Grow Mediums Setting Up Your Auto Pots

[The Odd Couple]

Makes perfect sense

Thanks folks!

 

[HemiSync]

They are correct about the capillary action of those glass beads, most likely won't work. All coco or a layer of perlite will work. Also, I have never been in a grow store due to the laws of my area but have ordered many things online with no issues, including coco and hydroton.

 

[bushmasterar15]

What air pump brand do you use on your 4 pots?

I got this Danner airpump to use with my 4 - 6 Autopots system
www.amazon.com/Aqua-Supreme-59942-Aqua-Supreme-Aquarium/dp/B0072QAE1K/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1501011232&sr=1-1&keywords=Aqua-Supreme+59942

Then I know a few of the other running Autopots are using the Eheim 400 for their system.
www.amazon.com/EHEIM-720686370067-Eheim-Air-Pump/dp/B0018CJOCE/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1501011064&sr=1-4&keywords=eheim

 

[Journey Man]

I saw this question in this thread but there was no answer for it.
I know the water-level should drop in the tray as the girl drinks and then fill up when the tray is empty. However, my trays is always full, so it has to be the silicone not holding it tight. Any idea how to "soften" up the silicone so it seals the inlet?
Great thread!

 

[KonopCh]

I saw this question in this thread but there was no answer for it.
I know the water-level should drop in the tray as the girl drinks and then fill up when the tray is empty. However, my trays is always full, so it has to be the silicone not holding it tight. Any idea how to "soften" up the silicone so it seals the inlet?
Great thread!

I have the same problem. One autovalve is working good, other is always full and also there is a lot more water in it than in second. But plants seems happy.

 

[Journey Man]

I have the same problem. One autovalve is working good, other is always full and also there is a lot more water in it than in second. But plants seems happy.

Yeah, i dont know what the problem is... im boiling the silicon-plugs now to see if it soften them up. Will also see if it will keep em tight to the hole. Will share here how its going.
My girls are doing okey to but a little breath between tray-refills is better i think or else the girls stand in 1.5 - 2 cm water all the time. I keep u updated, i will sort it out and share with you.

 

[pop22]

The silicone may not be sitting flat, check it or replace it. I've never had to do a thing with mine but a bought spares just in case. Make sure the valve is sitting flush in the tray and that neither float is sticking. Been running mine almost non-stop for 16 months without a problem. have not yet replace the silicone pads.

I saw this question in this thread but there was no answer for it.
I know the water-level should drop in the tray as the girl drinks and then fill up when the tray is empty. However, my trays is always full, so it has to be the silicone not holding it tight. Any idea how to "soften" up the silicone so it seals the inlet?
Great thread!

 

[Journey Man]

Okey. I have checked the silicone, it might be that i have stored the aquavalves in a a plastic bag for over a year, summer and winter-temps :smoking:. The silicon feels old and dont have that bright yellow color anymore, the color is more of a darker yellow. I did run 1 of the aquqavalves this summer and it worked great. Maybe i was lucky with that one. Will see if i can get some new silicon next time i visit the shop. One of my two girls is sensitive to water. She droops after 1 hour in the tray, will let her dry out a day or two then give it a go again.

 

[lunarman]

One tip for setting up autopots that I thought worth suggesting is if you are using an air pump for airdomes, try and locate the pump by the reservoir. That way you can disconnect the black hose from the reservoir and hook it up to the airpump and run air thru the line as part of maintenance. I disconnect the aquavalve on the other end (and clean the valve) and run air thru for a couple of minutes. Then pump a big syringe of water thru the line and then more air. Having the pump located by the reservoir makes this really easy. Not that I planned it that way in the first place, but I'm sure glad its setup this way now.

 

[Tiny Bubbles]

When I first set mine up and turned on the res the first time the trays filled and stopped at a level that seemed low to me but I shrugged it off and decided to wait and see how it went. I would check periodically every day to see where the level in the tray was at but it was always the same. The res was going down and the plants seemed happy so I just decided to not worry about it. Fast forward to today. I took everything apart and cleaned it then put it back together and one tray filled higher than it had previously and it looks RIGHT, however the other one is doing as it did before. Here they both are first pic is what I presume is correct. Both pics taken immediately after turning on res and letting them fill until the water level stopped rising.

As you can see on the second photo the red collar isn’t even submerged... what’s the issue? It was like this before and the plants stayed fed I just don’t think the tray is draining and filling properly. I think it stays at that level constantly.