Blumats? Lets Do This.....
- Thread starter krunchbubble
- Start date
i'd have to agree with FF's advice.
the biggest trigger for run aways and malfunctions is allowing a lot of fluctuation in your res level.
remember gravity based water pressure is measured from the surface level to the exit point. even a 6" fluctuation in your res might give you problems.
The straight barbs, my fingers still hurt from only doing 25...
I researched this a lot and talked to several people for a long time, they probably think im psycho or something for asking SO many questions...
I came to the conclusion that a larger main line (1/2"), clears many problems with air getting into the system. AND having a loop configuration will also keep even pressure...
I may have NOT done it right. I know there is a learning curve, and I will master it...
The system has not been up for 24 hours yet, im still thinking on improvements to do, Such as hooking up fresh water from my RO to a float valve, to ALWAYS have the res topped off....
Whats the worst that can happen? Plants CAN'T eat me!
ALSO, Heady Blunts, your one of the people i got most my info from, i may not of PM you, but i read EVERYTHING you had to say about the system...
Your design with the res on res was one of three designs I was contemplating on using. It just came out that a looped system would be the better choice FOR ME, as the res on res way, i just couldn't see how to build it properly. Plus a pump running 24/7 in a res i dont like at all.....
gee thanks krunch!
well with my micro set up i can get away with some stuff i wouldn't do in a larger system.
for your size situation and larger i'd definitely stick with the loop set up like you've done. i'd probably go for a pressure reducer on a hose spigot rather than a res, but then again i use fully amended soil. since i don't run nutes i can get away with no shut off valve at the end of the feed line (or middle of the loop) since i don't really ever need to flush them.
you can figure out how fast your girls drink 6" of water in your res and set your pump to come on at that interval, thereby keeping your water level fluctuation to a reasonable minimum.
in either case, res or pressure reducer, if i were growing on your scale indoors i would definitely think about rigging some kind of flood sensor/emergency shut off valve for peace of mind, although those trays look like they'll hold a decent amount, and there's always the wet/dry vac
PS- that flexilla hose looks great, both aesthetically and functionally.
well with my micro set up i can get away with some stuff i wouldn't do in a larger system.
for your size situation and larger i'd definitely stick with the loop set up like you've done. i'd probably go for a pressure reducer on a hose spigot rather than a res, but then again i use fully amended soil. since i don't run nutes i can get away with no shut off valve at the end of the feed line (or middle of the loop) since i don't really ever need to flush them.
you can figure out how fast your girls drink 6" of water in your res and set your pump to come on at that interval, thereby keeping your water level fluctuation to a reasonable minimum.
in either case, res or pressure reducer, if i were growing on your scale indoors i would definitely think about rigging some kind of flood sensor/emergency shut off valve for peace of mind, although those trays look like they'll hold a decent amount, and there's always the wet/dry vac
PS- that flexilla hose looks great, both aesthetically and functionally.
Running H@G at there recommended strength...
Canna coco @ Sanctuaries Hydro Mix BIG CITY....
Just got the BIG CITY, I like the way the bag looks, represents the BAY AREA. Will be putting a couple GSC Mom's in that mix.....
wisco61
Member
Its gonna be a little tricky to dial them in with the plants all being in a big tray. Individual saucers, even inside the tray, will make it a lot easier to pick out the trouble maker if you get a little flood going.
I also have to agree with the others that a 2 part res is far superior. Even a pump that ran 1 minute an hour would go a long ways towards preventing problems. Plus you can use a huge res on the floor so refills are seldom.
I also have to agree with the others that a 2 part res is far superior. Even a pump that ran 1 minute an hour would go a long ways towards preventing problems. Plus you can use a huge res on the floor so refills are seldom.
Killuminatti
Member
Hasn't anybody figured out a way to have gravity siphon the water in the res to the top without using pumps?
Use a float valve with a res for the res elevated above it, you just have to fill it from a ladder
Shit i've got 64 to push in, in the next few weeks
Curious what you've read that led you to believe there is less air problems with 1/2" line vs 1/4"? I was thinking of going to 1/2" just because I wasn't sure if 1/4" could feed 64 plants gravity fed. (I emailed the blumat peeps and they said up to 250 plants on 60m of line) If there is another benefit to larger line i'd love to hear why
Siphon upwards? Lemme know when you figure that out
I use a sump pump attached to a garden hose (controlled by a remote outlet key fob @harborfreight) to pump my water to my upper barrels. I've taped the garden hose around a structure in a hook shape so that I can just hook onto my barrel and pump away. One of those giant plastic candy canes would work great for this.
As for the tees.
Fellas fellas..save your thumbs. They are called pliers.
I use a sump pump attached to a garden hose (controlled by a remote outlet key fob @harborfreight) to pump my water to my upper barrels. I've taped the garden hose around a structure in a hook shape so that I can just hook onto my barrel and pump away. One of those giant plastic candy canes would work great for this.
As for the tees.
Fellas fellas..save your thumbs. They are called pliers.
I just pulled up, been thinking this route as well.
If there is another benefit to larger line i'd love to hear why
my guess is a more even pressure distribution throughout the line
Shit i've got 64 to push in, in the next few weeks
Curious what you've read that led you to believe there is less air problems with 1/2" line vs 1/4"? I was thinking of going to 1/2" just because I wasn't sure if 1/4" could feed 64 plants gravity fed. (I emailed the blumat peeps and they said up to 250 plants on 60m of line) If there is another benefit to larger line i'd love to hear why
I read the WHOLE fucking Blumat thread and somewhere in there, someone did a test with clear hose, 1/4" vs 1/2" i believe, for trapped air. The 1/2" did WAY better.....
Read some other stuff, but have no clue where, i just remember when designing what i was going to do, to use 1/2"....
Having NO problems yet, just dialing them in a bit. Figuring they are dripping 1 drip per 10 seconds. May NOT be ideal, just started fucking with it...
hell yeah! glad to see you made the switch. youre gonna love em once you get em dialed in. mine are rockin it right now
Killuminatti
Member
Siphon upwards? Lemme know when you figure that out
Well maybe not exactly siphon but without using electricity... a 1 1/4" ram pump can pump water up 39ft at a rate of 2ltr/min with a 7ft fall. So to scale it down you could say a 1ft drop would get you about 5.5ft up. I imagine you could integrate a ram pump into the rez design heady blunts posted...
EDIT: This guy uses a 1 inch ram pump off of a 55gal barrel. Doesn't have any info on flow rate but says he gets 50ft up with a 7ft head on his setup. Ram Pump
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