Self watering bases and nuits

[Noly.farms]

What’s the best way to feed plants nutrients on self watering bases?

 

[420autoflier]

Top feed. Or at least top feed to runoff once a week. Which self watering bases are you referring to?? I've used auto pots and mixed nutrient solution in the reservoir. Ended up with a pretty bad nutrient salt build up in the soil. Gave them a good flush and started top feeding once a week to runoff. Worked

 

[Natep]

What’s the best way to feed plants nutrients on self watering bases?

Top dress dry amendments.

 

[420autoflier]

Top dress dry amendments.

Really, on a self watering base?

 

[420autoflier]

Oops sorry

 

[Noly.farms]

Top feed. Or at least top feed to runoff once a week. Which self watering bases are you referring to?? I've used auto pots and mixed nutrient solution in the reservoir. Ended up with a pretty bad nutrient salt build up in the soil. Gave them a good flush and started top feeding once a week to runoff. Worked

The ones ya put fabric pots on, ac infinity i believe. Yep i noticed some build up on the bottoms of the base too when I had to adjust some rope . I’m gonna do it that way going forward. Thanks

 

[Newty]

I'm trying the ACI self-watering bases in my smaller tent. I just did my last top watering and going to start using bases tomorrow.
I'm using GH Flora series, I'm going to mix them in and see what happens.
Do you think adding an aerator or something to agitate the water/nutes would help with anything?

If I see build up, I might just use the bases as runoff trays.
I want to setup Netafim Netbows in my 8x4 next grow so could run them to the 55"x28" tent as well and won't have to worry about something for runoff and I'll use the water meter to know when to drain them.

 

[420autoflier]

Yeah I'm familiar with those. Ac infinity Makes some good products. Their good

 

[Newty]

Yeah I'm familiar with those. Ac infinity Makes some good products. Their good

Love their products, my tents all have ACI intakes/exhausts, clip fans, humidifiers and I think their Controller 69 is one of the best automation devices on the market.

It is good practice to clean the self-watering bases at least once a week. I'm thinking after you clean them, don't refill them the same day but instead water with regular water from the top to flush any build up and then fill the bases the next day with water and nutes.

Basically,
6 days water in nutes in base
7th day, clean bases (don't refill) water plants from top with clean water
8th day, refill bases with water and nutes
Repeat

 

[Noly.farms]

I'm trying the ACI self-watering bases in my smaller tent. I just did my last top watering and going to start using bases tomorrow.
I'm using GH Flora series, I'm going to mix them in and see what happens.
Do you think adding an aerator or something to agitate the water/nutes would help with anything?

If I see build up, I might just use the bases as runoff trays.
I want to setup Netafim Netbows in my 8x4 next grow so could run them to the 55"x28" tent as well and won't have to worry about something for runoff and I'll use the water meter to know when to drain them.

From what I saw in mine,it would take quite a bit of movement. But I was filling the bases every other time with nuittrents . Fox Farm Big Blossom is like oatmeal colored and that’s what I think I noticed probably some other mineral build up too. Made me want to take each one out and clean out the bottom before flower, but I’m lazy

 

[puffo1979]

Love their products, my tents all have ACI intakes/exhausts, clip fans, humidifiers and I think their Controller 69 is one of the best automation devices on the market.

It is good practice to clean the self-watering bases at least once a week. I'm thinking after you clean them, don't refill them the same day but instead water with regular water from the top to flush any build up and then fill the bases the next day with water and nutes.

Basically,
6 days water in nutes in base
7th day, clean bases (don't refill) water plants from top with clean water
8th day, refill bases with water and nutes
Repeat

This is the first real answer I've been searching for. I bought the SF gravity fed system. I am using it for the next grow actually with coco coir and autos. How does this work out for you? A
re you growing in Coco and do you top water for a while to make roots wet or does it uptake all the way to the top? I've read 10k different answers about this lol.
Some say top water until the roots hit the bottom, but then why bother? Or wait until flower? A bit more reasonable but wont the roots look upwards once top watering instead of searchng for water on the bottom? And I get the no nutes in the Rez, makes sense. appreciate any and all answers! My AC69 fan rocks btw!

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

Love their products, my tents all have ACI intakes/exhausts, clip fans, humidifiers and I think their Controller 69 is one of the best automation devices on the market.

