Grow Mediums Mega Crop in reservoir smell?

[Olderfart]

i....did not know this. thank you OF! Dude, autopot company really needs to be MUCH more explicit about the functionality of their product. If i didnt have you guys and this forum i'd be so unbelievably lost.

The information is on their website, but it takes some study. I looked at their video a number of times before I figured out exactly how the valves worked. I really recommend doing that - once you clearly understand how they work, it is easier to set things up and troubleshoot, and you will make better sense of everything written on the website. The valve design is surprisingly subtle - you need to get your head around the interaction between the two float valves, one to control liquid input from the hose, and the other to prevent the inside chamber of the valve from emptying until all the water in the tray is sucked up.

To help you out, I will describe the operation of the valve in words, maybe that will help make sense of the website info. We start with everything installed and the reservoir shut off. When the tray is empty, the inner float valve is hanging down on its hinge, and the valve seal is open. The external float valve is also hanging down on its hinge, but it its case, hanging down closes its valve seal preventing air from leaving the inner chamber.

When you turn on the reservoir, fluid will enter the tray through the inner valve, lifting the inner float until the valve seal closes off the incoming liquid. If everything is set up correctly, water level will stop at ~20mm deep, not much if any more, in the tray. While the tray was filling to 20mm, the rising liquid also lifted the external float valve so that it opened just as the liquid reached 20mm deep. So, to summarize to this point, once the tray is filled to 20mm, the inner valve is closed so no more water can get in, and the external valve is open to allow the air to get out the top of the chamber. Water level inside the chamber is exactly the same as outside it.

Now comes the neat bit. As the water is used up, the external valve closes immediately after the water starts to drop. This prevents air from entering the inside chamber through the top, and this prevents the water level on the inside of the chamber from dropping, which keeps the inner float valve closed.

To summarize the state of affairs with the water, say, only 5mm or so deep, the water inside of the chamber is still ~20 mm deep because the outer float valve has closed and prevented air from entering the inner chamber. The water inside the chamber can't get out because no air can get in to replace it. Consequently, the inner float valve is still floating in the deeper water in the chamber, and its valve seal is closed, preventing any more water from coming in from the hose even though most of the water outside the chamber has been sucked up.

Once all the water is used up, air enters the inner chamber from it lower edge, and the water trapped inside the chamber drains out. As the water drops inside the chamber, the inner valve opens, and the tray refills to repeat the cycle.

If this makes sense, good on you. If not, have a look at the video which illustrates the valve function, and try again. The light will come on soon.

 

[Archaic]

I've been running exclusively megacrop with autoposts for a couple of years. It makes my plants smell kinda like rotten fruit, but I've never noticed much of an odor in the reservoir

 

[BII]

oh damn really? precipitation in what way? or are we talking about condensation?

Here, precipitation = settling of brown junk at the bottom.

 

[briefbriefs]

The information is on their website, but it takes some study. I looked at their video a number of times before I figured out exactly how the valves worked. I really recommend doing that - once you clearly understand how they work, it is easier to set things up and troubleshoot, and you will make better sense of everything written on the website. The valve design is surprisingly subtle - you need to get your head around the interaction between the two float valves, one to control liquid input from the hose, and the other to prevent the inside chamber of the valve from emptying until all the water in the tray is sucked up.

To help you out, I will describe the operation of the valve in words, maybe that will help make sense of the website info. We start with everything installed and the reservoir shut off. When the tray is empty, the inner float valve is hanging down on its hinge, and the valve seal is open. The external float valve is also hanging down on its hinge, but it its case, hanging down closes its valve seal preventing air from leaving the inner chamber.

When you turn on the reservoir, fluid will enter the tray through the inner valve, lifting the inner float until the valve seal closes off the incoming liquid. If everything is set up correctly, water level will stop at ~20mm deep, not much if any more, in the tray. While the tray was filling to 20mm, the rising liquid also lifted the external float valve so that it opened just as the liquid reached 20mm deep. So, to summarize to this point, once the tray is filled to 20mm, the inner valve is closed so no more water can get in, and the external valve is open to allow the air to get out the top of the chamber. Water level inside the chamber is exactly the same as outside it.

Now comes the neat bit. As the water is used up, the external valve closes immediately after the water starts to drop. This prevents air from entering the inside chamber through the top, and this prevents the water level on the inside of the chamber from dropping, which keeps the inner float valve closed.

