AutoPot - 6Pot System

How the AutoPot 6 Pot System Waters Six Plants

Six square pots sit in six grommeted trays, and one reservoir feeds them all through a single line. The kit ships with a 12.4 gal reservoir and lid, six 3.9 gal pots, six trays with lids and six AQUAvalve5 units. Inside each tray, the valve lets nutrient solution in until the level reaches about 1 in, halfway up the valve collar. A float then lifts, air escapes and the inlet closes. As the plant drinks, a vacuum holds that inlet shut until the tray is empty again. That gap gives the roots a real dry spell and pulls fresh air down into the mix. Then the valve reopens and the tray fills once more. No two plants have to share a schedule, because each valve answers only to its own tray. A thirsty plant in late flower cycles faster than a smaller neighbour, and neither one floods. The pots measure about 10.2 in across the top and 11.8 in tall, and each tray is roughly 9.75 x 14 in. Six pots in two rows of three fill a 5 x 5 ft tent comfortably.

Setting Up a Gravity-Fed Watering System That Runs Itself

A gravity-fed watering system needs only height, so the reservoir goes on a stand or shelf above the trays. Keep the bottom of the tank at least 6 in above the highest valve. The kit includes 20 ft of 3/8 in pipe, a golf filter, a top hat grommet, three cross connectors and two inline taps. Run the main line from the filter, then branch to each tray with the crosses. Fill each pot with an airy blend, about half perlite or clay pebbles mixed with coco or soil. Set a Root Control Disc in each pot, gold face up, to stop roots growing out into the tray. Transplant starts that stand around 9 in tall, water them in by hand and leave the system off for a week or more. Turn the taps on once the pots feel light, and the valves take over from there. Aim for pH 5.8 in soil or 5.5 to 5.6 in coco, and keep the solution between 64 and 70 F. Check the filter weekly and top up the reservoir before it drops below a third. Never let it run dry, since an empty line pulls air into the valves.

Key Features

• Six complete pot sites: Six 3.9 gal pots, six grommeted trays with lids and six AQUAvalve5 units.
• 12.4 gal reservoir: Solid tank with lid and top hat grommet feeds all six trays.
• No pump or power: Gravity alone moves solution from the raised tank to every tray.
• Independent valves: Each AQUAvalve5 fills its own tray only after the plant has emptied it.
• Complete 3/8 in plumbing: 20 ft of pipe, golf filter, three cross connectors and two inline taps.
• Root Control Discs: Six discs keep roots from growing out of the pot base into the tray.
• Movable layout: Pots and trays slide apart as plants grow, with the line rerouted to suit.

Technical Specifications