Steamrollers little hide away pt 1

[Moe.Red]

That was also an idea I had.
I really thought the extra empty space was screaming for O2 and water to dance around the roots.
Not sure I understand emitting fog, but know you would have my back if it easily incorporates.
I could pretty easily set up a shower type head in each bucket.
That type of set up would run on timers and not 24/7?
I would really like the ease of 24/7 feeding.

If I turn the drain tube elbow to face up then water has to fill higher to overflow out.
That could be water right up to an inch below pot or higher if I wanted.
This is my original and desired set up. The part that is my own twist from playing with water.
The overflow encourages more gas exchange and higher DO levels, besides all the help from air pump and circulation.

Yeah if you could direct the supply to spray the root zone you would not need water up to the net pot and could run that 24/7.

It would essentially be a massive cloner and I would expect great results and big roots.

 

[Aqua Man]

If im correct I believe they get filled with perlite

 

[steamroller]

If im correct I believe they get filled with perlite

I have seen perlite, coco and 'hydrotron' used in links.
The use of medium turns the set up into a drip system IMO?
If I leave the bucket empty can I just use the space like in aero?

 

[Aqua Man]

I have seen perlite, coco and 'hydrotron' used in links.
The use of medium turns the set up into a drip system IMO?
If I leave the bucket empty can I just use the space like in aero?

Yes but you would need to install the aero components.

 

[smokedareefer]

I have seen perlite, coco and 'hydrotron' used in links.
The use of medium turns the set up into a drip system IMO?
If I leave the bucket empty can I just use the space like in aero?

 

[steamroller]

View attachment 1334727

Do you use a medium in your buckets?
I'll guess yes and that is the reason for your comment about too much water being retained.

If the buckets were kept empty and the net pots had hydrotron or the collar couldn't a wick also be used until roots hit bottom?

I appreciate everyone's feedback.
I don't expect you guys to say yea that will work [ with implied resonsibilty], but would really like if you could say that won't work.
I don't think I am stretching much, but I also think different than others often and kind of like tinkering.
Like my old friend

 

[smokedareefer]

Do you use a medium in your buckets?
I'll guess yes and that is the reason for your comment about too much water being retained.

If the buckets were kept empty and the net pots had hydrotron or the collar couldn't a wick also be used until roots hit bottom?

I appreciate everyone's feedback.
I don't expect you guys to say yea that will work [ with implied resonsibilty], but would really like if you could say that won't work.
I don't think I am stretching much, but I also think different than others often and kind of like tinkering.
Like my old friend

I haven't used them (Yet) just saw it as maybe a solution.

I don't see a need for hydroton, once the roots establish themselves.

 

[steamroller]

Just ordered 10 @ 11 liters and 5 @ 44 liters..
Excited to create/ modify, explore, and adapt.
Thinking a 60g sump that is 4x2x12 inches tall to have large footprint, surface area and room to play inside of.

 

[PipeCarver]

Some links I have read use a medium in the bucket.
My first thought was it was just a shallow RDWC set up but now think it is used more like rock wool and emmiters?
I was thinking just a net pot and the water at whatever level. No media besides what is in net pot.
Maybe there is no major difference between filling bucket or net pot, but I prefer the net pot.
I plan to use air stones in buckets and res and a good circulation pump to feed.
I would have thought without medium it would run 24/7 like RDWC, but with medium they say to feed like 2x an hour.
I still like the bucket design, but now wonder if I am just dreaming up my system?
@Moe.Red the drain connections may leak, but that is not a concern since the drain is positioned above the return line to res.
The water has to flow out the premanufactured drain/ nipple.

Hey, Good morning, I was just reading through the posts and I saw you mentioned putting an air stone in your res. I just bought some Auto Pots and I've been reading up and watching video's on how to grow using them....It was mentioned in one video not to use air stones in reservoirs but to use a small water pumps to stir the water because the air stones will fk with the ph in your water...causing problem down the line...

 

[Aqua Man]

Hey, Good morning, I was just reading through the posts and I saw you mentioned putting an air stone in your res. I just bought some Auto Pots and I've been reading up and watching video's on how to grow using them....It was mentioned in one video not to use air stones in reservoirs but to use a small water pumps to stir the water because the air stones will fk with the ph in your water...causing problem down the line...

Hey brother if your water is not at equilibrium with the gasses surrounding it then it can increase PH but this is due to the of gassing of co2. If the ph is rising with awration it’s usually due to the poor gas exchange to begin with not the aeration itself.

