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Blumat auto watering

L

lowbrow

New member
sunnydog said:
Good to be alert on the dial in 7-10 days. Get your res. up as high as possible. Keep an eye on that one. Find a way to mark the ones you have adjusted, as constant tweaking is not good. Also, although I like having long dripper lines, if using a res. probably not good to go too long, as bubbles can get trapped in the 3mm.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Lights off during the day here, I just went and looked and found another empty cone. I'm a little confused as to why this is occurring. I'm using the pressure reducer per your advice. It seems like something happened during setup. I'm still guessing air bubbles in the sensors, altho I let the carrots soak, and held them and the tops underwater while filling. The only thing I can think of is not letting them soak WITH the caps on. Would that make a difference?

There was a part of the instructions that I don't remember anyone here talking much about. It reads: "IMPORTANT: Before setting, all Blumat units must be "closed". Simply turn the brown setting screw in a clockwise direction. No dripping may occur anywhere."

Maybe I should resoak, screw on the caps underwater, unscrew the valve, soak awhile longer, and tighten the valves underwater? Does this make any sense, or am I on the wrong track? Thank you again for any tips.
 
L

lowbrow

New member
cody2white said:
You watering the pots before you stick them in?
Click to expand...

Definitely. Super soaked. Thank you for checking. My girls were so overwatered they were droopy for a day or 2 before they dried out and the drippers kicked in.

I'm thinking it's air bubbles in the caps. I just capped a few carrots that have been soaking for a day or so. The caps trap a LOT of air around the valve. Initially,I was tapping them with my finger underwater to release the bubbles, but this time while filling, I tapped AND rotated the caps, tapping all the way around the edge, changing the angle over and over again trying to get any last air out, and there was definitely more bubbles trapped in these few than I remember when I first got set up.

The other thing I noticed was that the caps will screw on quite firmly. Before, I just tightened them until they seemed tight, being wary of stripping the plastic threads, but this time I torqued them a little farther, and I bet each one went another quarter-turn tighter.

It's gotta be something simple. Here's hoping.
 
cody2white

cody2white

ghost in training
Veteran
Its gotta be the cap. I don't let mine soak and they gave me no issues. I take the cap off underwater fill em up turn the dial all the way loose tighten it back up put cap on and place in pot. And they are rockin.

Goodluck I hope you figure it out!
 
L

lowbrow

New member
cody2white said:
Its gotta be the cap. I don't let mine soak and they gave me no issues. I take the cap off underwater fill em up turn the dial all the way loose tighten it back up put cap on and place in pot. And they are rockin.

Goodluck I hope you figure it out!
Click to expand...

Thanks again. Do you fill them with the 3mm drip line installed? Would that make a difference? Once they're wet and capped I have been taking them to the wet pot, unscrewing the brown valve, slipping the hose thru, then closing the valve again, and inserting it into the soil. Then finally opening back up to a full spray and dialing to a cling +2 arrows.

Is that incorrect? The section of the instructions I quoted in my last post doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

I have some more capped and soaking from investigating just now. I'm going to remove the brown adjustment screw completely and see if any air comes out.

Any further thoughts are greatly appreciated! :thank you:
 
silver hawaiian

silver hawaiian

Active member
Veteran
lowbrow said:
Thanks again. Do you fill them with the 3mm drip line installed? Would that make a difference? Once they're wet and capped I have been taking them to the wet pot, unscrewing the brown valve, slipping the hose thru, then closing the valve again, and inserting it into the soil. Then finally opening back up to a full spray and dialing to a cling +2 arrows.

Is that incorrect? The section of the instructions I quoted in my last post doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

I have some more capped and soaking from investigating just now. I'm going to remove the brown adjustment screw completely and see if any air comes out.

Any further thoughts are greatly appreciated! :thank you:
Click to expand...

Are you soaking them with the green caps off? That's how I do.

Aside from that, I do exactly as you described in the first paragraph. I've found, though, that I don't always necessarily need the +2 arrows - Sometimes I'm good with just a smidgen of cling, and sometimes it's a big cling + ~1 arrow.
 
rives

rives

Inveterate Tinkerer
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I always soak mine with the caps off. Turn the spike vertical while it is submerged and tap it - bubbles get trapped under the plastic ring where it mounts to the ceramic. Also, Rrog came up with the notion of taking a syringe and forcing more water into the holes inside the cap while holding it submerged. This, in particular, has helped me with trapped air bubbles.
 
sunnydog

sunnydog

Drip King
Veteran
lowbrow said:
Thanks. Lights off during the day here, I just went and looked and found another empty cone. I'm a little confused as to why this is occurring. I'm using the pressure reducer per your advice. It seems like something happened during setup. I'm still guessing air bubbles in the sensors, altho I let the carrots soak, and held them and the tops underwater while filling. The only thing I can think of is not letting them soak WITH the caps on. Would that make a difference?

