# Smart pot vs Air pots



## NorCalHal (Oct 13, 2011)

I know NC had a thread about the airpots, but I couldn't find it

I had stated that I was running some 7 gal airpots along 5 gal Smart pots and that I would take some pics.

I put the biggest ones in the Airpots, and the rest in Smart pots, though the plants were the same size anyway pretty much.

I am in day 28 I think of 12/12 and it really looks close, but it seems the Smart pots are a little better ,imo. The trunk size is a little thicker and the root mass is crazy. They water pretty similar a far as time. They drink every 48-60 hours for sure. The room is running @ 85 degrees with elevated co2 @ 1500ppm, so that causes them to dry a little faster too, but the uptake is ragin'!

The strain is ECSD.


----------



## Locked (Oct 13, 2011)

Love my Smart Pots......thanks for the porn thrown in there NCH. Last pic looks like that old movie Day of the Triffids.


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 13, 2011)

Had to throw a canopy pic up. I have been working on canopy management for a while now, and with that sativa dominent SourD, it is tough.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 13, 2011)

Nice shots and great set-up, Hal!


----------



## Locked (Oct 13, 2011)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> Had to throw a canopy pic up. I have been working on canopy management for a while now, and with that sativa dominent SourD, it is tough.




Looks like you did a pretty good job....and every time I read the sour D my mouth waters.  I love SD...And anything crossed with SD.:hubba:


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 13, 2011)

For You HL, some finished up SourD!
Thanks Roddy!


----------



## Locked (Oct 13, 2011)

Just drooled all over my iPad.....:hubba:   You can just look and know that is gonna be some DankAss smoke. Very tasty.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 13, 2011)

Sweet looking treats there, NICE!


----------



## SmokinMom (Oct 13, 2011)

I :heart:  your sour d, hammy better share!!.


----------



## umbra (Oct 14, 2011)

Hal nice job. That sour d you ran before was awesome.


----------



## HemperFi (Oct 14, 2011)

Candy


----------



## Lemon Jack (Oct 14, 2011)

Looks delicious NorCal


----------



## Roddy (Oct 14, 2011)

Keep us posted Hal, it'll be interesting to see how this finishes out!


----------



## bho_expertz (Oct 14, 2011)

Really nice NHC. But ... what are your thoughts until now :hubba: ?

I'm really impressed with mines. And they are only 1 and 3gallons. I imagine 5


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 14, 2011)

The Sour really puts it on, love that strain. It has been a couple of years since I ran it, and yes Umbra, this is the same cut.

Pretty much I have made my call and am going to roll with Smart pots. They are cheaper and comparable if not better results.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 14, 2011)

Yes, by almost half at the local hydro shop...not sure online prices!


----------



## pcduck (Oct 14, 2011)

I sure like my smart pots when doing organics Hal.

I also like the way they keep mothers too.

I use the 5 and 1 gallon sizes


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 14, 2011)

True True PC...I do use Smart pots with my Moms too. 5,7 and 10 gallon.
I converted my old space into a 3000 watt mother room! Trees, as you can imagine.

I am spoiled Roddy, my good friend owns a local hydro shop, so I get stuff for cost. Man, the mark up is crazy!
He is having HUGE issues with banks not wanting to do business with him because of large Cash deposits, as most growers pay cash for gear.


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 14, 2011)

Here is a couple of pics of the Skywalker OG grown in Smart pots.
The Skywalker is def part of the Chemdawg Fam, Sativa dom.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 14, 2011)

I'm using 5, 7 and 10 as well.

Yeah, I saw the mark-up one day when placing an order at a friends' store...last time I bought there or anywhere else unless I need it right now :holysheep: 

And cash is a bad thing?? Any old excuse, my friend....


----------



## Rosebud (Oct 14, 2011)

I have only used smart pots for a couple of years now. I love them too, but not the small one gallon ones..tears up the roots getting them out so i don't use those anymore.  I gave a clone of satori to a friend and he has it in a 15 gallon size..one big mother...Wish i had room for that.


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 14, 2011)

Great point Rosebud.

I too tried the 1 gall and then transplant to 5's, but it was horrible getting them out, they really lock in.

The root formation is incredible. I love how they root prune and you get alot of latteral root growth. The whole darn pot is a huge rootmass if done right.

