Blumat auto watering

[heady blunts]

lokes-
when you're changing your rez, put the sensors in a little cup or pail of water. that way they don't lose any of the internal water to evaporation.

ak51-
the bleeder valve is necessary for the looped feeder line set up. GDbud suggested using a open line to vent, and that's been working problem free for me for a few months now, no bleeder valve. basically you put a T right after your thru-hull, one side faces down, and your feed line is run off that, and the other faces up, and you put 6-12" of line on that and leave the end open. that way any bubbles in your line can float up and out.

the only time i ever have a problem is if i let my rez go too low, then the pressure gets fucked, and the sensors stop opening, and my medium overdries, and the sensors lose internal water and thus stop functioning properly even if i refill my res. so i suggest you stay on top of that, and if you do let it go too long, consider refilling the blumats, hand watering your pots, and resetting the whole thing.

 

[rives]

Anyway, how high above the units themselves is it recommended that I place the rez?

I keep reading about this bleeder valve thing for bleeding out air bubbles. Is this 100% necessary? And how does it work? Where do you place it?

ak51- the bleeder valve is necessary for the looped feeder line set up.

AK51 - I think the higher you have the rez, the better they will function. If I remember correctly, the pressure reducer that Blumat sells is around 15psi, which would interpret to almost 35 feet of elevation change. My rez is about 3' above the blumats, but I would like more.

The bleeder valve also works well on a linear feed - just put the valve at the end of the line and you can purge out air bubbles by running it into a container. Every time you remove a 3mm line to work on the blumats, the plants, etc, you will get air in the system and a potential vapor lock if you don't have a way to purge the air.

 

[ak-51]

Thanks for the replies guys. So if I am setting mine up in what you guys call the linear way* then I need the valve at the end of the line. So if I can't find a valve locally I can just rig something up out of a c-clamp or something right? Or even a cap? Or even just kinking the line and keeping it that way?

*the linear method would be one line that snakes through the garden with T joints coming off of it to each unit, as opposed to a loop where the intake line goes into a t and then the whole thing goes around in a circle right?

 

[rives]

AK - your interpretation of a linear feed is the same as mine. I only run 3 plants max, so a loop around them doesn't work well for me. I think any of the methods that you mentioned to stop the flow would work, but I don't know how long the line will last if you kink it over - the sidewalls are pretty rigid and it seems as though it would crack in pretty short order.

 

[sunnydog]

Thanks for the replies guys. So if I am setting mine up in what you guys call the linear way* then I need the valve at the end of the line. So if I can't find a valve locally I can just rig something up out of a c-clamp or something right? Or even a cap? Or even just kinking the line and keeping it that way?

*the linear method would be one line that snakes through the garden with T joints coming off of it to each unit, as opposed to a loop where the intake line goes into a t and then the whole thing goes around in a circle right?

AK - your interpretation of a linear feed is the same as mine. I only run 3 plants max, so a loop around them doesn't work well for me. I think any of the methods that you mentioned to stop the flow would work, but I don't know how long the line will last if you kink it over - the sidewalls are pretty rigid and it seems as though it would crack in pretty short order.

You just need to purge regularly purge air from the system; straight, loop, it does not matter. Air bubbles tend to form on the insides of the supply tubing.

For clarification... what a "loop system" does, is in the event of a supply anomaly, IE, a clog or other interruption of water flow (bubble), water flow is redundant, having two sides to flow from. This will help fail safe the system. I also recommend two individual outlets from the res. , instead of a "T' .


SD

 

[farmdalefurr]

i hope this is what everyone is talking about. i have a main line coming out of each side. left and right side has the on/off valve/bleed valve. those lines run together to the T and ends up being one line that runs to a circle that i have my blumats hooked up to. if im totally off....... 1,000 pardons

 

[Peacefrog]

If you don't want to put in a valve you can purge air by opening up the last Blumat (or the one farthest from the reservoir in a loop) to a stream and catching the water in a cup or whatever. Problem with this is that you lose the setting of the dripper each time. You could also rig a diy valve by clamping a drip line coming off a tee at the end of the line but that is a flood waiting to happen if you aren't careful and/or have bad luck.

