Grow Mediums Auto’s on Auto-Pilot

[lunarman]

I dunno bro. Maybe try a double or triple layer of your own cut to size landscape fabric in the bottom of the pot. And the pot socks on the outside.

 

[Screwauger]

On top of my indoor issues, my outdoor auto's are either struggling with all of this abnormal heat and humidity of the past few weeks and/or I made the soil to "hot" nitrogen-wise, for flowering auto's. My pineapple haze clone is doing super in the same soil that is slightly burning my auto's and seems to be N heavy perhaps causing my colas to start to stretch and have generally fluffy, weird looking buds. The arrows point to small visible stem on top of colas.

This morning I "flushed" both plants with 15 gallons each of ph 6.8 water with flora kleen 5ml/gallon and No chlor 2 drops/gallon. I doubt it will have any effect but I may do 15 more each before the day is done. Both high heat and humidity and excess N can cause these traits so not sure but hugely disappointed given what's taking place inside.

AHA Day 81

AK47 Day 81

 

[Screwauger]

Had a chance to talk with Manny from Autopots this a.m.
As expected, they really cant advise me on much as I am not using the devices the way they recommend.
For example, they recommend 70/30 coco/perlite (I am using straight coco)
They recommend use of a layer of clay balls (hydroton) at the bottom of the pot (I dont use them)
They recommend 1 liter per minute of air to the airdome (I think I have 7+lpm)
They recommend the RCD be copper side down in the pot (Mine are copper side up)
Mind you, when I had my first root blowout, I had 70/30 coco/perlite, I had hydroton in the bottom, and I was using the pot sock and had the RCD copper side down until they told me it should be up. LOL

Maybe it’s best if I do return to the manufacturers recommendations but two things I learned
The RCD is in upside down (even though he does not think the RCD is the cause of the roots)
I’m blowing too much air into the pots

Clear.As.Mud.

Edit: That said. BBA has drank nearly 5 gallons since Monday when I found her blowout, trimmed her and flushed her. In my opinion, the buds are swelling and she is growing, ripening. Mostly cloudy with a few clear.

 

[lunarman]

I run about 12 liters per airdome and don't have blowouts. my pump is 110 liters per minute pump and in to 8 lines max. Usually 6 lines so really I could be running 20 liters each line.
I put copper in whatever side it happens to go in as because I don't even look any more. Some of mine were used 3 grows and you can't really tell what side is copper any more. But I can tell a used RCD (its thicker) from a used other disc they provide.
I use coco and perlite and hp pro mix peat and biochar and EWC. But I've tried just coco and perlite.
No coco balls at the bottom for me.

That doesn't help you I guess. It only shows that you're very weird in that you get all the blowouts.

I would try putting in 3 squares of landscape fabric in the bottom of the put with the air dome on top. Or ask Manny if he thinks that would work.

Or put in a couple or three of RCD's in the pot bottom and the sock on the outside.

 

[HemiSync]

I’m not much help either. My pump is 45lpm and I never have more than four trays going so I’m pumping at least 11lpm in the domes. Currently only have one tray hooked up so it’s getting the whole 45lpm or at least the max a 1/4” piece of tubing will allow. Now you make me want to start a grow with 2 pots the autopot way and 2 my way with clones just to disprove what they say. We have all seen monsters grown in these with nothing setup the way they think they should be.

I’m returning to soil with these just because I’m tired of fight calmag issues with coco and autopots. Pop22 has been doing 70/30 soil/coco with no deficiencies for a few grows using Mega Crop. I don’t think he even bothers with air domes or a layer at the bottom.

 

[Screwauger]

I don’t think he even bothers with air domes or a layer at the bottom.

Thanks @HemiSync I believe you're right about Pop22 and that's where I want to go is to soil and MC. I too am growing weary of the calmag issue and have always been interested in a more organic type use of these AP's

 

[HemiSync]

Thanks @HemiSync I believe you're right about Pop22 and that's where I want to go is to soil and MC. I too am growing weary of the calmag issue and have always been interested in a more organic type use of these AP's

I’ve been talking to him about it and he just does the soil mix with no layer or airdome. He keeps the pH at 6.5 and doesn’t use air stones or pumps in the reservoir. Swears the last few grows have been hassle free.

 

[Screwauger]

Day 90 for the BBA

Continues to recieve
Sensi Bloom 1.75ml/L
Calmag 1.5ml/L
Bud Candy 1ml/L
Overdrive 1ml/L
Drip Clean .5ml/gallon

pH 5.8
ppm 1090


Trichs are all milky to cloudy, no clear and no amber yet.
She survived but the damage was done. Just this week she has slowed her intake from close to a gallon/day to about a third of a gallon per day. Wont be long!!

Was never really able to resolve anything with Autopots USA. Basically, because I am not using the devices as they recommend (layer of hydroton, 70/30 perlite, too much air) he couldn't really advise me on what the root issue is from. He did not think it could be misplacement of the RCD. He wouldn't comment but I did some research and I have a hypothesis that perhaps the hydroguard (enzymes) is causing excessive root growth. Not sure.

 

[HemiSync]

Day 90 for the BBA

Continues to recieve
Sensi Bloom 1.75ml/L
Calmag 1.5ml/L
Bud Candy 1ml/L
Overdrive 1ml/L
Drip Clean .5ml/gallon

pH 5.8
ppm 1090


Trichs are all milky to cloudy, no clear and no amber yet.
She survived but the damage was done. Just this week she has slowed her intake from close to a gallon/day to about a third of a gallon per day. Wont be long!!

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Was never really able to resolve anything with Autopots USA. Basically, because I am not using the devices as they recommend (layer of hydroton, 70/30 perlite, too much air) he couldn't really advise me on what the root issue is from. He did not think it could be misplacement of the RCD. He wouldn't comment but I did some research and I have a hypothesis that perhaps the hydroguard (enzymes) is causing excessive root growth. Not sure.

I think if you switched to a 70/30 soil/coco or perlite you would clear up most of the calmag deficiencies. As for the roots, I don’t know what you can do about those. I use just common weed barrier cloth instead and never have root blowout. Although, I don’t think I have ever had roots as aggressive as yours. :smoking:

Your buds still look delicious regardless of the issues.

 

[Screwauger]

Your buds still look delicious regardless of the issues.

Thanks VM @HemiSync I am def gonna try what you suggest or at least a move away from coco straight. Though in the end, I had plenty of calmag in my mix, has to have been ph related and now that I am using the AN ph down I adjust ph every other day to make sure I swing through the 5.5-6.2 areas.