So, for those that know me, I used rockwool cubes for cloning forever. And ever. I was gifted a turboclone T-144 from my hydro buddy and decided to use that. He had been on me to try one so I could tell folks if they work or not.
I gotta say, the aerocloners rocked. Pretty much. I was scared about the water temp, so he threw in a 1/4hp water chiller that I set up with the cloner to keep the water where I wanted it, which was 71 degrees...don't ask me why, I liked that number I guess. Maybe some of you all that rock these can give me a better water temp to run it at.
I think I will have to get a water heater pretty soon, I gotta have total control over the water temp, i'm such a freak.

One thing I did notice was that different strains take longer then others. I had 5 different strains in there and 1 particular was barly shooting after 14 days.
I love the MAD root s it makes for the cuts. I think I'm sold.

Anywho, from there, I put them in 16 oz cups of promix and throw them under the T5's. Did not lose one in the transplant. All ragin'. So, from there I veg until they are just getting rootbound, around 7-10 days, then put them in 1 gal traditional plastic pots. Veg for another 6-8 days then they get heavy spiraling in the bottom of the pot then they go into the 5 gal Smart pots and placed under 1000watters with 1500ppm co2. 
They go mad. I flip them from there in 8-10 days.
I pot them a little high in the pot,so it utilizes the most out of the Smart pot. You can see from the pics that they love it and even if they are high, it just forms tougher roots. It looks like a scene from Avatar if your were a millimeter tall, haha.

Wow, I wrote all that, I'm really stoned. Off to work.

I REALLY like getting a great rootbase before I transplant, it seems to really make them take off after each transplant.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 14, 2011)

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to NorCalHal again.


----------



## BBFan (Oct 14, 2011)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> I REALLY like getting a great rootbase before I transplant, it seems to really make them take off after each transplant.


 
Absolutely.  You really turn them fast Hal.  One thing about the smart pots I notice is the amount of surface roots I get- don't see that too often in traditional plastic or tc pots.


----------



## Locked (Oct 14, 2011)

I got 2 Larry OG and a Pre 98 Bubba in one gallon Smart Pots at 27 days of flower today and I can't believe how big the buds are on the Larry OG already. Will take some pics tonight and post them up in this thread if ya don't mind NCH.
Loving the Smart Pots and not even thinking of going back to regular pots.


----------



## bho_expertz (Oct 14, 2011)

I really appreciate your description of what is your method. Thank you a lot :aok:


----------



## Rosebud (Oct 14, 2011)

I think the roots that impress me the most are the small feeder roots. I just didn't see them in mass until the smart pots. And yes they are a full pot of roots at harvest. I like also how the root structure has some small spaces in it where small pockets of soil remain..very different from other pots. No encircling of roots. a big bonus.


----------



## nouvellechef (Oct 14, 2011)

Blasphemy!


----------



## Rosebud (Oct 14, 2011)

Oh dear, are you involved in the "other" kind...do you own the patten? so sorry for blashemy.


----------



## nouvellechef (Oct 14, 2011)

Rosebud said:
			
		

> Oh dear, are you involved in the "other" kind...do you own the patten? so sorry for blashemy.



No. But spent $$$$ on a full set up of pots. No biggie. I am sure I will like them. All about the end product, no matter what pots


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 14, 2011)

BBFan said:
			
		

> One thing about the smart pots I notice is the amount of surface roots I get- don't see that too often in traditional plastic or tc pots.


 
Yes sir, nice surface roots,quite noticable on some.



			
				Hamster Lewis said:
			
		

> Will take some pics tonight and post them up in this thread if ya don't mind NCH.


 
All good, love Larry and Bubba pics!



			
				multifarious said:
			
		

> When did you drop the shredded rw......?
> What nutes you running now........?


 
Started running soiless mix about a year ago, never looked back. Really like it, great root growth. Still running GH 3 part. GH for Life.




			
				multifarious said:
			
		

> is that the 4:20 09 cut.......?


 
Why yes it is Sir. I love it, You Smoking Mom and Umbra remember that herb. That was a cool weekend. I still remember the cigs you had with the "You will die a horrible death" warning labels.



I hear ya NC. Really, they are very close, and if ya got em, run em.


----------



## Roddy (Oct 15, 2011)

CONGRATS on tobacco free!!!!


