Blumat auto watering

[stoned40yrs]

Can you get your rez up higher?

The greater the pressure in the line, the bigger the difference between on and off and the less runoffs. I have run twelve plants on a rez and twelve plants using house pressure water with the step down pressure regulator and the system with the pressure regulator does not runoff at all. Since there is a good deal of pressure in the line, you can tighten down the screw top regulator. When it is off, it is off. It is only when the media starts to get dry that there is a good suction in the carrot that the line opens up enough to let the relatively high pressure water through to wet the media.

Getting your rez up as high as possible gets the pressure in the lines closer to that in systems using the pressure regulator, either using house water pressure or the pump and accumulator method.

Hell, my rez is 12 fucking feet above the blumats It's on the second story and my plants are on the first, ya think I should mount it on the roof 30gal rez on second floor pumps up to a 5 gal bucket, two 1/2" black lines from the bucket go through the floor and circle the bloom room and go back to the bucket. A pump in the 30 gal rez keeps the 5 gal bucket topped off every hour and runs back to the 30 gal thru some 2" abs. I have lots of pressure. When I clean out the lines the pressure is like a garden hose. Maybe I should replace all the carrot tops, they bout 3 years old.

 

[Bwanabud]

I wouldn't think the carrot tops are bad, are you flushing the air bubbles out during the pre-soak ? Like Sforza said if your pressure is high, you should have far less issues with run-away drippers...the pressurized system certainly helps minimize it, only because it's constant pressure, not fluctuating with rez height/fill stage. BTW: Blumat does recommend using distilled water inside the carrots, maybe for less air and contaminants ?

I'm still fighting with dripper threads clogging up on me, even with Drip Clean and 1.5ml of Clorox...it's white stuff, used to be brown. I saw another poster state he had brown algae issues, and I'm convinced that's my issue...the algae has turned white(like a swimming pool does with chlorine), so at the end of each rooms run I'm going thru and cleaning hoses and dripper threads/bodies. I had to go back to hand watering 1 of my veg rooms, it has 80 plants in it but they kept clogging up...pain in the ass for sure.

 

[stoned40yrs]

I use a bubble eye dropper to shoot water into the cap while it's under water, ain't no air in them, pretty easy to rotate the carrot and look through the plastic to see if there is a air bubble. The pressure stays the same in the top rez, never less than 4 gal or more than 4.5 gal. No plugging lines. I only run clean V+B RO/Soft and NO additives except ph up every few days. Yes the rubber in the tops can go bad, that's why they sell tops only at SV. Never heard of the using distilled water in carrots so I'll try that. You ain't going to figure this out that easy. I read this thread too and have used them for years.

 

[Bwanabud]

It has to be air in the 3mm lines then, if the tops go bad in 2-3 years that's BS.

 

[LostTribe]

I am totally new to blumats but want to try and set up a system with the shurflow pumps tank and filter.

I have been looking at the deck/patio 12 spike system. What else do I need to set this up? A blumat pressure reducer?

 

[LostInEthereal]

I am totally new to blumats but want to try and set up a system with the shurflow pumps tank and filter.

I have been looking at the deck/patio 12 spike system. What else do I need to set this up? A blumat pressure reducer?

The pressure reducer should only be necessary when the input pressure going to the blumat tubing is above 15psi. If you're running the pump system it is likely that it will be required though. However I think you can turn down the pressure on the accumulator bladder (which means the pump will run more often) around that low and potentially get by without one. Still learning this stuff so I am terribly sorry If I mislead you!

 

[rives]

The pressure reducer should only be necessary when the input pressure going to the blumat tubing is above 15psi. If you're running the pump system it is likely that it will be required though. However I think you can turn down the pressure on the accumulator bladder (which means the pump will run more often) around that low and potentially get by without one. Still learning this stuff so I am terribly sorry If I mislead you!

I don't run a pump system, but have a lot of experience with hydraulic systems. With a gravity system, the blumats are very sensitive to pressure fluctuations and I would expect the same thing with a pump. If you have the kick-on pressure for the pump set higher than the pressure reducer pressure (and it should be), the pressure on the supply side of the pressure reducer can fluctuate while the outlet pressure remains constant.

 

[Jhhnn]

I am totally new to blumats but want to try and set up a system with the shurflow pumps tank and filter.

I have been looking at the deck/patio 12 spike system. What else do I need to set this up? A blumat pressure reducer?

Using water, either a pressure reducer or an elevated reservoir with a float valve are your best choices. Depending on how clean your water is, you may want a filter on the inlet.

You'll probably want a shutoff valve past the pressure regulator & purge valves at the ends of the runs, maybe more or less tees & elbows than the kit provides. The 8mm line is very springy & can be difficult to manage. I put the whole roll in the oven on warm to soften it up. I also like longer 3mm lines than in the kit, use splicers & manifolds to make it work right. Check it out in my disorganized albums.

Have a plan, sketch it out to make sure you get it all in one order.

Be warned that if you blow an 8mm line that the pressure reducer will go wide open & deliver a lot of water so a catchment basin is a good idea as is a valve at the inlet to limit flow to what the plants actually need. In my small grow the valve isn't open very far at all.

 

[stoned40yrs]

It has to be air in the 3mm lines then, if the tops go bad in 2-3 years that's BS.

