A
ak-51
And I thought I had root wads.
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Blumat auto watering
- Thread starter sunnydog
- Start date
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- Tags
- blumat drippers irrigation watering
RamCTD1027
Member
Just picked up 50 blumats and all the tubing, kent system fittings, bulkhead fittings, etc that I'll need to set up. I got anxious to set up and started drilling holes before I thought things through.
On the elevated reservoir, it seems that there are two ways of running a loop to produce equal pressure in the feed line. One way is to run one feed line out of the reservoir to a T-fitting that forms a loop which feeds the plants and the other way is to have two feed lines out of the reservoir that join to form a loop. Is one way better than the other?
I initially planned to run two feed lines out of the reservoir that join at a T fitting up to a solenoid valve like Rives, but my dumb ass drilled one hole in the center of the reservoir for one feed line that forms a loop using a T-fitting. Should I just drill another hole off-center and run two feed lines or should I leave it the way it is and use one feed lines that forms a loop using a T-fitting?
I look forward to all your thoughts...
On the elevated reservoir, it seems that there are two ways of running a loop to produce equal pressure in the feed line. One way is to run one feed line out of the reservoir to a T-fitting that forms a loop which feeds the plants and the other way is to have two feed lines out of the reservoir that join to form a loop. Is one way better than the other?
I initially planned to run two feed lines out of the reservoir that join at a T fitting up to a solenoid valve like Rives, but my dumb ass drilled one hole in the center of the reservoir for one feed line that forms a loop using a T-fitting. Should I just drill another hole off-center and run two feed lines or should I leave it the way it is and use one feed lines that forms a loop using a T-fitting?
I look forward to all your thoughts...
If you are going to have a substantial number of plants, you are better off having two bulkhead fittings, with one feeding each end of the line. If you have a single connection point, it is going to choke the flow into the line to whatever the maximum flow is for a single fitting. Two bulkheads will double the available volume.
ThaMagnificent
Member
Is there a thread somewhere on here that is a good intro to building Res systems? I know someone started a Res picture thread, but is there something more basic than that?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
A basic blumat res would simply be a container elevated somewhere above your garden.
This will have either the 8mm Thru-Full fitting at the bottom if going with a factory deck and patio kit install....or a 1/2" drain fitting (bulkhead) at the bottom if going the custom route with tubing/kent fittings.
Off of either of these fittings you'd have your distribution tubing running to your blumats. Thats it.. just a rubbermaid on a high shelf with a fitting at the bottom.
If you go constant pressure res you just install 2 more fittings near the top of that elevated res. One to pump water up to it from a lower res... and another larger fitting to allow "overflow" back to your lower res.
This will have either the 8mm Thru-Full fitting at the bottom if going with a factory deck and patio kit install....or a 1/2" drain fitting (bulkhead) at the bottom if going the custom route with tubing/kent fittings.
Off of either of these fittings you'd have your distribution tubing running to your blumats. Thats it.. just a rubbermaid on a high shelf with a fitting at the bottom.
If you go constant pressure res you just install 2 more fittings near the top of that elevated res. One to pump water up to it from a lower res... and another larger fitting to allow "overflow" back to your lower res.
ThaMagnificent
Member
Flower do you have a picture I could look at that illustrates the constant pressure res setup or maybe an in-action shot? Also, does anyone make a kit for this or do you have to build it from scratch?
Thanks!
I dont have one right now, but can post one late tonight if someone doesnt have one handy before then.
There is a bunch of information on reservoirs in here -
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=239518
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=239518
ThaMagnificent
Member
Yes that's what I was referencing earlier. That thread is perfect, but for those of us that are kind of new to the whole DIY scene I was wondering if pictures like the ones Heady Blunts posted over there had a more hands on approach to building a Res like that.
So after reading this ENTIRE thread for the last 4 weeks, I finally ordered my blumats and all the hardware. Spent about 2 weeks dinking around with different size fill lines and different setups and finally got everything the way I wanted and wow I don't know what to do with all my newly found free time! My ladies are the healthiest and nicest I've ever had. I don't understand the fundamentals of what the difference watering one drip at a time makes, but it's huge. I've been up and running now for about 2 weeks and its terrific!. I had one runaway on my first night, but it was just a small leak in my line that drained the reservoir. Since correcting that no problems. Big thanks to all that contributed.
