Indoor Auto Pots, Blueberry Domina, and Hubbabubbasmelloscope!

[MeefChief]

Well.. You're definitely making me nervous about running 4 plants in a 4'x4' with my autopots...

 

[BII]

You're right...... It's the autopot blokes who can't make up their mind...... When using biotabs, look here a little top watering is OK, with other feeds it's not...... I've never paid any attention to this advise either way, just like the inexplicable advise to dump a drain layer at the bottom of the pots..... But that's just me.

Thing with Autopots is that whatever goes into them stays there, short of taking the pots out and flushing them. And I haven't seem, possibly missed it, any advise to do any flushing from the same blokes. Presumably any salts and other sundry items "building" up elsewhere but the top layer, which supposedly is a prominent feature of the mineral nutes they generally recommend over organics due to possible clogging with organic nutes in the water lines and aquavalves, the danger of aforementioned salts and sundries is probably rather..... Miniscule!

I'm going to simply not do any top feeding with Autopots. I don't see any need for it, nor any reason to dampen the surface coco. Here, just like with outdoor soil, salts often inherently build-up at the surface (without rain), with the surface where all the evaporation is happening. I totally filled my Autopots to the top (with 50/50 coco-perlite) to allow as many inches of medium as possible for salt concentration.

I'm thinking about "flushing" my 4 Autopots - putting them is a container say filled with the usual nutrient-based solution to about 5-6 inches, letting them soak, drain, and put them back on the Autopot. Classic drain-to-waste, other than dunking the plant in nutrient solution. If it drains in real-time (don't have to set it up and wait), could even "rinse" or "flush' the more important lower-mid parts of the pot multiple times.

 

[pop22]

Depending what scale you use, my EC for solution is 1.0 or less! ( I run at 600-650ppm ). I doubt, unlike people who feed heavily, that Salt build up will be an issue. But the only way for me to know, is to test these things. I'm not known for following or accepting standard procedures unless I've tested them in both positive and negative fashion. We've already established that science says, putting gravel, etc in the bottom of pots can actually create the situation your trying to avoid.

I'm not saying your wrong on this. But from what I've read on coco, nutrient salt build up is not likely at reasonable EC/PPM. Coco does not have the mean to hold salts easily. ( the sea salt that's in coco has actually been absorbed by the plant from feeding on sea water, not from external exposure. Nutrient salts pass rather easily through the medium.

And I'm testing that theory as I need to establish what my person guidelines from growing in autpots is.

This may be exactly the wrong thing to do, after turning on the Autopot water supply. With bottom feeding, drying and salt buildup happen at the top surface layers of the medium, as discussed in the Autopot literature. Watering the top salt-laden layers is best avoided, as also noted in Autopot instructions.

With Autopots, I presume a dry top layer to be ideal, indicating that your medium (e.g., coco/perlite) is not holding onto too much water, not remaining saturated.

 

[pop22]

Try running 4 in a 2ft 8" x 2ft 8" x 5ft tent........LOL!

Well.. You're definitely making me nervous about running 4 plants in a 4'x4' with my autopots...

 

[pop22]

My reasoning is, the top 4" of soil/medium contain arguably the most dense rootmass. these roots need to be kept moist, so I'm treating coco just like soil, if its dry more than an inch down, i water with plain water. Next time I'll use mulch to control surface moisture.

I'm going to simply not do any top feeding with Autopots. I don't see any need for it, nor any reason to dampen the surface coco. Here, just like with outdoor soil, salts often inherently build-up at the surface (without rain), with the surface where all the evaporation is happening. I totally filled my Autopots to the top (with 50/50 coco-perlite) to allow as many inches of medium as possible for salt concentration.

I'm thinking about "flushing" my 4 Autopots - putting them is a container say filled with the usual nutrient-based solution to about 5-6 inches, letting them soak, drain, and put them back on the Autopot. Classic drain-to-waste, other than dunking the plant in nutrient solution. If it drains in real-time (don't have to set it up and wait), could even "rinse" or "flush' the more important lower-mid parts of the pot multiple times.

