Any experiences with AutoPots?

[JonnyBoy]

Hello everyone, iam back xD my first grow ended perfectly. Just one plant landed in trash cause bud mold inside… (was warm and humid in summer) (will post an last post on my first journal soon =) )

iam upgrading my setup for next grow. Would love to get an autopot-system.
are there any growers who use them? Are they great?
Want use soil, an bottom layer of Corel’s, for better drainoff. Would it work?
and next question is about the nutes…. My soil should feed for an month, after I will add nutes with TA tripart and add it in water-reservoir? 😅.
would appreciate any constructive reply’s =)

I don’t care anymore bout money… it’s my hobby, and iam willing to invest, try, fail, learn, optimize, and repeat 😅🤘

btw: have an brand new 720w led light perfect for my tent size. Iam so happy, and was shocked about it‘s brightness 🤣😎😎 and was even at 30% power….wasnt even on 100% 🫣 need sunglasses first 😁🤘🍁 (had 400w ndl/mh before)


keep it peacefully and relaxed y’all my friends here!!! ❤️🪴

[golfnrl]

Hey JonnyBoy. I've been growing in autopots for a few years. I have the four pot system with a 12 gal reservoir. I run 5 gallon cloth pots. I use a BlueLab PH controller to keep the PH steady. I have a small aquarium pump in the rez set to run every three hours for 15 minutes. That keeps the rez aerated and nutrients mixed. Air stones will cause PH drift. I grow in a 50/50 blend of coco coir and perlite. With autopots you can use any medium you prefer. I like coco because I want to know what the plants are getting every time they get nutrients. I use CX Horticulture nutrients because that is what autopot recommended at the time I bought my first system and I have stuck with them. Good stuff. Now they recommend Athena nutrients. I like the system because it will allow you to be away form your plants if need be for up to a week in early veg and late flower. 2-3 days is not a problem. I don't need to do that anymore but it is handy. You can care for an individual plant if need be. Set your system up with an inline shutoff valve for each pot/tray. That will make things easier if you need to move your plants a bit. There's at least one other autopot grower on the forum besides me.

[JonnyBoy]

Thanks very much for your reply!
I guess I will try it. Will be an 4pot syst too. Maybe it’s the same? Flexipot system? X)
Do u water them from top at first weeks?, until roots are reaching the bottom and the water?

[golfnrl]

Yes. Top water the first 7-14 days when the plants go into their final home. When the plants leaves reach gthe side of the pot, I turn on the system. That usually takes 7-14 days and I'll top water 2-4 times during that period. It usually takes about that long for the roots to get established. I think Flex Pot is what autopot called the system I bought, with cloth pots. There is debate about the plants roots being too wet and causing root rot. I've not experienced root rot in this system, not once. The roots stay moist but not wet. I've used clay balls at the bottom of the pot to provide drainage but don't use that anymore. Autopot created a base for their air domes that takes the place of the clay balls. Very handy.

[Pyrokill]

Not that brand, but I just put in spider farmers 4 pot system, 13 gallon reservoir. Living soil and I'm pretty sure I used 10 gallon fabric pots. Seems good so far if this system is comparable to that one. Looks like the auto pot system is safer with valves on each base.

This one sems to keep them a little too wet at the base and the first fill flooded the tent. Second attempt seemed to allow the flow valve to work. Not sure why but the valve stuck open at first. Humid for sure.

[JonnyBoy]

Do you have Corel’s at bottom, or just only soil in pots? No problems with root rot in the wet bottom soil?

[Pyrokill]

Just soil so far. Using two of the wicks/ropes that pull the water up. I'm wondering if wetness will be an issue so I may go to only 1 of the ropes to reduce moisture uptake. So far so good but they are only 6 nodes tall so far and only the base of the pot is wet, the rest I would call moist.

I may put a valve on the main water line and just fill the pots and let them dry out so it mimics regular watering. I don't know, they say it's fine as is but I do worry about rot.