Autopot Medium

[staygreener]

I'm doing two feminized RP Strawberry Banana with an autopot* + Heavy 16 + Aptus grow. It seems like I have a few medium options:

Straight Coco with clay balls at the bottom
Coco/Perlite (Anywhere from 50:50 to more perlite seems to be popular)
maybe Coco/Perlite with clay balls?

Both are equally easy to set up... and google has been pretty short on definitive answers. What medium should I use and why?

*Autopots work on a water pressure system that involves a valve that floods a 2" high tray, lets it get get drank by the plant, then floods it again. Sorta like a flood and drain system, but not really. You hand water for the first couple of weeks until the roots grow.

 

[Airwalker16]

I'm doing two feminized RP Strawberry Banana with an autopot* + Heavy 16 + Aptus grow. It seems like I have a few medium options:

Straight Coco with clay balls at the bottom
Coco/Perlite (Anywhere from 50:50 to more perlite seems to be popular)
maybe Coco/Perlite with clay balls?

Both are equally easy to set up... and google has been pretty short on definitive answers. What medium should I use and why?

*Autopots work on a water pressure system that involves a valve that floods a 2" high tray, lets it get get drank by the plant, then floods it again. Sorta like a flood and drain system, but not really. You hand water for the first couple of weeks until the roots grow.

I'm interested to see how those autopots work out for you. There's been a few threads asking about them lately. Seems like I remember the video or something reccomending or animating, hydroton clay at the bottom filling to where the "net" stops on the bottom of the pot and the rest being straight coco.

 

[loftygoals]

I've done 2 inches of hydroton at the bottom (Hydroton or Perlite at the bottom stops rot so is essential). Then I went with coco/perlite 60:40 mix as I read this got good results when I was getting it setup.

Works beautifully for my mothers. For 6 mums I just need to top up the 47L reservoir and do some trimming once every 2 weeks which takes about 20 mins. I can literally forget about them the rest of the time... which is exactly what you want for mothers. Only issue I've had is the plants growing *too* well.

They are as close to a foolproof setup as you can get IMO. I've not flowered with them so can't comment on yield or any issues that might crop up with thirsty plants.

 

[staygreener]

Thank you, both of you, I'll be doing coco and making the decision on a perlite mix in a week.

I've done 2 inches of hydroton at the bottom (Hydroton or Perlite at the bottom stops rot so is essential).

Any reason you chose hydroton over perlite at the bottom? That seems to be my last issue.

 

[popeyesailorman]

I need to fill 12.? gal rez every 2 days 8 pots outside with tomatoes. I would use the chunky perlite and coco.

 

[loftygoals]

Thank you, both of you, I'll be doing coco and making the decision on a perlite mix in a week.



Any reason you chose hydroton over perlite at the bottom? That seems to be my last issue.

I had a bag hydroton to use up

I'd have been equally happy with perlite. In fact my hempies have perlite in their bottom 2 inches for exactly the same effect.

 

[EvlMunkee]

Don't use hydroton at the bottom. The autopot won't wick properly and you will have to topwater. Then you may as well not use the valve. Use a light fluffy soil or coco/perlite for best results

 

[staygreener]

I have ordered my perlite and coco, I'm more comfortable with perlite anyways. I appreciate you guys helping me clear this up... I got tired of mixing my nutes 2-3 times a week in soil and am hoping to get to a once a week situation.