Auto Pot feeding system and Air Dome system

jfpowers7585 · May 23, 2022

I am a new grower and my plants are about 12" tall. I transplanted about 10 days ago. I decided to fill up the reservoir with 1/2 nutrients and check the air pump lines going into the bottom of my buckets. I blew like hell and no air would go through the lines. They are stopped up. I have no choice but to ride it out and see what happens. I don't even think the roots have reached the bottom of the pot and have taken root. The only thing my pump is successfully running now is a line going into my holding tank. I don't understand why my plants have not taken root and drinking the nutrient/water. Any ideas? At the store, I had them to custom-build and ordered a grow tent for me complete with set up. I am using coco coir, perlite, and clay pebbles at the bottom of the 3.9L grow pot. I am wondering why my healthy plants are not taking root and drinking nutrients?

Sofa King Smoooth · May 25, 2022

I have just started a trial with the autopot, will attempt an assist.

How deep is the clay pebble layer?

Any idea of the mix of perlite to coco?

What nutrients?

Sofa King Smoooth · May 25, 2022

I don't buy into the pump air into the root zone thing so my personal opinion would be unhook the pump and let the air dome ride out this grow then find an alternate use for it.

Star Dog · May 25, 2022

Have you been hand feeding?

CannabisCanuckles · May 27, 2022

jfpowers7585 said:
I am a new grower and my plants are about 12" tall. I transplanted about 10 days ago. I decided to fill up the reservoir with 1/2 nutrients and check the air pump lines going into the bottom of my buckets. I blew like hell and no air would go through the lines. They are stopped up. I have no choice but to ride it out and see what happens. I don't even think the roots have reached the bottom of the pot and have taken root. The only thing my pump is successfully running now is a line going into my holding tank. I don't understand why my plants have not taken root and drinking the nutrient/water. Any ideas? At the store, I had them to custom-build and ordered a grow tent for me complete with set up. I am using coco coir, perlite, and clay pebbles at the bottom of the 3.9L grow pot. I am wondering why my healthy plants are not taking root and drinking nutrients?

Do you have the 6mm or the 9mm lines? The reason I ask is that the 6mm lines can clog easily when using the wrong type of nutrients. But if its your first time using them, the lines should be brand new and clear of all debris; did you purchase the system used? This is where I get confused. Also, you said you filled it with "1/2 nutrients", but did not indicate what KIND of nutrients. Were they organic, or chemical fertilizers? Unless you have the 9mm lines on the system, the 6mm can get gummed up really quickly by using the wrong sort of nutrients. Also, you said you blew through the lines and no air went...there is that small valve that opens/closes the line for emergency shut off. Ensure that's open. And if you have the 6mm lines, I'd order the 'accessory kit' that upgrades the system to 9mm.

I own a hydroponics shop and sell these units. Not on here very often, but it was crappy weather and nobody's coming in the store, so here I am lurking the forums, reading about peoples experiences with these...but when you first transplant into them, water from the top LIGHTLY; you don't want the plant to dry out and wilt on you, but you also don't want to feed it so much that the roots have no reason to go searching for water....make the plants feel the need to drive their roots downward and you should see water uptake rather soon.

Star Dog · May 27, 2022

You can use the auto valve with your own tray/lid and it works from day #1 no hand feeding required.

The two pot one I have the lowest point of the nutrient level isn't low enough to recycle the valve it's a design flaw, the pot needs to be a few mm lower or the valve a few mm higher for it to work properly or not require hand feeding.

A piece of wick poking out of the bottom of the pot works 100% if you're not going to be around to hand water.

NotTheRobot · May 27, 2022

jfpowers7585 said:
I am a new grower and my plants are about 12" tall. I transplanted about 10 days ago. I decided to fill up the reservoir with 1/2 nutrients and check the air pump lines going into the bottom of my buckets. I blew like hell and no air would go through the lines. They are stopped up. I have no choice but to ride it out and see what happens. I don't even think the roots have reached the bottom of the pot and have taken root. The only thing my pump is successfully running now is a line going into my holding tank. I don't understand why my plants have not taken root and drinking the nutrient/water. Any ideas? At the store, I had them to custom-build and ordered a grow tent for me complete with set up. I am using coco coir, perlite, and clay pebbles at the bottom of the 3.9L grow pot. I am wondering why my healthy plants are not taking root and drinking nutrients?

