Do Smartpots allow runoff?

[OGONLY]

I transplanted into 2 gallon smartpots (actually a knockoff of smartpots called "rootpots") right before flower and seem to be getting no runoff out of the bottom even with heavy feedings.

I just started the second week of flower and the plants are happy as can be. I'm worried though that these pots do not allow runoff and that I will have a salt build up here pretty soon.

I've watered each pot with about 1/2 gallon and get no run off. Do I need to water more to get these pots to run off?

Currently I'm hand watering from a bottle but will be using a watering wand very shortly.

I'm using 90% Canna coco and 10% perlite. Any info on Smartpot or Rootpot runoff will be helpfuul. Thanks :)

 

[leadsled]

yes that is normal. once the coco is fully saturated you will get runoff from 1/2 gallon.
coco can hold up 8 times it weight in water.

 

[OGONLY]

Thanks Leadsled. I guess I just have to water each with around a gallon.

I have been watering with less volume lately in order to get my roots to search in their new pots. It seems like you almost have to overwater to get runoff in these pots. I'm new to coco though, so guess it just takes some getting used to as far as how much water coco holds.

I have some regular 2 gallon square pots as well. I have also been having trouble creating runoff in them. Guess I'll have to just double what I've been giving them.

Considering using Drip Clean with every watering. Anyone have any input on daily feeding with Drip Clean please chime in...Thanks OG

 

[Aligee]

drip clean is a good product if used every watering ... if you use a higher perlite to coco ratio you'll get the runoff you need for sure ... good luck !!! =)

 

[saltr]

coco can hold up 8 times it weight in water.

I think the coco is more the cause than the actual container. When I first switched to coco I was amazed at it's water retention.

Also, why the Drip Clean? Isn't that intended for drip systems?

 

[motherlode]

drip clean is a good product if used every watering ... if you use a higher perlite to coco ratio you'll get the runoff you need for sure ... good luck !!! =)

why would you use drip clean on hand water coco in smartpots?

 

[Darth Fader]

Also, why the Drip Clean? Isn't that intended for drip systems?

Not at all (exclusively anyway). It's part of all of H&G's published schedules. It will prevent salt buildup in the medium as well as salt buildup on sprayers, etc.

 

[beezleb878]

Ive seen some people use a wee bit of "non bacterial" soap for this.

 

[motherlode]

generally with coco you water between feedings and you wont really need to worry about salt buildup

 

[true grit]

I most def use drip clean hand watering...but i also feed every time.

 

[Aligee]

why would you use drip clean on hand water coco in smartpots?

to prevent salt build up !!!

 

[Aligee]

I most def use drip clean hand watering...but i also feed every time.

same here !!!

 

[Aligee]

Drip clean every feed, or every watering, Stops Salt build up, No need to straight water flush your coco weekly. Drip clean handles this for you.

... that's the way I understand it !!!

 

[motherlode]

lol I know what its for - guess I havent been keeping up on coco grows lately - I never fed mine twice in a row - I dont like to push nutes that hard though - not my style

 

[Aligee]

... cocos nothing like soil ... gotta get a feel for it to see it's superb benefits !!!
there many ways to water this medium with lots of different benefits !!!!

 

[OGONLY]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I used Drip Clean and plain water to flush my rockwool cubes between res changes last run and everything came out real nice. I heard about watering every feed with it and was just curiousif anyone was really doing it. Well some of you are...cool.

I was (and I guess still am) kind of skeptical about whether or not Drip Clean actually does what it says it does. The stuff looks just like water and you use so little of it. It does raise the ppm a little bit though. Apparently there are phosphates in it as well. It is very cheap ($20 or so) though and it goes a long way.

I have been feeding nutes almost every watering. I think I flushed 3 or 4 times with just cal/mag during the whole run with these girls and they are in week 2 of flower, vegged 6 weeks. Just began upping PPM from 700 to like 900. All are happy and healthy.

Going to up my volume to like 5 gallons per watering using watering wand. There are 8 plants. Still have to figure out how Im gonna rig my wand. I have a 396 GMH pump and an 18 gallon tote from H.D. Thinking I'll just use the tote as my res, and connect wand to garden hose? The plants are thoroughly soaked after last nights attemt to get run off so I have another day to be lazy about figuring it out.

 

[motherlode]

simple water wand

my pump uses 1/2" hose

I run a length of hose suitable to go from my pump and brute can

I attach an inline adjustable valve to the end of that and then add 3-4 feet of clear 1/2" tube

take a green garden stake (the plastic ones not the real bamboo crap thats painted green) and zip tie it to the hose from where the valve to the end of the clear tube

I like the clear tube to be about 3" longer then the stake

ez and cheap adjustable flow water wand

 

[OGONLY]

I guess I'm too high to figure out exactly how it works as you have described Motherload.

Where do you get the valve...and the clear hose?

Thanks for the help bro!

 

[motherlode]

hardware store - I got mine at orchard supply any home depot or lowes would have it too

 

[crom]

I just use a 20g rubbermaid garbage can, have an airstone in it, I run my pump with an adapter from Home D pot, PVC, straight through a regular garden hose, and attach a water wand to the hose, viola. I would recommend getting a higher gph pump for an actual water wand. A 300something gph won't flow far with the pressure to produce that rain effect you get from the water wand.

I'm running a diy drip system, designed by leadsled,props, in a 4x4 tray w/ 16 3g SPs with soilless mix(ad SS #4), as soon as I get the thing built, damn time! I need moooooorrrre!

:passingjoint:

Cheers,
Crom