Autopots
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neofirebird
New member
Greetings, I'm new here but not to autopots - AMA
Rico D
Active member
tips I shared recently with another member:
Definitely get isolation valves to each bucket.
I liked using the air domes and replaced the perforated tubing they give you with round airstones
Definitely keep an extra valve or 2 handy along with most of the other fittings/parts
the copper lined sheets they give you are ok but they make a sock style one that goes around the outside of the bucket instead of inside the bottom. The sock is 1000x better at keeping the roots away from valves
if using athena definitely incorporate cleanse in every reservoir. It'll passively keep the lines clean
I also found you could use lower nutrient concentration because of the constant feeding
You know for some peace of mind you can get like a water sensor alarm which has a sensor that alarms if it gets wet
If your right on a cold cement basement floor there, try to at least raise them a little with like rubber mats
You'll be shocked how large a plant these things are going to support
I got rid of the system because I had a valve go bad at least once every run which lead to 30 gallons of water on my floor with no drain. It was a nightmare for me. This doesnt seem like the typical experience so take it with a grain of salt.
If space is a concern, you may want to rethink using autopots. Once the plants are set in place, moving things around is very difficult, if not, impossible.
Something to consider is the ability to keep the res at a good temperature, especially if placing it outside your room is an issue.
Holler if you have any other questions/concerns.
Definitely get isolation valves to each bucket.
I liked using the air domes and replaced the perforated tubing they give you with round airstones
Definitely keep an extra valve or 2 handy along with most of the other fittings/parts
the copper lined sheets they give you are ok but they make a sock style one that goes around the outside of the bucket instead of inside the bottom. The sock is 1000x better at keeping the roots away from valves
if using athena definitely incorporate cleanse in every reservoir. It'll passively keep the lines clean
I also found you could use lower nutrient concentration because of the constant feeding
You know for some peace of mind you can get like a water sensor alarm which has a sensor that alarms if it gets wet
If your right on a cold cement basement floor there, try to at least raise them a little with like rubber mats
You'll be shocked how large a plant these things are going to support
I got rid of the system because I had a valve go bad at least once every run which lead to 30 gallons of water on my floor with no drain. It was a nightmare for me. This doesnt seem like the typical experience so take it with a grain of salt.
If space is a concern, you may want to rethink using autopots. Once the plants are set in place, moving things around is very difficult, if not, impossible.
Something to consider is the ability to keep the res at a good temperature, especially if placing it outside your room is an issue.
Holler if you have any other questions/concerns.
funkyflava
cantankerous containers
I have a XXL auto pot system with13gal fabric pots. I would recommend not using leak prone reservoirs (flexitank), I couldn't get it to stop leaking and my needs were greater than the 25 gallon setup. Instead I installed a 50gallon barrel with cutoff on the bottom and a emergency stop float connected to my R.O. system. My barrel is about 12 inches off the ground and I've been using it for about 9 months without a problem.
The whole reason for me to use this system is travel, I've been anchored to the house and needed to be able to take a vacation for a week. Its been great so far but the copper liners are a consumable item and should have a back up for quick replacement.
After reading Rico D comment maybe I will invest into a wet switch sensor on the floor that will cut off my tank if the wet switch is tripped. I've flooded more floors than I care to admit. Hopefully my water only system will not be too much trouble.
The whole reason for me to use this system is travel, I've been anchored to the house and needed to be able to take a vacation for a week. Its been great so far but the copper liners are a consumable item and should have a back up for quick replacement.
After reading Rico D comment maybe I will invest into a wet switch sensor on the floor that will cut off my tank if the wet switch is tripped. I've flooded more floors than I care to admit. Hopefully my water only system will not be too much trouble.
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BareBonesBilly
New member
I have several xxl, pods. My first run, (6 on one res.) I had a valve fail on one of my pods. I was running living soil and using only water in the res. I was away with work for a few weeks and when I returned, one of the plants was dead. It looked like it had failed a couple weeks in. I talked to the Auto pot rep and he said he would replace the faulty valve, I have not set the system back up or followed up with him yet.