I don't have an air pump going for the Auto Pots and they run fine with no pump. Mind you I only put a couple days water in at a shot and then they get mostly fresh. I'm using coco too.

The first week or so I top water as suggested by the Autopot company with the pot sitting in an empty tray. It lets me know when I'm starting to get run off without any floods. It sounds like you are at about the point I turn the Autopots water on. As for the tubing if it's not connected to anything and you blow like hell and it's still blocked it's time for some new tubing. I leave the water covers off the pots so I can always check if there is water or not. If there's no water check there is some in the res and if there is work backwards checking tubes for blockage.

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

jfpowers7585 said:
I am a new grower and my plants are about 12" tall. I transplanted about 10 days ago. I decided to fill up the reservoir with 1/2 nutrients and check the air pump lines going into the bottom of my buckets. I blew like hell and no air would go through the lines. They are stopped up. I have no choice but to ride it out and see what happens. I don't even think the roots have reached the bottom of the pot and have taken root. The only thing my pump is successfully running now is a line going into my holding tank. I don't understand why my plants have not taken root and drinking the nutrient/water. Any ideas? At the store, I had them to custom-build and ordered a grow tent for me complete with set up. I am using coco coir, perlite, and clay pebbles at the bottom of the 3.9L grow pot. I am wondering why my healthy plants are not taking root and drinking nutrients?

It takes awhile for them to get to the bottom in this system. When you first start them they tell you to not use the air domes or the watering system for at least 2 weeks after you put them in there and that’s only if they are about a foot tall and nice bushy plants. If not it could take a month for them to start drinking from the bottom! What kind of dirt or grow median you using?

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

Sofa King Smoooth said:
I have just started a trial with the autopot, will attempt an assist.

How deep is the clay pebble layer?

Any idea of the mix of perlite to coco?

What nutrients?

I put it about 3 inches deep just about a half inch over the airdrome then I use fox farm Ocean forest with a few clay pellets mixed with it and my plants get huge! Use just general hydroponics the 3 part system and during veg I use exactly half of what it saids on the bottle. I think it’s 5ml per gallon of each one. Then in Bud cycle I bump up the bloom to 10ml per gallon the bottle saids 15ml gallon but I only use 10ml and keep the others the same 5ml per gallon. When I put them to Bud I use Bud candy and big Bud nutes and the last 10 days I use flawless finish! I been using the auto pot system and the airdromes for almost 3 years now and i have had 25 oz plants never had one under 10oz

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

NotTheRobot said:
I don't have an air pump going for the Auto Pots and they run fine with no pump. Mind you I only put a couple days water in at a shot and then they get mostly fresh. I'm using coco too.

The first week or so I top water as suggested by the Autopot company with the pot sitting in an empty tray. It lets me know when I'm starting to get run off without any floods. It sounds like you are at about the point I turn the Autopots water on. As for the tubing if it's not connected to anything and you blow like hell and it's still blocked it's time for some new tubing. I leave the water covers off the pots so I can always check if there is water or not. If there's no water check there is some in the res and if there is work backwards checking tubes for blockage.

You can’t blow through the water lines anyway the valves won’t let you do that with your mouth anyway. I have a pretty powerful air pump hooked to my air domes so I took it loose at the res and put the air up to the water line then it blew out the first couple valves you come to but you can’t blow hard enough with your mouth to make those valves open.

NotTheRobot · May 30, 2022

possum 1 said:
It takes awhile for them to get to the bottom in this system. When you first start them they tell you to not use the air domes or the watering system for at least 2 weeks after you put them in there and that’s only if they are about a foot tall and nice bushy plants. If not it could take a month for them to start drinking from the bottom! What kind of dirt or grow median you using?

The first post mentions coco.

I'm not sure the OP is still here. One post over the last week with no response to any one. That could mean things have sorted themselves out or the plants all died (not likely since they were in flower) or ...

