Blumat auto watering

[SamsonsRiddle]

Thanks for the support my friends!
I'm still fine tuning these, making tiny adjustments following your advices... yesterday i felt there was nothing to adjust for the blumats

SamsonsRiddle, they are all clones...
1 "arrow" seems more like it for coco, thanks!
so you're saying to have a constant drop every 8/11 seconds, at all times? so far i adjust so that every pot is as heavy as a watered pot should be, but i don't have that constant flow and neither runoff on trays... should I?


Another thing: airstone.
yesterday i inspected my res and it was smelling!
so i decided to add a small aquarium pump with an airstone and a timed sub. pump to keep the solution mixed...
I made a T at the feed line, with the vent line going up, just as it is explained in this post:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=4955566&postcount=1783

I'll let you know how it goes, so far plants look happy.

actually, i jumped the gun. I was talking in a fabric pot for the 8-11 second thing. I set it at about 11 seconds after soaking my coco in fabric 2 gallon pots, which allows a very small pool in the runoff tray to accumulate (my fabric pot was elevated above a large runoff tray/dish washing bucket for safety in my situation). However, if you aren't using fabric pots you should just try what you're doing and adjust as necessary.

The res thing can be hard to combat, as i had a similar problem. I ended up using Dutch Master's Gold Zone in my res in order to keep it sterile. If you are running a sterile grow, this stuff keeps things nice and clean much longer than chlorine - but it costs much more than chlorine. Most people use a dual res set-up, which you can read about extensively in this thread.


Please take all my comments with a grain of salt because I am not an expert as many of the other posters here about blumats.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

actually, i jumped the gun. I was talking in a fabric pot for the 8-11 second thing. I set it at about 11 seconds after soaking my coco in fabric 2 gallon pots, which allows a very small pool in the runoff tray to accumulate (my fabric pot was elevated above a large runoff tray/dish washing bucket for safety in my situation). However, if you aren't using fabric pots you should just try what you're doing and adjust as necessary.

The res thing can be hard to combat, as i had a similar problem. I ended up using Dutch Master's Gold Zone in my res in order to keep it sterile. If you are running a sterile grow, this stuff keeps things nice and clean much longer than chlorine - but it costs much more than chlorine. Most people use a dual res set-up, which you can read about extensively in this thread.


Please take all my comments with a grain of salt because I am not an expert as many of the other posters here about blumats.

thanks man!
i am using the classic square plastic pots...

Gold Zone is something like Drip Cleaner?
I've just found out what i'm doing with the submersible pump (at the bottom facing up, with a fountain like stream) is called flooming
I think i will remove the airstone ad keep flooming only.
I will probably have to adjust my setup in the future with a second res and or placing the sub. pump outside the res (with some kind of hose/tubing going in...) to avoid temp. raise inside the res...

 

[SamsonsRiddle]

thanks man!
i am using the classic square plastic pots...

Gold Zone is something like Drip Cleaner?
I've just found out what i'm doing with the submersible pump (at the bottom facing up, with a fountain like stream) is called flooming
I think i will remove the airstone ad keep flooming only.
I will probably have to adjust my setup in the future with a second res and or placing the sub. pump outside the res (with some kind of hose/tubing going in...) to avoid temp. raise inside the res...

Drip Cleaner keeps the coco clean of residual salts while DMGZ keeps your reservoir (and therefore medium) sterile. It will kill any beneficials while i believe drip cleaner won't.

The only thing to worry about with chlorine or DMGZ is that I have read earlier in this thread that it will deteriorate your tubing - i know bleach for sure was said it would but i would assume DMGZ would do a similar thing.

In my case, I didn't care because I ran such a small set-up that i could replace all the tubing and carrots for under $20. I just want you to know the benefits and risks of doing said things.

How's your medium doing as far as wetness, now? I personally measure the speed at which the drop falls in order to dial in my blumats, if you didn't get that from above posts.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

Drip Cleaner keeps the coco clean of residual salts while DMGZ keeps your reservoir (and therefore medium) sterile. It will kill any beneficials while i believe drip cleaner won't.

