Rockwool with 50/50 Coco Perlite and Autopot

[jokgga]

Posted this on the Autopot forum but figured someone here may be able to help..

Had a couple questions regarding this autopot system.

I got the 4 pot 2.2 gallon system and was going to do a simple run.

1.) Is it recommended to put hydroton (PH Balanced) in the bottom of the pot? I am not using an airdome and this is NOT the fabric pot but the plastic square one? Would it be better for me to put 1-2inch of hydroton in the pot and fill the rest with my coco/perlite mix?

2.) My other option is would be to put my seeds (soaked in water/papertowel) directly into the medium. I do have a taproots showing. At this point, would it make sense to just put the seed directly into the coco medium as opposed to the rockwool?

3.) I see two processes at this point, people who either top feed for 7-14 days until the roots come in, in which case they turn on the valve. The other way, I have seen were folks who would soak the medium in balanced PH water, until it drained from the bottom. Then they would transplant the seed and not water for a full week, after which they top feed until it the roots are at the bottom. Any advice on either? Leaning towards the latter as I am away this weekend and hoping I could transplant the seedling and keep my light on for 18/6

4.) Final question - How are people mixing and putting in nutes to the resevoir? Are you premixing a set amount (i.e 3 gallons with the recommended amount) and pouring it once a week? Also, do people put hydroguard/great white in their res?

5.) Do you think I would need a water pump in the res? That is what the hole on the top of the res lid is for, right?

Thanks for the help everyone as this seems like an amazing concept.
Will

 

[blue]

Hi Dee High!!

Maybe i can help! ^_^

1.) Is it recommended to put hydroton (PH Balanced) in the bottom of the pot? I am not using an airdome and this is NOT the fabric pot but the plastic square one? Would it be better for me to put 1-2inch of hydroton in the pot and fill the rest with my coco/perlite mix?

I don't use pebbles or an airdome with my autopot - it's the 15 litre square one.

2.) My other option is would be to put my seeds (soaked in water/papertowel) directly into the medium. I do have a taproots showing. At this point, would it make sense to just put the seed directly into the coco medium as opposed to the rockwool?

I would do that - paper towel . tails .. into the medium .. maybe cover with a humidity dome (clear plastic cup) and lightly water so it doesnt dry, but dont waterlog it / drown the seed.

I wouldn't use rockwool (personally) for this type of grow - just another layer of complication!

3.) I see two processes at this point, people who either top feed for 7-14 days until the roots come in, in which case they turn on the valve.

I say 20 days or when the leaves reach the side of my pot (if you can be bothered, i'm running a thread at the mo with some relatively decent info gathered from wonderful growers)

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/sweet-trainwreck-tickets-please.79261/

It's a bit long becuase we chat quite a lot of sh*t

4.) Final question - How are people mixing and putting in nutes to the resevoir?

Get yourself a nice big 5 litre bottle of water and keep it. Nearly fill it with water and add your nutes in there (x amount per 5 litres) give it a shke and into the rez it goes.

Be careful using organc nutes in the rez and they may clog your lines. I'm using chem nutes.
If i was doing organic (soil) and water only, it would just be water in the rez and any extras i would top water into the pot (but not too much (a litre at a time) or your autopot will leak and you'll have a mini mess to clear up.

Think that's it!

Hope this helps! Blue ^_^

 

[blue]

5.) Do you think I would need a water pump in the res? That is what the hole on the top of the res lid is for, right?

Missed this one ... ^_^

So i keep the lid off ... I don't have any animals or anything around .. I keep it off for convenience of checking .. but also just incase I've not dechlorinated (which may not even be necessary) and the open lid will aid that . It will take a good few days to drink 10 litres when the plant is established.

Water pump ... hmmmm - Yeah! I don't have one, but it will oxygenate the water and (apparently) supercharge your plants! One of the original AFN super growers and now wonder breeder @FullDuplex used to swear by oxygenating the water (with a pump ... and airstone) .

It adds to the cost / noise. But won't destroy and autopot grow if it fails .

I'd be only worried about it running on the rare oaccsions that the rez runs dry - fire risk maybe?? Not sure on that!

 

[jokgga]

Thanks @blue def going to look through your Sweet Trainwreck grow!!

Question for you though, I am planning on using megacrop and hydroguard with 50/50 Coco/Perlite (Cloud Coco).. is this going to clog up my lines?

Also had a specific question with top feed.. Can I Top Feed once and turn on the autopot with just water in it, to allow it to bottom feed, if I am unable to top feed daily for a week?

I ask because I am going to be away for 2/3 days, tomorrow and my plan, tonight, was to:

Set up my pot
Drain it with PH balanced water (15 mins)
Then put my seedling (just popped a taproot) in the medium and turn on my autopot
Hang my HLG 135 light 20 inches up at 20% power and let it run for 18/6, while I am away.

