Watering system

[Carper]

Hi people hope ya all well. I was looking at using the autopot system for 4 plants but today ive read alot of bad feedback, ie valves failing and flooding, so a bit stuck now. Im not at home regular enough to water myself so needing something self sufficient, wanting to grow in coco or soil. Any recommendations would be appreciated, respect

[wutang]

Following this one. I currently hand water my 16l soil pots but also want something automated next grow. I'm sure some of the resident experts will fly in soon.

[Keeno]

Hi people hope ya all well. I was looking at using the autopot system for 4 plants but today ive read alot of bad feedback, ie valves failing and flooding, so a bit stuck now. Im not at home regular enough to water myself so needing something self sufficient, wanting to grow in coco or soil. Any recommendations would be appreciated, respect

A lot of guys use wilmas, they can be put on a timer and due to the design cannot leak. Its a self contained system. The only maintenance id saybdo regular is clean/flush your drippers through especially if in a hard water area.

[Guest]

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1921 This is supposed to be a tried and tested way.
Semi auto with a hempy bucket may work, a few people have them here. Usually only need to top up every 2 days or so.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=166

Also have a look in this section:

viewforum.php?f=10

[Carper]

Hi people hope ya all well. I was looking at using the autopot system for 4 plants but today ive read alot of bad feedback, ie valves failing and flooding, so a bit stuck now. Im not at home regular enough to water myself so needing something self sufficient, wanting to grow in coco or soil. Any recommendations would be appreciated, respect

A lot of guys use wilmas, they can be put on a timer and due to the design cannot leak. Its a self contained system. The only maintenance id saybdo regular is clean/flush your drippers through especially if in a hard water area.

Ye ive had a look at those juat now, only thing that puts me of is when the girls are big i wont be able to properly clean out the res, also seen some info to suggest using a cleaning liquid to add to ya res to stop build up. Thanks for the advice

[Guest]

Another Carper @Keeno Goes hand in hand doesn't it

[TommyT]

Here's what I use. They aren't perfect.
I still water and fertilize by hand but these keep some moisture going to the plants if I forget.
Right now I use the Classics but I am thinking about buying one of the Tropf-Blumat kits.

https://blumat.com/en

[2-Scoops]

Nowt wrong with auto-pots @Carper and iff your in a softwater area theirs nothing to worry about with blockages. Minty is in a hard water area and didn`t have a problem with his first grow, he`s now adapted the system with bigger tubing, but it costs pennies to replace tubing every grow and in doing so you shouldn`t run into any problems at all even in hard water areas. Here`s @Minty first grow iff you fancy a look using them and he smashed it and still is with his newer grows by looks of things when i keep popping in his grows. viewtopic.php?t=6192

[Minty]

Nowt wrong with auto-pots @Carper and iff your in a softwater area theirs nothing to worry about with blockages. Minty is in a hard water area and didn`t have a problem with his first grow, he`s now adapted the system with bigger tubing,

Hey mate, while technically I do have hard water my grows are feed using RO water and I did still have issues with the original small diameter tubes. They basically lasted most of the grow (and I was using the pipe cleaning fluid in the res etc) but did eventually block up and was a horrible to clean out etc (which is why your probably suggesting replacing etc) and to be fair the tubing is not expensive but the hassle and the fail factor is not worth the risk in my books.

That being said like you have pointed out I noticed the flaw and upgraded my tubes and have not looked back mate. There is pretty much no way the tubes will block with the newer valves and larger size tubing.

I was looking at using the autopot system for 4 plants but today ive read alot of bad feedback, ie valves failing and flooding, so a bit stuck now. Im not at home regular enough to water myself so needing something self sufficient, wanting to grow in coco or soil.

Hey @Carper buddy, as @2-Scoops points out the AutoPot system are very good and I have completed one grow with them:-

Water Melon Wedding Cakes:-



I did experience a little 'hick up' with the tubes blocking towards the end of the grow which can be resolved by flushing or replacing the final tube which goes to each valve (the part after it splits from the main tube coming from the res).

And I am currently in week five of my second attempt using them with the upgraded tubes and valves:-

Dex's Animal Cookies:-




While I would recommend the AutoPots I would also recommend getting the upgraded version of the valves and tubing. The original valves are compatible with 6mm tubing which is basically a 4mm internal diameter and in my experience this is prone to blocking regardless of any precautions you take. AutoPot have resolved the issue for new kits / valves etc as these are sold with upgraded valves and tubing of 9mm (with about a 7mm internal) which I am testing at the moment...

I decided to take the blockage shit a little more seriously and basically ran a 16mm trunk from the Res into the tent and then split this off using filter/reducers to get me down to 9mm which feeds the valves using short 50cm lengths of pipe of which I have plenty of spares. So worst case for me is to replace a short 9mm spur while checking floats etc.

For a size comparison here is the original 6mm tubing placed inside the newer 9mm blue tubing which is placed inside the 16mm tubing I used as the truck:-




Size comparison:-



For additional bullshit I also fitted a filter coming out of the res as they don't make a replacement for the original little 'in res' filter:-



Basically mate the good points of the AutoPots assuming you are using the 9mm tubing and 5mm valves is as follows:-

• Sound - They make no noise
• Waste - There is none, there is no drain to waste etc.
• Power - They are gravity feed - I do use an Air Pump to recirculate the nutrients in the res etc.
• Input - depending on the size of your res and plants it can be left alone for weeks

[anova.330]

Blumat Tropf with plain RO water from a 10 gal reservoir in flower will keep soil moist. Along with the blumats, I feed/treat by hand weekly.