whats the deal with these autopots?

cheetos

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #1

was doing some web searching on some new techniques to ponder on and i saw these autopots.

http://futuregarden.com/hydroponics/systems_autopots.html

Now these look really interesting if youre doing something small like lettuce or jalepeneos. But what about weed growers. I know some of us here have these going ive seen pics here and there. If you have one please put up some pics if possible and also some inputs on how they grow our fine ladies. any info welcome!

 

Blunt_69

the keeper of the creeper

Veteran

• Mar 5, 2006

• #2

just looks like another ebb/flow design using buckets. I like how compact it is.

 

GotTheBlues

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #3

Transform and rollout autopots

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 6, 2006

• #4

Their size for what they do is pretty cool. And their ebb and flow but without the hasle of timers.

Hey got the blues it took me a minuet to figure out what the hell youre talking about. That was good i got a chuckle.

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 6, 2006

• #5

looks great! I might give them a go... I've been looking to do a "world's first" grow for a while now! Time to scheme up a plan...

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 6, 2006

• #6

go for it!

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 6, 2006

• #7

how would you fix a rubbermaid tub to flood if one were buying just the valve?

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 6, 2006

• #8

im thinking youre gonna need the quarter inch grommet and some quarter inch irrigation tubing also availible from them under the irrigation section. Then maybe a cat litter pan or something for the valve to flood into. The valves only flood up to one inch is that gonna be enough of water? is the perlite and coconut coir gonna soak it into the pots if we put like a two gallon nurserie pot in the pan?

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 6, 2006

• #9

I hope so! Sounds like exactly what is needed!

Ya know what, though? I bet I could use one of those pet auto-watering trays to flood (the pot where the res. normally goes and the valve where the pets drink). What do you think? That would help me with space as well... might cost alittle more, but i will be saving money in the long run.

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 6, 2006

• #10

its worth a shot. The more i think about it the more i think the way they have it set up is the best. But my biggest worry is wether those ten inch pots are gonna be sufficient for a mature plant? Or is their gonna be some root bound problems. If their isnt gonna be any problems then ill just give the system they have a shot. If they should be bigger then ill make someting up. I'm no ebb and flow pro but does the pot have to big to get a healthy plant?

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 7, 2006

• #11

On thier website they have pitcures of dwarf Bannanna Plants grown in the 10 inch pots. Look mighty healthy to me!

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 7, 2006

• #12

yeah i saw that and i still dont believe it. I mean thats a big ass plant theres no way the roots fit in a ten inch pot. Id have to get a plane ticket and fly there to see that thing in person just to see its real. Hey thats a nice seed list but rez should be first on the list that ibl's gonna kick some ass.

 

Harry Gypsna

Dirty hippy Bastard

Veteran

• Mar 7, 2006

• #13

they are NOT ebb and flow, autopots work on a valve which allows some water into the smal res at the base of the pot, and it will only let more water in, when the res is depleted.... ive seen a few grows online done on them, fabulous for coco apparently.... go to the autopot website they have loads of different stuff.....
they grow great tomatoes though i know that cos i tasted some from em....

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 7, 2006

• #14

cheetos said:

yeah i saw that and i still dont believe it. I mean thats a big ass plant theres no way the roots fit in a ten inch pot. Id have to get a plane ticket and fly there to see that thing in person just to see its real. Hey thats a nice seed list but rez should be first on the list that ibl's gonna kick some ass.

Click to expand...

Lol, I agree the diesel is the best out of my list, but I'm on a budget! Poor college students...

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 8, 2006

• #15

I hear ya man money sucks!! I managed to get some d39 from the trinity auction. Got three goin now hopefully ill get a good mom out of one of em. Rez said he put a potent sour d in the mix but wouldnt divulge which one.

Hey harry did those tomatos look like the ones that were in that link i put up(cause those are some big ass tomatos)? Did you know somebody who had them?

 

J

JH151399-OG

• Mar 8, 2006

• #16

those smart gardens look interesting too... more, smaller plants offers more variety in the same space. Interesting idea...

 

P

Prof Mcskunk

New member

• Mar 8, 2006

• #17

I previously bought a 2 pot autopot system from the local hydro shop, and only used it briefly because it looked like it could actually do more damage than good. The valve ensures that their is a constant level of water around the plants, and this could lead to drowning. I used it on my first grow, but then quickly ditched it and went hydro. However, i did use soil, if you were using a different medium it could cancel out the drowning effect, but whenever i checked the soil it was always drenched...

Also, if you do plan to go for this, i would suggest not buying a system at all. You can buy the smart valve itself (£12ish) and fix it in to a tray and it will still fill the tray to the 'desired' level, no matter how big the tray as the valve works with a float. So this way you can save money and have more plants... oh yeah you can make the res out of anything, i used a bin after a while.

Like i said it was my first grow, and i may have fucked up, if anyone has had success with this system, let me know!

Prof.

 

cheetos

Member

• Mar 8, 2006

• #18

grab a tray and slap in some of those botanicare boss blocks. I know these arent ebb and flow but how does anybody feel the yield would end up being compared to other methods of hydro.

 

G

Guest

• Mar 9, 2006

• #19

Harry Gypsna said:

they are NOT ebb and flow, autopots work on a valve which allows some water into the smal res at the base of the pot, and it will only let more water in, when the res is depleted.... ive seen a few grows online done on them, fabulous for coco apparently.... go to the autopot website they have loads of different stuff.....
they grow great tomatoes though i know that cos i tasted some from em....

Click to expand...

I saw their booth at the convention last november and you are right.......it just keeps the water level the same....not bad if you have to leave and just water will hold them.....I passed on them...best of luck

 

Harry Gypsna

Dirty hippy Bastard

Veteran

• Mar 10, 2006

• #20

ive seen wonderful things done with coco in these...a couple of good grows at another site but they aint there anymore coz the site went down and all the stuff beofre ot goingdown was lost so they had to start from scratch, so i cant link the fabulous grow but it did look the buisness.

as for the question about the tomatoes (and that pronounced ""tomartos " not "tomaytos" LOL) i know someone who has them and i even ate some of the tommy's he grew in them, Id get them, but for growing tomatoes....

 

Last edited: Mar 10, 2006