How To Set up an Autopot Grow System? 420 Guide for Beginners

As always, the first important part of analyzing any irrigation method is knowing what it does. Autopots are an all-in-one cultivation system that use gravity pressure to fill tubs with water/fertilizer solution. They use a special kind of float valve to refill the tubs when they go dry. The plants sit over the top of this tub in special pots that are designed to help the plant wick water up from the tub, thus watering and feeding the plant with minimal interaction from the grower. Think of it as an automated flood-and-drain system. It’s not exactly flood-and-drain, but the irrigation principles at work here are basically the same.

1. Hand Feed Plants Until Their Roots Have Established

You can still place plants in your AutoPots – just hand water them until their roots have established. This'll roughly take 10 - 14 days.

For best results:

If growing in soil: feed them water
If growing in coco or rockwool: feed them a weak nutrient solution
Water plants sparingly – if you’re unsure if they need more water, feel the weight of the pot with your hand. If it feels light, add more water...if it still feels heavy, don't.

2. Use The Right Growing Media

AutoPot systems are incredibly flexible. Whatever your growing method, you need a media or media mix that is:

Light
Fluffy
Free draining
Aerated
Absorbent
The guys at AutoPot recommend using a 50/50 mix of:

Perlite or clay pebbles (50%)
with
Coco, soil or rockwool (50%)
Canna

If using clay pebbles, make sure that they’re pH stable – not all of them are. Gold Label’s a safe bet – it’s clean, pH neutral and pH stable.

3.Fill Up the Reservoir With Water and Nutrient Solution

Fill up the reservoir with water and nutrient solution using the instructions on the nutrient bottles (if you have Autopot nutrients you will need 150ml of each solution for 30 litres of water).

4. POTTING UP YOUR AUTOPOT SUBSTRATE

Potting up with Autopot can seem a little tricky if you're not familiar with it. Many people struggle to get the substrate correct for this bottom feeding grow system.

First place the black matrix disc in the pot, this will prevent any media from escaping and blocking the aquavalve, then add a 1 to 2" layer of washed gravel or perlite or pH stable clay pebbles to the bottom of the pot.

If using an air dome then cover the domes 2/3rds up with washed gravel/ perlite/pH stable clay pebbles. Air domes will help more oxygen get to the roots of your plants, which will promote healthier root growth and increased yields of up to 30%

Fill the rest of the pot with coco, soil or a 50/50 mixture of either with perlite or clay pebbles.

You can then transplant your young plant into the Autopot.