size silicon stoppers, tap from reservoir (because when when came it was broken) and a couple of line plugs. Might not need it all but for a few bucks I’ll have it on hand.
Use this silica
Lined bottom of pots with 16-18 of these
And run some of this to keep lines clean and soak all parts in after each harvest to clear salt buildup
In the middle of my first harvest using the AutoPots. They were neglected for 5-6 weeks as I had foot surgery and couldn’t get into tent.
