B
BB420
no I don't run any bleach in my res should I start adding some? how much do you put in per gallon ?
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Blumat auto watering
- Thread starter sunnydog
- Start date
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- blumat drippers irrigation watering
Bleach can degrade the delicate rubber bits in the Blumats, I wouldn't recommend it.
If you have problems with goo in your lines, then add the bleach. It may seem kinda odd to add bleach at first, but the level of free chlorine isn't high enough to bother your plants, but it will keep your lines cleaned of goo.
See post 3337 for usage instructions. Its on the previous page.
Is this through personal experience, or something someone said to you before? Ive used bleach in my res for many many months with no issues, and I dont see any reason to not use it IME.
I think the bleach damaging blumats is from a user here who cleaned his in a very strong bleach mix. I too have run bleach in my system while growing and I always flush the lines with bleach between runs.
B
BB420
just a update fellow blumaters I banged 0.5ml of bleach in to my res which had 5 gallons in and now my dripper water is cleaner than a whistle thank you all would the white mold spores have caused me damage ? and every time I fill my res should I put bleach in as well thank you all again
the part on the right (the only moving part) is what doesn't like the bleach because chlorine hardens/degrades the plastic. since what you run "through" the blumat never mixes with the water inside the blumat unless you soak or fill the blumat itself with a bleach solution it won't be a problem.
I ruined about a dozen blumats using bleach. It was not in the rez... the blumats had been in a drawer for storage and I was cleaning them out. Dumped a bunch of them into a bowl with water and bleach. It obviously was too strong. Hopefully someone learns from my lesson. Luckily I found a shop that sells blumats and parts.
All that being said, I am planning to put a few drops of bleach into my rez. It has a stale smell to it. I'm running water only, but it is not aerated.
All that being said, I am planning to put a few drops of bleach into my rez. It has a stale smell to it. I'm running water only, but it is not aerated.
when you cooked your blumats did you have to replace anything other than the piece on the right in that pic?
wtf do they call that thing?
sanjuan
Member
A perfectionist would probably use pool shock instead of bleach; calcium hypochlorite instead of sodium hypochlorite. You can buy a pound of HTH pool shock or "super shock n swim" for less than ten dollars from amazon but it is so concentrated that I'd want to premix gallon quantities of it.
Plain (unscented, and not the "splash resistant") Clorox is convenient. I bought 500 1ml plastic pipettes from amazon. I add 0.5ml to about four or five gallons of nute solution every 24 hours. I made some recordings of total chlorine decline because I wanted some actual numbers before posting.
A ten gallon reservoir filled to maybe five gallons and an empty bubble cloner with four gallons of tap water were used. Water from my city is reading 0.80ppm total chlorine right now (no chloramine).
I added 0.75ml bleach to the four gallon cloner and the Hanna HI 711 colorimeter read overload, meaning more than 3.50ppm total chlorine. Ninety minutes later, the meter read 3.50ppm. Twelve hours after that, the reading was 2.4ppm. After another twelve hours, total chlorine was 1.44ppm.
Last night my nute reservoir was at 1.37ppm at the same time as that 1.44ppm reading so I added 0.5ml into each container. I expected to see greater dissipation in the heavily aerated cloner compared to the still water reservoir but that didn't really happen. Twelve hours after adding the bleach, the reading in the res is 2.77ppm and the cloner is 2.80ppm.
I think maintaining 1 to 3ppm total chlorine in a res is good preventive maintenance (IF a person isn't concerned about beneficial microbes). A swimming pool is supposed to be 3ppm and the EPA maximum for drinking water is 3ppm. Free chlorine is what really matters for killing the bad stuff. I almost bought a free chlorine colorimeter but I think my total chlorine instrument is enough to keep me in range. Free chlorine readings are subtracted from total chlorine to determine combined chlorine. You wouldn't want a bunch of combined chlorine built up in your res but I don't think that is an issue for 0.5ml doses.
My conclusion: A daily 0.1ml dose of plain (8.25% hypochlorite) bleach per gallon works well.
Plain (unscented, and not the "splash resistant") Clorox is convenient. I bought 500 1ml plastic pipettes from amazon. I add 0.5ml to about four or five gallons of nute solution every 24 hours. I made some recordings of total chlorine decline because I wanted some actual numbers before posting.
A ten gallon reservoir filled to maybe five gallons and an empty bubble cloner with four gallons of tap water were used. Water from my city is reading 0.80ppm total chlorine right now (no chloramine).
