Blumats and Living Soil (my split from main thread)

[sunnydog]

question for you guys

I was reading on another site, that they made it sound like the drippers don't turn off, only you control the seconds in between it dripping ??? I thought they shut off after there is enough moisture?

also I hear the hose is "special" and can't find many places? I read you can split the dripper line, but how can I find splitters for that size tubing?


thanks

Not true. Follow the instructions.
Yes, the dripper line must be B/M, I know of no substitutions.

SD

 

[habeeb]

^ thank you

I'm not sure what those guys were doing on that other website then, as they had them in flood trays to catch the runoff, s they said it constantly makes run-off..... wack

thanks again

oh, BTW, do you know a store in the US that sells all the parts for the blumats? I'm kinda a picky perfectionist, and know I'll need more splitters / drip line emitters.. I saw the Europe store, but who wants to pay high priced shipping.

I think this would work very well for my veg plants / sexing plants, not sure if I would switch my flowering plants over, but we'll see...

 

[sunnydog]

^ thank you

I'm not sure what those guys were doing on that other website then, as they had them in flood trays to catch the runoff, s they said it constantly makes run-off..... wack

thanks again

oh, BTW, do you know a store in the US that sells all the parts for the blumats? I'm kinda a picky perfectionist, and know I'll need more splitters / drip line emitters.. I saw the Europe store, but who wants to pay high priced shipping.

I think this would work very well for my veg plants / sexing plants, not sure if I would switch my flowering plants over, but we'll see...

Occasionally (we are all still trying to find out the cause(es), a unit can under/over water, so you do want to use a tray to catch any potential drainage/runoff.

However, when properly dialed in,they only water when needed.
They do not function like a traditional dripper.
There is a thread in the general grow forum that addresses many of these questions,and then some!


SD

PS can't help with source, but I think there are many.

 

[mad librettist]

no prob, I sent him a source via rep

 

[oKiHai]

Can you explain what this sentence means?

"BTW i use a vent to prevent vaporlock in the style of GDBud."

 

[habeeb]

no prob, I sent him a source via rep

Yes, thanks for that mad !!

 

[heady blunts]

Can you explain what this sentence means?

BTW i use a vent to prevent vaporlock in the style of GDBud.

well sunnyd and lazyman both use a "looped" feed line where both ends are plugged into the res (separately, not t'd), and the drip lines run from that to the blumat sensors in their pots. this prevents "vapor lock" really well so that everything stays functioning properly. but both of them have bigger grows than me (tent and giant room respectively).

since i'm in a microgrow situation, i used a different technique suggested by icmag user GDBud in the main blumat thread. i call it a vented line. basically you set it up like this: res -> through-hull ->3" feed line -> "t" fitting (oriented vertically). then you put a 12" or so piece of feed line coming off the top of the "t" (that's your vent), and run your main feed line from the bottom of the "t". ideally you'd put a shutoff valve at the very end of that line too, although i don't have one.

here's an older picture that's a little less crowded:

 

[heady blunts]

i just made this composite photo and i dont know where else to post it

 

[mad librettist]

quick way to check that a blumat has not drained out - loosen the dial 2-3 clicks. if nothing comes out, pull out the sensor and check the water level.

 

[gOurd^jr.]

