Superoots Air Pots -An Evolution in Containers

[Bandit420]

Every now and then a product comes along that breaks away from standard thinking. A concept so far from the norm but yet so practical is what we have in the Superoots Air Pots.

Made in Scotland by The Caledonian Tree Company from recycled plastic, the Air Pot could possibly be the link that bridges the ease of soil gardening with the performance of hydroponics.

The Air Pots are the most expensive and hard to find container on the market. The best prices I've found so far are on Ebay where just the .8 gallon and 2 gallon containers are available and from Aroidian Research in Florida who has all sizes available. There are a few other distributors in the US but they have very hi prices and shipping rates. I'm not going to post any links but all of this info is easily found doing a Google search.
The Air Pots arrive in a large box disassembled. Assembly is easy with the provided instructions and there is also video help on the Superoots web site. No tools are required. I found them alot easier to assemble by laying the pieces out in the sun so they become more pliable.
The bottom of the pots are a wide open plastic screen that I felt would have let the well draining OF soil I use just wash out the bottom so a thin layer of hydroton was placed in the bottom to prevent extreme run off.
Filling the pot with soil and transplanting is done the same as a regular plastic pot. I was expecting water to run out of the side holes but the way the pot is designed, the water stays in the root zone and runs out of the bottom of the pot.
The first test plant in this review is a fully vegged 6th generation WW clone. I lost a chunk of her roots when I transplanted her out of a 5 gallon CAP Gro Pot so she is in a bit of shock in the photo. She will be vegged for one more week and then moved to flower. Before she goes to bloom a few cuttings will be taken for my next experiment with the 3 liter Air Pots.

 

[Bandit420]

These pics show the size differences between my old faithful commercial grade ribbed pots and the Air Pots. The first pic is 5 gallon vs 5 gallon and the second is 2 gallon vs 2 gallon pots.
If I make the switch I may be able to downsize my flowering pots to the 3.4 gallon air pot which would cut the cost of soil and nutes by a third

 

[Bandit420]

I took a couple air pots to my supply house today to see if they may be able to get them.
Low and behold the owner just got back from the expo in Vegas this past weekend where he met the reps from TerraHydro distributers and recieved some sample pots to display in the store!
I've put in my request for 10 6"x4" and 10 3.4 gallon air pots. Hopefully all goes well and I can avoid shipping and take advantage of the shops 10% discount to regulars!
These pots are very new to the indoor gardening market but if there is a big enough demand, the distribution will open up making them more readily available at any quality supply house.

 

[Bandit420]

Well after taking some measurments I've come to realize a mistake was made with my order from Ebay and I was actually sent 6 two gallon air pots instead of the 6 three liter pots I ordered. I can still use these two gallon pots so i kinda got over on them by getting the 2 gallon for the price of the 3 liter but I still need the 3 liter pots for vegging clones.

 

[newbie2010]

subscribed

 

[Bandit420]

24 hours after transplant the WW test plant has exploded into an aggressive growth pattern and does not even look like the same plant

I dont think I'll wait a full week to flower her since she has responded with such a positive attitude. I'll get my cuttings from her tommorow and she'll go to bloom on Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

[Bandit420]

Just got an update from my supply house and my air pot order for 12 6"x4" and 12 3.4 gallon pots are on the way. Any supply shop should be able to order any size for their customers thru Terra Hydro Distributers out of Sacramento, Ca.

 

[newbie2010]

I contacted that site as well, in CA. I heard that many shops should soon have the Air-Pots available, as a trade show just occurred in Las Vegas.

I also heard that since word it getting out, in this industry, the prices should become more competitive. (And more and more types of these pots should also become available.)

My local shop is doing a grow test, between the Smart Pot and the Air-Pot and although the plants are too young to conclude anything, someone said the Air-Pot dries out much better.

I'll be ordering soon!!

Peace -

 

[Bandit420]

Update on the project!
The WW test plant is doing superb in the new air pot. I dont know if it's because I lost a chunk of her roots during transplant or the new pot but she stopped growing vertically and shot out horizontaly for the last week. Only today did I notice she has new vertical growth.
I'm holding off on flowering her just a little longer to see just how bushy she wants to become.

My watering habits have had to change slightly with the pot drying out faster than regular solid pots but it's nothing drastic. Maybe one more extra watering per week.

 

[newbie2010]

Nice!!

 

[aphoric]

What is your outdoor humidty, and how humid is the grow room? Anyone try these in a dry climate, like here in Colorado? I can't go more than 3 days between watering with ffof in 3gallon nursery pots, not sure these will be good for the dry. Thanks, props on experimenting!

 

[Bandit420]

What is your outdoor humidty, and how humid is the grow room? Anyone try these in a dry climate, like here in Colorado? I can't go more than 3 days between watering with ffof in 3gallon nursery pots, not sure these will be good for the dry. Thanks, props on experimenting!

Today's conditions outside are 70 degrees and 20% humidity. Conditions in the vegging chamber is 78 degrees and 38% humidity.
The average conditions in the vegging chamber is 80 degrees and 48% humidity. I have the air system dialed in with the entrie grow room having a constant fresh air exchange and temps maintained at 70-87 degrees and 30-60% humidity.
Stay tuned because this test will run thru the Summer!

 

[newbie2010]

I'm in Colorado and have a heck of a time keeping the humidity up.

I haven't flowered yet - well only boys so they got the axe.

However, the Smart Pots don't seem to drain quick enough. Definitely could be the soil - I made my own.

But I can't wait to justify the purchase of these Air-Pots. When I finish flowering my first grow, my first new purchase will be new pots.

