Autopot, homemade air pot and roots growing into auto fill valve ?

Hi mate, this is quite a common thing to happen with autopots. Usually they came with a copper sided sheet that goes either underneath the pot or at bottom of pot. The later is where i put it. It prevents the roots from growing through the bottom and affecting the valve. Exposing them to light will kill those roots but may cause other issues. Your best options are either buy one of those copper discs or create your own barrier. The valves are easy to clean so it is not a huge issue. Good luck and happy growing