There was a part of the instructions that I don't remember anyone here talking much about. It reads: "IMPORTANT: Before setting, all Blumat units must be "closed". Simply turn the brown setting screw in a clockwise direction. No dripping may occur anywhere."

Maybe I should resoak, screw on the caps underwater, unscrew the valve, soak awhile longer, and tighten the valves underwater? Does this make any sense, or am I on the wrong track? Thank you again for any tips.
Click to expand...
Something is wrong.....What I do; Toss cones and caps in a bucket with water. Let sit, several hours(overnight).
Jiggle any bubbles out of cap. Screw caps on under water.

Thread drip line thru hole. Jam carrot tightly into soil.
Open adj. knob till water shoots out, thus purging any inline bubbles.
Close knob down till just a drop clings at the tip of dripline.
Close knob an additional two arrow spaces.( I do ever so slightly less than two full turns)


Don't severely tighten the knob, as this can perf. the line. Using the P/R, you will have NO bubble issues, as 15psi. blows them right thru.:blowbubbles:

I think that's it!
 
Last edited:
L

lowbrow

New member
Thanks everybody. Sorry for my confusion. You've all described pretty much the steps I followed setting up. Soaked uncapped, then capped underwater, installed, opened wide to a full spray, then dialed back.

I think my problem was just extra air trapped inside the caps. The size of some the air bubbles I saw tonight when capping off a few tonight convinced me to be more diligent about taking extra time jiggling them around. And then capping extra tight.

I'll see how it goes and report back. If I only have 2 hiccups for the first 24 blumats I've ever set up, that seems pretty kind. And my girls all look happy with huge new leaves. :biggrin:
 
V

vein5

Member
alot of good info here but im unclear about how many blumats I should be running in 3 gallon smart pots. If i went the tropt dripper route, how many drippers would be ideal.
 
sunnydog

sunnydog

Drip King
Veteran
Slaves

Slaves

vein5 said:
Ok so just one per plant. I read one post where he was using 3 per 3 gallon . I thought that would be over kill.
Click to expand...
Normally, one carrot per 3gal. pot is just fine.This is how 99% of mine are. I have a GIANT Golden Tiger which I've provided with 2 xtra slave drippers(3 total ), as it is INCREDIBLY root bound. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to hand water it.

I used to be anti-slave dripper(had a problem with clogging, outdoors).
However with good, clean indoor water, they have been working FLAWLESSLY!

So I would say if you got 'em, use 'em. Usually not necessary, though. Use the little B/M stakes to keep them above the surface of the dirt.
 
silver hawaiian

silver hawaiian

Active member
Veteran
sunnydog said:
Normally, one carrot per 3gal. pot is just fine.This is how 99% of mine are. I have a GIANT Golden Tiger which I've provided with 2 xtra slave drippers(3 total ), as it is INCREDIBLY root bound. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to hand water it.

I used to be anti-slave dripper(had a problem with clogging, outdoors).
However with good, clean indoor water, they have been working FLAWLESSLY!

So I would say if you got 'em, use 'em. Usually not necessary, though. Use the little B/M stakes to keep them above the surface of the dirt.
Click to expand...

I don't use the slave drippers, but with the regular sensors, I've found that sometimes they want to lay flat (too flat for my liking) along the dirt.

I broke off the tops of some plastic forks and stuck 'em in the dirt, tines-up. Makes a nice little channel/groove for the dripper to sit in, above the dirt.

:dance:

Thanks, FlowerFarmer, for the idea!
 
budman678

budman678

I come from the land where the oceans freeze
Veteran
its on!

i just water last night so i am going to wait to install them till next watering. i am buying a 10gall rez tonight and will begin planing the installation

C6qOs.jpg
 
sunnydog

sunnydog

Drip King
Veteran
sunnydog said:
I was just thinking....a beer keg or a soda keg(sold @ homebrew shops or available from beer store for a 10 dollar deposit) could be used as a pressure tank ! A bit of DIY will obviously be needed, the standard B/M P/R could be used to regulate output pressure. The the soda kegs the top could be opened to refill, beer keg is trickier but I,m sure it could be done. Probably be able to use the supplied tap. Use compressed air for pressure.

I use straight water so I don't need this, but I,m SURE this would kick ass for many people!
BTW kegs are 316 SS, so no contamination or corrosion problems!:dance013:
Think about it!
Click to expand...
:yay:Bumped because I think this could help many people. It would be pretty easy and not terribly expensive.:blowbubbles:
 
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