How to get started | Technology

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH THE AUTOPOT SYSTEMS

There is an Autopot growing unit that will suit everyone from the least informed novice right through to large commercial users. Usually, one should start with the gravity fed units as they are simpler to use. Once the collection of Autopot growing units have grown to more than 20 units, it is advisable to move on to the pump fed methods. Having said that, it does not mean feeding large number of plants by gravity is no more a viable option. Please click here to view a commericial Autopot farm feeding 20,000 plants by gravity.

(A) Gravity fed units

These are the most basic operating units, even though the system can be relatively sophisticated in its range and number of growing containers. In general, the gravity fed method is suited to a single growing container through to about 100 growing containers. In general practice, once more than two dozen or so growing containers are in a system, it is much better to switch over to the pumping methods. Changing over is quick, simple and inexpensive.

The gravity fed unit consists of three main components

The growing container
The Smart-valve
The reservoir or tank

1. Hydropak Kits

For beginners in hydroponic, it is best to start off with an Autopot hydroponic starter Kit – called the Hydropak. It is extremely simple not only to operate but also to set up. In less than 10 minutes, you can have the starter kit installed and ready for planting.

This is a hydroponic starter kit that uses all the same principles as the other starter kits but in a somewhat different way. It is supplied as a single pack with all the kits and components packed into a case that when unpacked, becomes a 30 litre nutrient tank.

It consists of a tray that takes two 10” grow pots and houses the Smart valve in a cavity between the cavities for the pots, the required amount of perlite/vermiculite mix (50/50), nutrient, filter, tubing and instruction booklet. The Hydropak is ideal for tomato plants, capsicums, eggplants, cucumbers, and a wider variety of plants. It is amazing the variety that can be grown and many people are equally amazed at the size of plant that will grow from the relatively small 10” diameter pots. Commercial Autopot users grew thousands of tomato plants with outstanding results using the same growing units as the starter kits.

The tank, tray and pots are plastic which allows their use indoor or out and with a 30 litre supply of nutrient you would have 4 to 5 weeks supply for young plants and at least 3 weeks supply for strongly growing plants nearing maturity.

From here, the Hydropak kit can be extended to more growing points. All you need are more of the Hydrotrays, pots and the Smart-valves which are simply connected together with joiners and tubing feeding off the same or separate reservoir tank

The Growing Containers

Hydrotray 1

Hydrotray 2

The Smart-valve Mk2

200 litre

30 litre
The Tanks

Intermediate Kit.

EXTENDING YOUR SYSTEM

You are not restricted in any way by your Autopot Systems. Add more trays. Simple T and straight joiners available from your Autopot supplier mean that you can join in one, two or dozens more trays. Provided you have nutrient flowing with gravity you can run remote trays anywhere you can get the tubing.
Limit your extension to 6 growing modules from a single tank. You will need to position the tank higher ( 5 feet) to increase water pressure.

2. 8-pot extension kits
For those who wish to start off with a larger Autopot Systems, there is the 8-pot extension kit to meet this requirement. Generally, it is popular for those who already have had some experience with other hydroponic systems and wish to add or change over to Autopot Systems.

3. Intermediate kits
These are even larger package. It comes with a much larger reservoir tank (200 litres) and feeding up to 50 pot plants.

(B) The Next Step – a pump assisted system.
As you continue to add more growing containers to your system you may eventually come to a point where you feel that filling tanks has become more of a chore than a pleasure. This can become more apparent when you first encounter a very hot and windy day as the plants are all in a growth cycle. Water that you have grown accustomed to lasting for several weeks can be gone in a few days. The added demands for water in these conditions is surprising. Fortunately, provided there is water available, the system copes wonderfully well because it is at this stage that the deficiencies of hand watering or even programmed watering really show up.

But when you start to feel that you are there to serve your system rather than it being the other way around, it’s time to consider upgrading to a pressurised system. So we introduce you to yet another ingenious innovation by Jim Fah – the Smart-pump Feeding System.

There are several ways nutrient solution can be delivered to the growing modules. It can be fed from a small pressure-switch pump as shown in diagrams A and B together with different options for nutrient supply and additional dosing of other chemicals such as pH correction fluids.

Extension Kit

The decision to install a pump assisted system is usually governed by economics. It is often cheaper to put in a pump assisted system than it is to install a large tank, or when there are space limitations that make a large tank difficult to site.

LARGER AUTOPOT SYSTEMS
There is no limit how large the Auto-Pot Systems can be extended to. For example, the picture below shows a commercial hydroponic tomato farm with a 2,500 pot system (or 1,250 modules) fed by a single unit of the Auto-Pot dosing System (photo right).

Autopot Dosing Unit with venturi feeding system for more serious hobbyists.
Autopot Dosing Unit with electronic dosing system for commercial growers.