Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray System

The Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system is a great plant irrigation system that allows the watering of many pots, simultaneously. All of the pots share a tray, in which a single Aquavalve controls water flow to the pots. There are a few advantages to this method of growing over the other Autopot systems. First off is space – if you don’t have alot of room, the Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system allows more pots into the space. Normal Autopot systems with individual trays need more room for tray footprints as well as pipework. While this does give more space for plants to grow and greater control per pot, it can reduce the number of plants you can grow. Using a Tray System brings the pots much closer together, allowing more plants in the area and maybe even less light fittings.

The Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system runs off of a single Aquavalve, meaning there is less maintenance to do on moving parts. Plants can still take only what they require, so there isn’t any more water being used, and there is no run off as it is a self contained system. Setting up is very easy, with the pipe threading through the side wall into the valve. The other end of the pipe then attaches to the water reservoir (or irrigation system).

Mouldings on the system keep the amount of water the pots sit in at the perfect level for effective wicking. There is also a handy access hole so you can easily access the Aquavalve. The lid of the Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system is a perfect fit for the pot, which stops light and plant debris reaching the water underneath. This eliminates risks of mould, blockages and disease.

What Pots come with the Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system

This system uses larger pots than the  25L Square pot with round base, or the  20L Round Flexipot from the other XL systems. The 35L Flexipot will allow plants to grow enormous root structures, which means enormous yields. Fabric pots allow more oxygen into the root zone and promote root pruning near the pot walls. This makes roots branch sideways from the pruned end and double back into the pot, quickly filling the media with dense roots.

What media to use in an Autopot system

Here too, the Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray System is very flexible. You can use any media you want, but it should be free draining. Autopot recommend using a 50/50 mix of coco coir or soil with perlite, vermiculite or clay pebbles. You can use Hydrococo 60/40 or Ecothrive Coco Lite 70/30 and adjust a little if you want. Or you could use a soil such as All Mix or Light Mix and add more drainage material to that. As the pot sits in a small amount of water permanently, too heavy a medium would become waterlogged. Free draining media in an Autopot means there is more air available and water supply is no issue.

There is loads more information and growing tips on the Autopot Website. (opens in a new window).

Alternatives to the Autopot Auto 5Pot Tray system

At Straight Up Hydro, we have many options when it comes to gravity fed systems, many from Autopot. These include the Autopot 1Pot system, the Easy2Grow System, the 1Pot XL system as well as the Alien EasyFeed with 10L, 16L, 22L and 30L Pots. All of our hydroponic systems are on our website here.