Minty - AutoPot Grow - Assisted by 2-Scoops

[Spartangrown]

Thanks Spartan, all advice is very welcome here especially yours. Am I correct in thinking that you
have used some AutoPots in the past or still do? Seem to remember reading that or hearing it on the Podcast?

Great memory, I do! I have an autopot 9XL fabric tray system that I like and run with organic soil.
I love sub Irrigated growing anyway. I also run some sub irrigated planters that are similar.

I will try to keep up and follow along and offer any advice that I think of.

[Spartangrown]

I personally like topping over FIM because of predictability.

When you top, you get 2 tops every time.

When you FIM, you sometimes get 2, sometimes get 3, and sometimes get 4. I hate the "sometimes"

So given the two choices, I would always go Top over FIM, just my personal preference.

[Minty]

Problem using airstones in hot rooms is that the stone is only adding air from the hot enviroment so theirs still gonna be lesser oxygen in that air the stones creates

I could definitely move the air pump into a colder location as the one I just got is over powered and I now have insulated air hose rather than the plain transparent stuff but I think lowering the overall temperature in the loft is the way to at least fight this heat battle.

[Minty]

When you FIM, you sometimes get 2, sometimes get 3, and sometimes get 4. I hate the "sometimes"

I gotta say, I kinda like the random ;o) as long as I get at least one I am cool with what ever and to see how it plays out.

Still learning mate, so it's good to get a little difference in the whole cycle at the min.

Appreciate the feedback buddy.

[Bulls]

Good morning Minty,
The autopot grow looks very nice. Plants happy and healthy. I usually top once after 4/5 node and then top again after few days the very top nodes as they seem tobe growing the fastest(gives the chance to the lower once to catch up and create flat canopy). What are the pipes comingo ut of the pots?

[Minty]

What are the pipes comingo ut of the pots?

They are for the Air Domes - not sure how well they will perform but thought I would give them a go.

[Bulls]

That sounds interesting! Will be keeping an eye to see how it works. Do you have a plant without one to compare?

[Minty]

That sounds interesting! Will be keeping an eye to see how it works. Do you have a plant without one to compare?

As the Air Domes require burying in the pot I did place one in each pot but I can just not attach the air pump to one of them as a test.

[2-Scoops]

@Minty

Add a big airstone where mate? You mean into the Auto-pot RES

Yes do this and put the pump in a cooler location too like you mention in a few posts lower down page.

I have H202 I think (OxyPlus is the same as this no?)

Yes it is but hold off using it atmo i think we might be able to wing it with added air your gonna be adding that along with coco and clayballs their should be oxygen flying around for rootage, although not ideal we see how it goes.

But honestly just keep it simple minty, gh trio with some pk does great. Mixes well and lasts a long time also

yes Josh

I do plan on running some copper coiled tubing within the current chilled RES and pumping the nutrient solution from the AutoPot RES through that copper coil to maintain a certain level of temperature. While not ideal it should give me a enough room to cope

Sounds like i plan and i love it when a plan comes together.

I could definitely move the air pump into a colder location

Rock n roll to that one

In terms of the topping, etc. Are we planning on doing this again? I have been doing a little reading and the difference between FIMing and Topping seems interesting to me so I would like to have a go at FIMing at least one for Science as a test if your cool with that mate?

Yes but not just yet , basically let them grow now to around 12 inches then tie all the stems down to sides of pots a bit like LST well i suppose it is LST. Then once you`ve tied big main stems down you can nip or FIM those big stems that you`ve tied down.

Remove any big fan leaves that`s blocking any newer small shoots

Veg the fuckers up for a few more weeks, removing all or most big fan leaves and chop away wanky stems that will hinder plant and ammount to nowt but one bit of fluff.

Flip to bloom straight away when plants should be around 12inches tall.

Then 3 weeks in remove all or most of big fan leaves and let them do their thing , finnished plants should be around 2ft to 3ft tall max and give you a cracking yield of nice smoke to mash up your blood clot.

But i`ll also explain it all and show you some pictures as and when needs be Minty. In facxt im gonna be flipping my 2 plants in next week or two so i`ll show you pictures of what`s what at each stage.

I then filled the pots slightly above the top of the Air Domes with expanded clay pebbles

Myself i`d have just added one layer of clayballs if your gonna be using those air domes, those pebbles dry out really quick so i could imagine it drying out down their if they are on from start. You could have even put the domes on top of the clayballs, no sweat though just my opinion. Those domes certainly don`t need to be turning on for a few or 3 weeks when roots are gonna be spread to max wrapping round pot bottoms cus it may hinder that process, again no drama though. Oh yes i think you should do a test as well when you turn the domes on leave one off lets see difference after a few weeks hey, you can always turn one on or others off.

All in it looks like the plants are doing sound so jobs a good en. Cooking like a chicken mate.

[Minty]

finnished plants should be around 2ft to 3ft tall max and give you a cracking yield of nice smoke to mash up your blood clot.

Getting my blood clot mashed definitely sounds like a solution :o)

Remove any big fan leaves that`s blocking any newer small shoots

Veg the fuckers up for a few more weeks, removing all or most big fan leaves and chop away wanky stems that will hinder plant and ammount to nowt but one bit of fluff.

Flip to bloom straight away when plants should be around 12inches tall.

Then 3 weeks in remove all or most of big fan leaves and let them do their thing , finnished plants should be around 2ft to 3ft tall max and give you a cracking yield of nice smoke to mash up your blood clot.

But i`ll also explain it all and show you some pictures as and when needs be Minty. In facxt im gonna be flipping my 2 plants in next week or two so i`ll show you pictures of what`s what at each stage.

Thanks buddy. Sounds like a good plan. I'll keep posting the updates and you let me know when I need to do shit ;O)

Myself i`d have just added one layer of clayballs if your gonna be using those air domes, those pebbles dry out really quick so i could imagine it drying out down their if they are on from start. You could have even put the domes on top of the clayballs, no sweat though just my opinion. Those domes certainly don`t need to be turning on for a few or 3 weeks when roots are gonna be spread to max wrapping round pot bottoms cus it may hinder that process, again no drama though. Oh yes i think you should do a test as well when you turn the domes on leave one off lets see difference after a few weeks hey, you can always turn one on or others off.

I like the clay pebbles, they seem to give a good buffer for pots sitting in water but yea I think I defo over did it. To be honest I just assumed the pebbles should cover the Air Dome other wise the coco will fall into the 'air space'? but the recommended depth seems to be 25mm - 38mm and the Air Domes are about 60mm so my total layer is about 70mm ;o) Hey Ho, getting used to learning from my mistakes. If it don't work we will be making some of Josh's awesome drip feeding rings within a month ;O)