$$$Air Pots and Smart Pots Club$$$

[slowandeasy]

Really interested in Smart Pots and Air Pots, but stores around here only carry Smart Pots. I see one complaint is that the roots on the bottom sit in nutes, easy fix IMO. Just use something to keep the off the bottom, like 2 pieces of 1x1 and set them on that. If that is the only drawback on Smart Pots, that is not a deal breaker by any means. I would love some Air Pots, and will order some...but gonna try Smart Pots 1st because the are available locally.

Was thinking on getting the 2 or 3 gal Smart Pots, but was wodering how fast they dry up...since they will be handwatered. Good luck guys, I am buying some this week.

 

[WaterFarmFan]

Really interested in Smart Pots and Air Pots, but stores around here only carry Smart Pots. I see one complaint is that the roots on the bottom sit in nutes, easy fix IMO. Just use something to keep the off the bottom, like 2 pieces of 1x1 and set them on that. If that is the only drawback on Smart Pots, that is not a deal breaker by any means. I would love some Air Pots, and will order some...but gonna try Smart Pots 1st because the are available locally.

Was thinking on getting the 2 or 3 gal Smart Pots, but was wodering how fast they dry up...since they will be handwatered. Good luck guys, I am buying some this week.

Hey SlowandEasy. I am finishing up a run with the 2 gallon smart pots with 100% coco with 0-5% runoff, and the roots on the bottom do not sit in the solution as you describe. The smart pots will drain any excess water and the coco will wick only what it needs.

So, with no to little run and coco, smart pots seem to be the perfect non-hydro container to me. You could use an ebb & flow table for better drainage as well. In full flower, I hand water every 36-48 hours.

Hope this helps.

WFF

 

[Thundurkel]

Exactly the wick up whatever nasties are in the runoff, I dunno they are cool but I feel they would only benefit me if I was on a E&F table and the other thing I don't like about em is since I hand water and pull out my plants and I also shuffle them around to make sure light hit's all around my girls. Well doing that in Smart Pots I feel I disturb the roots more than I do in Air Pots I also noticed the SP seems to hold water longer than AP but I can't be 100% sure on that since the size of the plants are different but even with my moms and plants in veg in my other tent the AP seems to get more oxygen to the root system and are lighter than the 1gal SP plants the next day when I water. Anyone else notice this that has both?

 

[slowandeasy]

Hey SlowandEasy. I am finishing up a run with the 2 gallon smart pots with 100% coco with 0-5% runoff, and the roots on the bottom do not sit in the solution as you describe. The smart pots will drain any excess water and the coco will wick only what it needs.

So, with no to little run and coco, smart pots seem to be the perfect non-hydro container to me. You could use an ebb & flow table for better drainage as well. In full flower, I hand water every 36-48 hours.

Hope this helps.

WFF

Thanks for the info! I see you use the 6/9 formula also. What pH seems to be best for you? Are you using Tap water? I started out using RO and 5.5pH, but I have some minor problems...cal-mag? So I switched to tap on some and used Magi-Cal on some and raised pH. Hopefully it helps.

 

[Castelvetro]

There's a thread with 75 replies here... Air Pots.

I'd like to see someone do a grow using a normal container and an air pot of the same volume so we can get some real results.

i like your link , most of the people seem to say there a waste of money like me. thun i know your a hobbiest at heart , and it tickles u pink everytime a new nute or product comes out more then words can say but even your comparison shots of the justification for running theese could simply of been from the non smart part clone not having any holes drilled in it for aireation, thats common sense though. i dont think people realize how much drilling holes in your container makes for plant respiration, even a few holes make an enormous differance, if your growing n putting only a few holes on the bottom of your containers your not maximizing your mediums potential.

in ever side by side ive seen with theese, the standard container used in the comparison grow has no holes but in the bottom, look u will see.

it seems like smart parts come out on top though if money isnt an issue. airpots welcome gnats to easily


I cant believe thundurkel started this thread in some way as a retort to me solely. lmfao....

 

[GrnMtnGrwr]

i like your link , most of the people seem to say there a waste of money like me. thun i know your a hobbiest at heart , and it tickles u pink everytime a new nute or product comes out more then words can say but even your comparison shots of the justification for running theese could simply of been from the non smart part clone not having any holes drilled in it for aireation, thats common sense though. i dont think people realize how much drilling holes in your container makes for plant respiration, even a few holes make an enormous differance, if your growing n putting only a few holes on the bottom of your containers your not maximizing your mediums potential.

in ever side by side ive seen with theese, the standard container used in the comparison grow has no holes but in the bottom, look u will see.

it seems like smart parts come out on top though if money isnt an issue. airpots welcome gnats to easily


I cant believe thundurkel started this thread in some way as a retort to me solely. lmfao....

Regarding the bolded parts...

1. I have not come to that conclusion at all. Every grower that I've talked to that has used the product has recommended it highly. It is a step up from the standard container both theoretically and in real-world applications.

2. Obviously people aren't drilling extra holes in their standard containers when comparing, because that's just going to add confusion. Use the containers as they come for actual comparisons.

3. That makes no sense at all. I've dealt with gnats before, and with all the holes in Air Pots, the medium exposed to the air is going to dry out faster than usual. What is your reasoning with that statement?