I added 0.75ml bleach to the four gallon cloner and the Hanna HI 711 colorimeter read overload, meaning more than 3.50ppm total chlorine. Ninety minutes later, the meter read 3.50ppm. Twelve hours after that, the reading was 2.4ppm. After another twelve hours, total chlorine was 1.44ppm.
Last night my nute reservoir was at 1.37ppm at the same time as that 1.44ppm reading so I added 0.5ml into each container. I expected to see greater dissipation in the heavily aerated cloner compared to the still water reservoir but that didn't really happen. Twelve hours after adding the bleach, the reading in the res is 2.77ppm and the cloner is 2.80ppm.
I think maintaining 1 to 3ppm total chlorine in a res is good preventive maintenance (IF a person isn't concerned about beneficial microbes). A swimming pool is supposed to be 3ppm and the EPA maximum for drinking water is 3ppm. Free chlorine is what really matters for killing the bad stuff. I almost bought a free chlorine colorimeter but I think my total chlorine instrument is enough to keep me in range. Free chlorine readings are subtracted from total chlorine to determine combined chlorine. You wouldn't want a bunch of combined chlorine built up in your res but I don't think that is an issue for 0.5ml doses.
My conclusion: A daily 0.1ml dose of plain (8.25% hypochlorite) bleach per gallon works well.
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I believe most of us are using 1 tank with 2 bulkhead fittings. 2 tanks is more for running a large rez on the ground, and pumping to a higher rez, which feeds the plants(see post 3583).
I run my system like your 2nd pic, although I installed a "t" in the middle, to drain air and sediment from the lines.
any updates on site that have them at a cheap price ? ( under 70 ) or a place i could buy single from?
DONAJTHEIII
Member
Had blumats but honestly wasnt the biggest fan of them like other people are but that's just me.
With that said there were some user errors in my part too but after turning that knob too far and coming home to my rez empty and bullshit. I couldnt afford that too happen again so I decided to set up my own system. A blumat system needs to be put together very well if you want to get them dialed in but once their dialed there good to go.
I do plan to give them another go though in the near future
Im back on the timer with a pump in hempy buckets on a table
pretty simple
Also in a larger set up you usually have to buy pieces online and that was annoying too. The amazon patio kits are a good starting point but a real legit blumat system imo will take extra pieces that have to be purchased online.
Little things weren't cheap
AJAE
With that said there were some user errors in my part too but after turning that knob too far and coming home to my rez empty and bullshit. I couldnt afford that too happen again so I decided to set up my own system. A blumat system needs to be put together very well if you want to get them dialed in but once their dialed there good to go.
I do plan to give them another go though in the near future
Im back on the timer with a pump in hempy buckets on a table
pretty simple
Also in a larger set up you usually have to buy pieces online and that was annoying too. The amazon patio kits are a good starting point but a real legit blumat system imo will take extra pieces that have to be purchased online.
Little things weren't cheap
AJAE
Longtime lurker who regiistered just to thank SD and everyone else who contributed to this thread. I've been running trouble free for about four weeks now (crosses fingers), and I really enjoy spending more quality time with the plants instead of lugging gallons of water back and forth.
It was interested to buy Blumats after reading this thread. The instructions recommended going with two bulkhead fitting on the rez, and also included a small syringe to push out air bubbles when filling the sensor. Now where did they get that idea...hm.....
I really wanted a filter on the 5 gal rez, and the more I thought about it, it just didn't seem likely that the 8mm supply line would become clogged. And I didn't want to buy a 2nd filter...so... the second fitting just has an on-off valve and some tubing. That way I can tilt the rez towards that fitting to drained that last bit to help keep the filter clearner.
The top of the rez sits 4.5 feet above the sensors with about 30 feet of supply line. Since there was no mention of water pressure and the 3mm tubing, I went with long runs of the little lines (everyone was right who said you need a LOT more of that).
Really glad I went with elbows on the supply lines. They aren't that easy to work with. For space (and to prevent lines from getting snagged on something), the black tubing hugs the walls of the tent. I made a little pvc frame to tie the tubing to, and raises the supply lines to the level of the pots, which is cleaner and less work to have to push water to the pot level.
A second 3 gal rez sits at a more manageable level for filling and ph adjustment. Water is pushed to the top rez by pump, with an overflow at the top of course. On the top rez is a little block of styrofoam with a piece of bamboo coming out of it. I use it to gauge the level of the rez by putting a piece of colored tape on the bamboo stick to show where full and near empty is.
A few questions...
