HOW TO SET-UP A BLUMAT SYSTEM

[TokeRippa]

Hey all, was hoping someone could give me some advice. Ive read through many of the go-to forums and have my blumats on the way. I thought it'd be a good idea for anyone new to the concept if we had a beginners thread.

Im small time and grow for personal use. I use coco under LED and hate having to constantly mix nutes.

When designing the system i came up with many questions about how to set up the lines and res. Between Lazyman, DHF, SD et al we have a lot of experience here and with that comes a multitude of ingenuity and experimentation.

Im looking to keep things simple and planned on not using any pumps. My basic idea is to have a 10-15 gallon res for my 4-6 plants in 3 gallon smart pots. Of course i will have to ph the res every few days and top off maybe once a week. But i here lots on different valves that folks use and was wondering what besides the basic setup would folks recommend? I am a visual person and sometimes find it difficult to understand things simply by reading them.

 

[og79]

I would put the rez as high as possible, and try to keep the water level constant. Fluctuating pressure makes the drippers fluctuate and over/under water. My biggest problem with them was getting algae in the rez because the water was never changed out, just topped off. Ill try dm zone next time I use them.
In all honessty, with your set up, you will have a much easier time with a pump, 1/2 inch hose, drippers, and a cycle timer. You can dial in your watering times easily, and you wont have to deal with them clogging or over watering. My blumat plants were supper healthly though, and you will probably get a little better growth if you use them. Good luck.

 

[gdbud]

This is how I have my system set up.


This image was found on
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=111046

If you ordered the patio set fallow the direction that come with it and also read through the above thread it contains a wealth of information.

One note to add: I have not found a valve that will fit the 8mm tubing so what I have done at the end of the line I came off with the 3mm line and use a small binder clip to pinch off the line. I also use a binder clips to pinch off the other 3mm feeder lines if I need to stop the flow at a blumat device for some reason.

 

[gdbud]

My rez I installed two lines one at the top of the rez and one at the bottom.
The top line runs from another Rubbermaid container with a pump to feed water and nuts in the the rez.
The bottom line is a drain line so that I able to drain and flush the rez easily.

 

[TokeRippa]

Wow, thanks guys for the quick responses. Where can I pick up the hull adapters and shut off valves? I was thinking of using a cooler as a rez; one which has a hole already predrilled in it for allowing melted ice water to drain out. I took a look at he local home depot and it of course would need some sort of modification.

 

[gdbud]

if you get the patio kit it comes with the required hull adapter (1) for the 8mm tubing.
The problem is trying to find valves in the US that are in the mm size and trying to get the ones in the 1/8 - 3/16 Inch size will not work with the 8mm tubing without having them leak.
Then ordering a single $1.00 valve you have to pay like $10.00 shipping.

If I was running a room full of plants instead of just two plants I would pay the shipping and place a valve at the end of each line and at each blumat device. But since I only grow two plants at a time I have found that the binder clips work just fine.

 

[krunchbubble]

Wow, thanks guys for the quick responses. Where can I pick up the hull adapters and shut off valves? I was thinking of using a cooler as a rez; one which has a hole already predrilled in it for allowing melted ice water to drain out. I took a look at he local home depot and it of course would need some sort of modification.

You can use flood and drain fittings, instead of hull adapters, much cheaper and easier to get....

Shut off valves at the hydro store or Home Depot...

 

[TokeRippa]

I screwed up and didnt buy the patio kit. I bought the accessory kit and maxis all separately. I didnt order a hull fitting. What size drain fiting would be best? 1/4, 1/2 or somethingg else?

 

[krunchbubble]

I screwed up and didnt buy the patio kit. I bought the accessory kit and maxis all separately. I didnt order a hull fitting. What size drain fiting would be best? 1/4, 1/2 or somethingg else?

Depends on the size of your main line....

I use 3/4" because it was shown to have less air bubbles over a 1/2 line, which is a concern....

 

[TokeRippa]

The main line is 8 mm in the kit.

 

[krunchbubble]

The main line is 8 mm in the kit.

Oh shoot, my bad....

Dont think any of us blumat users, use the main line that comes with the kit...

We use larger main line and use single barbs to hook the drip line into the main line...

 

[TokeRippa]

Oh shoot, my bad....

Dont think any of us blumat users, use the main line that comes with the kit...

We use larger main line and use single barbs to hook the drip line into the main line...

Ohhh, ok. So i could get some 3/4 line and connectors but Im still confused how to hook up to the drip line. You said single barbs. Are those tropf blumat barbs or another brand?

 

[InstantKarma]

Ohhh, ok. So i could get some 3/4 line and connectors but Im still confused how to hook up to the drip line. You said single barbs. Are those tropf blumat barbs or another brand?

They are the Kent Systems barbs. Just google kent systems 3/32 barb and you should see them.

 

[gdbud]

What size drain fiting would be best? 1/4, 1/2 or somethingg else?

I used a 5/8 ID tubing for the drain line

I mentioned the I had installed a drain line into my rez along with the 8mm feeder line. This drain line makes it easier to clean out the rez during and after a grow cycle.
To make this drain line I used a 5/8" 90 degree elbow with a barbed fitting on one side and threads on the other then I found a fitting that it would thread into (I think it was a threaded electrical coupling) then placed a O ring on each side of the container and tighten, but not to tight

 

[Desert Hydro]

i run the stock tubing but i ordered all the 3/4" tubing and barbs to set up my new flower area. link to my main blumat grow below... stock works fine for the most part just keep an eye on it and you'll be fine.

 

[gdbud]

Bump: I edited my last post