Blumat auto watering

[Jhhnn]

The way the 12 carrot kit comes to us, it seems obvious that one 8mm gravity feed line would, in general, provide adequate flow for all 12 of them. There's only 1 bulkhead adapter in the kit. It'd probably work well to limit each bulkhead adapter & 8mm line to 12 carrots. The higher the reservoir the better under usual circumstances.

They also sell a pressure pump system that'll feed 500 sensors-

http://www.sustainablevillage.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59_75&product_id=210

No upper reservoir is required.

 

[heady blunts]

they sell a bigger kit now with like 40 carrots and it comes with the pressure reducer.

 

[heady blunts]

you can put much more than twelve carrots per reservoir. I currently have one res handling 24 carrots with room for twice that many.

the limiting factor is your head pressure. blumat recommends 1 meter of head per 10 meters of feed line. that is totally doable with your height restriction.

I've currently got the bottom of my res at around 4'9" and that is plenty for my 10x10 flower and my veg space.

one last thing you can still use the loop setup with one bulkhead, just put a tee fitting right after the thru-hull.

 

[Jhhnn]

you can put much more than twelve carrots per reservoir. I currently have one res handling 24 carrots with room for twice that many.

the limiting factor is your head pressure. blumat recommends 1 meter of head per 10 meters of feed line. that is totally doable with your height restriction.

I've currently got the bottom of my res at around 4'9" and that is plenty for my 10x10 flower and my veg space.

one last thing you can still use the loop setup with one bulkhead, just put a tee fitting right after the thru-hull.

I figured as much but I was certain that 12 carrots per line would work. It may be smart to lay it out in different zones from multiple bulkhead adapters to ease troubleshooting in the event of clogging.

 

[EastBayGrower]

Thanks for the reply!

I have a couple other questions,

Since water is not always coming out the droppers, in a gravity fed system, would there be any concern abouthe the water being stagnant in the feed tubes, if say the pot where to stay moist for 2-3days. Or is there a constant flow in the feed line that keeps the water cycling back into the resivoir?

I would think that you would want the water constantly moving?

Do you guys prefer water pumps or gravity fed systems? I'm going to be outdoor with a 55gal res.

Also I'm thinking but gettING the blunt gravity xl kit (exempt with maxi carrots), is there anything else I need to get that doesn't come with the kit u recommend?

Thanks in advance for any replies, u guys help an ocd grower put his mind at ease lol

 

[Dave Coulier]

Thanks for the reply!

I have a couple other questions,

Since water is not always coming out the droppers, in a gravity fed system, would there be any concern abouthe the water being stagnant in the feed tubes, if say the pot where to stay moist for 2-3days. Or is there a constant flow in the feed line that keeps the water cycling back into the resivoir?

I would think that you would want the water constantly moving?

Do you guys prefer water pumps or gravity fed systems? I'm going to be outdoor with a 55gal res.

Also I'm thinking but gettING the blunt gravity xl kit (exempt with maxi carrots), is there anything else I need to get that doesn't come with the kit u recommend?

Thanks in advance for any replies, u guys help an ocd grower put his mind at ease lol

I used to run nutrients in my res prior, but it only lead to gunk and slime in the lines and reservoir if I didn't maintain constant bleach additions. Now I use water only + CRF, and no more slime in the reservoir, buildup, etc in the lines. The water thats in the top of the res is nice and clear, and it comes out exactly like that at the drippers. No stagnation whatsoever.

Also, I wouldn't expect the blumats to 'shut-off' for extended periods of time. They're always dripping, but the drip rate will change depending on the rate of evapotranspiration. Sometimes slow, sometimes 'fast'. You'll see what I mean once you get a few months+ under your belt using them.

 

[Jhhnn]

I used to run nutrients in my res prior, but it only lead to gunk and slime in the lines and reservoir if I didn't maintain constant bleach additions. Now I use water only + CRF, and no more slime in the reservoir, buildup, etc in the lines. The water thats in the top of the res is nice and clear, and it comes out exactly like that at the drippers. No stagnation whatsoever.

Also, I wouldn't expect the blumats to 'shut-off' for extended periods of time. They're always dripping, but the drip rate will change depending on the rate of evapotranspiration. Sometimes slow, sometimes 'fast'. You'll see what I mean once you get a few months+ under your belt using them.

