Bottom watering with BioBizz?

[Benjidubwise]

Greetings all.
I've been happily hand watering with biobizz for the last couple of years. I'm looking to double my tent size & plant count at the end of summer & was hoping to find a less laborious method that doesn't involve me removing each individual plant from the tent.
is it feasible to bottom water by simply pouring the mix into a deep saucer & letting the plants suck it up? I'm using fabric pots & one of my worries is that some of the nutrient will be "filtered" out & the plants will be left with deficiencies.
would plastic pots be better or is it just a poor idea over all?
any advice much appreciated!

 

[Bob's Auto's]

I would think that won't be a problem. Do be on the lookout for algae growth.

 

[Original Lowryder #12]

I have been bottom watering with biobizz light mix and have had no issues. Occasionally I'll take the extra water it doesn't suck up and pour it on top. I also don't leave them sitting in the water for more than 15-20 mins. You can use a big syringe to suck the rest of the water out. Like bob said be on the look out for algae as long as they don't sit in the water you're good.

From what I've seen the best hands free auto watering setup you can buy is autopots, might want to check them out?

 

[Benjidubwise]

@Bob's Auto's thanks for the input! I'm guessing the algae would start to form around the base of the pot, where it has been sitting in water?

@Dankerson that's great, thanks! are you using fabric pots in saucers? and biobizz nutes along with the light mix?

I've briefly looked into auto pots but had heard there can be in issue with the particulate in organic liquid feeds clogging the lines? also, the potential for the reservoir to flood the tent if something goes wrong with the valve?
I suppose the pots could be used without the reservoir, just hand filling the base that the pots sit in ...

 

[Benjidubwise]

@Dankerson also, do you bottom water from the get go? or just from the point you'd be watering till run off if you were top watering, say around week 3?
thanks

 

[Original Lowryder #12]

@Dankerson also, do you bottom water from the get go? or just from the point you'd be watering till run off if you were top watering, say around week 3?
thanks

I normally top water but felt it wasn't absorbing enough which is why I'm bottom watering with these. I used 1 gallon rain science bags with the biobizz light mix and grow dots. The 1 gallon bags dry out quicker than my 3 gallon. I didn't start with bottom watering but after the tap root has reached down enough, when the leaf tips reach the edge of the pot, you should be fine to start bottom watering. Aside from recharge once a week (which I top water in) they only get pH'd RO water so I just use a dish that I place under them and fill that and leave them for 15-20 mins to absorb. If it sucks it all up I add more and wait a bit longer. Same process for nutrients just don't let them sit in it, you might get a salt line from the absorption but if you top water once a week I've heard that will be fine.

 

[Bob's Auto's]

I'm guessing the algae would start to form around the base of the pot, where it has been sitting in water?

Not necessary, water and a nutrient rich environment = algae

 

[paulg]

I’m moving the Biobizz lite and their starter pack nutes for my next grow. I’d like to eventually go with an Autopot watering system. My question: is it a good practice to add organic nutes to the AP reservoir, where it will be held for multiple days? Would it be better to top water the nutes each week and use the AP system for water only?