 

[BII]

My reasoning is, the top 4" of soil/medium contain arguably the most dense rootmass. these roots need to be kept moist, so I'm treating coco just like soil, if its dry more than an inch down, i water with plain water. Next time I'll use mulch to control surface moisture.

My reasoning is totally opposite (presuming we are talking about bottom-feeding Autopots): The top few inches of Autopot media have the least water/moistness; and related to this, the top few inches are a hostile environment for roots (driest part, and salts must concentrate there from surface evaporation). But as you note, whether the salt levels are significant/toxic when redissolved into the media is not yet resolved.

Regarding:
"the top 4" of soil/medium contain arguably the most dense rootmass"
Do you actually have your roots concentrated in your top surface layers? Again presuming we are talking about Autopots, I have like zero roots in the top inches; and the 1 of 4 plants I have in Autopots that is turning into a monster even has a totally dry top few inches, while my others that are smaller (roots sucking less water) retain a damp top surface.

 

[Corgy]

My reasoning is totally opposite (presuming we are talking about bottom-feeding Autopots): The top few inches of Autopot media have the least water/moistness; and related to this, the top few inches are a hostile environment for roots (driest part, and salts must concentrate there from surface evaporation). But as you note, whether the salt levels are significant/toxic when redissolved into the media is not yet resolved.

Regarding:
"the top 4" of soil/medium contain arguably the most dense rootmass"
Do you actually have your roots concentrated in your top surface layers? Again presuming we are talking about Autopots, I have like zero roots in the top inches; and the 1 of 4 plants I have in Autopots that is turning into a monster even has a totally dry top few inches, while my others that are smaller (roots sucking less water) retain a damp top surface.

Exactly, that is the same I see in 25 L Autopots. Top 4-5 cm is bone dry, this with all 3 types of mediums I have used so far, light mix, Mapito and a homemade 2/1/1 mix of soil /perlite/coco. There is no roots at all a few cm's away from the main stem.
I have airdomes in all these pots and that no doubt contributes to the evaporation = dryness. In the 2 soil based mediums, if I pour 3-4 liters of water on the top quickly so it forms a fleeting lake, it is bubbling away enthusiastically.....

Perhaps in the 15 L Autopots, due to their lower height, the wicking action brings moisture closer to the top layer, even if an airdome or similar form of air injection is used.

 

[BII]

Perhaps in the 15 L Autopots, due to their lower height, the wicking action brings moisture closer to the top layer, even if an airdome or similar form of air injection is used.

I'm using the 3.9 gallon/15 L Autopots with Airdomes (with pumps rated to provide 1 L/min. per pot) and I have dry or damp media with no roots in the top surface layers.

 

[pop22]

It drys out, but slowly. I have no doubt the results being achieved with autopots! I'm just exploring a way of doing things that may or may not be the way to go. I'm exploring what I've learned from rootmakers and seeing if I can apply any of it here. Only way to find out is for someone to try it, may as well be me...lol!

Exactly, that is the same I see in 25 L Autopots. Top 4-5 cm is bone dry, this with all 3 types of mediums I have used so far, light mix, Mapito and a homemade 2/1/1 mix of soil /perlite/coco. There is no roots at all a few cm's away from the main stem.
I have airdomes in all these pots and that no doubt contributes to the evaporation = dryness. In the 2 soil based mediums, if I pour 3-4 liters of water on the top quickly so it forms a fleeting lake, it is bubbling away enthusiastically.....

Perhaps in the 15 L Autopots, due to their lower height, the wicking action brings moisture closer to the top layer, even if an airdome or similar form of air injection is used.

 

[pop22]

Well, new dilemma.......... My lights is as high as it can go, and the Trainwreck is still stretching! I may have to move the the system to the bigger tent and shuffle the young plants in there to the smaller tent! What a problem to have...lol! Waaaaa! My plant's too big...........