Like somebody else said you can't clamp or kink the supply line because it too rigid and overall very much a pain in the ass to work with.

 

[ak-51]

Thanks for all the responses. I should be ready to start setting mine up this weekend. Redundancy is a big plus for my, I always try to have redundant systems in case of a failure so I think I might try a looped system if I can swing it.

I'll be changing the way my table is set up too. Right now 4 girls in 3 gallon pots of coco are sitting on a 3x3 ebb and flow table. There are no hoses connected, I just put a bucket under the low drain (from where nutes would be pumped onto the table in e&f). I just have a 5 gallon bucket under there now, but in case something gets weird and empties the whole rez I think I'll try to put a larger container under there. I need to drop down my table a bit anyway, the ladies want to touch the sun (or what they think is the sun).

On the topic of redundancy. I am getting the 12 pack patio kit, for this run that means I'll have a bunch of extra units left over. This makes me think I could put 2 blumats in each pot in case of plugs or something. The other thing that crossed my mind was the idea of putting 2 blumats in a row on the same line, you know so that they would both have to open up for any water to get through. These 2 methods would be preventative measures for 2 different problems: blumats not feeding enough for some reason, and blumats feeding way too much for some reason. Which problem seems more likely or more damaging? Is putting 2 in a row on the same line even possible? I imagined that they would be slightly offset, the first one (nearest the rez) could be opened up more, it's really just a safety to prevent random floods. The one on the end would actually be the fine-tuned one and would be set to open with less moisture.

Feel free to point out if this is completely unrealistic. Those ideas are just based on how I think blumats work. Although I've already paid for my kit I still have never seen blumats in real life, let alone used them.

I think I've got a lot down already though: Don't have more in your rez than your drainage solution can handle. You must bleed the air bubbles somehow. Feed to runoff then calibrate.

Learning is fun!

 

[rives]

On the topic of redundancy. I am getting the 12 pack patio kit, for this run that means I'll have a bunch of extra units left over. This makes me think I could put 2 blumats in each pot in case of plugs or something. The other thing that crossed my mind was the idea of putting 2 blumats in a row on the same line, you know so that they would both have to open up for any water to get through. These 2 methods would be preventative measures for 2 different problems: blumats not feeding enough for some reason, and blumats feeding way too much for some reason. Which problem seems more likely or more damaging? Is putting 2 in a row on the same line even possible? I imagined that they would be slightly offset, the first one (nearest the rez) could be opened up more, it's really just a safety to prevent random floods. The one on the end would actually be the fine-tuned one and would be set to open with less moisture.

I had also considered using two blumats per pot (3 gallon smart pots), but gave up on the idea when I recalled the trouble I had synching multiple carburetors on my Triumph years ago. I do think the idea holds promise if you could get them set properly, and I have found with my plants that having multiple spots for the irrigation is a plus. On the last two runs I have used the remote emitters and have found the whole pot to be more consistently damp. I would be a little leery of trying to put two in series, but who knows? You might be on to something to control runaways. I think the more potentially lethal problem is the mix drying out too much, while the runaways are just more of a pain in the ass. I thinkt that the parallel set up would help to eliminate the possibility of them getting too dry, whereas the series arrangement would address runaways.

 

[ROOTZ]

rives .... I tried it your way . watered till run off last night & tonight i set them so that a droplet is just hanging there ..... didn't tighten the valve after that so now we'll see what happens in the next few days . i just can't figure how tightening the valve even 1 arrow will let the water flow through cuz of how sensitive the turn valve is .... a fraction of a turn will slow it down to a point of no dripping .we'll see i guess .
thanx guys !!!

growem green & stay safe ....Dan

Hey dansbuds, curious to know how this adjustment worked out for you.

I found this bit of info a few pages back while trying to find an answer to adjusting these in coco. Very similar to what rives is saying.

