Grow Mediums Poll on autopot failures

[Hinson]

thanks for the replies.... so just to get it clear in my minds eye... the T shaped post... are you wedging the valve with a friction fit between it and the front of the trough? or does the post insert to the D shaped pocket on the back side of the valve? you know what i mean?

I will look up hydroguard... i wonder about food grade hydrogen peroxide would do the trick... i will see what the bubble stone does also....
I ended up realizing i had a pile of Advanced Nutrients Micro Grow Bloom and the other supplements so i decided to fly with that for this round... the salt buildup was a concern on my first try with autopots... so i will be keeping a close eye on that , thanks for the heads up ...

today i went out and checked up on them and the girls all look happy, and perky and good mix of strains, i have 6 photo and 1 Auto. the auto is Black cream... i grew 2 last time and they were amazing...
skimpy but good.... the rest i have:
3 clones of a purple OG [HASHTAG]#18[/HASHTAG] my son gave me that have been continuing for nearly 2 years,
I have one each of Blue Dream, Ayahuasca Purple,and Candida. i am interested in the CBD strains but i have a serious Purple fetish cant explain it but hey.... where i live its not against the law...hahahahaway up north where its warmer now than down south.

thanks again

 

[Hinson]

now i read again and realize pop answered my question on the fitting of the valve ... so i will spit on it and see if it will squeeze in....

 

[Slowmo]

i had to answer 1 .., i have had a major autopot failure ... but it was totally my fault !

on day 96 i think, my Gorilla OG from Sweet Seeds choked the feed line and the rez spilled in tent ... but i saw that fault coming and didn't respond! so grower fault for sure !

 

[Slowmo]

now i read again and realize pop answered my question on the fitting of the valve ... so i will spit on it and see if it will squeeze in....

just do any healty start and the Afn wisdom will help with the rest

if your seedling go into week 2 .. u are golden

 

[Hinson]

well,
i went out to where my tent is and lined up the parts and firmly pressed it on and SHAZZAAM !!! it all fit correct and i slapped my forehead and wondered why i didnt get it right the first time. Guess i was afraid to to break something.

so here is a shot of the girls before i fixed the valves in their various states and i will introduce them:
Back row left is Candida right is purple OG 18 no.2
center row left purple OG 18 no. 3 right is the amazing stout "Blue Dream"
front row left: Black cream Auto Center is Ayahuasca Purple, right: purple OG no. 1

purple OG's are all clones

 

[MassMom]

Did you use pebbles in the bottom of the pot? They are very often a problem. Fill your pots with only your planting medium. contrary to what auto pots says, using any kind of interface material at the bottom of the pot PREVENTS wicking. The law of hydraulics says that the interface of 2 mediums will resist the flow of liquids until over come by gravity. As we are wicking from bottom to top..... wicking is poor with anything other than your planting medium in the pot. Too much perlite added to the mix can cause the same problem. I believe we should use no more than 30% perlite. I've been running soil with no added perlite with good results.

Hey pop, this might sound dumb...but why doesn't putting on a pot sock on a pot or putting a root control disk in the pot inhibit the wicking? I would think it is a barrier in the way....

 

[HemiSync]

Just my two cents on this subject. I have not used an autopot RCD in over a year. I currently use standard black weed barrier that can be purchased on amazon or your local garden store. I cut the weed barrier to the same dimensions as the RCDs and put one in the pot and one in the tray. My latest photo lady has been in the same pot since July of last year, almost 7 months. Using MC as my nutrients I have not had a clog or root blowout in all this time.

Amazon product ASIN B0016AJC1Q

 

[pop22]

It probably does to some extent. However, being thin and porus helps to some extent, your medium had much more contact with water through them.. When you use clay pebbles, etc, you have an interface that does not absorb any water, further reducing the contact interface with a basically dry contact surface. I'm amazed water moves up thru them at all! I don't replace the root control discs untill they are worn out either lol, yet I've never had roots in my pots.

Hey pop, this might sound dumb...but why doesn't putting on a pot sock on a pot or putting a root control disk in the pot inhibit the wicking? I would think it is a barrier in the way....

 

[pop22]

I'm surprised that works, the weed barrier is not very water porus, contrary to claims.. Dollar store washcloths would likely work also!

Just my two cents on this subject. I have not used an autopot RCD in over a year. I currently use standard black weed barrier that can be purchased on amazon or your local garden store. I cut the weed barrier to the same dimensions as the RCDs and put one in the pot and one in the tray. My latest photo lady has been in the same pot since July of last year, almost 7 months. Using MC as my nutrients I have not had a clog or root blowout in all this time.

Amazon product ASIN B0016AJC1QView attachment 999681

 

[HemiSync]

I'm surprised that works, the weed barrier is not very water porus, contrary to claims.. Dollar store washcloths would likely work also!

My coco was always wet up to the top and my soil is moist enough to grow a lovely little crop of mushrooms.
This stuff I have is about the same thickness as the RCDs and according to the manufacturer “is hydrophilic treated, providing improved water and nutrient flow through the fabric“. Regardless it does seem to work just fine. I use it all the time in the veggie garden, so have it laying around and available. I’ve never seen a dollar store washcloth but this has to be better than that.