Yep. I have no qualms & no problems so far with blumats, Denver water & organic soil. I'll just top feed teas using a watering can on this well draining soil mix. The blumat just shuts down until the moisture level in the soil comes down to the drip point. They compensate for different transpiration rates from one plant to another, too, never easy with hand watering, my previous method.

Denver has really good water so I don't even use an inlet strainer. YMMV.

 

[marmarb]

just picked up another 4 pack of the 12 pack was actually cheaper than buying the 50 pack havent set them up yet but looking at go all in with the blumats my trees are going to love these just which thoes damn airpots were a little bit cheaper seeing how i need about 50 of them.

 

[Jhhnn]

My previous methods always left me fussing to get half assed decent yields. Now I have a different worry, hitting the light. The current batch had been moved up to 5 gal root pouches less than a week when I went to 12/12 May 29. The tallest was 21". Today, June 7, it's 32". They've also bushed out to fill the space & the side shoots are racing for the light not far behind the main shoot. This soil mix with blumats performs outrageously so far.

This cantaloupe skunk is supposedly low stretch. I hope they're right. Otherwise, this could turn ridiculous.

 

[bayraider]

feeding with Tromph Blumat

feeding with Tromph Blumat

Hello Does anyone know of a feeding system that can work with the Tromph Blumat mains system or can you recommend a feeding system that will work in tandem with it?
Thanks

 

[SecondAttempt]

Hello Does anyone know of a feeding system that can work with the Tromph Blumat mains system or can you recommend a feeding system that will work in tandem with it?
Thanks

You mean like nutes? I use Jack's... anything thin should be fine, avoid sludgy nutes and organics.

 

[rives]

I think that he is talking about using the line pressure adapter, feeding the blumats off of the residential water system at higher pressure.

The only way that I know of that you can do this is using nutrient injectors, which would be both complicated and expensive. It would also require check valves in the system to insure that nutrients don't get pumped back into the potable water supply.

An easier and perhaps cheaper method would be to run one of the pressure pump/accumulator systems. This would allow both higher operating pressure and running a nutrient mix (Jack's, V+B, or most salt-based nutrients).

 

[Jhhnn]

I think that he is talking about using the line pressure adapter, feeding the blumats off of the residential water system at higher pressure.

The only way that I know of that you can do this is using nutrient injectors, which would be both complicated and expensive. It would also require check valves in the system to insure that nutrients don't get pumped back into the potable water supply.

An easier and perhaps cheaper method would be to run one of the pressure pump/accumulator systems. This would allow both higher operating pressure and running a nutrient mix (Jack's, V+B, or most salt-based nutrients).

Absolutely. Gravity feed from the reservoir to a genuine blumat pump/ accumulator system-

http://www.sustainablevillage.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=165

Too rich for my purposes, but probably great for other people.

 

[tjcny]

This may have already been covered in this thread, but I'll ask anyway - (1) can/should I run an air stone in my res and (2) is it ok to use sm-90 vs. drip clean to keep my lines clear?

 

[rives]

This may have already been covered in this thread, but I'll ask anyway - (1) can/should I run an air stone in my res and (2) is it ok to use sm-90 vs. drip clean to keep my lines clear?

Air stones are unneeded and could easily cause you grief - the last thing that you want in the 3mm lines are air bubbles. Blumats are very easy to vapor-lock.

I run both SM-90 and DripClean. SM-90 will not keep the lines clear, it actually creates sludge. If you were only going to use one product, I would make it DripClean.

 

[Mikell]

Absolutely. Gravity feed from the reservoir to a genuine blumat pump/ accumulator system-

http://www.sustainablevillage.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=165

Too rich for my purposes, but probably great for other people.

Hah, the product pictures show our favourite plant. Wonder if that was Tropf or Sustainable Village posting that?

 

[dr-dank]

Hey all, I'm joining this club thanks in part to this great thread. I am on page 10, and will read it all, so forgive if this is asked and answered....

1. Is there a preferred method to "turn off" a carrot, say because you have harvested in a perpetual and have no replacement handy?

I can see a few options, to include disconnect and clean; was wondering what most folks do. Could move to another pot as a temp holding area, which retains adjustment and operating state. My pots are small so no way to wedge more than one.