I agree. Blumats and coco have been an awesome combination for me. I have used some coco that was coarser and chunkier that was harder to keep wet with blumats and I was constantly adjusting in that coco. Now I just make sure to look for the finer coir and not the chips and it works much better, even cut with some perlite.

Dialing in blumats in coco is a little different than what the manual says. If you hand water to runoff before setting up the blumat (which you should) you will have a very wet and heavy pot. If you put your blumat in the coco at that point and tighten 2.5 arrows from the stop of dripping, your coco will completely dry out before the blumat triggers. I assume this has something to do with coco's wicking ability that keeps the moisture evenly distributed in the pot but I haven't given it that much thought. I just know that I always end up loosening and tweaking the blumats a lot more if the coco dries out completely.

What works for me is letting the saturated coco go for a day before I try to dial in the blumats to let some of the excess moisture get out of the pot. And then at most I only tighten one arrow from the stop of the drip. I use Smart Pots and I am typically only installing blumats in pots with freshly transplanted and/or young plants - the same scenario might not work out with mature plants or hard pots. My goal is for the blumats to maintain the moisture level about halfway between completely saturated and dried out. If it dries out completely it is almost eaiser to hand water to runoff again and start the process over again, only not tightening so much the next time around.

I know nobody asked for advice on the subject, but I don't recall ever seeing anything in this thread about the nuances of dialing in blumats in coco so I hope this helps anyone thinking about making the switch.

EDIT: Forgot to ask: When you let the pots sit overnight do you put the unhooked Blumats in or leave them out?

 

[ROOTZ]

You just need to purge regularly purge air from the system; straight, loop, it does not matter. Air bubbles tend to form on the insides of the supply tubing.

For clarification... what a "loop system" does, is in the event of a supply anomaly, IE, a clog or other interruption of water flow (bubble), water flow is redundant, having two sides to flow from. This will help fail safe the system. I also recommend two individual outlets from the res. , instead of a "T' .


SD

Definitely agree on this one, which is why I incorporated it into my set-up. There does seem to be quite a bit of air in the system from time to time.

I also found it handy when having to make ph changes to my res. I can purge all the lines to get that corrected ph'd water dripping out of the Blumats ASAP, as opposed to waiting for the lines to clear or messing with each one individually.

 

[rives]

EDIT: Forgot to ask: When you let the pots sit overnight do you put the unhooked Blumats in or leave them out?

I leave mine soaking in a pot of water until they are hooked up and ready to rock.

 

[dansbuds]

ROOTZ is on a distinguished road

Quote:
Originally Posted by dansbuds View Post
rives .... I tried it your way . watered till run off last night & tonight i set them so that a droplet is just hanging there ..... didn't tighten the valve after that so now we'll see what happens in the next few days . i just can't figure how tightening the valve even 1 arrow will let the water flow through cuz of how sensitive the turn valve is .... a fraction of a turn will slow it down to a point of no dripping .we'll see i guess .
thanx guys !!!

growem green & stay safe ....Dan
Hey dansbuds, curious to know how this adjustment worked out for you.

it worked better for me than the way the manufacturer suggests . i found that tightening the valve 1 or 2 arrows never seem to let the water flow through as the soil was drying .... it always dried out & i had to start over . the way rives suggested worked great .... you drench your pots the day before you set the blumats in the soil .... this way the soil is not too moist or dry its nearly perfect for the plants . then you set up the blumats & adjust the valve so that a drop of water just hangs off the end .... no slow drips . also you DON'T tighten the valve on the blumat either ....the hanging drip is good enough . within a day or 2 you'll see the blumats drip feeding your soil ... keep an eye on the moisture levels & loosen the valve if you want it moister or tighten the valve if you want it drier . its that easy
i hope this helps you .

growem green & stay safe ...Dans

 

[Peacefrog]

Feel free to point out if this is completely unrealistic. Those ideas are just based on how I think blumats work. Although I've already paid for my kit I still have never seen blumats in real life, let alone used them.

I think I've got a lot down already though: Don't have more in your rez than your drainage solution can handle. You must bleed the air bubbles somehow. Feed to runoff then calibrate.

Learning is fun!

