The Hempy Air Pot!

[Craven_au]

My bag test guys https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=159672.

The coco-coir experiment thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=59636&page=11
have a look at post 152

 

[Craven_au]

Go with the 5gal bucket epicseeds i would add a 1'' PVC pipe to the bucket so you can bottom feed from the top. Top feeding and flashing will mess up the different layer of coco and perlite.
By bottom feeding the salt will rise to the surface like in nature. If you don't flush or top feed the salts will stay at the surface and not burn the roots.

I don't think the 2'' inner tray is needed just some holes 2'' from the bottom will do.

 

[epicseeds]

Go with the 5gal bucket epicseeds i would add a 1'' PVC pipe to the bucket so you can bottom feed from the top. Top feeding and flashing will mess up the different layer of coco and perlite.
By bottom feeding the salt will rise to the surface like in nature. If you don't flush or top feed the salts will stay at the surface and not burn the roots.

I don't think the 2'' inner tray is needed just some holes 2'' from the bottom will do.

I dont think you fully understand my design/theory. The point of the 2 inch tall plastic container at the bottom is so it will hold the water...act as a res. This is placed inside a smart pot. You know the fabric pots? The idea is any water that overflows the 2 inch plastic pot inside will seep out the side of the smart pot (fabric pot) from all sides.

I do like the idea of the pvc pipe though. But, do you think the coco will actually wick all the way up to the roots of the upper half? I am not experienced with coco as a medium so i dont know how well that would work.

 

[DHF]

As I said above.......I like the idea , and used along with the upper air root pruning of the smartpots , I could foresee a new hybrid setup that practically runs itself........or rather saves nutes and watering frequencies for less maintenance.........

From personal experience the sp`s dry out faster , but.....might be a perfect combo usin a mini rez in the bottoms to offset any requirements from the plants between feeds/waterings...........

The pipe`s have been used in many passive setups ....Some folks float a styrofoam ball down the pipe with a stick up through the top for a float indicator on when to fill the bottom rez again....

Nothin new under the sun.....just variations thereof.......Thanks for opening my eyes on what I can do with all my old 5 gal buckets and # 5 smartpots.......

Not sure about leaving the upper rootzones dry enoughta develop residual salt buildup though.........All my coco setups were top fed once daily DTW till late flower , then twice daily with more runoff to prevent residual salt buildup.......

Good luck...DHF...............

 

[FrameOMind]

It looks like you have a decent idea epic. I do think that layering up the pot like the first picture would be a colossal waste of your time though. Just mix 50/50 perlite/coco and use it to fill the whole container. Layering like that does not help drainage. If a water saturated area is going to form, (a.k.a. perched water table), it will form at the bottom of the most dense layer (in your pic it would form at the bottom of the 75% coco layer). If the pot is simply filled with the same density mixture, then any saturated area will form at the bottom of the pot where you want it. Good luck!

 

[epicseeds]

unfortunately the Lows paint buckets I have are too small in diameter to snugly fit in a 5 gallon smart pot. perhaps a smaller sized smart pot will work.

 

[Craven_au]

epicseeds do you mean pots like this reddy1 calls them smartpots

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=190197

Yes coco and perlite does wick well once wet so it may not be as wet as you think in the 2'' res i think your idea will work well. if i was you i would do a side by side with different ratio of coco and perlite i do think you will have best results using 100% coco and just perlite in the res. the egg shell sound interesting.

 

[bobblehead]

DHF- Don't get worked up over JF's comments... dude breathes ozone... He's oxygen deprived. lol...
I noticed that you didn't say "don't use wal-mart bags, they're going to grow toxic plants..."
Just a good heads up. Good to see you around so much lately.

 

[bobblehead]

epicseeds do you mean pots like this reddy1 calls them smartpots

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=190197

Yes coco and perlite does wick well once wet so it may not be as wet as you think in the 2'' res i think your idea will work well. if i was you i would do a side by side with different ratio of coco and perlite i do think you will have best results using 100% coco and just perlite in the res. the egg shell sound interesting.

You're correct about coco/perlite wicking well. I use 50/50 coco/perlite, with 2-3" perlite in the bottom of the pot. Plastic saucer under the pot. 1 gph drippers. I water as often as it takes to get a little bit of water in the tray. I've never had better growth.

 

[highonmt]

epicseeds do you mean pots like this reddy1 calls them smartpots

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=190197

Yes coco and perlite does wick well once wet so it may not be as wet as you think in the 2'' res i think your idea will work well. if i was you i would do a side by side with different ratio of coco and perlite i do think you will have best results using 100% coco and just perlite in the res. the egg shell sound interesting.

Yep those look like the smart pots at my local growmart. The air pots are plastic with molded nipples and holes all over em. I think you should read the passive plant killer thread PK has been experimenting with a very similar arrangement but uses bottom feed using a 1 1/2 pvc pipe that extends into the rez and wicks nutrients up into the media (coco in this case) witch prevents the perched water table that occurs in hempy. The air pruning effect of the air/smart pots are desirable as they prevent root swirling and promote root branching. He uses drilled out 5 gal buckets to promote air pruning. Your idea is sound and will work well but fairly frequent top watering will prevent salt build up in your coco/perlite. Airpots lose water fast so the top of you "wicking" zone will accumulate salts. the solution will not wick up so far, Good luck with the experiment.
HM

 

[DHF]

Bobble......I ran 5 gal coco smartpots almost 3 yrs DTW , and the juice I wasted runnin out the ass end of em for sufficient runoff nauseated me cuz I`m a tightass......

