Photo: Tomatoes in Autopot® Hydrotray 10" Double Modules
How to get started with Autopot® Systems
The enjoyment of growing with hydroponics is within your reach. Autopot® Systems allow everyone to experience professional results from hydroponics. Forget about the complications, complexity and problems of conventional hydroponics systems. Simply plant seedlings or seeds, fill the tank with water, add a measure of nutrient and watch the spectacular results. The results could be on your table before you need to top up the tank again.
Autopot® Systems are a patented technique of hydroponics that differs from conventional methods in a number of respects that make it versatile, effective, inexpensive to run, capable of operating in a wide range of locations where conventional hydroponics may not be effective and capable of being used by everyone from school age upward. It's the ideal way for busy people to experience the benefits of gardening and provides a huge return in pleasure and produce without a heavy commitment in time or the problems of requiring a specific program of attention.
There is an Autopot® growing solution to suit everyone from the novice through to large commercial users. Most first time users start off with a gravity fed system due to the simplicity of only having to position a supply tank higher than the growing module. Once the collection of Autopot® growing modules have expanded beyond 20 or so units, consideration for the pump fed methods becomes more practical to reduce the frequency of having to top up a gravity tank. Having said that, it does not mean feeding large number of plants by gravity is no longer a viable option - click here to view a commericial Autopot® farm feeding 20,000 plants by gravity. The choice is yours!
Autopot® Window Box Kit
For beginners who prefers growing herbs, ornamentals and smaller varieties, the Window Box Kit is for you...
Simple to use:-
* Plant the seedlings in to the 6" pots with normal potting mix, perlite/vermiculite mix or combination of both.
* Position the pots in to the slots of the Window Box unit.
* Fill up the reservoir tank with water and nutrients.
* Thereafter, the Smart-valve will know exactly how to water and feed your plants correctly.
* You can grow practically any shallow rooting plants successfully including Cyclamens, Violas, Pansies, Labellias, Bridal veil, Petunia etc.
The Autopot® Window Box kit contains the following items:-
* 1 x Window box trough (Size: 800mm x 180mmx 120mm)
* 1 x Hydrotank with 4mm grommet - 35L
* 1 x Smart-valve
* 4 x 6" pots with Marix root control mats
* 1 x roll of 4mm tubing (2m)
* 1 x 4mm filter
* 2 x 4mm taps
* 1 x pair of 1L A/B Nutrients
* 1 x 5L bag of perlite/vermiculite mix
* 1 x Instruction booklet
Autopot® Hydropak Starter Kits
The Hydropak starter kit is a great starter solution with all the components packed within the 35 litre tank for efficient packaging and shipping!.
This kit includes the Hydrotray Double 10" module, perlite/vermiculite mix (50/50), nutrient, filter, tubing, fittings and instruction booklet.
The Hydropak is ideal for tomato, capsicums, eggplants, cucumbers, and a wider variety of plants. It's amazing the variety and size of plants that can be grown from a 10” pot. 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 in or outdoor, and with a 35 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.
The Hydropak starter kit can be extended to add more growing points. You can add whichever Autopot® growing module you choose by simply connecting the additional unit to the same supply tank via tubing and joiners.
No need to check for conductivity & pH daily. Accurate watering with no run-off. Saves water and nutrients. Can be left unattended for weeks!
Autopot® 8 Pot Kit
If you want to start with a bigger system, the Autopot® 8 Pot Kit gives you some more options for growing more plants or different varieties using our most popular growing unit - the Hydrotray Double 10" module.
The 8 pot kit contains the following items:-
* 4 x Hydrotray Double 10" trays with lids
* 1 x Hydrotank - 35L
* 4 x Smart-valves
* 8 x 10" pots
* 8 x Marix root control mats
* 1 x roll of 4mm tubing (10m)
* 4 x 4mm T-joints
* 1 x 4mm filter
* 5 x 4mm taps
* 1 x Instruction booklet
Extending Your System
Autopot® Systems are modular so you are not restricted in any way when expanding as large as you like. To add more Autopot® modules, simple T and straight joiners are available from your Autopot® supplier which allow you to join in one, two or dozens more modules. Provided you have nutrient supply, you can run remote modules anywhere you can lay your tubing.
When using gravity, the higher you position the supply tank, the further you can go - the factor to be mindful of is tank size relative to the quantity of connected modules.
Autopot® Intermediate Kit
The Intermediate Kit allows you to grow from 20 growing points using the versatile Hydrotray Double 10" modules. Tubing and fittings are included for connecting up to your preferred water source (200L gravity tank or Autopot® Smart Pump Set recommended);
The Autopot® Intermediate Kit contains the following items;
10 x Hydrotray Double 10" modules
1 x 13mm tubing (25m)
1 x 13mm tank outlet
1 x 13mm filter
10 x 13mm-4mm reducers
2 x 13mm taps
2 x 13mm elbows
4 x 13mm joiners
30 x 13mm ratchet clips
1 x 4mm tubing 10m
6 x 4mm T-joints
1 x instruction booklet
The Next Step Beyond Gravity Is A Pump Assisted System
As you continue to add more growing modules you may find the frequency of filling up a gravity tank becomes impractical. This can become more apparent when you first encounter a very hot and windy day when 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 Autopot® System copes wonderfully well because when conditions become demanding, the deficiencies of hand watering or even programmed watering really become apparent.
Beyond the gravity tank solution, we introduce you to The Autopot® Smart Pump Set.
The Smart Pump Set pressurises the main feed line giving you the following benefits;
- ability to place an Autopot® growing module anywhere you can lay tubing.
- allows you to have a vitually limitless suppy of water (when connected to the mains) from a small footprint (compared to a large gravity tank).
- 12V pressure pump works on demand.
Larger Autopot® Systems
There is no limit how large the Autopot® Systems can be extended to. For example, the picture below shows a commercial hydroponic tomato farmwith a 2,500 pot system (or 1,250 modules) fed by a single unit of
the Autopot® pressurised system.
