Blumat auto watering

[IndoorAddict]

Very nice cobra! The blumats are really pleasing me as well!

 

[Ez Rider]

Microbe Lift/bmc

Microbe Lift/bmc

Is anyone using this product for fungus gnats(Microbe Lift/ BMC)? At what rate per gallon? Anyone got any other fungus gnat remedies? I'm loving the blumats, but the constant moisture in my medium is really allowing the gnat larva to thrive. Sticky traps aren't enough to keep them in check.

 

[rives]

I'd like to know the answer to this one myself. I went several years without them, but the little bastards showed up a year ago or so. I use the sticky traps, with less than wonderful results.

 

[watts]

I don't use blumats but i use microbe-lift bmc at a rate of half teaspoon per 10-15 gallons or a few drops per gallon. Use with non-chlorinated water. Mix it in a shot glass with water before adding to reservoir so it mixes up better.

 

[Peacefrog]

For insect control I used to use Hot Shot pest killers but those things scare me because of what they have in them. This past season I've had pretty good luck with a layer of diatomaceous earth on top of the soil. DE is a fine abrasive powder that comes from algae deposits. It works by dehydrating the insects to death if they come into contact with it.

After setting my Blumats I wait until the top layer of soil dries out to apply the DE because it is less effective if it absorbs a bunch of moisture. Obviously you can't do anything about the drip areas but DE coupled with sticky traps has done quite well at keeping the gnats down.

I've heard of people putting a layer of sand on top of their soil to prevent insects from laying eggs in the soil. I liked the DE because it will kill most insects that roll around in it.

 

[heady blunts]

using neem seed meal as a soil amendment has helped in my experience.

if you've already got plants in pots, peel back your mulch, top dress with neem seed meal, throw a little EWC on that, then replace the mulch. took a few days that way but totally fixed the problem.

 

[Ez Rider]

I don't use blumats but i use microbe-lift bmc at a rate of half teaspoon per 10-15 gallons or a few drops per gallon. Use with non-chlorinated water. Mix it in a shot glass with water before adding to reservoir so it mixes up better.

I've been running it 2-3 drops/gal for almost 2 weeks, and it's maybe slowed them down a little. I want them GONE. I'm going to up it to 5 drops/gal for the coming week, and see what happens. Got to change out my sticky traps too. I know that hotshots will knock them dead, but I worry about it doing the same to me.

 

[GreeeeN GRassss]

Is anyone using this product for fungus gnats(Microbe Lift/ BMC)? At what rate per gallon? Anyone got any other fungus gnat remedies? I'm loving the blumats, but the constant moisture in my medium is really allowing the gnat larva to thrive. Sticky traps aren't enough to keep them in check.

have you tried the mosquito dunks ? im waiting for them to come thru the post.

 

[skyview]

I'd like to know the answer to this one myself. I went several years without them, but the little bastards showed up a year ago or so. I use the sticky traps, with less than wonderful results.

We started using a beneficial parasite called Hypoaspsis miles. They look like spider mites, but under a microscope you can see a reddish tank on their back. They eat fungus gnat larvae and decaying plant matter which helps the decomposing cycle. It also makes passages through the soil to allow for better aeration. The gnat population dropped by 99% almost as soon as we started using it.
See: http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf302.html

 

[Kozmo]

I always thought of sticky traps as a tool to let me know what the population was at as far as numbers. Has anyone tried benafficial nemotodes ?

Also, I thiught I remember you using air-pots. This is copied from the above link. " Hypoaspis doesn't survive below the top 1/2 inch of soil, so mixing mites into the growing media prior to potting is not recommended."

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Thanks for the info skyview.


EZ,
I tried the Microbe Lift and it didn't do jack squat for my gnat problem. I started squirting large amounts of it in my rez and still nothing.

I will say that my bottle experienced a very very cold trip on it's way to me. I'm not 100% is froze as when I got it it was still inside the little container and seemed to be OK, but maybe it did freeze and that is why it didn't work for me.


But using it gave me snotty strands of stuff in my rez and didn't work for the gnats... even in larger doses and given plenty of time.

 

[OIBI]

A quick question for everyone. I figured this would have been easy to find with google, but it's been surprisingly difficult.

What would be an ideal blumat setup for 10 gallon geo pots? Using a no-till method if that matters. Thanks!

 

[Lapides]

I've done 2-3 regular size carrots per 10 gallon pot with no problems.

 

[watts]

Thanks for the info skyview.


EZ,
I tried the Microbe Lift and it didn't do jack squat for my gnat problem. I started squirting large amounts of it in my rez and still nothing.

I will say that my bottle experienced a very very cold trip on it's way to me. I'm not 100% is froze as when I got it it was still inside the little container and seemed to be OK, but maybe it did freeze and that is why it didn't work for me.


But using it gave me snotty strands of stuff in my rez and didn't work for the gnats... even in larger doses and given plenty of time.

That's why i mix it in a shot glass with water before pouring it into my reservoir. It should make your water cloudy. Shrug, works for me. It has a 2 year shelf-life and one year once it's opened.

 

[c00kie]

Very nice thread

Very nice thread

Hey guys, lovely thread, I believe it's my first post so

I come with a question, I see that some people use the T's to connect the 8 mm feed line to the 3 mm line while others just use the regular connectors used in common drip systems. What is the best way to do it and anybody knows what kind of connectors are those, maybe a part number from blumatshop? I attached a pic posted by some other user in this thread.

