Just posted a series of grows where I used the AIT system. When I inherited it from a friend the instructions said you could use soil but I tried it with a soil mix in smart pots and it worked OK but I did get some root issues in a few pots. Next time I used the black plastic buckets with a drain hole at the bottom_and recirculated the nutrient water for 3 days, drained and repeated. This worked better but I still got some root issues in two of the buckets_ but not until after I left them sit for 3 days. Next time i used a coco mix that was very porous and just left the plugs out so that all but the bottom half inch in the buckets drained as runoff each time I watered. I had to water every day or two but no root issues and healthy plants all around. I left the pumps running at about 1/3 power to supply extra oxygen. The next time I used the same procedure with a slightly more porous medium. I watered with the plugs in, let them sit for 6 hrs or so and then pulled the plugs and drained. But that was a lot of hassle so the last time I used the same medium. left the plugs out all together, watered sparingly at first and then every day or two. I watered until I got about 20% running out the bottom each time. This was less hassle and worked very well. I'm using the same setup in the present grow and its working very well too. Consistent PH going in and coming out right from the start_which was an issue for me during the first 3-4 weeks of a coco grow before. I know they love the AITs because when I dump the buckets to retrieve the AIT's from the bottoms the roots are all wrapped around them like it was their favorite hang out... like a line around the block at everyones favorite food truck!