I want to plan for run-offs. When they do happen, is it just the supply line leaking? Is it a sensor sticking open and a single plant getting the entire rez? Right now I have 14-inch saucer for 12-inch pots for a little run-off room, and the tent is lined with the mylar flooring about 4 inches tall. Does this sound reasonable to handle the 5-gal rez and maybe the 3-gal backup being dumped? The only thing I can think of is making a deeper, stronger tent floor out of pond liner, but avoiding unnecessary work is a good thing.
I transplanted a couple plants, and noticed when pulling them that the bottom part of the soil looked a bit dry. The soil never got bone dry, it just looked like sections of the soil were maybe uneven or the water didn't penetrate fully. What do you do in this situation. Is it OK to just turn up the sensor a bit? Do I have to top water the pot and start over adjusting that sensor?
Moving plants. I gave each plant about 3 feet of supply lines, but even still, rotating the plants to even out lighting is not as easy as a hand-watered setup. Do you rotate the plants? If so, how do you keep the line from wrapping around?
Did anyone try SD's idea of the pressurized keg? I love the idea of combing growing with brewing.
It was interested to buy Blumats after reading this thread. The instructions recommended going with two bulkhead fitting on the rez, and also included a small syringe to push out air bubbles when filling the sensor. Now where did they get that idea...hm.....
I really wanted a filter on the 5 gal rez, and the more I thought about it, it just didn't seem likely that the 8mm supply line would become clogged. And I didn't want to buy a 2nd filter...so... the second fitting just has an on-off valve and some tubing. That way I can tilt the rez towards that fitting to drained that last bit to help keep the filter clearner.
The top of the rez sits 4.5 feet above the sensors with about 30 feet of supply line. Since there was no mention of water pressure and the 3mm tubing, I went with long runs of the little lines (everyone was right who said you need a LOT more of that).
Really glad I went with elbows on the supply lines. They aren't that easy to work with. For space (and to prevent lines from getting snagged on something), the black tubing hugs the walls of the tent. I made a little pvc frame to tie the tubing to, and raises the supply lines to the level of the pots, which is cleaner and less work to have to push water to the pot level.
A second 3 gal rez sits at a more manageable level for filling and ph adjustment. Water is pushed to the top rez by pump, with an overflow at the top of course. On the top rez is a little block of styrofoam with a piece of bamboo coming out of it. I use it to gauge the level of the rez by putting a piece of colored tape on the bamboo stick to show where full and near empty is.
A few questions...
I want to plan for run-offs. When they do happen, is it just the supply line leaking? Is it a sensor sticking open and a single plant getting the entire rez? Right now I have 14-inch saucer for 12-inch pots for a little run-off room, and the tent is lined with the mylar flooring about 4 inches tall. Does this sound reasonable to handle the 5-gal rez and maybe the 3-gal backup being dumped? The only thing I can think of is making a deeper, stronger tent floor out of pond liner, but avoiding unnecessary work is a good thing.
I transplanted a couple plants, and noticed when pulling them that the bottom part of the soil looked a bit dry. The soil never got bone dry, it just looked like sections of the soil were maybe uneven or the water didn't penetrate fully. What do you do in this situation. Is it OK to just turn up the sensor a bit? Do I have to top water the pot and start over adjusting that sensor?
Moving plants. I gave each plant about 3 feet of supply lines, but even still, rotating the plants to even out lighting is not as easy as a hand-watered setup. Do you rotate the plants? If so, how do you keep the line from wrapping around?
Did anyone try SD's idea of the pressurized keg? I love the idea of combing growing with brewing.
Sorry about the typos above. I'm used to an edit button.
The other question is about automating filling the rez--how are you handling that? I saw that one cool setup posted where water was constantly being pumped and draining to keep levels steady. But the physical setup here doesn't support that easily. I'm thinking of using a timer with 15-min increments, and just have the pump run as many cycles per day as needed. It seems the simplest, but those ATO's look nice too (slobber). Can anyone recommend using an ATO? Did you make your own?
Thanks everybody! Great thread. Why isn't in the Soil section of this site?
The other question is about automating filling the rez--how are you handling that? I saw that one cool setup posted where water was constantly being pumped and draining to keep levels steady. But the physical setup here doesn't support that easily. I'm thinking of using a timer with 15-min increments, and just have the pump run as many cycles per day as needed. It seems the simplest, but those ATO's look nice too (slobber). Can anyone recommend using an ATO? Did you make your own?
Thanks everybody! Great thread. Why isn't in the Soil section of this site?
