Gravity-Fed Systems

About

Bottom fed systems deliver nutrient into the base of the pot and let it wick upward, rather than pouring it over the top. Roots grow down toward the water instead of clustering at the surface, and the medium wets evenly from the bottom up – which is why these systems tend to produce more consistent plants with less attention. Why feed from the bottom Even root development. Top watering channels down the path of least resistance and leaves dry pockets. Bottom feeding saturates the whole pot. Roots chase the water down. You get a deeper root mass and a more stable plant. No surface algae or fungus gnats. The top of the medium stays dry, which removes the habitat entirely – see fungus gnat control . Much less hands-on time. Most of these systems run themselves for days. The main types System How it works Suits AutoPot Gravity fed through a float valve, no pump or timer at all Simplicity, no electricity IWS Flood & Drain Pump floods the tray on a timer, then drains back Larger rooms, full control Oxypot / DWC Roots sit in aerated solution permanently Fastest growth, most attention Choosing between them If you want to leave the room alone for a week, AutoPot – it needs no pump, no timer and no power, just a tank above the pots. If you are running a larger space and want control over feed frequency, IWS flood and drain . If you want maximum growth rate and are prepared to monitor a reservoir daily, DWC . What to watch Salt build-up. Bottom feeding never flushes the medium, so salts accumulate at the top of the pot. Top-water occasionally with plain water to clear them. Reservoir temperature. Above about 22°C, dissolved oxygen drops and root problems follow – see water chillers . Medium choice matters. You need something that wicks. Coco and coco-perlite work well; heavy soil does not. What we stock AutoPot systems and spares, IWS flood and drain, oxypots, tanks, pumps and the fittings to join it all up. See also grow room irrigation systems , pipe and fittings and fle