 

[Castelvetro]

3. ive read that others who ran the air pots had gnat probs, once again were talking about gardening life.. Very small changes lead to very dramatic differances, in almost all areas.

i like the idea of smart/pots very much, and reallly they arent all that much money for a small size grow. ill prob invest in some smart pots in the future, as much as i like to poke holes or drill them in pots n save a buck, at some point lazyness wins out with the stoner much like practicality does for the stoner n non stoner alike. seems like from the reviews the smart pots do win out. im always learning, i just learned that short wide containers via hightimes recent issue promote wide bushy plants, and that tall narrow ones make tall lean plants., but never underestimate small kinks getting worked out and making a huuuuuuuuge diffeance in the end. and most peeps could add say twenty small hoes along there containers and see a noticable improvement and for free. its all good.

 

[GrnMtnGrwr]

.

 

[BLUNToPOTomuss]

.

 

[Dopeboy668]

. lol

 

[banjobrain]

Regarding the bolded parts...

1. I have not come to that conclusion at all. Every grower that I've talked to that has used the product has recommended it highly. It is a step up from the standard container both theoretically and in real-world applications.

2. Obviously people aren't drilling extra holes in their standard containers when comparing, because that's just going to add confusion. Use the containers as they come for actual comparisons.

3. That makes no sense at all. I've dealt with gnats before, and with all the holes in Air Pots, the medium exposed to the air is going to dry out faster than usual. What is your reasoning with that statement?

Agreed. Anybody who knows anything about the physiology of plants (not just limited to cannabis) would understand the benefits of the Air-Pot. They are a HUGE step up from an average ordinary pot with some holes drilled into it.

What I think people fail to realize is the benefit the Air-Pot has for the root system (which makes or breaks the plant, essentially). the holes, and more importantly, the shape of the pot leading to the holes is what allows the roots to air-prune themselves.

Anyone who does not understand these concepts should pick up a plant about herbacious plant physiology and get a better understanding of plants and how they grow. Once they do...they will appreciate cannabis even more.

In regards to the "gnat" problem with Air-Pots...that's completely unrelated to Air-Pots in my humble opinion.

 

[Thundurkel]

. lol

 

[Work2much]

I've used both regular and smart pots in coco/perlite mixes and have come to a conclusion. I'll be sticking with the smart pots by a small margin, but they aren't some magical pot that grows huge root balls or doubles yeilds. I wish that were the case, but I'm not seeing it and I consider myself to be pretty good at this coco in small pots thing.

If given the space I'll take coco/perlite beds anytime over air/smart/regular pots. Almost infinite lateral root growth.

I'd like to add, we're not kids here [I hope], so I don't know why this this thread which tunred out to be a solid one had to start with an attack against a member for his personal opinions about a pot. Seems silly and childish....

 

[FunkBomb]

If companies that depend on their plants use Air-pots exclusively, then that is enough reason for me to use them as well. At this point I'll never look at a container the same again.

-Funk

 

[Rainman]

I mean come !!!! He did read about it in High Times!! If you havent used the Air Pots then you are just running your mouth. I dont know whats funnier how you think an entire 12 page thread was started cause of you solely or that drilling holes in the side of your pots would be the same!

Well said FunkBomb

 

[Clackamas Coot]

never mind

 

[WaterFarmFan]

Thanks for the info! I see you use the 6/9 formula also. What pH seems to be best for you? Are you using Tap water? I started out using RO and 5.5pH, but I have some minor problems...cal-mag? So I switched to tap on some and used Magi-Cal on some and raised pH. Hopefully it helps.

Hey SlowandEasy. I balance my ph to 6 personally. I have always used tap water (~175 ppm) with no problems, but you still want to use a Cal Mag supplement. I also use Magi-Cal as well.

It seems the smart pots hold some nutes in the bag as the grow progresses and drifts the ph down a little. I found that by placing each pot in the sink and flooding 2/3 of the way to the top with ph 6 tap for a few minutes every few weeks helped to remove the build up on the bag. I would let the water drain and pour a few cups of nutes at the scheduled amount to make sure they had food.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

WFF

 

[Clackamas Coot]

From my perspective from using 'almost' all of the air-pruning/auto-pruning products in growing both annuals and saplings, it's my 'opinion' that for growing annuals (like cannabis) that the SmartPot product is possibly a better option than the other products out there.

Again - just my opinion.

CC

 

[slowandeasy]

Hey SlowandEasy. I balance my ph to 6 personally. I have always used tap water (~175 ppm) with no problems, but you still want to use a Cal Mag supplement. I also use Magi-Cal as well.

It seems the smart pots hold some nutes in the bag as the grow progresses and drifts the ph down a little. I found that by placing each pot in the sink and flooding 2/3 of the way to the top with ph 6 tap for a few minutes every few weeks helped to remove the build up on the bag. I would let the water drain and pour a few cups of nutes at the scheduled amount to make sure they had food.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

WFF

Thanks alot for the info! I was wondering how much Magi-Cal you are using? I added 100ppm into RO water, seems to be helping. I tried just tap without Magi-Cal, and those plants seem pale. They are growing, but just seem lighter in color and a couple just got a few spots. Do you use Magi-Cal everytime all the way to harvest? Thanks alot!

 

[WaterFarmFan]

I use 2.5 ml per gallon of Magi-Cal about every 3-4 feeds (5-6 days). I stop using it when I start the flush. Hope this helps.

WFF