My mix was 1/3 stringy fibrous shit , 1/3 chunks/husks , and 1/3 fully screened and washed outta reg 4 cu ft bags of perlite fer cheap.......Fuck payin triple ta Foxfarms for big and chunky.......rinse and get rid of the dust......ain`t rocket science.....the coarse brand is nice once washed , and yas don`t lose that much in weight from dust while savin in the long run.....

When I saw this thread bout puttin an insert in the bottom`s of the sp`s for a "Hempy type" mini-rez , I hit myself on the side of my head and said DOH......

Somethin so simple that could`ve saved hundreds of gallons of nutrient solution as well as cash , while still allowing the sp`s ta air-rootprune and let the rootzones still breathe for explosive growth while providing less feeds per week kicked ass IMO........

Only reason I made a post.......I tryta help but worry bout some folks.........

Peace.....DHF........

 

[Japanfreakier]

DHF- Don't get worked up over JF's comments... dude breathes ozone... He's oxygen deprived. lol...
I noticed that you didn't say "don't use wal-mart bags, they're going to grow toxic plants..."
Just a good heads up. Good to see you around so much lately.

Holy shit, you again? Between that guy worked up about blue dye #4 and you scared about ozone I really wonder how you guys grow, scary world growing you know. According to you guys I should have radioactive balls and not be able to breath.

Problem with people like you is that you cry wolf about all this shit. I mean didn't your mommy read you that story? didn't you understand the moral?

Stop talking out of your asses on pot boards, doesn't help anybody.

 

[Darth Fader]

Great idea but I think you're gonna be a bit too waterlogged to get optimal root development in the bottom 6" of the smartpot. Add an airstone to your res and your golden. Fantastic, simple grow style.

 

[bobblehead]

.Fuck payin triple ta Foxfarms for big and chunky.......rinse and get rid of the dust......ain`t rocket science.....the coarse brand is nice once washed , and yas don`t lose that much in weight from dust while savin in the long run.....

That's exactly what I've been telling people! I get the horticulture grade perlite for $15-20 a bale. Smaller perlite means more surface area for the roots to grow. The chunky stuff just takes up space.

I use drippers, so the coco has more time to absorb the water evenly. I'm definitely switching to smart pots the next run. Maybe I'll try a few Wal-Mart bags too... ha ha... Gotta use that info posted to see what makes them different from smart pots.

 

[bobblehead]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...D28X-_-202043476&locStoreNum=6821&marketID=72
Easy Gardener 4 Ft. x 100 Ft. Contractor Grade Landscape Fabric
# Exceptional toughness and strength
# Easy to cut and handle
# Exellent water and air permeability
# Excellent UV resistance

So rather than spend a ton of money on premade bags... I think I'm going to buy some landscape fabric and sew my own! It really only makes sense.

 

[DHF]

JF.......fuck off.......you already talked about off-gassing from tents and now tubing........wtf`s the deal with me bein concerned about dyes and such shit in "wal-mart" bags which I`m SO fukin sure would glow in the dark from the bullshit chinese God knows whatever process they go thru ta make em blue.....

If they`ll put lead based paints and dyes in kid`s toys , the mofo`s `ll put anything they can find ta turn shit blue for wallyworld.........All I was sayin......and btw if I havent said it bluntly enough..........Fuck off with your bullshit .......

I`ve been on these weed forums for 15 yrs while you were still shittin yellow , so don`t think I`m not de-sensitized to pokes from the sidelines from the likes of lil closet pukes like you throwin yer 2 cents in just to discredit valuable and viable info for safety`s sake........

Crawl back up under your tiny lil Tokyo troll bridge and start fuckin with somebody that cares about what you say........cuz over here.......you got nuthin.........

DHF.......

 

[Japanfreakier]

JF.......fuck off.......you already talked about off-gassing from tents and now tubing........wtf`s the deal with me bein concerned about dyes and such shit in "wal-mart" bags which I`m SO fukin sure would glow in the dark from the bullshit chinese God knows whatever process they go thru ta make em blue...

Because the guy who's actually used them had success doing so. You are beyond rude when you dismiss a grower's real world experience with your craziness. Nobody's balls are going to be glowing but you can check mine if you want.

Fuck off with your bullshit

Bullshit like crying about blue #5? Get real and go tell people the sky is falling or some other useless bullshit.

I`ve been on these weed forums for 15 yrs while you were still shittin yellow , so don`t think I`m not de-sensitized to pokes from the sidelines from the likes of lil closet pukes like you throwin yer 2 cents in just to discredit valuable and viable info for safety`s sake.......

15 years crying about shit probably. How about you stop your racist comments and complete and utter bullshit? Stay on topic, oh wait, you don't know shit about this topic either.

 

[Japanfreakier]

I'm curious how often you're planning on watering/feeding with this setup epic.

 

[Haps]

I think an air tube would be good in the mini res, but I have not done these pots.

JF and DHF, you each have valid thoughts and points in this thread, and ya both dropped some crappola here as well. Sheath yer steel chaps, and be better men for it. We are all folks of merit and good intent, let us proceed as such.
H

 

[DHF]

I didn`t start this bullshit Haps , and I damn sure never thought I`d be called out on tryin ta help folks , but since you say I`ve spewed crappola in this thread , then it MUST be so.........

JF........I`ll quit postin facts and knowledge when you quit spewin shit from the closet .....period......

Don`t expect much else from me........Who the fuck are you ta tell me what I know and what I don`t.....as I said earlier.....I was growin dope outside when you were in diapers , and croppin indoors for 15 yrs after that.....so .....what`s yer point.......where you been........in a closet........

Fuck yas again .....in a nice way.......not......I remember now why I`ve deleted my account here on numerous occasions........just because of pricks like you....

Sorry Haps........DHF........