Ahopegarden Indoor Smart Planter Semi-automatic Countertop Mini Hydroponic System Setup and Review

Simple and quick setup, self-contained, includes everything you need to get started growing indoors any time of the year. Amazon Affiliate Product Link: https://geni.us/5QrvJj As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned Buy Direct from Ahopegarden: https://ahopegarden.com/?ref=3zcpozWy [Ahopegarden Affiliate Product Link] You’ll receive the smart planter, quick start card, and a full illustrated instruction manual. The accessories arrive inside the water tank and include 8 grow sponges (not pre-seeded), an 8-pack of grow baskets, and an accessory pack with plant tags, humidity domes, hole covers, spare drain hole plug, plastic tweezers, 12 sticker labels, wall power adapter with 5 foot power cord, and two different squeeze bottles of fertilizer pellets labeled A and B. The smart planter measures 11” W, 7” tall, and 6.5” deep. The height of the light is adjustable on a telescoping column; just be sure to hold the unit steady while raising it. The light should be raised as your plants grow larger and the max height of the light is 20.25” above the table or about 15” above the planting deck. There are four different kinds of LED lights in the lamp on top including full spectrum white, short and long wave red for photosynthesis and plant health, and blue for vegetative and flowering. You can choose from two different light modes to stimulate vegetative growth or encourage flowering and fruiting depending on the type and maturity of your plants. The planter has eight holes for the planting pods and the ninth hole here, covered by a rubber cap, is the inlet for refilling the water tank below. At the bottom of the water tank is a water pump to keep the water moving and oxygenated, so that it won’t become stagnant. To its left along the bottom is the drain hole for emptying the unit. At the back of the planter, the short power cord of the pump gets plugged into the top port, making the pump replaceable if needed, while the lower port is for the AC power adaptor. On front of the plant, the water tank has a clear window marked from 1-3 liters in half liter increments so you can monitor the water level and add more when needed. On top of the light is the control panel with the power button, water pump button, vegetative light mode and flowering and fruiting light mode. And finally, on the bottom of the sides are recessed handholds for picking up and moving the planter easily. The quickstart card gives fairly complete and detailed planting instructions for soaking the seeds, pods, and setting up the planter. If planting fewer than 8 pods, be sure to cover the open holes to prevent bugs or other contaminants from getting in the water tank. Once all the seeds are planted, just fill the water tank up to the max fill line so that the water can keep the pods moist throughout the germination process. For germinating seeds, you may or maynot need to power on the lights, depending on what you're planting. Just note though, that pressing the power button turns on both the lights and the water pump right away. Tapping the light mode button turns off the lights, but note that they will automatically turn back on 10 hours later and operate in a 16 on 8 off cycle. The same is true for the water pump. If you turn it off, it will start up again after 10 hours and runs in 30 minute on/off cycles. I recommend leaving the pump on to avoid any problems with stagnancy like anaerobic bacteria or algae growth. You won't need the fertilizers until after the seeds have germinated. However, to use them, just add 100 ml of water to each bottle and shake to dissolve the pellets. Once made, the solution is good for 5 months when stored out of direct sunlight. Both these fertilizers should be used together for optimal plant health and each of the plastic screw tops have measuring lines up to 15 ml so try not to lose them. You’ll need to add 5 ml of fertilizer from each of the bottles for every liter of water added to the tank throughout the growing process. If you’re curious as to the composition of the fertilizer, the labels have a detailed breakdown of each of the nutrients so you can refill and reuse them. What I like about this product is that it’s all self-contained and the planter doesn’t have to be placed near a window because it’s got its own lights and timers. It’s also not so smart that you;ll need a smartphone or app to operate it. Once it’s setup the only thing you really need to do is refill the water tank when it drops below 1 liter, raise the lights as your plants grow taller, and use the fertilizer after the seeds germinate. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned Amazon Affiliate Product Link: https://geni.us/5QrvJj Buy Direct from Ahopegarden: https://ahopegarden.com/?ref=3zcpozWy [Ahopegarden Affiliate Product Link]