Gravity Drip System for 4 plants

Hello everyone, I have been reading some of the threads and have a good idea of how to make a drip system for my plants. I'm still in the dark, however, on the actual hardware and what not that goes into the irrigation itself.




I have a gravity fed tube that runs down the middle of my cabinet. I'd like to fashion four feeders/drippers, two on each side, but do not know what I need in terms of elbows, pressure valves, tube converters(?), nor what these things are. I really appreciate the help and am more than willing to do the reading as well if anyone knows a thread off the top of their head that details such specifics.

gkoat said:

I have a gravity fed tube that runs down the middle of my cabinet.

Click to expand...

Not too sure what you mean by that or whats its being used for now, any pics/ more info of your current setup so we can recommend modifications to achieve your goal?

I do not have pics, but will try to explain a bit better.

I have a tube that carries water from point a to point b through a gravity system. This tube runs in between two larger pots. I would ideally like to use four blumat watering cones, but I literally cannot find any guides on the terminology/use of all of the irrigation pieces(elbows, valves, etc).

I know that the tube should somehow have four lines coming out, two sets of two, but how do I make sure all four of them get water? And what "lines" do I use? How do I make sure all lines get pressure and not just the first two. Is there a specific piece I need to put on the end of the main tube as well? Is it more sophisticated than a simple cap?

gkoat said:

I do not have pics, but will try to explain a bit better.

I have a tube that carries water from point a to point b through a gravity system. This tube runs in between two larger pots. I would ideally like to use four blumat watering cones, but I literally cannot find any guides on the terminology/use of all of the irrigation pieces(elbows, valves, etc).

I know that the tube should somehow have four lines coming out, two sets of two, but how do I make sure all four of them get water? And what "lines" do I use? How do I make sure all lines get pressure and not just the first two. Is there a specific piece I need to put on the end of the main tube as well? Is it more sophisticated than a simple cap?

Click to expand...

i can get you pics up in a few days when Im fitting the blumats in the room

if youve not seen this thread it may help http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=111046&highlight=blumat

and heres a run I did last year with a 12 cone kit http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=98274

bests cmoon

A huge thanks for your response cmoon, and I'm very familiar with those threads - they were very influential in my decision to use the bluemat waterers.

That being said, I understand how the blumats work, and what I need to have on my end in terms of a water supply.

What I do not understand, and perhaps I'm not making it clear, is what I need to do with the parts listed on

http://www.rambridge.com/products/irrigat/tropf/tropfbu2.html

to get from my gravity fed main water line, to the blumats themselves. Specifically, I do not know how to connect my water line to a blumat. I do not know if I need a

02060253
Mini-Branch + Drip Tube
3 mini-branch plus 3m of drip tube for lengthening and creating a branch from the drip tube

for every line off of the main one? My tube that simply carries water is not a drip tube, is it?

hi buddy, the part number youve listed is for splitting the thin grey drip tube' which gives you more then one feed from a single blumat, I dont use these because they where not supplied with the kit I purchased.

ive drawn a simple diagram below if it helps before i can get some pics up........You need 3 standard connectors that allow one feed of grey drip tube and one stop end that as a drip tube connector........my water supply tube is cut into foot lengths then joined back together with the connectors!

Il try get you some pics up soon if iv not explained well enough

bests cmoon

Cmoon, many thanks, that was exactly what I needed. I do have a couple of questions though if you don't mind taking a stab now that I have your attention...

In what situations is a "pressure reducer" used? And does the gray line in your pic have to be any specific type of tubing? Or does it just have to fit the blumat/connectors?

And let's say I wasn't using blumats, would the system be similar? I guess what I'm more curious about, is whether or not there is anything happening in your picture that ensures the first or end dripper doesn't receive the bulk of the pressure? I know the Blumats do their job to make sure the plants get enough, but do larger setups usually use other devices to ensure pressure is shared among the drippers? It just seems like the bulk of pressure would hit the first or last dripper everytime.

I hear ya gkoat, these are good questions and il do my best to explain.

In what situations is a "pressure reducer" used? when you attach straight to a mains supply, like a garden tap or maybe if it where a large commercial grow with a huge rez.....deffinatly not required with less then a 100 litre tank.

does the gray line in your pic have to be any specific type as it comes with the blumats ( and you can purchase it alone) Id opt for yes, maybe something like shreider valve rubber will fit' but id have parnoid thoughts about its durability.

And let's say I wasn't using blumats, would the system be similar?

indeed it would, remove the blumats from my diagram and fit the black feedpipe to an appropriate timmed waterpump in the rez and you have a simple dripper setup.

is anything happening in your picture that ensures the first or end dripper doesn't receive the bulk of the pressure?

im no scientist but im asumeing as the system works on gravity' with the 2meters of feedpipe I run horizontal the pressures equal, as they work independantly from each other there all not emitting at the same time, when you first plug it all up I always close every valve on the cones, fill the tank then open the last one first, this removes any airlocks! then i adjust the others.....

Pressure is required , but very little ime' theres no constant water spurt from the ends, its just dropplets that make them nod fast for maybe 10/20 seconds then they stop.

anyways buddy hope iv been clear, you may want to give sunnydog a shout, he as experience with this kit outdoors as well and may have some differant angles for you to consider........its really simple and effective and you should get to grips whithin a few days of use, all the best

cmoon

the pic may help explain a bit more,