Thanks and good luck

 

[sunnydog]

The Blu Mat site now lists Medical Marijuana!!!https://blumatsystems.com/

 

[Eighths-n-Aces]

I've been running it 2-3 drops/gal for almost 2 weeks, and it's maybe slowed them down a little. I want them GONE. I'm going to up it to 5 drops/gal for the coming week, and see what happens. Got to change out my sticky traps too. I know that hotshots will knock them dead, but I worry about it doing the same to me.

take it up to 10 drops per gallon for a heavy infestation. let the blumats do their job (read ......don't hand water anything for a while so that any moisture the gnats get is inoculated). doing as much as you can about the flyers will break their cycle and help a lot. sticky traps or shaking the pots while you are running a shop vac over them helps,but if you want to really fuck them up a pyrethrin fogger will put a hurtin' on em very quickly.

cut the little plastic tit off the fogger so it won't lock anymore and you don't have to empty the whole can. turn off any fan that has a carbon filter on it or any fan that extracts air from the room but leave circulation fans on. remember NOT TO spray the plants directly if you can help it. it's a fogger

fog the room - close the door - wait 5 10 minutes - take deep breath and hold while you open the door, turn the filtered fans back on and GTF out - wait 15 minutes and go back to normal gardening

i've done this with both lights on and lights off and the plants didn't seem to mind.

this will thrash everything that flies

depending on the size of the grow one small fogger should last you YEARS if you use it right. gnats are pretty easy to kill and pyrethrin is pretty eco friendly. between it and the BT your garden should be gnat free in less than 2 weeks.

neem seed meal and the teas you can make with it help a lot if you have chronic gnat problems too. i've never tried running it through a blumat and never would but it is a great top dress and drench

 

[skyview]

Hey guys, lovely thread, I believe it's my first post so

I come with a question, I see that some people use the T's to connect the 8 mm feed line to the 3 mm line while others just use the regular connectors used in common drip systems. What is the best way to do it and anybody knows what kind of connectors are those, maybe a part number from blumatshop? I attached a pic posted by some other user in this thread.

Thanks and good luck

We've done it both ways and - like most things I guess - there are advantages and disadvantages both ways:

By using the 3mm tees or straight connectors and drip or vinyl pipe, you save some costs over the regular Blumat 8mm tube. But the Blumat carrots already include the connectors for 8mm tubing so you gain some expense by having to buy the extra connectors if you don't use the supplied ones. Depending on how many Blumats you're using, that could make the total cost more even though the tubing is much less expensive. The bigger pipe gives you more flow potential and less friction loss but it's not nearly as flexible and you'll probably need to use more tees and elbows. And Blumats have such a low flow rate, you don't need the extra water unless you're growing many hundreds of plants. It's also much easier to install the carrots with the 8mm line - you only need scissors or a knife. With the 3mm tees or connectors, you'll need to punch a hole in the supply line and replace the connectors.

Lots of other factors but in general, here's how I would summarize the bottom line:

1. If you're upgrading an existing drip system, definitely just use the 3mm connectors or a 1/4" to 3mm reducer.
2. If you're using less than 50 carrots, better to stay with the standard 8mm supply tube.
3. If you're using more than 500 carrots, definitely go to at least 1/2" supply line.
4. If between 50 and 500, it would be good to look into other factors like the distance between the water supply and the plants (the further away, the more reason to use bigger pipe). And probably the closer to 50, the better to stay with 8mm; the closer to 500 the more reason to use bigger line.

 

[c00kie]

We've done it both ways and - like most things I guess - there are advantages and disadvantages both ways:

By using the 3mm tees or straight connectors and drip or vinyl pipe, you save some costs over the regular Blumat 8mm tube. But the Blumat carrots already include the connectors for 8mm tubing so you gain some expense by having to buy the extra connectors if you don't use the supplied ones. Depending on how many Blumats you're using, that could make the total cost more even though the tubing is much less expensive. The bigger pipe gives you more flow potential and less friction loss but it's not nearly as flexible and you'll probably need to use more tees and elbows. And Blumats have such a low flow rate, you don't need the extra water unless you're growing many hundreds of plants. It's also much easier to install the carrots with the 8mm line - you only need scissors or a knife. With the 3mm tees or connectors, you'll need to punch a hole in the supply line and replace the connectors.

Lots of other factors but in general, here's how I would summarize the bottom line:

1. If you're upgrading an existing drip system, definitely just use the 3mm connectors or a 1/4" to 3mm reducer.
2. If you're using less than 50 carrots, better to stay with the standard 8mm supply tube.
3. If you're using more than 500 carrots, definitely go to at least 1/2" supply line.
4. If between 50 and 500, it would be good to look into other factors like the distance between the water supply and the plants (the further away, the more reason to use bigger pipe). And probably the closer to 50, the better to stay with 8mm; the closer to 500 the more reason to use bigger line.

Thanks a lot for the very detailed reply . I will use 20 carrots so I'll just keep it simple with the 8 mm line and the 8 mm to 3 mm T's for the sweet carrots!

 

[Mikell]

The Blu Mat site now lists Medical Marijuana!!!https://blumatsystems.com/

Hah, I saw that too Credit where credit is due, marijuana growers are undoubtedly their largest demographic.