To summarize the state of affairs with the water, say, only 5mm or so deep, the water inside of the chamber is still ~20 mm deep because the outer float valve has closed and prevented air from entering the inner chamber. The water inside the chamber can't get out because no air can get in to replace it. Consequently, the inner float valve is still floating in the deeper water in the chamber, and its valve seal is closed, preventing any more water from coming in from the hose even though most of the water outside the chamber has been sucked up.

Once all the water is used up, air enters the inner chamber from it lower edge, and the water trapped inside the chamber drains out. As the water drops inside the chamber, the inner valve opens, and the tray refills to repeat the cycle.

If this makes sense, good on you. If not, have a look at the video which illustrates the valve function, and try again. The light will come on soon.

wow, thank you for taking the time to write that out! It helped a lot, and inspired me to watch the Autopot video i had totally missed (it just looked like a rendering of the autovalve on the thumbnail, i never expected it to have so much valuable info) as well as another video of a guy explaining the mechanics of the setup. Im blown away by how thoughtful and subtle (as you said) this design is. Whoever the engineers are should be very proud. Heres the videos im referring to just in case someone in the future wants to learn:



after your reply, i went into my tent and using a syringe, removed about two solo-cups worth of nutrients (so the trays were left approximately at the same level they were at this morning when i thought there was something wrong) in hopes of ruining the wet-dry cycle for my plants. Thank you for the heads up!

 

[briefbriefs]

I've been running exclusively megacrop with autoposts for a couple of years. It makes my plants smell kinda like rotten fruit, but I've never noticed much of an odor in the reservoir

whoa, thats interesting -- i wonder why it makes your plants smell odd. so far i havent noticed any difference in smell in plants (and the zamaldelica scent is actually kind of mouthwatering).

Here, precipitation = settling of brown junk at the bottom.

Gotttt it! thanks!

 

[Nosias]

i....did not know this. thank you OF! Dude, autopot company really needs to be MUCH more explicit about the functionality of their product. If i didnt have you guys and this forum i'd be so unbelievably lost.

We all have felt the same.

 

[Olderfart]

wow, thank you for taking the time to write that out! It helped a lot, and inspired me to watch the Autopot video i had totally missed (it just looked like a rendering of the autovalve on the thumbnail, i never expected it to have so much valuable info) as well as another video of a guy explaining the mechanics of the setup. Im blown away by how thoughtful and subtle (as you said) this design is. Whoever the engineers are should be very proud. Heres the videos im referring to just in case someone in the future wants to learn:



after your reply, i went into my tent and using a syringe, removed about two solo-cups worth of nutrients (so the trays were left approximately at the same level they were at this morning when i thought there was something wrong) in hopes of ruining the wet-dry cycle for my plants. Thank you for the heads up!

Great idea posting the links, thanks for that. Autopot could do a better job of leading people through the stuff. The operation of the valve is a bit complex, so most people could do with some help to understand it. Glad to hear that my message and the videos sorted things for you.

 

[pop22]

The syringe method will clear the valve also, saves on time spent taking apart the valve for cleaning. I clean my valves before each new grow. I'm considering running a 1/2" line to each pot with a reducer at the end to transition to 1/4" to the valve. Then the only place it can clog is at the valve.
However, I'll be doing another auto pot grow soon, then I'm converting to trays with aqua vales feeding them. I just got the tray for the third tent so I'll convert soon..

And I've had clogs with other nutrients as well, so it's not just MC. I tested ( for myself ) House and Garden ( what A waste of money... ) and had clogs, also with Sea Grow, which also has organics in it as does MC.Overall, I've not had many with MC about 1 every 2-3 grows.

As to the smell, I've grown a couple strains that would gag a maggot so............

Agree. The "brown stuff" goes into the valve and it can gather where the first silicon plug makes contact with the valve. Clean this away and it works. The brown stuff prevents the valve from 100% closing.

 

[pop22]

I beg to differ. The information is right in the product description. Here's a quote copied from their website"

"The AQUAvalve is supplied with all AutoPot Watering Systems. Once connected to the water supply the AQUAvalve will control the flow of water to the plants, by simple gravity pressure from a reservoir, no pumps, mains water pressure, electricity or timers are required. Once connected to a reservoir the AQUAvalve will open and allow water to fill the tray to a preset level of 1″. The AQUAvalve will not refill the tray until all the water has been used."

i....did not know this. thank you OF! Dude, autopot company really needs to be MUCH more explicit about the functionality of their product. If i didnt have you guys and this forum i'd be so unbelievably lost.

 

[pop22]

sounds like optimal temps for breeding bacteria. I'd use Hydro Guard or a similar product.

My temps are 80 - 86 F.