My next update will include somehow getting my 5 gal lowes bucket to autofill from a larger non-suspended reservoir without having to spend a great deal of cash to get it done.
My next update will include somehow getting my 5 gal lowes bucket to autofill from a larger non-suspended reservoir without having to spend a great deal of cash to get it done.
RamCTD1027
Member
You're always helpful, Rives.
At this point I only have 9 plants in 3.4 gallon airpots that are in flower. I wanted to wait until the other plants were ready to go in but I couldn't wait. I will be adding more plants soon so I will add the second bulkhead fitting to create the feed loop with two feed lines.
I switched the 9 plants to 12/12 about 5 days ago. The roots have pretty much taken over the air pots. Do you see any issue with sticking the blumats in the pots at this point? I really wont have the time to hand water them for the entire cycle which is why I got the blumats. I intended to wait for the 12/12 switch until the blumats were up and running but the plants were getting wayyyy too big so I had to switch them. I planned to set everything up this weekend.
Thanks for the help!
The cheap ones are probably Blumat "Juniors", which water through the ceramic spike rather than the hose at the top. They will not work for our application. You can also find much better pricing than Green Acres - I see that they are asking @ $95 for the patio kit, others have it for roughly $75.
RamCTD1027
Member
I believe those are the distribution drippers that are attached to the end of each Blumat drip line to evenly distribute the water throughout the pot.
ThaMagnificent
Member
blumats rock!!
got a few pics of my simple setup here.
14 gallon home depot tote, not their cheap pos totes, a rugged one.
it sits on a cut of particle board on a 55 gallon drum as the main res.
the res itself is wider than the opening of the drum,
so don't want to hear that particle board is a terrible idea
think i have a 550gph pump w/ tubing coming off to the tote.
it's either 1/2" or 5/8", kinda high right now.
then i have 2 x 3/4" 90 barbed overflows.
playing it safe w/ the redundant one.
res pump timer on bottom, right now she comes on 2 x's a day for 3 minutes.
lights on and lights off.
3 feed lines and shut offs
lid off and my fine waterproofing job, lol
the 90 is to keep splash down.
i did learn that i get suction back thru the 90 once the water level gets below the overflows. my overflow tubing is cable tied together and drop into the barrel maybe 18" or so from the surface of the barrel.
once those tubes are exposed to air as water level lowers in the res, i get the suction and slower overflow drainage. going to lengthen them w/ some barbed couplings.
that is basically the only drawback of my design that i found so far.
other than that, cheap and easy.
got a few pics of my simple setup here.
14 gallon home depot tote, not their cheap pos totes, a rugged one.
it sits on a cut of particle board on a 55 gallon drum as the main res.
the res itself is wider than the opening of the drum,
so don't want to hear that particle board is a terrible idea
think i have a 550gph pump w/ tubing coming off to the tote.
it's either 1/2" or 5/8", kinda high right now.
then i have 2 x 3/4" 90 barbed overflows.
playing it safe w/ the redundant one.
res pump timer on bottom, right now she comes on 2 x's a day for 3 minutes.
lights on and lights off.
3 feed lines and shut offs
lid off and my fine waterproofing job, lol
the 90 is to keep splash down.
i did learn that i get suction back thru the 90 once the water level gets below the overflows. my overflow tubing is cable tied together and drop into the barrel maybe 18" or so from the surface of the barrel.
once those tubes are exposed to air as water level lowers in the res, i get the suction and slower overflow drainage. going to lengthen them w/ some barbed couplings.
that is basically the only drawback of my design that i found so far.
other than that, cheap and easy.
S
sweetestsin420
Guys,roughly how much will a system that waters 25 plants cost,?around 75$?
to water 25 plants,would it be cheaper to go with a dripper setup,or a bluemat,
to water 25 plants,would it be cheaper to go with a dripper setup,or a bluemat,
No, there is no way that you are going to set up 25 blumats for $75. A "patio kit" will water 12 plants and goes for $75, and you still have to provide the reservoir. I have no idea what it costs to set up a drip system. I thought that you had already made this decision, and discarded the idea of blumats?