The only thing to worry about with chlorine or DMGZ is that I have read earlier in this thread that it will deteriorate your tubing - i know bleach for sure was said it would but i would assume DMGZ would do a similar thing.

In my case, I didn't care because I ran such a small set-up that i could replace all the tubing and carrots for under $20. I just want you to know the benefits and risks of doing said things.

How's your medium doing as far as wetness, now? I personally measure the speed at which the drop falls in order to dial in my blumats, if you didn't get that from above posts.

i'm doing the same thing with the drop's speed! so far so good, just checked and all pots feel fairly heavy and the coco inside is moist as a watered pot should be. lighter ones had a constant flow of drops, so everything looks ok.

the res isn't smelling so bad now with the pump, the only thing is the solution feels warm... i have to put a water temometer in there, but i'm preatty sure i am above ideal temp conditions... it is getting warm here, so this is expectable... i hope i will do fine with the 6/7 weeks my plants have left. then summer break when i would be able to adjust the whole setup.

 

[rives]

A few things for you, Ziggy.

As pointed out, a couple of arrows is a HUGE adjustment. A couple of the little hash marks between the arrows is about right for tweaking. After you get where you want, a dab of liquid white-out makes a handy reference to come back to your setting if you open the valve up to flow any sediment out. Also, once you find the correct setting, it is pretty consistent from one run to another and the white spot makes a handy starting point for the next round. If things change for some reason, you can just scrape of the dot and make a new one.

Air stones can contribute to vapor locks and runaways because of the entrained air. I use a stir pump in my lower rez a couple of times a day.

Drip rate isn't a good indicator of how things are going. Unlike drip systems, Blumats actually sense moisture content and will vary from no flow to a fairly high drip rate as the moisture level reacts to temperature, plant size, etc. I like to bring the media to the desired moisture content in a washtub before potting the plant, and then set the blumat to a clinging drip. If you are using a media with perlite in it, it helps to keep the perlite away from the spike (I use the spike to punch a hole in the media after transplanting, and refill the hole several times with straight coco in between reinserting the spike). One of those cheap moisture meters from Ace Hardware can be helpful for checking things.

Hope this helps.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

A few things for you, Ziggy.

As pointed out, a couple of arrows is a HUGE adjustment. A couple of the little hash marks between the arrows is about right for tweaking. After you get where you want, a dab of liquid white-out makes a handy reference to come back to your setting if you open the valve up to flow any sediment out. Also, once you find the correct setting, it is pretty consistent from one run to another and the white spot makes a handy starting point for the next round. If things change for some reason, you can just scrape of the dot and make a new one.

Air stones can contribute to vapor locks and runaways because of the entrained air. I use a stir pump in my lower rez a couple of times a day.

Drip rate isn't a good indicator of how things are going. Unlike drip systems, Blumats actually sense moisture content and will vary from no flow to a fairly high drip rate as the moisture level reacts to temperature, plant size, etc. I like to bring the media to the desired moisture content in a washtub before potting the plant, and then set the blumat to a clinging drip. If you are using a media with perlite in it, it helps to keep the perlite away from the spike (I use the spike to punch a hole in the media after transplanting, and refill the hole several times with straight coco in between reinserting the spike). One of those cheap moisture meters from Ace Hardware can be helpful for checking things.

Hope this helps.

hey rives, thanks!
some really nice hints...
will definetely do the white marking thing!

about the airstone/pump:
after removing the airstone, this morning i took the sub. pump out as well: the solution was kinda hot... maybe a nice compromise would be to activate it only a couple of times a day, as you say... have it 24/7 in a smallish res (about 22 liters) is just a crazy idea...