If all you have is the patio set it is completely unrealistic. The drip line that comes with the set isn't long enough to pull it off. That's why the recurring theme early on in this thread is get a roll of drip line to make your life easier.

I have used 2 Blumats per pot for 3 and 5 gallon Smart Pots and 1 Blumat for 1 and 2 gallon. I may try the remote drippers someday if I ever make another order because there is a lot of trial and error to getting 2 Blumats in the same pot in synch. It works but you just have to adjust a little more.

If you go with 1 in a 3 gallon pot I would extend the drip line a little farther away from the sensor so that it will drip a little longer and extend the coverage. I think the suggested length is 8 cm - add another cm or roughly 1/2 inch. Don't overdo it or you get the potential for runaways.

Good summary of the basics by the way.

EDIT: Forgot to ask: When you let the pots sit overnight do you put the unhooked Blumats in or leave them out?

I typically put the Blumats in the pot and hook them up to the supply line and come back the next day to adjust. That's just what works easiest for my tent setups. It probably doesn't really matter as long as you have soaked the Blumats in water before putting them in the pot.

I usually give them a full day (not just overnight) before adjusting. Again this is for clones/seedlings or fresh transplants in coco. Plants that have been in the same pot for a while will generally suck up the water a lot quicker and will need to be adjusted sooner.

 

[familystone]

I am going to be using blumats in buckets filled with napa diatomaceous earth oildri. The aggregate is medium pebble size, so it's smaller than higromite/diatomite etc.

There shouldn't be any problem using this combo, right? On my thread in the organic hydro forum coco seems to be the required medium but I don't think there should be. Unless there is some issue with the ceramic of blumats and silica of DE, but wet is wet...so?

 

[sunnydog]

I am going to be using blumats in buckets filled with napa diatomaceous earth oildri. The aggregate is medium pebble size, so it's smaller than higromite/diatomite etc.

There shouldn't be any problem using this combo, right? On my thread in the organic hydro forum coco seems to be the required medium but I don't think there should be. Unless there is some issue with the ceramic of blumats and silica of DE, but wet is wet...so?

Hmmmmmm.
Let us know how it goes.
Might work.
Cool if it did.


SD

 

[supermanlives]

I am going to be using blumats in buckets filled with napa diatomaceous earth oildri. The aggregate is medium pebble size, so it's smaller than higromite/diatomite etc.

There shouldn't be any problem using this combo, right? On my thread in the organic hydro forum coco seems to be the required medium but I don't think there should be. Unless there is some issue with the ceramic of blumats and silica of DE, but wet is wet...so?

i think you might be in for some problems with that medium . good luck

 

[huntingbb]

if i might be so bold...

Imagine a sensor that was moist from contact with wet soil...

Then imagine its jammed in a bunch of rocks...

If nothing else the difference in area contacting the medium, and add in its lack of holding moisture..

I'm sure it can be used on other mediums, they say soil here as well.. But it's not a hydro drip ring..

I would, however, be willing to bet a pure bucket of perlite would work..

(not being the expert in blumats i could be wrong i suppose...)

 

[Lazyman]

I am going to be using blumats in buckets filled with napa diatomaceous earth oildri. The aggregate is medium pebble size, so it's smaller than higromite/diatomite etc.

There shouldn't be any problem using this combo, right? On my thread in the organic hydro forum coco seems to be the required medium but I don't think there should be. Unless there is some issue with the ceramic of blumats and silica of DE, but wet is wet...so?

Very doubtful, it would lack the contact area with the cone and the ability to keep the cone wet, so the blumat would be in free-flow all the time. I don't think blumats are right for that environment. If you were using very tall/deep pots and Blumat Maxis there MIGHT be enough moisture in the bottom to keep the sensor wet, but with anything else I think it's got a 1% chance of working as expected.

 

[familystone]

the aggregate is the size of small to medium pebbles similar to perlite. If there is a problem with too little contact area I could just mix in with finer DE like the stuff you get at bLowes. I guess we'll just have to see. I still think wet is wet, but I have been wrong before.