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Autopots soil

Newstart

New member
So, i am planning to start growing again, last i growed in soil and just feed Them regular with biobizz, it was fine, but i am looking to make it easier cause it Will not be in my own house.

So i am looking into autopots, it looks simple and just What i am looking for, my question is What nutes should i use?? Seems like i have 3 options, biotaps, autopots own liquid fertilizer, or a mineral ferilizer....?

The biotaps and just feed Them plain water looks appealing, but i cant find so much info and results about it... i found a grow but only until they started Bloom, so did not see the end result.

The autopots own liquid fertilizer i cant find info and results with it, and it used the same nutes from veg to Bloom...

They also say you Can use a mineral fertilizer so you wont clog up the tubing, anyone have a suggestion ? Floragro and florabloom is mineral as far as i Can see?

The plan is to fill 2 4x8 tent’s, one system for each...
 

Newstart

New member
I am just looking for the easist possible, in my head its soil based cause i dont need to worry about pH and so... but give a suggestion Else ? :)
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I'm thinking you'll need a very light soil that also wicks water well.

Coco coir comes to mind. but it's not as simple as potting type soils.
 

Newstart

New member
Offcourse i Would use a 50/50 mix of perlite and soil and a layer og pepples at the bottom of the pot.

But is there a easier way? Or better?
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
What purpose would the pebbles serve?
They will not work as a wick. Sand would work better but even it is too coarse to use as a wick.

Those Autopots are WICK systems. (all bottom watering schemes are WICK systems)

In order for them to work properly you need a medium that will wick the water to the surface of the soil in the container.


The only purpose for putting pebbles in the bottom of ANY container is to weight the container. Pebbles serve no other purpose in your soil. They do not provide airation or nutrients so they do nothing more than take up space. They do not improve drainage either, they take up precious space that the roots could occupy if it were filled with soil.
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Where do autopots drain to?


That seems like a sales pitch to get you to buy rocks to me.
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Talking about drainage in a non-draining system seems counter-intuitive to me.


It is nothing more than a ploy to get you to purchase MORE stuff!


Think about it for a bit!


Also...
Clay pebbles are a medium unto themselves and they make shitty wicks too.
 

Klompen

Active member
Its better to use an inert media as the wicking material. Vermiculite is a very good choice for this. You could fill the bottom 1/3 with it. For my own grow I am planning on using a mix of verm and silicon dioxide crystals(litter crystals, dessicant "gel", etc). In the past I've used chunky diatomaceous earth. Its just better not to leave a nutrient-rich media sitting in the water. This includes coco. My upper portion is going to be coco, vermiculite, and a mix of composts/foods(mushroom compost, ewc, fine forest mulch, Jobes Knock-Out Rose food, Espoma Flower Tone, gypsum, and dolomite lime) in roughly equal portions. I'm going with less food in the pot total than in the past and will instead do more top feeding. For added nutrients during veg I'll be using urine because nothing else has even come close to giving me the quality of results that urine has.
 

PANIKZ

Well-known member
Vendor
Veteran
The pebbles are used in the bottom to stop the medium sitting in direct water and causing issues I have used autopots for years and they are great easy to use systems, as long as you run them right, I would never fill my pots with just soil an have them sitting in puddles of water that's a recipe for disaster …


 

Budley Doright

Active member
Veteran
There is very little difference in the autopot and a hempy bucket...

The standard medium for a hempy is 25% vermiculite....and 75% perlite....


give or take..
 

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