I am using Biobizz Coco with no perlite in... I only have a layer of clay pebbles on top.
the way i am adjusting the carrots is:
- if a pot feels heavy means its coco is moist so it's ok if there's no flow
- if a pot feels really heavy and i see a constant flow i close the blumat a little
- if a pot feels light and there's no drop then i open

my plants look happy and I must say they've been through a preatty fast grow rate. so i assume blumats are doing all right.
but being this my first drip coco system, i am eager to understand how to max it out... I must also say, i set the blumats up when plants where established and into their first days of flowering. Also, it's starting to get warm here, and i'm not having ideal temp conditions... I am sure i will have better results next grow (after summer) with blumats in veg and better temp conditions...

 

[blumat_pawley]

For Ultimate Blumat Success!

For Ultimate Blumat Success!

I work at Blumat Systems, the only certified Blumat dealer currently in the U.S. We customize, create, and sell Blumat irrigation systems to fit each grower's specific needs.
https://www.sustainablevillage.com/blumat

Here are some quick tips to get your Blumat system working in perfect condition:

1. Soak all of your Blumats together in a bucket until you're ready to set them. Blumats can soak for a very long time. Anything over one hour will ensure their intended and precise function.

2. Line the soil you place a Blumat in with peat moss. Peat moss is very fibrous and allows for truly accurate soil moisture readings from your Blumat. Rocks, perlite, and other debris can cause pressure variances in your Blumat. Peat moss allows for water to make even contact with the ceramic 'carrot'.

3. With a gravity-fed system, be sure to elevate your reservoir at least 3 feet above your soil-level to ensure proper flow throughout your system.

4. Implementing a Pressure Regulator allows for you to hook up your Blumat system to a household hose or spigot and still maintain an ideal operation gpressure of 7.3 psi.

5. For large potted plants and gardens with deep soil, I suggest implementing 9" Blumat Maxis rather than the original Tropf Blumats (5"). Many plants, particularly those that require a lot of water, have deep roots and will vastly benefit from a 9" Blumat, as it detects deep-soil moisture levels.

Hope that helps everyone out a little. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions! Always here to help!

 

[overgrowit]

Hey all, I am currently trying to setup a pressurized blumat system but the 3mm lines keep blowing off and spraying water everywhere. I could use some advice.

I have a shurflo on demand pump with accumulator tank. After the accumulator tank i have a 10psi senninger pressure reducer which feeds into a 1/2" poly water line. The blumat carrots are fed by 3mm union adapters poked into the 1/2" line. This is where the 3mm tubing will blow off from the pressure.

Any idea whats going on? I have a ball valve after the pressure regulator that i have tried to turn the flow down even more, but the line keeps popping off. I wonder if the pressure reducer isn't working properly? Although i have used them with other drip systems in the past with no trouble. The other thing i am thinking of trying is to use the blumat pressure reducer and 8mm line.

 

[Sforza]

Hey all, I am currently trying to setup a pressurized blumat system but the 3mm lines keep blowing off and spraying water everywhere. I could use some advice.

I have a shurflo on demand pump with accumulator tank. After the accumulator tank i have a 10psi senninger pressure reducer which feeds into a 1/2" poly water line. The blumat carrots are fed by 3mm union adapters poked into the 1/2" line. This is where the 3mm tubing will blow off from the pressure.

Any idea whats going on? I have a ball valve after the pressure regulator that i have tried to turn the flow down even more, but the line keeps popping off. I wonder if the pressure reducer isn't working properly? Although i have used them with other drip systems in the past with no trouble. The other thing i am thinking of trying is to use the blumat pressure reducer and 8mm line.

4. Implementing a Pressure Regulator allows for you to hook up your Blumat system to a household hose or spigot and still maintain an ideal operation pressure of 7.3 psi. Use the one from Sustainability Village. It works great.

 

[overgrowit]

Thanks. Im going to try that next. I was trying to stay away from using the 8mm tubing, but looks like I will anyways.

How many plants can you feed using the 8mm tubing on a pressurized system? I'm used to other irrigation setups where you want larger lines to get the flow even and often need to have multiple zones.

