Something to place the pots on?

Regrowth said:
The price of the risers on amazon are crazy.
I've used empty cat food containers before lol.
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🤣 I love that idea

I just went and looked at my 18 inch risers on Amazon. Good lord that’s an absurd price. I paid $7.99 for each of my 18 inch risers at my local grow shop. The nearby nursery has them for the same price.

Amazon used to be the go to spot for stuff but the prices on almost anything garden related are absurd. That’s why I almost always recommend people try to find a nearby nursery, grow shop, or heck, even a feed store in some cases. Shopping local if possible is usually the cheapest option
 
Keffka said:
🤣 I love that idea

I just went and looked at my 18 inch risers on Amazon. Good lord that’s an absurd price. I paid $7.99 for each of my 18 inch risers at my local grow shop. The nearby nursery has them for the same price.

Amazon used to be the go to spot for stuff but the prices on almost anything garden related are absurd. That’s why I almost always recommend people try to find a nearby nursery, grow shop, or heck, even a feed store in some cases. Shopping local if possible is usually the cheapest option
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Ye bud but at least you god Amazon, and huge diversity for everything and better prices. Europe... not that great.
 
When I was using a tent I used one big hot water heater tray. Around $6 to $10 US. The tray comes with a bulk head fitting on the side wall. Ran a hose from the bulk head to a floor drain. Set bricks in the tray and pots on the bricks. They also make "dry lift pans" that eliminate the need for bricks or washing machine pans that are square. Those will run 4x on price.
 
Phytoplankton said:
Never had that problem, in my case the trays evaporate before the plants need watering again.
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The problem with that is you easily create salt buildup and a uneven root zone with higher EC/nutrient strength in the bottom of the container compared to the top layer when you should optimally aim for a homogenous root zone.

Runoff should be collected to properly replenish the medium IMO.

Cheers!
 
Wastei said:
The problem with that is you easily create salt buildup and a uneven root zone with higher EC/nutrient strength in the bottom of the container compared to the top layer when you should optimally aim for a homogenous root zone.

Runoff should be collected to properly replenish the medium IMO.

Cheers!
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Doesn't make sense, the pot never touches waste water, the water evaporates, it isn't pulled back into the pot, so how does that create a salt build up? (particularly if using organic nutes).
 
Phytoplankton said:
Doesn't make sense, the pot never touches waste water, the water evaporates, it isn't pulled back into the pot, so how does that create a salt build up? (particularly if using organic nutes).
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If you have them on saucers and don't let them sit in runoff it's not a problem. I thought you let your pots sit in runoff water which is not recommended for more reasons than salt buildup.

Minerals salts binds to water and if you constantly have a more saturated medium in the bottom it will eventually be more concentrated in that place. That's the reason to run saucers.

Cheers!
 
Wastei said:
If you have them on saucers and don't let them sit in runoff it's not a problem. I thought you let your pots sit in runoff water which is not recommended for more reasons than salt buildup.

Minerals salts binds to water and if you constantly have a more saturated medium in the bottom it will eventually be more concentrated in that place. That's the reason to run saucers.

Cheers!
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I agree, never let pots sit in runoff water, that's why I put them on 2x4's (or bricks), which lets the water underneath evaporate. Just a cheaper, easier, way to elevate the pots.
 
Phytoplankton said:
Doesn't make sense, the pot never touches waste water, the water evaporates, it isn't pulled back into the pot, so how does that create a salt build up?
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minerals can build up faster in the media when there isn't enough liquid to carry it all the way through the pot. most nute schedules recommend feeding to a minimum amount of runoff.


Phytoplankton said:
particularly if using organic nutes.
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if it comes out of a bottle there will be a salt content regardless of what the nute company claims.

the thing about most "organic" nutes is they aren't. in most jurisdictions it only needs to have an "organic component" to achieve the label. marketing and lack of proper regulation allows it. a lot of nutes labelled organic can't get that designation in places like california or canada which are stricter.
 
