Grow Mediums Growpito + AutoPots

[Simplicio]

I'm about to start a small test grow using an Autopot 2.2 gal, 2-bucket Easy2Grow system.
The buckets are only 7 3/4 inches tall.
I'm planning on filling the pots with Growpito, and nothing else, except for possibly something in a netpot to start seeds.
No Airdome, but small airstone(s) in the 5 cup reservoir.

Does this seem reasonable?

 

[Mizzo81]

I'm about to start a small test grow using an Autopot 2.2 gal, 2-bucket Easy2Grow system.
The buckets are only 7 3/4 inches tall.
I'm planning on filling the pots with Growpito, and nothing else, except for possibly something in a netpot to start seeds.
No Airdome, but small airstone(s) in the 5 cup reservoir.

Does this seem reasonable?

Sure seems like a good idea to me. With the easy2 system the pots r close to gether but train them apart as they grow and u should be good. Growpito should be used on its own no need to mix anything in. Also u can take some growpito and make a seed starter out of it or put in netpot.

 

[Simplicio]

Sure seems like a good idea to me. With the easy2 system the pots r close to gether but train them apart as they grow and u should be good. Growpito should be used on its own no need to mix anything in. Also u can take some growpito and make a seed starter out of it or put in netpot.

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, the 2 buckets are a bit too close together (about 1 ft center to center), but I'll be planting them off center, so the plant-to-plant distance will be about 18 inches. In a 48 inch wide tent, that will leave about 15 inches between plants and walls. Plants too close in a single reservoir was a trade-off I made willingly.

My plants have been getting too big in DWC, so I'm trying to stunt them a little.
This is a test grow that won't bother me too much if it goes bad.
I'm trying to find the easiest possible setup, and don't mind sacrificing a little quality for ease of operation.

I'm also considering starting the system from day 1, and using RapidRooters in some fashion, while mostly avoiding top feeding.
It will take some trial and error, but I'm considering putting sprouted RRs either directly onto a small amount of Growpito in the bottom of a mostly empty wet bucket, or using netpots with hydroton, as in hydro, then adding to the medium under the bucket day by day as the roots lengthen.

The object is to get the roots to the bottom of the 7 3/4 inch tall buckets as quickly as possible. Short buckets is another reason I chose 2.2 gal instead of 3.9 gal. Growing into the lights can be mostly avoided using a short setup. This one's only 8 inches tall.

 

[Mizzo81]

I like what you’re doing here. Gonna pay close attention.

 

[Growpito_Aleks]

I'm about to start a small test grow using an Autopot 2.2 gal, 2-bucket Easy2Grow system.
The buckets are only 7 3/4 inches tall.
I'm planning on filling the pots with Growpito, and nothing else, except for possibly something in a netpot to start seeds.
No Airdome, but small airstone(s) in the 5 cup reservoir.

Does this seem reasonable?

Sounds good to me. Cubed propagation trays with Growpito pressed in make nice starter blocks for transplant.

I recommend you water from the top on the first watering at transplant or gemination followed by the first bottom feeding. In our demo grow, all transplants were ready for bottom feeding by the 5th day after top watering on transplant.

 

[Simplicio]

Sounds good to me. Cubed propagation trays with Growpito pressed in make nice starter blocks for transplant.

I recommend you water from the top on the first watering at transplant or gemination followed by the first bottom feeding. In our demo grow, all transplants were ready for bottom feeding by the 5th day after top watering on transplant.

Thanks for the info.
I can handle 5 days of hand watering, so that's what I'll do.

 

[Simplicio]

Does anyone know whether the 2.2 gal autopots should be top fed throughout the whole grow when using Growpito sim mix?
More than just slight improvement would be needed to justify the extra effort.

If top feed would help a lot, I'm thinking of installing an air pump-driven top feed system using a GenHydro FarmKit.
Assuming I can get it to work, it would top-feed fluid from the Autopot reservoir when there's fluid there, and blow air onto plant stalks otherwise.

 

[Growpito_Aleks]

Does anyone know whether the 2.2 gal autopots should be top fed throughout the whole grow when using Growpito sim mix?
More than just slight improvement would be needed to justify the extra effort.

If top feed would help a lot, I'm thinking of installing an air pump-driven top feed system using a GenHydro FarmKit.
Assuming I can get it to work, it would top-feed fluid from the Autopot reservoir when there's fluid there, and blow air onto plant stalks otherwise.

You only top feed once the first week of transplant or germination then you flood from them on.

 

[Simplicio]

I'll be posting some Growpito and Autopot comments here without a grow journal.
I've been conditioning the Growpito with EC=0.5, pH=5.5 nutes like the instructions say.
The water retention of this stuff is amazing.
Its volume decreases greatly upon soaking.
When moist it has the consistency that I'd guess wet clothes would have if ground up in a blender.

I'm worried about killing my sprouts (from seed) if I plant them in 250 ppm pre-charged (by me) media.
Or watering them with 500 ppm solution after planting.
I think I'll plant them in their RapidRooters into the Growpito, then lightly water the RRs to keep the 250 ppm nutes away for awhile.
And hold off on the 500 ppm watering until the sprouts get bigger.

I'm still questioning the wisdom of not turning the Autopot system on until the roots hit the bottoms of the buckets.
My experience in hydro tells me the sprouts would smell the water at the bottom of the buckets, and get there quicker, if the system were turned on immediately.
But I have no autopot experience either.

 

[Growpito_Aleks]

I'll be posting some Growpito and Autopot comments here without a grow journal.
I've been conditioning the Growpito with EC=0.5, pH=5.5 nutes like the instructions say.
The water retention of this stuff is amazing.
Its volume decreases greatly upon soaking.
When moist it has the consistency that I'd guess wet clothes would have if ground up in a blender.

I'm worried about killing my sprouts (from seed) if I plant them in 250 ppm pre-charged (by me) media.
Or watering them with 500 ppm solution after planting.
I think I'll plant them in their RapidRooters into the Growpito, then lightly water the RRs to keep the 250 ppm nutes away for awhile.
And hold off on the 500 ppm watering until the sprouts get bigger.

I'm still questioning the wisdom of not turning the Autopot system on until the roots hit the bottoms of the buckets.
My experience in hydro tells me the sprouts would smell the water at the bottom of the buckets, and get there quicker, if the system were turned on immediately.
But I have no autopot experience either.

Squeeze out some balls of Growpito for your seedlings that have already been pre moistened then mist them a bit. No need for rapid rooters. I use a Grodan starter plug tray that I press Growpito into and can be used for seeds or clones.

By allowing them to wait 5 days until your first flood it will allow the medium to dry a bit and subsequently pull in oxygen.