 

[rives]

Thanks. Im going to try that next. I was trying to stay away from using the 8mm tubing, but looks like I will anyways.

How many plants can you feed using the 8mm tubing on a pressurized system? I'm used to other irrigation setups where you want larger lines to get the flow even and often need to have multiple zones.

On a pressurized system, you could probably run dozens.

While it is tempting to compare Blumats to other forms of irrigation, there isn't anything else that is really comparable. Since the spike senses the moisture level and seek to maintain it, the volume being passed by an individual spike at any given time is very, very low. Timed systems dry out more between watering cycles and are difficult to balance, thus the need for the things that you mention.

 

[blumat_pawley]

You can actually run up to 50 Blumats and distribution drippers on a pressure system with a single pump. Implementing a pressure reducer that attaches to your garden hose or home spigot can also support up to 50 Blumats in a system.

 

[blumat_pawley]

On a pressurized system, you could probably run dozens.

While it is tempting to compare Blumats to other forms of irrigation, there isn't anything else that is really comparable. Since the spike senses the moisture level and seek to maintain it, the volume being passed by an individual spike at any given time is very, very low. Timed systems dry out more between watering cycles and are difficult to balance, thus the need for the things that you mention.

Additionally, I recommend using 8mm tubing as a main line with 3mm tubing branching off and connecting to your Blumats.

 

[Bwanabud]

You can actually run up to 50 Blumats and distribution drippers on a pressure system with a single pump. Implementing a pressure reducer that attaches to your garden hose or home spigot can also support up to 50 Blumats in a system.

Bunch of guys on here said 200 plants EASY on 1 system, I called BS because the stock accumulator is far too small...it cycled constantly running 40 plants in 1 room....I increased my accumultor size massively and have zero problems running 100 now...except the 3mm tubing plugs up all the time

 

[blumat_pawley]

Bunch of guys on here said 200 plants EASY on 1 system, I called BS because the stock accumulator is far too small...it cycled constantly running 40 plants in 1 room....I increased my accumultor size massively and have zero problems running 100 now...except the 3mm tubing plugs up all the time

That's awesome to hear you've managed to maintain an ideal psi with that many plants, equally innovative as it is impressive. *thumbs up*

 

[Bwanabud]

That's awesome to hear you've managed to maintain an ideal psi with that many plants, equally innovative as it is impressive. *thumbs up*

I'm running a 55/25 PSI pump with the Blumat pressure reducer, and a 6 gallon accumulator...working off a 60 gal rez.

I dealt with Steve at Blumat, we worked my system up...he's a stellar guy, please give my regards

 

[blumat_pawley]

Will do! He really is.

 

[overgrowit]

Bwanabud, do you use the 8mm tubing for a main line? Also, do you do a closed loop around the room or do you have the tubing branch off to different sections with tee fittings?

 

[Bwanabud]

Bwanabud, do you use the 8mm tubing for a main line? Also, do you do a closed loop around the room or do you have the tubing branch off to different sections with tee fittings?

Yes I run the high grade white 8mm line around the perimeter of the room(open loop/ "U" shaped), then install the 8mm tees at each table/light, run 8mm orange tubing down onto the table,,,and branch off to each plant with the 3mm line. I install 8mm valves at each main tee, so I can shut the table down independently...or flip to the 1/4" tubing side and rinse the plants at that table with the spray stakes.

I leave the end of the main run open(not closed loop), because I have a valve at the end to flush line...or bleed air out of the system on start up, or rez wash out.

I'm running 4 full pressurized systems now, each doing 50-70 plants a piece...each utilizing their own rez and needed nutes for the age group. I run gauges on both the hi/low pressure sides to see the working pressure of the pump & outlet(after regulator)to the Blumat system. I also use an in-line check valve to stop back flow of water to pump, and as I said a much larger accumulator to minimize pump cycling.

 

[Vanilla Phoenix]

Bwanabud, are you running straight water or nute solution? How often do you see a runaway? Also, are you doing coco?