Autopot aeration?

[catweazle1]

@J.C unless there's an aerator in the pot, the solution will be depleted of oxygen and be an open door for pathogens. Roots in static water is a no-no. It either has to be changed frequently or agitated by by bubbles or pump.

[GSZZ]

@darksecrets999 half my fault that mate I'm sorry - I assumed it would be 16mm pipe coming from the tank with those reducers - id forgot completely that its 6mm pipe from those green/black autopot bin things

 

[darksecrets999]

1 hour ago, GSZZ said:

@darksecrets999 half my fault that mate I'm sorry - I assumed it would be 16mm pipe coming from the tank with those reducers - id forgot completely that its 6mm pipe from those green/black autopot bin things

 

Nah it’s cool. It’s a brilliant idea. I tried my best to find a version that works via Wi-Fi but no luck. I think PlantIt is the only one that works with gravity feed systems

[Tidy_IOW]

i just ordered the 2 pot system, im going to use water pump in the 47L Res tank to move nutrients 15mins on for every hour, and DIYin / bodging some air domes from bottom of 2 litre pop bottles and some airline in a ring with a T connector, along air line with 2mm needle every 1/2" make a hole.... tested at 18" deep, it works ok, not brillant as air pump is a little week, but some air is better than none?

[stu914]

@Tidy_IOW

 

Water only takes on oxygen at the surface where it's exposed to the air, no matter how much you pump air through

it just rises to the surface... bubbles disturb the surface tension and work to an extent but not very efficiently.

It's better to 'turn over' the surface using a pump on the bottom of the res pointing upwards creating a small fountain.

 

Nice to see another southerner on here...

[BJ Plant Trainer]

I use an autopot system and have never had a problem with roots sitting in water. Autopots have a dry period so the trays do fully dry out. There is the chance that the valves will malfunction but that is true of any bit of kit including timers. I have not added aeration to my grows before and the root mass has been fine. 

 

Airstones are fine for oxygenating the water, fish keepers have been using them for decades to keep their fish alive, if it works well enough for fish it will work well enough for plants.

[Clubs]

31 minutes ago, BJ Plant Trainer said:

Autopots have a dry period

I didn't find this to be the case. The pots were constantly saturated, really heavy. Instead of the wet/dry cycle it would have the bottom cm completely flooded. Fucked up a few grows this way.

I now use a wicking cord system whereby no water can pool at the roots. Fabric pots with 1/3 peat/compo, 1/3 coco and 1/3 aeration. No more overwatering problems. 

[Wag]

20 hours ago, Tidy_IOW said:

bodging some air domes from bottom of 2 litre pop bottles

Be very weary mate.

I grew with autopots for years and tried all the air options.
Those air domes flooded my house twice. The roots get too thick around them and force the air downwards which makes the float bob up and down which then releases the full reservoir through the valve.
The best results I ever achieved with them was with no air supply at all, just a mixer pump. Don’t run it too much though, it will heat up the nutrient, especially as it’s getting warmer weather.
You need a good thick layer of clay pebbles at the bottom of a pot if you aren’t using a timer to restrict the water, if not you will probably end up with some brown roots. 

[BJ Plant Trainer]

7 minutes ago, Clubs said:

I didn't find this to be the case. The pots were constantly saturated, really heavy. Instead of the wet/dry cycle it would have the bottom cm completely flooded. Fucked up a few grows this way.

I now use a wicking cord system whereby no water can pool at the roots. Fabric pots with 1/3 peat/compo, 1/3 coco and 1/3 aeration. No more overwatering problems. 

I may be lucky in the fact that so far my system has worked the way it is supposed to. I am wary of it though as I have read more than one report of them going wrong. I am cautious of putting my full faith in anything, I can't even fully trust myself in certain situations.

[Tidy_IOW]

On 09/05/2023 at 4:24 PM, stu914 said:

@Tidy_IOW

 

Water only takes on oxygen at the surface where it's exposed to the air, no matter how much you pump air through

it just rises to the surface... bubbles disturb the surface tension and work to an extent but not very efficiently.

It's better to 'turn over' the surface using a pump on the bottom of the res pointing upwards creating a small fountain.

 

Nice to see another southerner on here...

That exactly what I've got in the reservoir, pump pointing straight up,fountain like, just disturbing the surface, keeping nutes mixed, on 15 mins every 1hrs..  I plan on turning the autopot system on Monday,  after 10days hand watering, growths been decent so far. I have 2inch of clay pebbles in bottom of pots around aerators, helping hold them down.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Tidy_IOW