I was involved in farming and animal nutrition for 45 years. I moved to Ringwood, an outer suburb of Melbourne in 1977 and became a hobby grower for tomatoes and vegies in a glasshouse, enabling me to study plant nutrition. I heard about hydroponics, I managed to get a book written by Dr Allen Cooper from UK on his NFT system, published in 1979. I obtained nutrient mixes and some equipment from Wally Tresise in Burwood. After trying the NFT system which I have found needing constant ad­justment , I changed to the recycling drip system followed by the flood and drain system.

When I read about a new hydroponic system called Autopot by Jim Fah who in 1992 won first price for best invention for a smart valve as an automatic watering and fertilizing system, I decided to give it a go and I didn't regret it since. It proved to be the best system for my needs. Advantages are numerous: eliminating digging, weeding, manual watering, feeding and fertilizing, a big help for me at my age (80 plus). 

A greater choice of growing location, having a limit to poor soil area. An area of 1 0 sq.m. can grow hydroponically enough tomatoes and vegies for a family of four, fast growing, better flavored and pollution free. Garden soils could be contaminated from airborne and applied chemicals. Convenient for us elderly or disabled. The system can be placed on a table or bench allowing easy access without bending and allowing wheelchair access.

The Autopot Systems is practical and is the only one enabling me to pick up their pots (before they get too high) and move them outside. Having the plants outside will avoid them the built-up number of pests. Your system applies a pot culture providing for food supply on capillary action versus a patchy distribution by the drip system. It is a plant driven watering and feeding system, no worry of under or overwatering. Each container of your two pots could have different plants also of different ages to dictate their water and nutrient according to their needs rather than tied to an automated cycle without the use of electricity or pump by gravity tank fed or tap pressure fed system. Larger operation of 25 or more containers warrants the use of a pump (12V 6amp DC) and a battery. I am very happy with my pump set-up enabling me to use it also in the garden for watering hanging pots. The smart valve will respond to environmental changes such as temperature and wind, avoiding me to set irrigation cycles. No longer of soil-borne diseases destroying the entire crop as the nutrient solution is not cycling. The non­-recycle drip to waste system will pollute the ground. Drips in pots will not spread evenly in the media as capillary will. NFT and recycling drip systems need constant adjustment. Autopot supplies unaltered nutrients. Water conservation is vital in Australia. Jim your Autopot system will do that. Not only water but costly nutrient.

For pollination for tomatoes, you recommend a battery operated tooth brush. I find it excellent. Hybrid varieties perform well in pots. the take a lot of abuse, erratic watering and inconsistency in nutrient formulation. Here again I get the benefit of the Autopot system. Trans­planted at 4 to 5 weeks of age into your 10-inch pots on a bench in the glasshouse fed by your system's 35 L container at cf 35. 0utside I have two tanks for cf 30 and cf 25. At the designated time the pots are transferred to the lower position and connected to the larger tanks.

Jim I thank you for the opportunity of meeting you to enable me to learn and adapt to your Autopot system which I found the right system for my needs.

Thank you for your friendship over these years and I wish you well in the future with your project world wide.

 
Kind regards


George Lucas