Best wishes my friend not sure how to fix maybe @GrouchyOldMan or @Nagel420 could help
Paps
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Make sure the float is installed right side up! The little “elbow” should face upwards.
Here’s a pic of the correct installation.
You can see the water flow below the valve, when the float rises the water will stop. You can also blow through the valve inlet and see how it stops airflow when the float rises. If that doesn’t work then your valve is probably defective.
Hope this helps, post a pic if it is still confusing.
-Grouchy
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As grouchy said, make sure its position properly. The little screw in the center can be loosened to adjust the float as well (is it too high?).
When there’s no water in the reservoir, and its filling, does it shut off when you lift the float?
There’s also a little rubber seal inside the valve, could be defective. Or might not be there.
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Setting up the Auto Fill Controller
As long as we’re on the subject, here’s another refinement that may be helpful.
The Octo system relies on an airgap between the plant and the local reservoir. It seems that varying that airgap by controlling the water level at various stages of transplant, veg and flower can help maximizing growth.
Since all the plants connected to the Auto Fill system will have the same water level as the Controller, you can easily set the water level where you want by just physically raising the height of the Controller itself.
I set the float valve on my controller to set the water level in the pots so that it just touches the net pots in each octopup. That is as low as I ever want it to be.
With that done, I can raise the level in the Controller and all the pots by just slipping a board under the Controller to elevate it. Since the difference between “Low” and “High” in the octopups is only about two inches, a couple of different thickness boards will give you good control.
Here’s a few pics to illustrate:
Setting the Controller float valve. This is the “Low” level for the system, the controller is at the same level as the pots.
Here’s “Mid-Level” using a one inch board. The pots haven’t moved so the Controller water level is one inch higher relative to the pots.
Here’s “High-Level” using a 2x4 board.
The highest level still doesn’t hit the Octopup lid and the lowest level is still touching the bottom of the net pot.
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I don’t see any sort of rubber in it. Just seems to be all plastic which makes me doubt it in the first place. I have adjusted it multiple times and have found that no matter what it doesn’t seal. I was just outside looking at it again and lifted up the float and still a decent stream flows thru it. BUT I just realized there was another adjustment I could make. Two different holes for the arm to pivot on. So I moved it to the second hole and it seems to work now when I lift the float. I’ll let it sit for a few hours and report back. Thanks for the quick replies!!
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alright, alright. parts ordered. should be here by this weekend. Thank you for the detailed how to. hopefully not gonna mess up so bad. lol
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I’m delighted to see others (and especially you Dear Lady) using this system!
Please let us know if you have any problems or questions getting it up and running.
Here’s a pic of my room with four octopups running auto fill.
Popquiz Octopoddlers: What is the current water level in these pots?
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I’d say first mark of this:
https://overgrow.com/uploads/default/original/4X/b/9/1/b91787ea92065e0314352a26eaba4c37acccac64.jpeg
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Good try, @SaintAliasKnife, it’s kind of a trick question.
The Controller is sitting on a one inch board which would raise the pots to Mid Level, about three quarts full. However the pots themselves are sitting atop “Lazy Susan” spinners raising their base height about 3/8 of an inch.
So the inch thick board has only raised the level in the pots a smidge over half an inch (one inch minus the platter height).
All of which is just another demonstration to understand how this gizmo works. Once you get the hang of it, it’s fun to play with.
The black tray sitting on top of the controller is just an attempt to prevent the grow lights from causing algae to form in the nute-rich water.
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ah. well, only so many pixels in that 640x480, lol…yup, I can grok it. makes sense. i kinda jumped before looking on the controller. need to figure smth out that fits my closet (I’m going back into the closet but this time its a choice, lol).
Available space is ~5sq ft…
I’ll have to get creative.
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Yep, you’ve got the idea.
When doing your layout, remember the “Big” reservoir can be anywhere, as long as it is above all the pots & controller.
The placement of the controller is the critical thing. Ideally its bottom should be at the exact same height as your octopups bottom, including any saucers or whatnot below the pots.
I don’t see why the controller needs to be any larger than necessary to house the float valve. I used a shoebox-size just because I had it on hand. The height should be tall enough to allow about a three inch water level without impeding the action of the float valve.
Nice cabinet by the way. Did you build that?
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My float valves are slightly different in construction but essentially the same, for me due to space limitation my consideration is moving the valve inside my reservoir/trays for my application i just need to either make some false bottoms height risers for my pots or heat mold my float valves for quicker action to allow less water level.
The challenges of limited space.
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thanks, it’s my original closet, and good gods what I would sacrifice to learn my father’s skills. No, I’m good at repurposing, original creative thoughts I outsource to those who know more (lol).
Once I have the floats on hand, I’ll sort out a controlling vessel. go from there.
@Mr.Sparkle , the bottom of the closet is 2 layers. there is a inch gap that is visible towards the back. I will open that gap to be a intake along the back.
also, found these valves that look very interesting for small setups:
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Those can work too but its a cylinder float, inside another cylinder. ANY little debris finds its way in there and the float cylinder can get wedged stuck. As long as you ensure no debris at all (can include scale from hard water) then they will be fine.
We used them in fountains with space limitations, but they had to be debris free as well…
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that explains the filters then. never knew the things existed but came across them and remembered Sparkle’s comment.
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Well testing is complete. The float is working properly now, and held the same water level overnight with a full reservoir. I’m so pumped to use this system for my 2nd grow. I’m seriously geeking out over it 
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That RAWKS @420Ghost! 
What are you gonna grow? How many pots? Indoors?..
This is your first Octo grow ever, right?
-Grouchy
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I’m gonna be growing Sour stomper autoflowers by Mephisto. It will be my first octo grow, and second grow ever. In growing in a 2x4 and I’m unsure of whether I should grow two plants or three. The sour stompers are supposed to finish quickly so I’m leaning towards three
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You will love the way it goes
No worries
And enjoy big buds
There is a bit of a learning curve but we’re here to assist
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Wonderful write up. I will be making one of these for flowering soon. Looks as though you guys covered pretty much everything. Scales nicely.
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