They are a bottom fed from a reservoir. I think he was mixing nutes and refilling reservoir like once a week. @Screwauger?
Not that I want to cut corners, because I love giving my plants lots of attention, but sometimes I get so busy with my normal job, and then my side business, there are just not enough hours in the day.
And yes Im sure photos would be off the wall in the auto pots, but figure a quick auto run might be the way to go to get the hang of the system.
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Now I’ll have to go look at them haha
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I think Auto Pot USA is what he is using.
You already sucked up my likes for the evening, but I’ll check them out. Thanks!
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The AP’s are considered “passive hydro.”
The key is in the aquavalve but the function is
continuous bottom feeding with dry periods (short) meted out by the
function of the aquavalve (won’t let more solution into the tray until the
hydrostatic process releases the float thereby creating several daily periods where the tray is not full).
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Thanks for the explanation and the video Bro.
I just keep thinking about the temps I dealt with last summer, and would have to add water temp solutions like a chiller if I started this when this grow was over.
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Could be an issue. Even in my northeast basement, I had (6) 2 liter soda bottles filled 3/4’s with water kept in the chest freezer. Three in reservoir at a time would bring down my temps but it was a full time job. Never considered a chiller but might down the road.
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If you wanted to go the route I did, I have enough aluminum you could have to build your own fixtures. Heatsinks being the biggest expense.
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@Rugar89 @Screwauger would installing the res outside of grow space be an option to combat temp issues?
I wasn’t going to ask these questions here, but perhaps stuff you would like to know as well.
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Do you run an air stone in the res?
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How prone is the auto valve to clogging and not feeding or having float stick and flooding?
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Do you mix nutes on an altered schedule, or follow recirc schedule?
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Is there adjustments in the valve? How big of a pain is it tune?
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Î1. I started using an air stone in res but I and others found it cranks up ph. A small circulating pump on a timer to run every couple hrs is preferred by the community
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Scheduled cleaning and monitoring is the only real solution. I clean between veg and bloom. Have never had a stuck float but have had blocked water lines
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I mix new nutes every 7-10 days. I don’t use a recirc or top up method
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No there are no adjustments possible
Ultimately, preventive maintenance is your friend in preventing clog or other complications due to use.
Hope this helps.
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Sure does!
I’ve been guilty of using an air stone as ph up, so I have experience with that. Was pretty much the reason I asked. The maintenance stuff doesn’t really seem all that different than other hydro methods, so no big deal there.
The question about the nutes though was more based on mixing. When we’re feeding by hand or following soil schedule we typically mix at what’s considered drain to waste levels right? I was just wondering if you needed lower ppm since they were constantly getting feed? If so, how you determined what those levels should be? Manufacturers usually offer different schedules based on style of your setup, is there one that’s better to use?
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Calmag 1.25ml/l
Sensi bloom 1.25ml/l
Voodoo juice 2ml/l
Piranha 2ml/l
Bud candy 2ml/l
Tarantula 2ml/l
Sensizym 2ml/l
Rhino skin 0.5 ml/l
This is my current AN feeding shedule for autopots week 1 of bloom. AN schedule is 4ml/l for base nute I do not come close to that at all. I use their supplement at full strength because it does not raise ppm very much. Currently around 800ppm. Girls will drink ALOT of water in that system so better start low and work it up and see how much they can take. I have 3 differents genetics atm in a 3 pot system and it is some tweaking because one can take more and one can take less, need to play with the recipe but so far so good. I will tag you in my grow and you can see how ive done it! @dbrn32
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They aren’t really hungry your ppm is higher out then in so they aren’t quiet eating everything you are giving them.
That’s what I have seen in other autopot grows and have modeled as well. Most go with half strength of the manufacturer’s recommendations. I have found (as evidenced by my burned plants) that anything above 1000 ppm is getting into the danger zone so yes I have gone with 1/2 of what the bottle calls for per liter/gallon.
I have not found, other than some folks summarizing a growers methods and nutrient schedule, any specific nutrient schedules for autopots. For example, this is a comparison of two autopot growers and their nute regimen and another from one of the growers.
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Maybe an autopot thread would be appropriate as a collection point ofr tips, tricks and general use.
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Tag me. I’d like to discuss this more without jacking rugars thread anymore.
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Me too 
would like to learn more…
ol’hans’ helped me put my electricity in the shed!! lol
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@Myfriendis410
I will most likely build my own next time. Sometimes I get so busy with work its just easier to buy them assembled. I only paid a extra $25 to get the HLG-600 assembled, so it was worth it to get a plug and play ready to hang from the box.
Im a Metal Fabricator by trade, so I always have left over materials sitting here. But I appreciate the offer.
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Im running my light at about 75% right now, so when I start turning it up some more, she will want more nutes. Plus Im switching to flower this weekend so she will get more hungry.
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