Air pots & Smart pots...

[laylow]

Hey guys

I know a lot of you have used Airpots and Smart pots can you tell me the advantages and disadvantages in your opinion on both types of pot please...

Ive done a run with 6L Airpots and on my next run i will be going to 10L pots... it was only by fluke i see a smart pot in my hydro store... new in... i know my man DHF swears by them and HGO gave them the thumbs up just wanted a few more peoples opinions who have used them both as i know a lot of you guys have done side by sides...

 

[lokes]

Airpots- Last longer, clean easier, harder to water. (haven't compared pricing)

Smartpots- easier to water, easier to store, easier to smoosh together, may be cheaper.

 

[megayields]

I'm sticking with my Smartpots..I know the Airpots are all the shit right now, but I think I get better air root trimming and air flow with SmartPots, I've been using them for over 2 years and am comfortable with them. I can wash them in the washing machine real easy and I've never had one wear out yet....although a couple look like their on their last legs.

I should probably do a side by side before I make a judgement though, hey I'm cheap and Airpots cost more (shrug).

 

[DHF]

AP`s are plastic , SP`s are breathable fabric.....SP`s need more feed from evaporative process while AP`s still need fed sooner from drying out and pointing roots toward the designated holes in each container....but....

SP`s rocked my setups , and never ran AP`s.....so I have no comparison other than feedback from both sides that said each container did well....

SP`s fer me ...AP`s fer others....Personal preference will rule the day....

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

 

[303hydro]

I had a bad experience with a 10 gallon Airpot, Coco, and fungus nats.

No mas.

 

[compost]

I use 5 gallon SP's in flowering and love them. In veg though I am thinking about changing my current 2.5 L pots for AP's because of how low transplant stress is. I have seen people transplant SP's and I didn't fare nearly as well. I was looking at how you can just unsnap the AP and roll it off.

 

[Marlo]

I vote for the aipots myself.
I'm running 1.5gals and 3.4gals. and couldn't be happier. I also have a 3gal smartpot in my room.
IMO the construction makes a huge difference. The smartpot I have is in its 1st use, and I can see some of the seams on the top of the pot coming loose. I don't see how these fabric pots will put up with multiple rounds of use and being cleaned in a washing machine as most smartpot users say they do.
The airpot is much more durable and looks like it will last forever. Most importantly for me, the airpots have 2" of clearance under the pot. So when I water until runoff, the bottom of the plant is not sitting in water, like it does with the smartpot.

Both good buys imo tho.

 

[partcleguy]

I've used airpots in my last grow for the first time. Started seedlings out in regular rectangular pots (~4"), then to 0.8 gallon (3 L) airpots, then to 2 gallon (7.5 L) airpots. The only downsides I noticed were that 1) I used to put small screws into my normal plastic, round pots in order to do LST training, but airpots don't have a good place for the screws. I ended up tying the lines through the holes in the airpots. It worked, but not quite as easy as before (but then again smart pots wouldn't work at all for that- nowhere to tie onto). 2) It was a little bit of a pain filling the pot's numerous holes on the sides when I was filling it with coco. I pressed into the sides and did a decent job, but it was a pain since I was transplanting. I filled it fine from the bottom but once the transplant was in it was hard to fill in the sides around the transplant's rootball. Still worked in the end all right.

I used a smartpot once in the previous grow about a year prior (it came free with another purchase). Didn't like it cause the fabric didn't hold the soil in the shape I wanted, but it wasn't a big deal at all. The plant was a male so I didn't keep it long anyway so I can't say which is superior.

Either way coco worked better for me than soil!

 

[greenthumbdub]

I am on my 2nd run with 1 and 3 gal air pots, never tried smart p's but from what I understand the air pots actually prune the roots by air almost ensuring that you never get root bound as long as you can keep up with the watering, the smarts do not prune the same (maybe I am mistaken, if so correct me)

i grew a bush almost 4' x 4' in a 3 gal air pot with nothing but coco and yielded over a #, IMO air pots are for growing larger plants in smaller containers

 

[laylow]

Thanks for all the great info guys you have made it even harder now lol....

so has anyone seen any significant yield increase using either? Or not.... was they both the same...

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

I use 5 gallon SP's in flowering and love them. In veg though I am thinking about changing my current 2.5 L pots for AP's because of how low transplant stress is. I have seen people transplant SP's and I didn't fare nearly as well. I was looking at how you can just unsnap the AP and roll it off.

Here is a video on easy Smart Pot transplanting.

https://www.icmag.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=1135

I only ever used SP's so I can't compare but I liked them, all hydro now.

 

[megayields]

Here is a video on easy Smart Pot transplanting.

https://www.icmag.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=1135

I only ever used SP's so I can't compare but I liked them, all hydro now.

Thank you for the video Major.......I really never had any problem w transplanting using SP's........so (shrug).

 

[Darkstarlive]

It all personal preference.
Mine are the smart pots solely because the soil doesn't fall out of the container. I gave one run to 7gal air pots and it was a big mess every watering time, soil and water would leak out of the air tubes of the air pots.
Both work great it comes down to preference.
Peace...

 

[Kirsten]

I use Smartpots with Handles. Though i do own 3 dozen without handles for free from Worms Way - yay worms way!

I find the Smartpots with handles to be very durable.

 

[Stray]

there is a small amount of 'dialling-in' the air-pots, with regards to filling and assembling them the right way up etc but i DO like the root zone abundance that they give

peace

 

[laylow]

just waiting on a price for the smart pots think i might give them a go this next run

 

[JAY LENWEED]

For those of you who like air pots you need to check out Root Builder II pot I like them better because the bottom of the pots are raised in the center so H20 or nute solution drain very well.

 

[DHF]

Not sure how much shippin would be cross da pond Bro , but I know Hydro Whore store prices are outrageous , much less where you are , so call 1-800-521-8089 and tell em yas wanna try growin Japanese Maples.....not dope.....lol....

Minimum order of 100 is cheap.....I paid $2.20 shipping included delivered ta Hell fer tha #5`s , and the #3`s were like $1.50 , so if they`re crazy high where yas are just hit me up......

Bought a few 1000 before shutdown and could send yas plenty , but #5`s need buncha medium and pre-veg for dialed results.......not cost effective for your setup....

Holler....Freds.........

 

[Rednick]

Smartpots- easier to water, easier to store, easier to smoosh together, may be cheaper.

Roll of weed/landscape fabric at HomerDePot (220'x4') = $45
Quality sewing machine = $250
Sustainability and Self-Reliance = Priceless

I still ain't half way through my roll, and I've cut off a lot of fabric.
Cut a square for the bottom, then measure x4 plus a little extra for your perimeter needs and there you go. Sew around perimeter, then finish the pot by sewing the vert, and BAM!

 

[LoKey]

Thats what i do, im actually using a different cheap fabric that i just had on hand, but i liek the fact i can make them to whatever size i want, so i can make them to fit the environment i have

Roll of weed/landscape fabric at HomerDePot (220'x4') = $45
Quality sewing machine = $250
Sustainability and Self-Reliance = Priceless

I still ain't half way through my roll, and I've cut off a lot of fabric.
Cut a square for the bottom, then measure x4 plus a little extra for your perimeter needs and there you go. Sew around perimeter, then finish the pot by sewing the vert, and BAM!