My hope is that this would allow the seed to fully germinate autonomously without the need for me to top feed, in case I am out.

Thanks,

 

[FullDuplex]

Missed this one ... ^_^

So i keep the lid off ... I don't have any animals or anything around .. I keep it off for convenience of checking .. but also just incase I've not dechlorinated (which may not even be necessary) and the open lid will aid that . It will take a good few days to drink 10 litres when the plant is established.

Water pump ... hmmmm - Yeah! I don't have one, but it will oxygenate the water and (apparently) supercharge your plants! One of the original AFN super growers and now wonder breeder @FullDuplex used to swear by oxygenating the water (with a pump ... and airstone) .

It adds to the cost / noise. But won't destroy and autopot grow if it fails .

I'd be only worried about it running on the rare oaccsions that the rez runs dry - fire risk maybe?? Not sure on that!

Ahhh @blue you are too kind my friend. Appreciate the kind words. You are correct on how I swear by the stone in the water. Always add air stones to any setting water. Weather it be feed water or the res of the auto pots system.

I actually have the easy 2 grow trays autopot system and run an air stone in my 12 gal res at all times. I’ve never ran it dry as I watch my grows closely but I could see it burning up a pump or drying out the stone and making it brittle. I had an 1100 gph pump get clogged on my tea brewer over night and it held up great. So I think it’ll come back to build quality.

thanks for the tag mate good to hear from you and this is a recent topic for me. Love my auto pots.

 

[blue]

Hey Buddy - Sorry, i've just seen this!!

Thanks @blue def going to look through your Sweet Trainwreck grow!!

Question for you though, I am planning on using megacrop and hydroguard with 50/50 Coco/Perlite (Cloud Coco).. is this going to clog up my lines?

Also had a specific question with top feed.. Can I Top Feed once and turn on the autopot with just water in it, to allow it to bottom feed, if I am unable to top feed daily for a week?

I'm not sure about the megacrop in an Autopot .. just because i've never used it. There are lots of megacrop users though and autopots are pretty popilar too - if there's one out there, i'll find it and report back to you!
My gut feeling is that it "could" clog the lines .. but it's just a feeling rather than experience.

As for the top feeding question after the autopot is on .... yes .. you can! BUT .. not too much as the pot will have already wicked up water and if you use too much (from experience) you get a mini flood coming out the bottom of your autopot. In my past experience .. 1 litre is fine ... 2 litres are not fine

I would top water organic PK (gloopy) and Micronutes into the pot rather than risk them through my lines. (when i was doing biotabs organic soil type growing ... back to chemicals now for ease)

Hope this helps and if I find a megacrop user with an autopot I'll let you know (lets tag a bunch of people to look ^_^ @Gladiators )

 

[blue]

It seems like there's mixed experiences with MC in rezevoirs.

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/megacrop-cloudy-reservoir-and-excess-residue.71844/

I've not seen anyone say you Can't do it... but I'd be worried about clogging the lines.
Hope this helps
Blue ^_^

 

[Master_gRoshi]

mc 1.0 separated in my res and clogged.
may have been my water as i didnt have r.o filter then
could have also been water temp too high.

i had too many variables to say it was MC for sure

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I have been running GreenLeaf nutrients for at least 6 grows now with no issues in the reservoir (drip to waste not autopots) that are not present with all the other nutrients I have used. My reservoir gets cleaned and washed every week. This is SOP for hydro IMPO. I add goopy stuff the day before cleaning just in case.

 

[Hypathetical Gardener]

Thanks @blue def going to look through your Sweet Trainwreck grow!!

Question for you though, I am planning on using megacrop and hydroguard with 50/50 Coco/Perlite (Cloud Coco).. is this going to clog up my lines?

Also had a specific question with top feed.. Can I Top Feed once and turn on the autopot with just water in it, to allow it to bottom feed, if I am unable to top feed daily for a week?

I ask because I am going to be away for 2/3 days, tomorrow and my plan, tonight, was to:

Set up my pot
Drain it with PH balanced water (15 mins)
Then put my seedling (just popped a taproot) in the medium and turn on my autopot
Hang my HLG 135 light 20 inches up at 20% power and let it run for 18/6, while I am away.

My hope is that this would allow the seed to fully germinate autonomously without the need for me to top feed, in case I am out.

Thanks,

Hey. You CAN use mc in the res. You will get gloop if you dont clean it at least monthly. That said, using something like drip clean will prevent the line clogs. I suggest feed in the res but pull from the res at least once a week and water from the top. This also prevents buildup in the medium in my past experience.
If you use the golf filter, that will clog before your lines which is easily remedied by a quick rinse under the faucet.