So how are you adding recharge to your autopots? I know you’re premixing it and adding it directly into the tray. What kind of ratio and how much of that concentrate per tray? Doing my first autopot grow always grew straight hydro. So new to autopots and recharge. I know a lot of you guys… and gals swear by it.
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Top fed, only. Once a week, as directed.
You’re welcome.
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I use Tribus original and or Voodoo Juice and add it directly to the nutrient solution (Jack’s) before it goes in the autopot reservoir.
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I realize that I asked and I’m a complete novice at autopots but everything I’ve read you never top feed once you start bottom feeding because you wash the built up salts back down.
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I thought I had heard of it recharge clogging filters and feed lines being fed through the reservoir. That’s why people mixed it and added it straight to the tray. Evidently you’ve never had this problem then. I’m running Jacks as well. Using GreeGenes feed plan.
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I have not used Recharge. Tribus and Voodoo Juice are liquids and I have not had an issue with them. I can not say how Recharge performs in autopots. I have also used FishSh-t added via the reservoir. This does appear to fall out of suspension slightly. I would flush the lines every couple of weeks by disconnecting the line from the valve and let it run freely.
@Pet_de_Chien your reply about top feed only, is that in reply to its use in autopots? Is that based on personal use & knowledge? Are you saying there are no other suitable delivery methods? Follow up is appreciated.
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Yes sir, it is - I was referring to autopots specifically. And personal experience, once, the mess was enough to learn to keep the rez clear. Tribus and fish!t seem to be OK, probably due to no solids. Recharge settles/precipitates out pretty quick mixed in just water. Using recharge in the rez will muck up the lines, valves and Rez pH pretty good and pretty fast. The microbes will start eating on the molasses i.e. fermenting etc in suspension, not in your root zone where you want them.
I am not saying there are no other suitable methods(maybe there are), the one that I found that works is the once/twice a week Top Feed of Microbes/Recharge/Humics/Fulvics/Fish emulsion/Seaweed - whatever REZ messer-uppers I am using at the time is very simple and keeps the system running clean. Aside from keeping the Rez from being mucked up, it puts all these root/mycorrhizae goods right where you want them, in the root mass, gravity draining towards the food at the bottom of the pot.
Sorry, its early, 1 cup of coffee, hopefully that makes sense.
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@MoMule agree on the recharge top feed. Recharge mixed comes out the color of tea and difficult to see a clear nute mix in the res, also gums up in the bottom of the trays. I switched to TPS billions, a clearer mix but still top feed 
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I’ve always used Urb. You don’t see Urb mentioned here often.
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Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful reply. Although this was not from microbes, Jack’s Blossom Booster fell out of suspension and clogged the filter and built up in the tray.
I switched to MKP and have not had an issue.
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Right there. I bet the PPM difference between the Rez and the pots was a couple EC points too. I also try to keep the Rez “Clear” to try and slow the drift that happens naturally…I get about a week to drift from 5.7 to 6.2 before I adjust. Wonder why that preciped so heavily like that, I’d have to mix some in a jar to watch, was it a mixing order thing like Si and Ca etc. Do you use a pond pump or wavemaker to move the rez?, I gave up on airstones eon ago when i ran ebb flow flood tables, made the rez drift in a day plus the air exposure of the table I’m sure.
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@Pet_de_Chien I have had my second cup (actually 3rd) of coffee and want to run something by you if I may. I’m curious about your top feeding experience described above and the general prohibition of doing this in autopots. Is it the nutrient regime you use? It was my understanding that nutrients tend to concentrate at in the upper / top portion of the soil when autopots are used. Top feeding then washes this into the root zone and can cause potential issues. I imagine, because you do this quite frequently nutrients are not allowed to amass like they might otherwise.
Trying to connect a few more dots. Thanks
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I do not think any of these were the culprit, Si always first followed by Ca (rarely used because using Jacks). I have a wavemaker running 24/7 in the res and one running in the bucket while mixing.
I like Advanced Nutrients Ancient Earth but can not run that through autopots either. I use it up to the time I switch to the res.
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I’m only top feeding the “Microbe Tea” I’ll call it and a little of the Rez/nutes to make everything dispersible. I use Jacks currently, so its a super clean and stable rez base.
Yes, the capillary action from the pot up into the Coco in my case does lift the nute salts, you can see it as it dries on the outside of the pots. Again another reason to be putting the microbes in the top and letting gravity and root channeling happen, and put them where they are of benefit.
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Bingo, I’ve been experimenting with this the last year and 1/2. When I top feed my microbes it’s usually only 8 ounces. I check tray PH and usually .1-.2 difference than the res.
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I’d top add this to feed your crobes as you see fit, I’m using a couple different prods. - Trinity and Ancient Amber and a Ag product Hummusoil or smthng.
I’m not sure it causes issue, at least in my case, logic says its putting it right where the microbes can do their finest work.
@OGIncognito @Pet_de_Chien it is funny with the different experiences we encounter and how we address it. Your top feeding in autopots is a good example. I have experienced Ca pH issues with Jacks and auopots. Others seem to put it on autopilot and have no issues. Current grow - GDP in an autopot
A week ago I did a traditional flush to reset and then top fed a couple of times to add back humics and microbes. Since it was flushed recently, getting a top feed in before resupplying the res makes a lot of sense to me. See how it goes. I may be a convert.
Thanks again
@MoMule I hope you don’t mind the extra nonrecharge specific info.
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Yeah was good conversation, it’s never a one size fits all, but if anything can be used/applied to what you going on, worthwhile.
That’s not awful, just one leaf basically.(I seem to always get one or two, too.) I’d see the lighter green(maybe a flash) and have pushed my Part B Cal-nitrate up a tad, especially when you see heavy fast growth or in stretch, thats when Ca is needed big time for cell building/expansion.
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agree. I’ve recently done this twice with total resets. My own stupidity with bad dehumidifier water. The top feed method after a flush before setting them back in the trays is working. I gave them a good top feeding to about 30-40% run off and let that completely drain and put them back in the trays with the same mix as the flush and the reservoir. 1st time I did this I think I still had some of the run off dripping back in with the fresh mix in the trays and it through my PH off to 6.3 from 5.9. The lessons we learn Brother
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