AutoPot - Easy2Grow 16 Pots Watering System

The Easy2Grow system for 16 pots is eight trays each with an AQUAvalve5, fed from a 16 millimetre main line. You choose the reservoir yourself, and at this size that is the most important decision you make: it sets not only how often you top up but whether the system keeps running reliably at all.

Why an empty tank is worse than inconvenient

This is the part that catches people out, so it comes first. An AQUAvalve5 holds itself shut with a vacuum seal: as it fills, it traps air inside the valve body and pulls itself down against the tray with suction. That suction is what keeps it closed while the plant drinks, and it only breaks when the tray runs dry.

If your tank empties completely, the line draws air right through to the valves. The vacuum then collapses at a moment the valve does not expect, and after refilling it no longer opens reliably. The result is a tray sitting dry while the rest carry on as normal, and you notice it in the plant rather than in the system.

This is described as the most common cause of an AutoPot system ceasing to work, and it is entirely preventable. Top up while about a third remains, not when it is nearly empty.

Sizing the reservoir: work backwards

The system draws from your tank as the plants use water, so tank volume translates directly into how many days you can stay away. Sixteen pots on a warm day use a multiple of what two pots do.

So calculate in the opposite direction from the instinctive one. Decide first how many days you want covered. Then estimate the daily use of sixteen plants in your conditions, because that varies sharply with crop, pot size, temperature and light level. Multiply, and add the reserve you need to never drop below that last third. Larger only costs space; too small costs a crop.

Where the tank goes

Higher than the trays, because there is no pump: the height difference is your only source of pressure. With a large tank that becomes practical, since full it weighs hundreds of kilos. The surface must carry it, you must be able to reach it to fill and clean it, and the lid must close to keep light out.

A collapsible FlexiTank is a common choice here: you pick the capacity your calculation asks for and store it flat when empty. Connect it through the tank fitting with filter, because the valve inlets are narrow enough to block with sediment or algae out of a large tank.

Technical Specifications:

• Pots: 16, choice of 8.5 or 15 litres
• Trays: 8, each with its own AQUAvalve5
• Main line: 16 mm, with a branch per tray
• Substrate volume: 136 or 240 litres total
• Tank: not included, FlexiTank optional
• Refill rule: top up at roughly a third remaining

Frequently asked questions

What tank size do I need? Work back from the days you want covered at sixteen plants, plus reserve.

What happens if the tank empties? Air enters the line and the valves lose their vacuum seal, after which they no longer open reliably.

Can I link several tanks? You can, provided they stand at the same level and feed the main line together.

How high must the tank stand? Above the trays; the system uses no pump.

Do I need a filter? Yes, particularly with a large tank: the valve inlets are narrow.