What a cool concept @firehead Iv been working on similar concepts my self I like the reservoir you found looks like the right price also will try and follow along
Do you think a 3 gallon smarty would fit on top?
I was thinking I’d adapt an aeropot to this system. the base rezervois are under 10bucks each. I got some knockoff 2.5gall aeropots just delivered. I’m thinking I take a dremel to the base and install a 3" net cup at the bottom and fill it with expanded clay pellets.
any reason for that not to work?
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Since I’ve been playing around with something similar you might might be surprised how well the included wicks in the kit might work for ya some materials out there can move a lot of water surprisingly [quote=“SaintAliasKnife, post:24, topic:55869”]
any reason for that not to work?
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I’d say give it a go !
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I’m going to try my 10x20 trays with felt and a suspended platform haven’t done a full run with anything yet but the seedling starts with paper pots I make worked pretty will IMO they trays Iv recently bought are built like a damn tank so no more issues from that stand point
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I think a 1-gallon smartpot would fit just fine… but a 3-gallon? maybe a little crowded, and you might be filling the reservoir a lot.
Plus, my idea with this project is trying to grow big-ish plants in very small containers (inspired by how to how @Mr.Sparkle does his grows…)
With my previous mini auto-drip-watering/small-plastic-pot setups, I was having problems with over watering and root rot.
So, I’m hoping this way might be a simpler setup, and will hopefully lead to healthier plants.
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Overwatering and how to adjust it comes with time, i find soil like mediums like say promix needed alot longer between watering’s just cause of the water retention of the fine particles.
Like myself ive been avoiding more freqent watering when need in favor of longer watering durations though saying that its still every 6hrs for me, though if i was in promix or similar i may only do a max of 3 waterings a day though it all depends on dry out rates.
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Well, I have the base reservoirs on the way to me and I have plastic and 1 gallon cloth pots on hand. I need to stop at the hydro storeand pick up some bovedas anyway I’ll pick up some 3 inch net pots.
I have the weekendto tinker.
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I just got a new light! 
Spider Farmer SF-1000 just delivered, and I installed it over the Mango Smile.
It pulls a few watts less from the wall than my other cheap light, but it looks a fair bit brighter. Hoping the plants will love it.
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The Mango Smile plant is still quite small, and the soil in the pot is getting very very dried out.
But the first roots have reached the reservoir! Looking healthy! Let’s hope it stays like this!
Things should start to get interesting now!
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Looking good!
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Cheering for you! congrats on the progress.
yeah, I leave my grow bags right in the containers until all the medium is absorbed. I just do not fill the container to where the fluid level is more than say 1/3 the height of your grow bag. that is what I normally would do.
regards,
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More roots reaching into the res. Hoping plant growth explodes in the next few days.
But, may need to adjust res a bit. Just took some readings and got:
pH = 6.8 (too high, probably. Should be 6.3-6.5)
ppm = 550 (using GH Flora 3-part… 3mL each one, plus 3mL Calmag Plus)
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I hope so too!
What potting soil are you using?
Anyone think there is any Benefit with going supersoil for octopots?
I’m using a mix of:
- 1/3 Black Gold Organic potting soil
- 1/3 coco coir
- 1/3 perlite
and, the ratios are not even that exact. It was more just me randomly dumping things into a bucket and mixing them…
but, I’m not too worried about it (yet) as all the nutrients are all in the reservoir and it should work similar to a coco/nutrients hydroponic setup.
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Mango Smile growing nicely.
The soil medium feels bone dry… but she doesn’t seem to care.
Showing zero signs of any deficiencies or issues, and the roots all pure white and looking healthy.
So far, so good!
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Looks great
Are you feeding ? And what
The res is what a gallon ?
Enter random question here:
What is the light green thing on the Rez corner