It is good practice to clean the self-watering bases at least once a week. I'm thinking after you clean them, don't refill them the same day but instead water with regular water from the top to flush any build up and then fill the bases the next day with water and nutes.

Basically,
6 days water in nutes in base
7th day, clean bases (don't refill) water plants from top with clean water
8th day, refill bases with water and nutes
Repeat

I'm giving these bases a go... Interesting strategy! Seems like a great place to start.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

This is the first real answer I've been searching for. I bought the SF gravity fed system. I am using it for the next grow actually with coco coir and autos. How does this work out for you? A
re you growing in Coco and do you top water for a while to make roots wet or does it uptake all the way to the top? I've read 10k different answers about this lol.
Some say top water until the roots hit the bottom, but then why bother? Or wait until flower? A bit more reasonable but wont the roots look upwards once top watering instead of searchng for water on the bottom? And I get the no nutes in the Rez, makes sense. appreciate any and all answers! My AC69 fan rocks btw!

From my research (through all 10k different answers lol), you'd have to topwater/feed until the roots grow down far enough into the zone that gets wet from the wicking action of the bases.

I'm giving these bases a trial and my plan is to use them to catch runoff at first until the roots grow down far enough, then see how it goes as a bottom watering system.

Using soil, BTW. I'm taking a huge fucking break from coco lol.

 

[puffo1979]

From my research (through all 10k different answers lol), you'd have to topwater/feed until the roots grow down far enough into the zone that gets wet from the wicking action of the bases.

I'm giving these bases a trial and my plan is to use them to catch runoff at first until the roots grow down far enough, then see how it goes as a bottom watering system.

Using soil, BTW. I'm taking a huge fucking break from coco lol.

LOL...nice thanks!

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

LOL...nice thanks!

Once the bottom watering takes hold, the upper layers should be pretty dry, helping to eliminate a place for gnats and other creepies, and hopefully allowing more O2 getting to that part of the rootzone. Would be a nice execution if it works out that way.

 

[Newty]

I'm giving these bases a go... Interesting strategy! Seems like a great place to start.

Top watering only in the beginning and every once in awhile throughout the grow is the most important thing. The bases only keep the lower 1/3 of the medium wet so that's why top watering is important.

I'm going to tinker and try to see if I can get the wicks to saturate more of the pot.

My pics below show what happens when you don't top water enough and the roots chase the down the water, chased it right down the wicks into the bases lol.
They were Autos in 3 gallons, I use 5 gallon for Autos now.

I almost lost those girls but I removed the roots because at that point it was more like a hydro system, had to top water the rest of the grow but still ended up with a successful harvest in the end.

 

[Bobcat.Branch]

Top watering only in the beginning and every once in awhile throughout the grow is the most important thing. The bases only keep the lower 1/3 of the medium wet so that's why top watering is important.

I'm going to tinker and try to see if I can get the wicks to saturate more of the pot.

My pics below show what happens when you don't top water enough and the roots chase the down the water, chased it right down the wicks into the bases lol.
They were Autos in 3 gallons, I use 5 gallon for Autos now.

I almost lost those girls but I removed the roots because at that point it was more like a hydro system, had to top water the rest of the grow but still ended up with a successful harvest in the end.


View attachment 2391473View attachment 2391474View attachment 2391475View attachment 2391476

Thank you for the follow up tip! That's nucking futs right there!

I'm going to explore installing a few more wicks per base in an effort to saturate more/higher.

 

[Newty]

Thank you for the follow up tip! That's nucking futs right there!

I'm going to explore installing a few more wicks per base in an effort to saturate more/higher.

Maybe between the 2 of us, we can find a way to saturate higher!

There was another member here that was using the Vivosun bases and we spoke some about this, I'll see if I can find the thread and tag you in it so you can check it out.

 

[1way]

Hey guy I'm currently using the sf wicking base I'm using it with dr earth dry amendments I top water here and there plants are super healthy next grow I will be using coco and gh nutes

 

[Magnumsmydog]

I'm having pretty good luck with self watering bases. One thing it looks like only a third of pot is saturated which is probably correct but if I move soil at base of plant I can see the wet ring around it so all soil is moist for mine