AutoPot - 1Pot XL 4 watering system incl. water barrel

The 1Pot XL system for four pots is four XL trays with AQUAvalve5, four 25 litre pots and a tank. At four large plants the question of reservoir size starts to matter properly, and the answer does not depend on pot count alone.

Pot volume counts as much as pot number

The obvious mistake: you have four plants, so you reckon on four times the use of one. But those plants stand in 25 litres, which is exactly why you chose it: they get larger than they would in 15.

A larger plant carries more leaf, and leaf is where the water goes. Transpiration scales with leaf area, not with pot capacity, so four XL plants in full growth use noticeably more than four of the same species in smaller pots. Size your tank on pot count alone and you will come up short.

How to do it instead

Work backwards. Decide how many days you want covered, estimate daily use of your crop at full size in your conditions, multiply by four, and add the reserve you need to never drop below a third.

Build the season into that estimate. The same system that lasts a fortnight in spring may manage a third of that in summer. The tank that felt generous in May is tight in July.

Top up at a third, always

Never let the tank run completely dry. Air then enters the line and the AQUAvalve5 loses its vacuum seal, after which it no longer opens reliably. With four valves working independently you notice that in one plant, not in the system.

Technical Specifications:

• Pots: 4 x 25 litres
• Trays: 4 XL trays, each with its own AQUAvalve5
• Substrate volume: 100 litres total
• Tank: included
• Refill rule: top up at roughly a third remaining

Frequently asked questions

How big should my tank be? Reckon on the use of fully grown plants, not on pot count alone.

Why do XL plants use more? They grow larger, and transpiration follows leaf area.

Does use change with the season? Considerably. A tank that is generous in spring is tight in summer.

What if the tank does empty? Check every tray refills; a valve may have lost its vacuum.