Testing AC Infinity self watering bases

[simonkay]

So far I really like these bases. For people using dry organic amendments you still need to top water every 2 to 3 days to keep the soil life breaking down your topdressings. View attachment 1325753

This is a great thread im thinking of getting the same base, are you using dry organic amendments? Im using the same and would like to know more ,

 

[costanza]

This is a great thread im thinking of getting the same base, are you using dry organic amendments? Im using the same and would like to know more ,

Thank you, I actually stopped using them on my indoor weed plants and started using them primarily on my outdoor veggie garden which I use down to earth dry organic amendments on them. In my honest opinion these things are better for organic grows. On synthetic grows there always seems to be lockout if you don't top water enough but with the organics you can just feed plain water in the bases and it will keep the soil moist and keep your microbes alive and thriving. I didn't like how it was such a pain in the ass to change out the water especially if you have plants scrogged

 

[simonkay]

Thank you, I actually stopped using them on my indoor weed plants and started using them primarily on my outdoor veggie garden which I use down to earth dry organic amendments on them. In my honest opinion these things are better for organic grows. On synthetic grows there always seems to be lockout if you don't top water enough but with the organics you can just feed plain water in the bases and it will keep the soil moist and keep your microbes alive and thriving. I didn't like how it was such a pain in the ass to change out the water especially if you have plants scrogged

Yes id imagine scrogging with these is a nightmare.i got air pots atm but im virtually ready to buy 4 of these with fabrics and maybe some blumats for the airpots and see how it goes. Have you ever tried coco with dry amendments in these pot bases?

 

[Novaracer69]

This is a great thread im thinking of getting the same base, are you using dry organic amendments? Im using the same and would like to know more ,

I use a combination of dry amendments and knf inputs like lab,imo,fpj,ffj,and jadam wetting agent. I use dr-earth and down to earth it just depends on my mood I keep plenty of both on hand. This time of year I buy 25lb to 50lb bags for my indoor and outdoor and vegetable garden and flower beds

 

[Novaracer69]

Here's my latest modifications to the bases. This helped them keep up with watering mid flower.

 

[costanza]

Here's my latest modifications to the bases. This helped them keep up with watering mid flower. View attachment 1959087

oh wow I can't believe I didn't think of this, great idea!

 

[elusiveshame]

I built my setup based off of these:

Cheap DIY alternative to auto watering bases

I was thinking about how to make watering easier in a larger tent with larger (and more) plants, so I started looking into auto watering options. I don’t want anything too complex or expensive, and then I stumbled upon AC Infinity’s auto watering base. I saw a video breaking down watering base...

www.thcfarmer.com

 

[Glassdub]

During veg they would go 7 days without having to water but once I flipped to flower I was filling up the bottoms 3 times per week and top watering every other day

HA! I usually water every other day (If not every third day) during flower as is but I'm using ProMix BX.

 

[Glassdub]

I didn't like how it was such a pain in the ass to change out the water especially if you have plants scrogged

I will likely never scrog for this reason, I like to take out plants one by one to water & trim.

 

[Glassdub]

Thank you, I actually stopped using them on my indoor weed plants and started using them primarily on my outdoor veggie garden which I use down to earth dry organic amendments on them. In my honest opinion these things are better for organic grows. On synthetic grows there always seems to be lockout if you don't top water enough but with the organics you can just feed plain water in the bases and it will keep the soil moist and keep your microbes alive and thriving. I didn't like how it was such a pain in the ass to change out the water especially if you have plants scrogged

Good to know, I'm going back to synthetic after 2 tries at organic, had great luck with Dyna-Grow, organic was just an experiment.

 

[Brad104]

I've been checking these out. Thank you for posting this. Just sealed the deal for me. Looks.like more AC Infinity gear for me to buy

I purchased two four packs for a total of 8 bases they worked well,but I will tell you check the water level personally the water gages almost cost me a monkey truffle plant in week 6 of flower it was reading full and when I came back 2 hours later to do something for the plants and it was almost beyond bringing back but I don't want anyone else to make this mistake for the gages could be better made and it needs a place to check the ph also it's more work you have to clean them out after every 2 feedings or the iron and salts build up so bad water will not travel through the wicks.So definitely keep those two bits of information close but other than what I mentioned they work well but I still top feed too

 

[costanza]

I will likely never scrog for this reason, I like to take out plants one by one to water & trim.

I used to feel the same way until I scrogged and got 3 times more yield.

 

[danne81]

Thanks, I cant wait to smoke them

Any tips for when the roots starts to grow out of the bottom of the fabric pots.ac-infinity told me to raise them up.but can l just put them on a normal plant tray for a day and let the roots air prune and then put them back on the self watering pot bases.or any tips for that problem.and they suggested that l can get bigger fabric pots.l am already in there 5 gallon pots.this is a major flaw.

 

[costanza]

Any tips for when the roots starts to grow out of the bottom of the fabric pots.ac-infinity told me to raise them up.but can l just put them on a normal plant tray for a day and let the roots air prune and then put them back on the self watering pot bases.or any tips for that problem.and they suggested that l can get bigger fabric pots.l am already in there 5 gallon pots.this is a major flaw.

yeah my honest understanding on this is that AC Infinity just has no clue what to do in this situation because telling you to put in a larger pot defeats the whole purpose of the pots air pruning the roots which they are supposed to do. I would take them off and set them on regular risers for a few days to help dry out the roots coming out the bottom but this was never a great method and once they sat back on the bases the roots continued to grow into the bases. What I ended up doing on my last run was taking them off the sips and putting them on regular risers and saucers for the duration of flowering. Another thing that might work is to create some air under the pot, AC needs to implement this in their next design of this thing they need to have some kind of spacers on top to raise the pot above so it doesnt sit directly on it and get wet

 

[xYEETMANx]

Hey I just started using these pots, if the water is not soaked up by the following day should you test PH? As I put 6.2 ph water in bases and not even 24 hours later the PH was reading 7.4 most of this ph was brought down using ph down, with 1/4 recommended nutrients. I know it’s normal for PH to rise some or should I be bring ph down lower on water added to the bases?

 

[xYEETMANx]

Here's my latest modifications to the bases. This helped them keep up with watering mid flower. View attachment 1959087

Let me know your results, could just drill holes in between current ones so sick can each outer edges of pots. Just seems like If it were needed AC would have put them there.

 

[costanza]

Hey I just started using these pots, if the water is not soaked up by the following day should you test PH? As I put 6.2 ph water in bases and not even 24 hours later the PH was reading 7.4 most of this ph was brought down using ph down, with 1/4 recommended nutrients. I know it’s normal for PH to rise some or should I be bring ph down lower on water added to the bases?

I had issues in flower with these I stopped using them. They're great during the veg stage or in a pinch if you go out of town

 

[Novaracer69]

Let me know your results, could just drill holes in between current ones so sick can each outer edges of pots. Just seems like If it were needed AC would have put them there.

Mine keep up much better because I knot my cord so they don't pull out. The knot slows the flow but I doubled the cord. They need to design a way to hold the cord it pulls out if you rotate your pots. Then it doesn't work at all

 

[918_HardHead]

Very late in the game but, I just started to consider these. Your journal has me more confident on this desicon.. I came looking for this..

 

[Cannaninja91]

So far with me running these they definitely require your environment to be pretty spot on to take full advantage of the capillary action of the plant. Think as humidity as a throttle as to how much the plants take from the basin or via moisture in the air. I learned really being on point with my VPD at all times and focusing on the ec & ph of my gallon feed (all exclusive bottom feed). I’m in almost 60 days from pop and they are amazing