I just saw that Organics Alive has a new organic dry fertilizer line that is 100% soluble and no microbes. Wondering if this has potential to be used with blumats.
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Blumat auto watering
- Thread starter sunnydog
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- blumat drippers irrigation watering
What medium are you using and what size containers? I know some people have mentioned using a pipette to squeeze any little airbubbles out of the cap but I honestly have never found tiny bubbles to be an issue and my carrots are a couple years old.
I just soak mine overnight in a rain barrel and bang em together underwater till i dont see anymore air bubbles rising.
Do you regularly purge your main supply line to make sure there is no sediment or large air bubbles plugging it up?
Turning the valve all the way closed won't necessarily make the spikes stop dripping if the media is dry. Blumats sense moisture, and seek to maintain whatever level they are set for. Try hand-watering to the moisture content that you want, pinch off the 4mm feed lines with some clothespins, and let things sit for several hours so the Blumats react to the moisture level. Then remove the close pins and set the spikes to a clinging drip.
If by bubbles you mean inside of the spike, hold the ceramic portion of the spike under water and irrigate it with a syringe. Do the same thing with the cap, injecting water into the 3 holes in the top, then screw the pieces together while they are still submerged.
If you have perlite in your media, get some straight media without the chunks. Insert the spike and pull it back out, then fill the hole with the straight media and reinsert the spike, and repeat this several times. The tighter that the media is around the spike, the quicker it will react. Chunks up against the ceramic keep the spike from readily sensing the moisture level.
What is found to be the optimum moisture level for coco w/ blumats?
Bwanabud
Active member
1/4 turn closed from run-off, just make sure it's drenched when you set the sensor 1st time.
Bwanabud
Active member
Just buy distilled water at the store in the future, to set up the sensors air free...use a syringe to "blow" the bubble out of carrot body/top.
~What pressure is your system running on the high & low side ?
~Did you adjust the accumulator pressure from Sustainable ?
~ Did you check the accumulator with an accurate air gauge ?
~Did you install a purge valve at the end of your main 8mm tubing, to blow the system out on start up ?
~Did you open the sensor line wide open, to purge EACH 4mm line ?
~ How many plants are in your system ?
~ Are you running an air stone in your reservoir ?
~Do you drench your pot prior to "setting" sensor ?
I run multiple pressure systems with zero problems, other than cleaning out the 4mm lines periodically because of sediment. But no run-aways or drip consistency issues at all.
Thanks.
So basically soak the plants to run off, then 1/4 turn less. Got it.
Does this leave the pots heavy all the time?
Bwanabud
Active member
I soak the sensors for 2 hours in water, blow the air out of them...then set them in pure coco around the carrot.
Then soak the pot by hand with a watering can, and then open the dial/blow air out and set to a clinging drop...24 hrs later open 1/2 turn or so, till you gradually get it right. Once they settle in(2 days or so)very easy to bounce the edge of run off. Take your time over a couple days.
Yes, they will remain heavy, make sure to have a solid healthy root system...and it's very close to top drip style/semi-hydro. Definitely keeps the salts down, eliminates PH spikes from drying coco.
saitama
Well-known member
Just wanted to chime in. I recently set up my pressurized system with the help from everyone's posts in this thread. Thanks to all who have contributed and asked questions. With this info, I have had only one run away that was minimal and looked like normal run off from a hand water. I've been away from my grow for almost 2 weeks now and my care taker is sitting around like the maytag man.
With all those positives said, the only difference I am noticing between my previous grows is that my plants seem a little more droopy. I think it might have to do with my saturation level. My plants before would pray up to the light. I'm running 100% coco with no runoff and carrot set to a cling after a full saturation. Should I adjust the carrot a bit or am I just splitting hairs here?
With all those positives said, the only difference I am noticing between my previous grows is that my plants seem a little more droopy. I think it might have to do with my saturation level. My plants before would pray up to the light. I'm running 100% coco with no runoff and carrot set to a cling after a full saturation. Should I adjust the carrot a bit or am I just splitting hairs here?
Those look pretty happy. If it's something you've grown before that usually holds its leaves higher you might want to dial 'em back a hair. I'm always growing something different & it seems like there's a lot of variation in that from strain to strain.
saitama
Well-known member
Never grown them before but in veg they were holding their leaves higher, before the blumats. I also vegged them before I moved and gave my plants away and they were more perky.
I think I will wait a while and if they don't perk up, I will dial it back a 1/4 turn. Top are Zamaldelica and the bottom are GTH1.
I also grow something different every time...seems to be a trend.
Thanks for the response!
A 1/4 of a turn would be a HUGE adjustment. You might want to start with a couple of the little hash marks on the cap...
saitama
Well-known member
roger that! hopefully i don't even have to make a change!
Yep. Just a tiny adjustment makes a big difference when trying to dial 'em in just so... there's a narrow balance point. Well, in an organic soil mix. I have no experience in other mediums but suspect it's similar.
420Barista
New member
were you using life with the veg+bloom?
saitama
Well-known member
Nope. Just V+B RO and Shine.
420Barista
New member
ok i was asking since I know of it
I never used shine with v+b just life.
I never used shine with v+b just life.
saitama
Well-known member
I want to run a semi sterile res and life will create a buildup. I was instructed to use life as a top dress by HR if I wanted to incorporate it.
I sometimes run PK 13/14 with it.
