A Four by Four Grid on the AutoPot 16 Pot Pro System
Sixteen square pots sit in four rows of four, every one in its own grommeted tray with a lid. Each pot holds 3.9 gal of mix and gets a Root Control Disc at the base. At the heart of each tray, an AQUAvalve5 opens to fill it about 1 in deep. Once the plant has taken that up, the valve opens again, and not a moment before. That on-demand cycle gives each plant its own feed rhythm and a real dry phase between fills. Supply comes from a 60 gal FlexiTank Pro, roughly 23 in wide and 33.5 in tall when full. The reflective, light-tight skin keeps light off the stored solution in a bright room. Hidden supports hold it upright, and capacity lines inside help with accurate mixing. The tank is food-grade, assembles in minutes and collapses between crops. At four pots per square metre, the grid needs about 4 square metres of floor.
Plumbing a Precision Irrigation System for Sixteen Pots
A precision irrigation system like this one meters water by valve, not by timer or pump. Set the tank on a stand so its base sits at least 6 in above the top of the highest valve. A 1/2 in click-fit adaptor and filter join the tank to 26 ft of 1/2 in trunk pipe. Two inline taps and a 1/2 in tee sit on that trunk for shut-off and branching. Eight 1/2 to 3/8 in crosses then feed the trays through a matching run of 3/8 in pipe. With the tank raised, move the filter a little way down the 1/2 in line instead of right at the outlet. Level the trays on benches or boards rather than cold concrete. Pot up into a free-draining mix, around half perlite or clay pebbles with coco or soil. After hand-watering the transplants, wait about a week before turning the feed on. Then refill when a third of the solution remains and check the filter weekly. Never let the tank run dry.
Key Features
- Sixteen pot sites: Sixteen 3.9 gal square pots, grommeted trays with lids and Root Control Discs.
- 60 gal FlexiTank Pro: Reflective, light-tight reservoir about 23 x 33.5 in when full.
- Anti-tip with hidden supports: The filled tank stays upright on its stand.
- Capacity markings: Internal lines show the solution volume while mixing.
- Four rows of four: Eight reducing crosses split the 1/2 in trunk into four rows.
- 26 ft of 1/2 in pipe: Fed from a click-fit adaptor and filter with two inline taps.
- Valve-metered feeding: Each AQUAvalve5 opens only when its tray is empty.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | AutoPot |
| Model | 16Pot System with FlexiTank Pro |
| SKU | APWS16PP |
| Plant sites | 16 |
| Pot volume | 3.9 gal (15 L), square |
| Pot size | 10.2 in top x 11.8 in tall |
| Tray | 1Pot grommeted tray with lid, 13.7 x 9.6 in |
| Reservoir | 60 gal FlexiTank Pro |
| Reservoir size, filled | 23 in diameter x 33.5 in tall |
| Reservoir features | Reflective, light-tight, anti-tip, internal capacity markings, food-grade |
| Valve | AQUAvalve5 (16) |
| Main line | 26 ft of 1/2 in pipe |
| Tray feed line | 26 ft of 3/8 in pipe |
| Filter | 1/2 in click-fit tank adaptor and filter |
| Fittings | 2 inline taps, 1 tee (1/2 in), 8 crosses (1/2 to 3/8 in) |
| Root control | 16 Root Control Discs |
| Layout | 4 rows of 4 |
| Planting density | 4 pots per square metre |
| Minimum tank height | 6 in above the highest valve |
| Power required | None, gravity-fed |