----------



## Locked (Oct 15, 2011)

Okay here is my Pre 98 Bubba and Larry OG 4 weeks in with 6 weeks to go...one gallon Smart Pots. The Larry OG buds are already so heavy the branches were tipping. I had to stake them. I gotta pick up a cpl more of these pots.

*Pre 98 Bubba*








*
Larry OG*


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 15, 2011)

Hammy those are silly pics! Looks great! Love the Pre-98 and Larry.

I actually jumped off the Bubba train, as I had ran her for many years. Still one of my all time fav smokes for sure. Really into Sativa's right now.


----------



## Locked (Oct 15, 2011)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> Hammy those are silly pics! Looks great! Love the Pre-98 and Larry.
> 
> I actually jumped off the Bubba train, as I had ran her for many years. Still one of my all time fav smokes for sure. Really into Sativa's right now.



Thanks Bro....I believe this is the same cut that you had. Awesome smoke especially taste wise. Doesn't rough me up though like the Larry OG. I like to be manhandled by my smoke sometimes...lol  My Rez SD x Chemdog DD is showing its Sativa side right now. Big big stretch. She can become a handful if not trained.


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 15, 2011)

Haha...The Larry is my Wife's fav smoke at the moment. Really cools her jets!  Powerful for sure.
The Bubba is really hard to get mad weight off of, at least for me. 1 p per light was all she wanted to do, no matter how I trained,topped or manipulated her.

I am SUPER glad that you have that Pre-98 cut, as it should be spread and loved by all!


----------



## Locked (Oct 15, 2011)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> Haha...The Larry is my Wife's fav smoke at the moment. Really cools her jets!  Powerful for sure.
> The Bubba is really hard to get mad weight off of, at least for me. 1 p per light was all she wanted to do, no matter how I trained,topped or manipulated her.
> 
> I am SUPER glad that you have that Pre-98 cut, as it should be spread and loved by all!



Yeah even Pig Farmer over at Cannetics says the pre 98 is one strain he can't pull 2 lbs off one tree. She won't win any awards for yield but her smoke is so tasty and she grows so compact that it more then makes up for it. 
Speaking of me having this great cut...has anyone heard from our friend Nvthis? Hope all is well with him....and yeah it is up to us to spread the genetics. Just don't do it here lol. I am not advocating anyone to break the rules....


----------



## NorCalHal (Oct 15, 2011)

It has been a couple of months since I have heard from Nvthis, but I need to hook up with him for sure. He comes down to the Bay Area time to time, he needs to come see me!
If you like that Larry, you will LOVE the Skywalker OG, plain silly.


----------



## Locked (Oct 15, 2011)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> It has been a couple of months since I have heard from Nvthis, but I need to hook up with him for sure. He comes down to the Bay Area time to time, he needs to come see me!
> If you like that Larry, you will LOVE the Skywalker OG, plain silly.



I guess I am out of the loop...never heard of Skywalker OG. Guess I need to go over to Cannetics and she what is shaking.


----------



## dirtyolsouth (Oct 31, 2011)

Nice thread Hal! 

I used Smart Pots for a long time and I've made the switch to Airpots because of my limited 2 x 4 flowering closet space.   For those with smaller spaces and those who use smaller containers Airpots can offer some advantages over Smart Pots.  My main advantage with Airpots is that I can fit in eight 2.4 or 3 gal airpots into my flowering space but the 3 gal Smart Pots are a bit too big to pack 8 of them in so I made the switch and for the smaller sizes I've been impressed with how large the plants are that the smaller airpots support.  

One advantage of the airpots is they are rigid and much easier to stake my plants in.  I also don't notice the compacting and shrinkage of the soil in the Airpots like I do with the Smart Pots.  Another thing I really love the Airpots for is they are very easy to transplant from if you let the roots get well developed.  The Smart Pots as you've mentioned can be very difficult to get a plant out of and I've stressed out more than a few when I experimented with vegging in small Smart Pots.   The roots really attach themself to the fabric on a Smart Pot making you peel the root ball from the pot when you transplant her.