Denver's Boulder Hydroponic shop that the grow test, Smart vs Air-Pots going.

Peace

 

[aphoric]

Great, sounds like Colorado conditions. I have been buying different pots lately, really like vegging in the square pots so I can pack the little girls under the light until they move next door. You don't have any issues with those temps? I was under the impression that 83˚ is the max, my veg room has been getting up to 86 for an hour in the morning when the flower lights have been on all night and the morning heat comes on. I was thinking of removing the plastic and insulation from the basement wall so it can absorb more heat, seems to work in my flower room. I am definitely interested in something that can get soil closer to par with hydro without compromising.

 

[newbie2010]

I'm using T5 Bad Boy lights (see my photos for the beautiful mother) for veg and I have to have a heater going. My rooms are in the basement as well. I even added more insulation to the ceiling. I think my rooms are too big. But I'm growing tomatoes and peppers under the T5s and now it feels cramped.

When I was flowering, with 2x 600 watt HPS, the flowering room was also too cold, but I'm using CO2. I've read that with CO2, I should aim for 85 degrees or so.

My first grow is WW and I've read that these ladies (fingers crossed - I did buy feminized seeds from Greenhouse) don't like it too warm. There is the constant debate in my house about how warm the rooms should be.

Peace

 

[Bandit420]

I'll try to get a bit more specific on my grow room for you to see if these conditions might work for you.
My growroom is in a small 10x9 bedroom of a single story home. There is no central heating or cooling going into the room. Just a large volume of constant fresh air via a 465cfm blower which I now have the ability to cool with a Hydro Innovations Ice Box. In the winter I use the lights as heaters to warm the room and it stays in the 70s. Lights are a 250 watt MH for veg and a 430 watt Son Agro for bloom. I also use about 150 watts of LED.
The geography is on the edge of the desert, along the I-10 corridor in the southwestern United States. My Summers are typically temps in the hi 90s, low hundys and the humidity in the 60-90% range.
In the past I've actually had to stop growing in July and August because of the heat. This year has been spent getting the cooling apparatus working like an A/C without the hi power demand and without adding water to the air so hopefully there wont be a shutdown this year.
The only reason I can grow in this type of climate is because of the fresh air exchange. My plants still do fine when temps are in the hi 80s as long as that air is constantly exchanged. I've added CO2 in recent weeks so my plants should tolerate the heat even more than usual.

When I choose my seed strains I always go for hardy and easy to grow Indica dominant strains with a THC content of around 20%. I prefer solid genetic strains that have been around for awhile so I'm not dealing with any wimpy genetics that will freak out when it gets hot. So far I've had real good success with Sensi Star, Motavation, Ak48, and my most prolific to date, White Widow. I too am using a Green House Seeds WW and so far the plant is the most hardy and nearly indestructible strain I've ever grown. It's potency is world class and I plan on keeping it around for awhile. If I do switch strains, I will probably go for LA Confidential, Violator Kush or Yumboldt.

My never ending quest for that perfect container is what has brought me to this point. I too have loved using the square containers for vegging. They make it nice and easy to organize a bunch of plants under a small light. My only issue with them is that the roots will coil in the corners of the pot. So far my favorite pot is the one that's been around for decades. The old commercial grade ribbed plastic pot. They're not sexy or expensive, just reliable and work great. They're very well draining and the ribs down the sides of the pots prevent roots from coiling making for a much healthier root zone.
I'm very curious to see if plants like these air pots more and if I can use them year round. Will they be too problematic in the warm season? We'll soon find out my friends!

 

[newbie2010]

I visited my local shop today, to see the Air-Pot vs Smart Pot test. There's no comparison test going on there, but I did see the Air-Pot. It looked like someone had enlarged the holes at the cone tips. A hydroton ball could nearly clear the opening.

Is this how they come?

I would think that such a large hole will easily allow dirt to escape with the water/nutrients.

BTW -
I ordered White Widow seeds once before (not a Greenhouse distributor) and none germinated, 0/10. I am super happy with these. I bought 5 feminized seeds and all 5 sprouted within 24 hours. I've grown only bag seeds before. These are the most beautiful plants EVER!! I will never complain about the seed prices again (well maybe just a bit) because these mamas are so pretty.

 

[Bandit420]

I visited my local shop today, to see the Air-Pot vs Smart Pot test. There's no comparison test going on there, but I did see the Air-Pot. It looked like someone had enlarged the holes at the cone tips. A hydroton ball could nearly clear the opening.

Is this how they come?

I would think that such a large hole will easily allow dirt to escape with the water/nutrients.

Interesting.
The holes on the 2 and 5 gallon are about the same diameter as a pencil. The holes on the 3 liter pots are about half that size. The 2 & 5 are also made from a thicker plastic with the peaks and valleys being much larger than the 3 liter pots.
Logic says that soil and water should just wash out of the pot but it does'nt. The only thing I have to be consious of is to not water the plant too fast because the water will come out of the holes above the soil line before it gets a chance to soak into the root zone.

 

[newbie2010]

Good info!!

This poor pot looked like some stoner took a really large screw driver to the holes.

The plant looked happy though.

 

[Bandit420]

Like every other innovative product that shows promise get's copied, the Air Pot is no exception. There is another company that has released it's version and like their cheap versions of gro tents, so are their version of the Air Pot. They are very easy to spot. The nipples are square with sharp edges, not round like the Air Pot. The holes are not machine drilled and are punched very sloppy with alot of plastic still in the hole. One look at the pot and you can tell it's not plant friendly at all. Too many abrupt corners, sharp edges, and a cheaper plastic is used in the production.
Beware of imposters!