I use 1/2" black hydro for my supply lines. The 3mm goes into these near the plants. Every 6 feet in the room I put a T and a clear 1/2" tube going vertical and gate valve at the end. This is where any air bubbles in my lines go. So no air possible upstream. If there is air it would have to come from the 3mm line hanging out the carrot is all I can figure.

 

[Bwanabud]

I use 1/2" black hydro for my supply lines. The 3mm goes into these near the plants. Every 6 feet in the room I put a T and a clear 1/2" tube going vertical and gate valve at the end. This is where any air bubbles in my lines go. So no air possible upstream. If there is air it would have to come from the 3mm line hanging out the carrot is all I can figure.

Then you don't use drippers on the 3mm ?,,,it sounds like cavitation in action to me.

 

[rives]

I use 1/2" black hydro for my supply lines. The 3mm goes into these near the plants. Every 6 feet in the room I put a T and a clear 1/2" tube going vertical and gate valve at the end. This is where any air bubbles in my lines go. So no air possible upstream. If there is air it would have to come from the 3mm line hanging out the carrot is all I can figure.

For me, one of the biggest contributions to eliminating the majority of runaways seemed to be when I got the perlite away from the spike. I use coco (Botanicare ReadyGro Aeration formula) and use straight coco to bed the blumat in. I push the spike into place and then pull it back out and fill the hole with plain coco, and do this repeatedly. I think that having the spike bedded in a tightly-packed envelope with no perlite up against it helps it track the media moisture better than if there are voids or solids against the ceramic.

 

[Abja Roots]

What's the largest size grow anyone has ever seen the Blumat's used on?

Would something like this be enough to keep the lines pressurized?
https://www.hydroponics.net/i/142387

I'm setting up a gh and considering all the options. I'm thinking that a just add water soil mix, with tea feedings/top dress if necessary, and blumats might work really well.

I've used SunnyDog's modified soil mix before with very good results.

 

[Bwanabud]

What's the largest size grow anyone has ever seen the Blumat's used on?

Would something like this be enough to keep the lines pressurized?
https://www.hydroponics.net/i/142387

I'm setting up a gh and considering all the options. I'm thinking that a just add water soil mix, with tea feedings/top dress if necessary, and blumats might work really well.

I've used SunnyDog's modified soil mix before with very good results.

I know Steve at Blumat has some big systems set up on site, but as demo's...the unit you linked is far too large for an efficient system. It's a large capacity pump at 30 gal. a minute, it has a 2 liter expansion tank...designed for domestic water use in a home or small commercial use.

How many plants will be in the green house ??? It you're going that big in 1 location there are better options available, and certainly better pump systems for the money.

 

[bigbadbiddy]

Howdy folks,

not wanting to be too demanding here but I am close to setting up my Blumats and pump system...

Is there a simple step by step guide (possibly with pics? ) on how to set up the pump, accumulator, filter combo with your tank and Blumat line somewhere in this thread?
I couldn't find it if there is.

Think that would be very helpful (for me certainly) as the thread seems to have arrived at a consensus:
Pressurized Blumat systems (with accumulator, pump and filter combo) are the way to go.

Information on possible parts (and even pictures) for the pump system are abundant in the thread.

I feel that a step-by-step guide on setting up the system would be very neat.

Cheers and thanks for all the help so far!

 

[jonesb]

if you do a search for blumat pumps there is another thread, i would link to it but I don't know how to.

 

[LostInEthereal]

if you do a search for blumat pumps there is another thread, i would link to it but I don't know how to.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=308769

Here ya go brother, I believe this is the one?

@bigbadbiddy

I'm still struggling to beg mine going, well now I'm being lazy and not ordering the fittings I need. Anyway, I would be happy to take some detailed pictures tonight of all the components mocked up together when lights are on or in home from work.

 

[jonesb]

yep thats the one, i built mine 3 years ago just like that one, still working great

 

[stoned40yrs]

For me, one of the biggest contributions to eliminating the majority of runaways seemed to be when I got the perlite away from the spike. I use coco (Botanicare ReadyGro Aeration formula) and use straight coco to bed the blumat in. I push the spike into place and then pull it back out and fill the hole with plain coco, and do this repeatedly. I think that having the spike bedded in a tightly-packed envelope with no perlite up against it helps it track the media moisture better than if there are voids or solids against the ceramic.

I don't use perlite. I don't stick the carrot in till they go into bloom with 5' tall plants in 2gal fabric. It's real hard to get that carrot down and I didn't think I needed to pull it out to make sure I had good coco contact to the ceramic. Worth a try though, no biggie.

 

[bigbadbiddy]

It should be hard to get the carrot down because you insert it near the stem, no?

And guess what's near the stem (or should be anyway):
Yep, hard ass, thick ass roots

Obviously harder to pierce through those than through soil.

And thanks for the link, already helps a ton!

@LostInEthereal
Would be much appreaciated mate

 

[stoned40yrs]

It should be hard to get the carrot down because you insert it near the stem, no?

And guess what's near the stem (or should be anyway):
Yep, hard ass, thick ass roots

Obviously harder to pierce through those than through soil.

And thanks for the link, already helps a ton!

@LostInEthereal
Would be much appreaciated mate

I hope not. I read you stick it midway between the stem and container wall.