This misconception started in the pool and spa industry i think. Pools and hot tubs have poor circulation and gas exchange (until the jets are put on)

Infact in our industry we desire good gas exchange so you should NOT avoid any method that improves gas exchange. Infact it should be favored

 

[steamroller]

Hey PC! I have been watching your and Kewls grow with auto pots.
I think the difference with my idea of a system still not completed is that my buckets will flow in and out.
The resevior will have air stones Iam pretty sure so not sure if the additional air in buckets can cause much.
Lots of pH drift IMO is from not letting water off gas initially or allowing it to sit ' stagnant' to say?

 

[PipeCarver]

If there is 2” of water in the bottom and then a big air gap the roots hang out in you will get root damage or air pruning. So I’m not quite sure how these work.

If you fill the buckets with coco or something then you basically built an auto pot. There are several of those grows on the farm you can see results. I started with auto pots in my stealth days and outgrew them but they do work.

Hey Moe, how did you feed your plants using the Auto pots?......full time 1/2 feed or did you cycle feed then water through your reservoir?

 

[Moe.Red]

Hey brother if your water is not at equilibrium with the gasses surrounding it then it can increase PH but this is due to the of gassing of co2. If the ph is rising with awration it’s usually due to the poor gas exchange to begin with not the aeration itself

Should also be a short term issue once co2 is driven off no more ph issues.

Personally I’d rather get the co2 out immediately and deal with that little swing.

 

[Moe.Red]

Hey Moe, how did you feed your plants using the Auto pots?......full time 1/2 feed or did you cycle feed then water through your reservoir?

I used the tank that came with the system and fed them continuously via gravity.

 

[Aqua Man]

Should also be a short term issue once co2 is driven off no more ph issues.

Personally I’d rather get the co2 out immediately and deal with that little swing.

Yeah i added to my last post… and 100% want to reaffirm what you said. Once the co2 is driven off the ph will remain stable

 

[PipeCarver]

Hey brother if your water is not at equilibrium with the gasses surrounding it then it can increase PH but this is due to the of gassing of co2. If the ph is rising with awration it’s usually due to the poor gas exchange to begin with not the aeration itself

Ah okay, it took a min to understand what you were saying there. I'm just mimicking what I heard and it made sense to me thinking my house air pumped through the water would change its properties......BUT,,,,,if my water has gassed off properly it shouldn't effect the ph of the water....???? yes???.......anyways I bought a small water pump $11 Amzon I didn't want to steal my cats drinking fountain pump....

 

[Aqua Man]

Ah okay, it took a min to understand what you were saying there. I'm just mimicking what I heard and it made sense to me thinking my house air pumped through the water would change its properties......BUT,,,,,if my water has gassed off properly it shouldn't effect the ph of the water....???? yes???.......anyways I bought a small water pump $11 Amzon I didn't want to steal my cats drinking fountain pump....

Lol im aure they will appreciate that and yes you have it correct

 

[PipeCarver]

I used the tank that came with the system and fed them continuously via gravity.

No,,I understand the gravity part...its the feed part...I'm having mental issues with.....I have always...feed..water..feed..water..feed.water......Now I have a res do I still feed water or do I feed feed feed........and that will cause salt build ups...no?

 

[Moe.Red]

Just ordered 10 @ 11 liters and 5 @ 44 liters..
Excited to create/ modify, explore, and adapt.
Thinking a 60g sump that is 4x2x12 inches tall to have large footprint, surface area and room to play inside of.

I can see this as a good basis for a high pressure pump and spray nozzles. I got all those parts here I was building a system with aqua before I landed on fog if I can help you with that let me know

At some point I will be converting my rdwc to pressure aeroponics for the o2 benefit you get in a pressurized system

 

[Moe.Red]

No,,I understand the gravity part...its the feed part...I'm having mental issues with.....I have always...feed..water..feed..water..feed.water......Now I have a res do I still feed water or do I feed feed feed........and that will cause salt build ups...no?

I got you.

First, these were the early days for me and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. It showed in my results! So don’t do what I did.

That said I would follow the feed advice based on the media. So if you are in coco feed like you are top watering.

My issue was that the water never made it up to the top and a few inches always stayed dry. I tried adding rope and stuff like that to wick it up to the top and never got it how I liked it. That’s when I started being a weedgineer and all the crazy shit I’m doing now came from those early trials.

Bottom line if I had to grow with auto pots today I would use a low ppm mix probably 300 -500 range in the feed res and try to encourage transpiring to move water up. Adjust ppm based on results.