I keep dozens of strain's moms in 16 oz party cups and only transplant them if I intend to veg them larger to flower them or if they get pissed off in the cups as some strains do I'll xplant them to get them back to health for cloning.  One great find has been 1/3 gallon Airpots.  I can take a plant that is pissed off in a 20 oz cup, xplant it into a .3 gal airpot which only gives it minimal new soil and within a week its much happier and they will support a very happy plant 2-3 feet tall!   Here's a pic of a plant I vegged in the .3 gal airpot and then went into a 3 gal Airpot from that but you can see how happy she is.  Transplanting from those pots are super easy too... you just remove the thumbscrew and pull the pot wall back from the rootball and you have a very solid soil root plug to pop into your larger pot.... 

I just ordered a dozen more of the .3 gal Airpots and I'm going to put my culled down 'keeper' moms in them and leave the unproven strains in the party cups til they have their day in the sun and earn themselves an airpot... lol...

One thing I would mention about Airpots is to make sure you put them together right side up...   There is a row or two of solid plastic on the proper top 'edge' of the pot and that if you fill it up to that level with soil it forms a 'reservoir' and holds liquid when you water so it doesn't just run down the sides nearly as easily as it does if they are put together wrong.  The first time I ordered Airpots they didn't come with directions and I put them together upside down.:doh:After I discovered the directions online and put them together right I noticed they were MUCH easier to water...

Peace~! :joint:


----------



## SKAGITMAGIC (Oct 31, 2011)

Hamster Lewis said:
			
		

> I guess I am out of the loop...never heard of Skywalker OG. Guess I need to go over to Cannetics and she what is shaking.


 
A guy offered me a Lemon Larry OG from a Tacoma Dispensary, Told me he had skywalker too, guess I'm headed for Tacoma, I went by the local horticulture shop here and they wanted $4.95 for a 3 gallon SP, I thought that was a little steep, and passed, I'll be going to town soon.


----------



## FA$TCA$H (Oct 31, 2011)

thanx, DOS! now that makes sense.


----------



## BBFan (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey DOS- How ya been?  Good post.  I gotta say though I still find the air pots to be a lot tougher to water.  Much tougher that the smart pots.  Do you keep yours in a pan or something?  Do they suck up the run-off the way the smart pots do?


----------



## SmokeMyPiece (Oct 31, 2011)

You could just cut the smart pots down to size if they're too big.
-walmart/kroger 'eco bags' are 50c-1$ea


----------



## dirtyolsouth (Oct 31, 2011)

BBFan said:
			
		

> Hey DOS- How ya been?  Good post.  I gotta say though I still find the air pots to be a lot tougher to water.  Much tougher that the smart pots.  Do you keep yours in a pan or something?  Do they suck up the run-off the way the smart pots do?



Good to see all of you too....  I hope all is well with everyone~!:ciao:

All's well... more of the same, can't complain.:joint:

I find they are tougher to water bro.  I water about a day sooner than I used to with SmartPots and I go very very slow.  I usually give them 8 oz of nutes each and if surface tension is preventing it from soaking in I leave and come back 5 min later and repeat until they readily take in the liquid.  I then keep watering slowly around all of my pots until I see a tad of runoff and I lift the pots slightly to check on how well each is fed.   They definitely don't wick up moisture on their own like the cloth Smart Pots do.  The soil surface is an inch or so elevated so runoff will sit in your pots if you leave it.  I use a shop wetvac to suck up excess but it's definitely something to consider.  I'm thinking about using bottom feeding by putting a 'wick' in my pots when I transplant that will go down through the bottom 'grate' and rest in my run off saucers so that excess moisture would get wicked up...:hubba:

Happy Halloween Peeps~!:holysheep:


----------



## docfishwrinkle (Oct 31, 2011)

hey ya DOS how ya been doin? yeah im also torn between the 2 styles of pots as both have pros & cons. ive only used 5g airpots so i just water centers of the pot. i slam em w/ a 1/4gal then off to the next, by the time i get back to 1st plant its ready for another. ive never reall y had much probs w/ spurting out the sides. im ramblin  lol

id be interested in the wick approach, lemme know how that works out. what nutes you runnin?


----------



## Locked (Oct 31, 2011)

I will be sticking with the cloth SP's.....at this point I hve watering them down to a science. I can water/feed a tent with 9 ladies in it in 10 minutes or less most times. It took a while to get the feel for how they water but once you do and you get a routine it's not bad in my opinion. The pluses outweigh the negatives for me by a wide margin.


----------

