Advice for Autobot mistake ?

kenmastazz

Well-Known Member
Hi,

this is my first run with the autopots and I made a very stupid mistake.

I bought the airbase and put the root control disc on top of it now there is little empty gap between the
airbase and the tray bottom so there is no capillary action.

I already switched to flower and because of that there is no way to repot and remove the disc.
I can't hand water because I must go away for 2 weeks so I have to think of something.

Maybe I can drill a small hole on the bottom side of the pot and try to fill it with coco....????
I would really appreciate some ideas how I can fix this issue or some workaround if there is any?
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
Hi,

this is my first run with the autopots and I made a very stupid mistake.

I bought the airbase and put the root control disc on top of it now there is little empty gap between the
airbase and the tray bottom so there is no capillary action.

I already switched to flower and because of that there is no way to repot and remove the disc.
I can't hand water because I must go away for 2 weeks so I have to think of something.

Maybe I can drill a small hole on the bottom side of the pot and try to fill it with coco....????
I would really appreciate some ideas how I can fix this issue or some workaround if there is any?
For < $50 you could set up a simple drain-to-waste setup using your existing autopots. A simple pump, a timer (ideally one that does seconds), and some tubing.

Two weeks is quite the ask for 100% unattended operation; with any system.
 

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
You can definitely repot it and correct your setup. If the roots aren't completely filling the pot yet then let the medium dry out a bit first, so the root ball doesn't fall apart when you remove it from the pot.

If you need to leave it unattended for 2 weeks, and the autopot really isn't auto-potting, your only other option is to set up an automated top-watering system as mentioned above. Good luck!
 

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
usually I repot from party cups to 9-11L but to be honest I have no idea how to that when the pots are so heavy and big I can't definitely flip them or pull them by the stem out ?
I wouldn't pull by their stems or you may break your mainstem. I routinely pot mine up into 2 gallons and have repotted to 3 gallons on occasion during flower. But mine are in simple, plastic nursery pots. But if there's a way to transplant I'd do that before trying something you don't have time to test and leaving them for awhile.
 

kenmastazz

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't pull by their stems or you may break your mainstem. I routinely pot mine up into 2 gallons and have repotted to 3 gallons on occasion during flower. But mine are in simple, plastic nursery pots. But if there's a way to transplant I'd do that before trying something you don't have time to test and leaving them for awhile.
your right! ill let them dry out a little and put them side ways and try to slowly dig them out with my hands.....
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
your right! ill let them dry out a little and put them side ways and try to slowly dig them out with my hands.....
Just put your hand over the top , two fingers either side of the stem and flip the bloody thing upside-down, lift the pot off, throw away the air pot, it's a waste of time , remove the copper sheet and fill the hole and put the pot back on
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
If you can't manage that then get a sheet of ply and put an nice groove to the middle and slide it over the stem covering the top of the medium and then flip it and crack on
 

kenmastazz

Well-Known Member
Ok thanks for the help!
I repoted them and it was easier than I thought unfortunalty 2 plants lost a lot of root mass because the disc was stuck at the bottom and when i try to remove the airbase it got ripped off with all the roots sticking to the disc.

It’s day 5 flowering should I go back to veg for 1-2 weeks for the plants to develop some new roots or proceed with 12/12 ?
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't change the light cycle, full speed ahead. The roots will grow back rapidly if they're healthy plants. Changing the light schedule now could take quite some time for the hormonal magic to revert.

I had root rot once in a dwc grow and I didn't notice until the first week of flowering. I fixed the problem, and physically removed the affected roots. The plant recovered well and ultimately produced about 25% less than it's sister plant; I was expecting much less.

The time between the first and last picture is one week.
1727235152815.png
 

kenmastazz

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't change the light cycle, full speed ahead. The roots will grow back rapidly if they're healthy plants. Changing the light schedule now could take quite some time for the hormonal magic to revert.

I had root rot once in a dwc grow and I didn't notice until the first week of flowering. I fixed the problem, and physically removed the affected roots. The plant recovered well and ultimately produced about 25% less than it's sister plant; I was expecting much less.

The time between the first and last picture is one week.
View attachment 5428129
dwc is great i grew some big ass trees with it....btw with bennies i never got root rot even with higher temps
 
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