2. Is there any periodic maintenance for the carrots themselves? I see mention of drip clean, but that seems more for the lines. Soak in hot water, bleach, soap? I could see these getting funky after repeated use.

3. Do these wear/out, and if so, what is the symptom? Lack of desired wetness/inability to adjust, or do they wedge into some always on/off? When do you decide to throw one out and replace with new?

Thanks and regards

 

[Jhhnn]

Hey all, I'm joining this club thanks in part to this great thread. I am on page 10, and will read it all, so forgive if this is asked and answered....

1. Is there a preferred method to "turn off" a carrot, say because you have harvested in a perpetual and have no replacement handy?

I can see a few options, to include disconnect and clean; was wondering what most folks do. Could move to another pot as a temp holding area, which retains adjustment and operating state. My pots are small so no way to wedge more than one.

2. Is there any periodic maintenance for the carrots themselves? I see mention of drip clean, but that seems more for the lines. Soak in hot water, bleach, soap? I could see these getting funky after repeated use.

3. Do these wear/out, and if so, what is the symptom? Lack of desired wetness/inability to adjust, or do they wedge into some always on/off? When do you decide to throw one out and replace with new?

Thanks and regards

Being new at it, I don't know for sure. I figure on doing nothing other than cleaning, resoaking & refilling ones set aside from thinning the plants. As rives mentioned earlier, the tube can be pinched shut on new ones, maybe on ones that have dried out, too, so I plan on purging them & readjusting anyway. It's a piece o' cake once you get a feel for it.

 

[rives]

Hey all, I'm joining this club thanks in part to this great thread. I am on page 10, and will read it all, so forgive if this is asked and answered....

1. Is there a preferred method to "turn off" a carrot, say because you have harvested in a perpetual and have no replacement handy?

I can see a few options, to include disconnect and clean; was wondering what most folks do. Could move to another pot as a temp holding area, which retains adjustment and operating state. My pots are small so no way to wedge more than one.

2. Is there any periodic maintenance for the carrots themselves? I see mention of drip clean, but that seems more for the lines. Soak in hot water, bleach, soap? I could see these getting funky after repeated use.

3. Do these wear/out, and if so, what is the symptom? Lack of desired wetness/inability to adjust, or do they wedge into some always on/off? When do you decide to throw one out and replace with new?

Thanks and regards

#1 - If it is just going to be a day or two, you can drop the spike into a jar of water and it will maintain the moisture level inside as well as shut off the water flow. Leave the valve adjustment alone (don't tighten it down, see below). I normally find that the spikes have lost some water over the course of time (tilt the spike back and forth and look for air pockets through the translucent green part) and need some maintenance anyway, so I usually remove the cap and store the spike in a jar of water. Then when it's time to reuse them, submerge the spike and the cap in a large bowl and use a syringe to squirt into the holes in the underside of the cap and remove any air that is trapped. Reassemble them under water.

I keep a bunch of spikes stored in water so they are ready to go without a presoak. DO NOT store the spikes in water with caps on - if the valve adjustment is too tight, the high moisture levels can create enough force that the valve will clamp shut with enough power to break the top of the cap.

Once you find a good moisture level, use some white-out to mark the spot on the cap where the pointer lines up. It will be very repeatable from plant to plant and really simplifies start-up.

2) I scrub off the spike with a dish-washing brush to remove any stuck dirt, but that is it for maintenance. A bleach solution will destroy the internal rubber parts. The 3mm lines can be stretched, pinched and massaged to break any crap loose that is inside them, and then hooked up to a T to flow some water through the line to purge all of the material out.

3) I have numerous spikes that are several years old, have been in almost continuous use and are still working fine. There have been a couple of caps that didn't seem to respond correctly, like the valve was sticky and waited too long to turn on and then wouldn't turn off at the correct point. These weren't old when they became troublesome, and I just marked them and set them aside for use in an emergency. I should toss them out now since I've bought lots of spares (Costco had a hell of a deal on patio kits a while back), but haven't gotten around to it.

 

[Jhhnn]

^^^

Makes sense to me. Thanks as always!

Quality control is never 100% so the occasional funky unit is sure to turn up from time to time.