Just thought I'd chip in my experience with the blumats in my living organic soil, complete with mushrooms popping up on the surface. I LOVE the blumats, they are the only way I can cram my flowering room so full. I can get around, but its pretty darn full in there and getting to the back everyday to water? trying to determine how much water each plant needs when they're tied to the walls/cieling? fugetaboutit! I just have to crawl back there every couple days to inspect and whenever I wanna feed. I want to reccomend the blumat Maxi to all you using bigger pots. I haven't tried the regular size blumats but I would only use them on like a #2-3 pot. I'm sure they work fine on a #5 too but I went for the deeper sensor. I use one Maxi in a #5-#7 felt pot, covers great. Sometimes I extend the drip hose a little(in a #7) so that it takes longer for the drip to wet the cone sensor, this results in a larger diameter of the pot getting watered. It's easy to adjust the drip length so that it will water the whole pot. WARNING: making the drip too long will increase your likelihood of runaway drippers! I only extend a little and then If i still want more water I'll adjust the dial to a wetter setting. I do what Sunnydog suggests too and make a little bowl under the dripper. This is also where I topdress (usually just the dregs from ACT or some guano).
In a #10 pot I use 2 maxi's, and I've run 3 of them in #25 pots with good coverage and success. I'm only on my second run with the blumats. Had a couple runaway drippers in the first run and one tried to run away this round when I first set'em up cause I didn't have the cap sealed right...since then no trouble. To feed with ACT or FPE's or whatever else I just hand feed the plant and the drippers sense the extra moisture and shut off for a day or so until they pots dry back out to normal moisture. This does kinda oversoak the plants temporarily but its simple and easy to do and they starts dripping again within 48hrs usually. Plants love the even moisture and they can get as much to drink as they need anytime. hooray for Blumats!

 

[heady blunts]

drew this for my friend so he could understand the loop set up. thought others might find it useful...

edit: 7/7/11 updated per sunnyd's suggestions

 

[sunnydog]

drew this for my friend so he could understand the loop set up. thought others might find it useful...

Nice drawing!

 

[mad librettist]

what is the loop setup for?

I am fucking pissed at my blumats. I had a runaway yesterday before work. made me late.

so I broke down and ordered the maxi's. my pots are just too deep and fast for the regular sensors. the one maxi I have is always just right.

 

[sunnydog]

what is the loop setup for?

I am fucking pissed at my blumats. I had a runaway yesterday before work. made me late.

so I broke down and ordered the maxi's. my pots are just too deep and fast for the regular sensors. the one maxi I have is always just right.

The loop is for in case of obstruction, bubbles.etc. water can reach from 2 sides.
Runaways suck.
We are all trying to find ways to limit this.
It would be PERFECT if it were not for this.
Shame.

 

[love2gro]

if im gonna use maxis all i need are the sensors, 3mm tubing, tees, and i can get the 8mm tubing elsewhere?

 

[Opus53]

Nice drawing!

after about 5 years useing these indoor iv had desant results which ever way iv run it but id agree something looped seems most appropriate.....my current as a tap for drain at the end of a loop but with only one side connected to the rez,(loops at a constant hight)........anyways great thread sunnydog, as this drip feed method promotes exceptional air roots close to the surface I tend to leave room to add additional substrate ( normally recycled compost/coir) and dress feed dry tea mixtures made from eggshells,nettles,fruit & green peelings after useing chemicals of all varietys with some good results, im intending going green after trialing molasses for over 2 years (not in rez) my thirst for knowledge is wanting.

bests OPus

eta....I did note a very heavy gnat attack after useing molasses for the first time, bug traps where hammered

 

[laylow]

Wicked thread loads of info i can use here... pleased i only got a starter pack of the reg blumats as i may need the maxi at a later date and would have been bummed if i had to replace them...

need another tank connector it looks like as my kit only come with one...

why are shut off valve a good idea not seen a mention on why just that they are a good idea?

thanks for all the info guys

 

[heady blunts]

i finally drew the diagram for a vented line set up. this is how mine is set up (actually i don't have a shut off valve -- it's not necessary, just convenient). credit goes to GDbud for the idea. works great and especially well suited for micro grows.

 

[mad librettist]

is the dump necessary? i like having the on/off valve near the rez, so I can turn it off to work on them or whatever. I only have one of those.

 

[heady blunts]

no a shut off valve is not necessary. mine just ends at one of the drip line tees. i just put it there in the diagram to make it easier to empty the res and flush the lines.

now that you mention it i guess ideally there would be another shut off valve where the "3" piece of feed line" comes out of the res.

but like i said: shut off valves aren't necessary. i don't have any.

i edited my previous post to clear that up