by Torch (some light editing by Nebula Haze)
Have you heard of AC Infinity Self-Watering Fabric Pot Bases? These are gaining in popularity for growing cannabis plants at home. The reservoir at the bottom of each pot lets marijuana plant roots slowly wick water as needed.
These AC Infinity Self-Watering Fabric Pot Bases collect runoff water at the base of your plants.
But can you use them another way? I wanted to share this cool tutorial by grower Torch, who is using these auto-watering pot bases as the ultimate way to collect and remove runoff after watering your cannabis plants.
Torch’s tutorial uses a wet vacuum to quickly and easily remove all the runoff water.
Why do cannabis growers collect runoff water instead of let the plants slowly suck it back up? It’s because cannabis plants tend to grow faster and better when your regularly remove all your runoff water. Learn about other ways to remove runoff water.
Why This Option to Catch and Remove Runoff Water?
- System devised by grower Torch to remove the excess 20% runoff using coco coir
- Works easily and efficiently
Supplies Needed
- Self Watering Fabric Pot Bases (by AC Infinity) – The bases are a little pricey and can be bought on Amazon.
- Armor All, 2hp, Wet/Dry Vac. – The wet vac is fairly reasonable and can be bought at Walmart for around 40 bucks. The Wet Vac comes with an assortment of accessories that are key to this tutorial.
I could only find this exact wet vacuum model available at Walmart, but you can also buy nozzle accessories to adapt other wet vacuums to this purpose. Mainly you need a thin nozzle attachment that fits through the port in the pot base so you can easily collect water (pictures below).
The bases can be used as a runoff collection and removal device versus their intended use as a water wick waterer. The provided water wick material can be discarded or used as a “product” drying line.
Three bases fit nicely in a 2×4 grow tent.
Four bases fit in a 2×4 tent, but it’s a little bit snug.
The nozzle accessory for the Wet Vac fits rather nicely into the opening in the base that was provided to determine water depth. It contains an easily removable depth indicator gauge. The indicator can now be used to determine runoff water depth.
Each base needs a bit of material under the far end to keep them slightly inclined toward the front. I used the packing foam from the bases (see below) and cut it into foldable square wedges. This enables the water to flow to the front and be collected from the easily accessible “now collection port”.
The black opaque color of the base helps to discourage algae growth. The runoff cleanup is quick and simple. Just remember to hold up the hose to the wet vac when you are finished to allow any residual water to be sucked into the holding tank. The holding tank holds over a gallon of runoff with some room to spare. I would recommend checking it as you go when you use it. I empty the wet vac holding tank into a 5 gallon bucket to carry the runoff out of the grow space.
The plants are a couple of Panama Red x Panama Red plants from Ace Seeds. The rest are Moby Dick’s, White Widow x Haze from Greenhouse Seeds. The seeds were acquired from North Atlantic Seed Co. out here on the east coast. Terrific place.
A huge thank you to Torch for taking the time to put together this tutorial for GrowWeedEasy.com.
Contact us to let us know if there’s any cannabis cultivation tutorial you’d like to see. We’re here to publish the growing content you want!
~Nebula Haze
