Autopot vs. Drip irrigation in coco

KonopCh

Well-Known Member
So, can anyone compare yield with 2x15L autopot vs. 2x15L with drip irrigation?
One is bottom fed, other is top fed.

With autopot you hand water until roots reach bottom of the pot (around 20 days) and then turn on automation fed. Plants take what they want from the bottom, you only take care of reservoir charge.
With drip irrigation you must set up (couple of times during grow) amount and time of driping, which can be tricky (wet-dry cycle).
 

MATTYMATT726

Well-Known Member
I have the 4 gal. 4 pot Auto pot setup. 12 gal res. Have not used it yet. Also got Royal Gold Tupar since it has a good amout of perlite and dries quick allowing for multiple waterings without over watering dailey. They intrested me alot as a simple way but not seen much use on RIU of them.
 

714steadyeddie

Well-Known Member
I have the 4 gal. 4 pot Auto pot setup. 12 gal res. Have not used it yet. Also got Royal Gold Tupar since it has a good amout of perlite and dries quick allowing for multiple waterings without over watering dailey. They intrested me alot as a simple way but not seen much use on RIU of them.
I'm in tupur too, seeking a better way to water. Hand watering is laborious.

When are you going to set the the autopots
 

MATTYMATT726

Well-Known Member
Nope. No drip. Hand water till 20 or so days. Watering 5,10 and day 15. Turn on autovalve on day 20. See what happens. No air dome as i dont think i need it. I have the 12 gal res and will fill 8 gal at a time refreshing when it gets to 2 gal left. With that little rez no need for air stones as i dont want the noise anyways. 3 maybe 4 days max and fresh water and nutes will be added so im good with that. No extra perlite, just my Tupar. Cal mag and micro/bloom gh nutes at 6.5 ml/9 ml per gal Lucas feeding full way through. First feeding was 1/4, second 1/2 and today being day 15 for 1 she got full strength. 1 seed didnt pop so its 5 days behind. Ill post pics day 20 when autopot is turned on. Shes a free fem HSO 707 Headband. 3 nodes so far and topping at 3rd node when she gets 6.
 

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makka

Well-Known Member
I had a 24 pot autopot system the original ones with aqua valve
Personally I only used it once then back to hand because the pots Waterlog if only use coco and never dry out at all!
The trays never empty they just drop then at about 1cm from empty it refills again but that 1cm is enough for the coco to keep sucking up till the aqua valve refills it hence no dry period or even dryer period lol

I had a pal use them with really good success but he used 40/60 perlite to coco
And this seemed to stop the waterlogging problem for him

My other pal handwaters from saucers bottomfeeding in coco and he gets good results but gives a few water only periods as the salts build up On top of the coco as it never gets a top feed to flush through the excess salts seen him burn a few in the beginning this way but he's got the bottom feeding down now
 

makka

Well-Known Member
Also quick tip lol
The aquavalves in the trays can sometimes get dirt on them and don't close the valve properly upon refil and floods the whole system into the floor
Check the valves weekly for debris
I learnt the hard way and a new ceiling LMAO oh the fun times
 

MATTYMATT726

Well-Known Member
Good thing on Tupar is it comes with perlite. It is able to be waterd 5-6 times dailey so shouldn't leave water at the bottom just sitting there. It dries itself out quick.
 

KonopCh

Well-Known Member
Guys, do I need pump in reservior for Autopots? I've read airstones raise pH. I will use AN nutes.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
I found the res didn't last long enough to go stagnant but then again I did like to add some h2o2 to my res.
It wont hurt to have a pump in there though. Could just have it on a timer rather than 24/7
 

rollyouron

Well-Known Member
So, can anyone compare yield with 2x15L autopot vs. 2x15L with drip irrigation?
One is bottom fed, other is top fed.

With autopot you hand water until roots reach bottom of the pot (around 20 days) and then turn on automation fed. Plants take what they want from the bottom, you only take care of reservoir charge.
With drip irrigation you must set up (couple of times during grow) amount and time of driping, which can be tricky (wet-dry cycle).
I only hand water mine once. I cut the valve on 4 or 5 days later. Never had a problem. I use 3.7 gal
 

rollyouron

Well-Known Member
Also quick tip lol
The aquavalves in the trays can sometimes get dirt on them and don't close the valve properly upon refil and floods the whole system into the floor
Check the valves weekly for debris
I learnt the hard way and a new ceiling LMAO oh the fun times
I've never had one stick open. I've had 2 in 4 years stick closed though.
 

makka

Well-Known Member
I've never had one stick open. I've had 2 in 4 years stick closed though.
Be thankful, it wasn't a pleasant sight lol
I didn't have the covers on the trays and some dead leaf got trapped between the yellow seal and pin and didn't seal properly it only takes a tiny bit to get in the wrong place near the rubber cause I'm upper floor grower it's a risk I just can't take again
 
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