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

NotTheRobot said:
I don't have an air pump going for the Auto Pots and they run fine with no pump. Mind you I only put a couple days water in at a shot and then they get mostly fresh. I'm using coco too.

The first week or so I top water as suggested by the Autopot company with the pot sitting in an empty tray. It lets me know when I'm starting to get run off without any floods. It sounds like you are at about the point I turn the Autopots water on. As for the tubing if it's not connected to anything and you blow like hell and it's still blocked it's time for some new tubing. I leave the water covers off the pots so I can always check if there is water or not. If there's no water check there is some in the res and if there is work backwards checking tubes for blockage.

The air pumps at least double your yield!!!

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

NotTheRobot said:
I don't have an air pump going for the Auto Pots and they run fine with no pump. Mind you I only put a couple days water in at a shot and then they get mostly fresh. I'm using coco too.

The first week or so I top water as suggested by the Autopot company with the pot sitting in an empty tray. It lets me know when I'm starting to get run off without any floods. It sounds like you are at about the point I turn the Autopots water on. As for the tubing if it's not connected to anything and you blow like hell and it's still blocked it's time for some new tubing. I leave the water covers off the pots so I can always check if there is water or not. If there's no water check there is some in the res and if there is work backwards checking tubes for blockage.

If you leave the lids off the pots do you not have trouble with algae and it clogging up? That’s why it has that lid so light can’t get to your water so no algae.

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

Y

NotTheRobot said:
The first post mentions coco.

I'm not sure the OP is still here. One post over the last week with no response to any one. That could mean things have sorted themselves out or the plants all died (not likely since they were in flower) or ...
[/QUOTE. Yeah I hope he did if you get this system down good where you know how to use it with the air domes and everything it’s amazing it more than doubled my yield by the 2nd crop

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

Sofa King Smoooth said:
I don't buy into the pump air into the root zone thing so my personal opinion would be unhook the pump and let the air dome ride out this grow then find an alternate use for it.

No way man this system with the air dome doubled my yield by second grow! Without the Air dome the system is not really that impressive! The air getting to the root where they are sitting in water makes it eat up nutrients and sends into hyper drive!

NotTheRobot · May 30, 2022

possum 1 said:
If you leave the lids off the pots do you not have trouble with algae and it clogging up? That’s why it has that lid so light can’t get to your water so no algae.

I have never had algae but the lines clog up from time to time which is why I leave the lids off the pots. It makes it very easy to check. I'm actually using the pots at night and putting the plants outside on sunny days this year which is working really well so far. They dry out and I get a chance to top feed when they are outside with anything I want, even things that would clog up the lines.

Thanks for the tip on air domes working so well.

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

NotTheRobot said:
I have never had algae but the lines clog up from time to time which is why I leave the lids off the pots. It makes it very easy to check. I'm actually using the pots at night and putting the plants outside on sunny days this year which is working really well so far. They dry out and I get a chance to top feed when they are outside with anything I want, even things that would clog up the lines.

Thanks for the tip on air domes working so well.

Yeah no problem. Be careful top watering I have had trouble doing that with it draining the whole res! when I top watered it gets to much water in the tray and it won’t stop until the res is drained! The auto valve gets stuck open or something.

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

possum 1 said:
Yeah no problem. Be careful top watering I have had trouble doing that with it draining the whole res! when I top watered it gets to much water in the tray and it won’t stop until the res is drained! The auto valve gets stuck open or something.

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

possum 1 · May 30, 2022

NotTheRobot said:
I have never had algae but the lines clog up from time to time which is why I leave the lids off the pots. It makes it very easy to check. I'm actually using the pots at night and putting the plants outside on sunny days this year which is working really well so far. They dry out and I get a chance to top feed when they are outside with anything I want, even things that would clog up the lines.

Thanks for the tip on air domes working so well.

I’m not very good at working with this site about pictures and stuff but here was what my looked like when I did my last year the cages are 4 foot tall I put another net about 2 foot above that and they usually make it to the top! This picture is week almost week 4 of flower

Auto Pot feeding system and Air Dome system

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