Hello mate,

I use these which consists of 3x circle bbq racks, 3x saucers ansome plastic mesh(already had this) ,
Cost around £25 for the 6items.

BBQ racks-zon,
saucers-local garden shop,
Plastic mesh-cupboard.

The stands are about 3inches tall,
The saucers hold a good 2L each easy.

Thanks.
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FortuneSeeker said:
On my last grow I had one plant that filled an 1.2x1.2 tent all t he way up, pot included 1.9m, I was getting the water out with a 100ml syringe... Every 12h, and even the smaller ones, witch were big, enough, the ones in the back of the tent, I couldn't touch 'em. So the struggle remains, until I find a pump or something to pull the water out, at least to have some extension from the pots so I can easily do it with small cup...
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i use a large turkey baster to remove the runoff , it has good reach and you can operate with one hand
 
I use old plastic champagne corks. Pretty much anything made of plastic should do it. Just wash them when they get dirty.
 
I used those heavy plastic propagation trays, plug trays, seed cells or whatever you call them and line the bottom on the tent.

I got them for a $1 or $2 at the grocery store some years back. I have a bad feeling online retailers probably want like $30 for a tray.
 
bluter said:
minerals can build up faster in the media when there isn't enough liquid to carry it all the way through the pot. most nute schedules recommend feeding to a minimum amount of runoff.
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Hence the reason for the catch tray, some of mine will hold a gallon of runoff. I have several different sized catch trays depending on the pot size.
bluter said:
if it comes out of a bottle there will be a salt content regardless of what the nute company claims.

the thing about most "organic" nutes is they aren't. in most jurisdictions it only needs to have an "organic component" to achieve the label. marketing and lack of proper regulation allows it. a lot of nutes labelled organic can't get that designation in places like california or canada which are stricter.
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I’m in Cali, and yes the key phrase seems to be “organically derived” which is, at best, a marketing term to make you think it’s organic.
 
Phytoplankton said:
Hence the reason for the catch tray, some of mine will hold a gallon of runoff. I have several different sized catch trays depending on the pot size.

I’m in Cali, and yes the key phrase seems to be “organically derived” which is, at best, a marketing term to make you think it’s organic.
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You are not crazy, they didn't fallow what you were saying. Pots on 2x4, suspending the pot over a large catch tray. Air between pot and water in pan. Unless you are flushing, you should have less than a quart run off from a 5 gallon pot. If the environment could grow mold on the 2x4s it would already be growing on the media or in any catch pan.

Don't forget premium ORGANIC bend. Trace organic minerals added to synthetic nutrients.
 
bluter said:
if it comes out of a bottle there will be a salt content regardless of what the nute company claims.
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It would seem that it does not matter if it comes out of a bottle or a bag or box or from a compost pile. All of our organic materials whether plant or animal are accumulating salts which then get released after decomposing.

I see the big problem being when the nutrients are coming from the minerals, either as already water soluble or as in-soluble which will eventually be released by the micro-organisms. This causes a faster and larger build-up of the salts as compared to the smaller amounts released by decomposing 'organic' matter of the same weight. And, the ones released from the decomposing materials are ready to be absorbed by the plant instead of needing some sort of pre-digestion by the microbes or micro-organsims.

The more we learn about the cycle of life the more complicated it seems to get.;).
 
SmokingWings said:
It would seem that it does not matter if it comes out of a bottle or a bag or box or from a compost pile. All of our organic materials whether plant or animal are accumulating salts which then get released after decomposing.

I see the big problem being when the nutrients are coming from the minerals, either as already water soluble or as in-soluble which will eventually be released by the micro-organisms. This causes a faster and larger build-up of the salts as compared to the smaller amounts released by decomposing 'organic' matter of the same weight. And, the ones released from the decomposing materials are ready to be absorbed by the plant instead of needing some sort of pre-digestion by the microbes or micro-organsims.

The more we learn about the cycle of life the more complicated it seems to get.;).
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Very true. Now I grab the coffee and read again, see if it makes sense the second time. Me <-- Slow learner :))))

Well ye... it's like force feeding....
 
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