Blumat auto watering

[sunnydog]

I talk (email) fairly regularly with Roland Weninger, the Blumat inventor.
Recently I've been having a discussion with him about how to get the costs down for larger growing operations. For up to 50 plants, it doesn't seem to be a problem. For up to 500 plants or so, it's expensive but affordable. Lately though, people with over 3000 plants are talking with me about converting to Blumats.

This morning, Roland suggested using the Maxi horizontal by cutting a hole on the side near the bottom of the pot and running the 3 mm up the side. I'm planning to start experimenting with this method today but thought I would pass it on right away. Seems like it could be helpful for smaller systems as well, especially for plants in big pots. I just uploaded Roland's diagram showing how to do this and a picture of a plant set up this way in my gallery https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=46671.

Nice. I can't imagine how many he's sold for herb growing.

 

[Weird]

i was given some blumats some time ago never sued them

ordered a set today and am ready to break ym cherry

kinda excited to be honest

 

[Grow4Flow]

is there enough pressure to push the droplets up from a sideways mount without the need for spigot fitting?

 

[skyview]

is there enough pressure to push the droplets up from a sideways mount without the need for spigot fitting?

Grow4Flow, the Blumat specs and sizing diagrams are based on using the pressure regulator that gives you about 15 psi. With a gravity system, the formula is 2.3 times the psi equals the head (vertical fall). Or if you divide the head (distance from top of the water to the potting mix level) by 2.31 you'll find out the psi you have. If you're doing long runs, friction loss will reduce that psi number.

It gets a little complicated to figure out but you don't really need to - just test and see what works!

 

[Lathund]

Will you need a circulating pump for the reservoir if you're using a gravity system?

 

[Cabinet Ninja]

You wouldn't as the Blumats are DTW (drain to waste) even though there shouldn't be much, if any, run off.

An airstone in the Rez wouldn't hurt but its not needed.

 

[Lathund]

I was just thinking about the nutes actually, so that they don't land on the bottom or something.

 

[skyview]

I was just thinking about the nutes actually, so that they don't land on the bottom or something.

If you use a pump or air stone in your res to keep your nutes mixed up, it's probably a good idea to have a valve at the end of your system and periodically open it to let any air that might have gotten in out.

 

[ak-51]

Will you need a circulating pump for the reservoir if you're using a gravity system?

Depends on the kind of nutrients you're using, since the amount of sediments and propensity for falling out varies. I use one. I just have it turn on 12 times a day for 15 minutes.

 

[Lathund]

Planning on using GHE Flora Nova as I am now.

 

[Twist1]

Man it looks like I need to get me some of these - they look awesome

You guys think they would be ok in 1.5gallon (smart pot style) fabric pots? Anyone have any experience with these? They're about 7" diameter I think.

The stuck valve issue scares me tbh.

 

[Globule]

Don't be scared Twist1. It won't hurt a bit.

I've had Blumats in 1gal & 2gal smartpots (fabric) and they perform as advertised.

Just take a deep breath, follow the setup instructions found easily in this thread, and your life will become rainbow-like. Generally good things will follow; just don't keep fucking with the dial every day. They need time to settle and show how well adjusted they are before you try to 'fix' them.

Good growing to you!
Globs

 

[babelfish]

for the record... i never got these things to work for myself.. maybe i got a bad batch. i still believe this tech is 'tits' tho - might give em another shot

 

[rrog]

I like 'em and have recommended them. IMHO however, you should assume a flood. Prepare for the worst.

I had my Geopots on a rack of sorts, all resting in a sheet metal "tray" about 3" deep, and 24" x 36", which happened to fit my old micro-grow area. The rack allowed air under the Geopots.

I had installed an electric shut-off valve, triggered when simple probes in the bottom of the metal tray get wet. Works like a charm, though it has not been needed to date. You can also install a simple alert to your text with an additional device.

 

[Twist1]

Thanks Globs. I'm definitely getting some when I have some spare cash I pretty much decided that when I first started reading about them.

I really like the idea of the constant level res - thus keeping the pressure constant, and hopefully minimising chances of the stuck valve.

But I'll defs make sure that I have a failsafe system of some sort too - even if it's just a big tray underneath to catch the runoff. I really like rrog's solution - you have any more info on that brother? links etc?

Peace

 

[ak-51]

The biggest downside that I see with blumats is that they greatly increase the number of points at which the system can fail, and in the case of a runaway a single failure can disrupt the whole system.

That said I will probably keep using them as long as I am running coco.

My next move now is to reduce my medium costs and that might mean switching to RDWC. I'm pretty heavily vested in coco+blumats though.

 

[Globule]

Hey AK-51 if you haven't already then check out the 'PPK' threads here on icmag. It is similar to RDWC in that nutes are recirculated through the system and pumped through the medium but it goes way beyond that. Some clever folks evolving this method of growing in leaps and bounds.

I only discovered the PPK threads a few weeks ago but if I ever get enough growing space to go vertical I would love to try it out. Take a look and see if it tickles your fancy.

Globs

 

[rrog]

I can't see how these could run effectively long term with nutes that can build up. I've only ever run well water through them and I thought the Iron, Ca and Mg buildup was bad.

 

[Bobbo4200]

I too have not gotten them to work well, or I haven't figured them out... Only used them for one grow. I have been hand-watering them now with awesome results, but I will probs give the Blumats another shot in the future. I think I have to shorten the main feeding line a bit.
I have two separate tents, so I have to remove the carrots to move the plants into the flowering tent so I have to re-calibrate them again ;-// I will defs use them again, but they seem to be a pain in the ass at the moment. Like I said, I am having good results hand-watering. Do you think the Blumats can outperform hand-watering daily? Thanks guys

 

[rrog]

I have become a believer in a constant-optimal moisture level, rather than the wet-dry vacillations. So a constant drip system dialed in properly, will win. IMHO.