Blumat auto watering

[Desert Hydro]

whats up everyone? can any of you guys tell me what the biggest plant you could conceivably grow with a single blumat??

I'm not talking about pot size. I know with coco the way to go is small pots fed more often. I'm thinking 3 gallon fabric pots but the thing is I grow BIG plants since I am on limited plant count. I miss the blumat days of simplicity and being able to leave for a couple days care free.

 

[Desert Hydro]

ive got a couple dozen regular blumats. not the maxi size

 

[420Barista]

whats up everyone? can any of you guys tell me what the biggest plant you could conceivably grow with a single blumat??

I'm not talking about pot size. I know with coco the way to go is small pots fed more often. I'm thinking 3 gallon fabric pots but the thing is I grow BIG plants since I am on limited plant count. I miss the blumat days of simplicity and being able to leave for a couple days care free.

not really sure on what your asking? with blumats I dont think there is a size limitation on plants just the res size would matter on how long you can be away b4 refilling. which blumat will you use?

 

[Desert Hydro]

more so just wondering if a regular size blumat can keep up with plants like this in a 3 gal smart pot. this is my ppk grow. I wanna do a side by side of ppk vs blumat/tupur to see which fits my schedule better

I know in coco the pot size doesn't have to be big to do big plants. kind of like rockwool.

I'm limited on plant count so I do big plants. this next round will be scrogged one plant per 4x4 instead of the vert plants shown in my current grow

 

[Bwanabud]

I'd put 2 sensors in each pot, and watch em grow.

 

[420Barista]

more so just wondering if a regular size blumat can keep up with plants like this in a 3 gal smart pot. this is my ppk grow. I wanna do a side by side of ppk vs blumat/tupur to see which fits my schedule better

I know in coco the pot size doesn't have to be big to do big plants. kind of like rockwool.

I'm limited on plant count so I do big plants. this next round will be scrogged one plant per 4x4 instead of the vert plants shown in my current grow

I guess I can let you know I have 7 plants popped from seed nov1st still in solo cups to be transplanted into 3 gal airpots very soon and i plan on having one std sized blumat in each connected to a 13 gallon rez and set to veg one more week or 2 b4 switching to flower.

 

[Desert Hydro]

I guess I can let you know I have 7 plants popped from seed nov1st still in solo cups to be transplanted into 3 gal airpots very soon and i plan on having one std sized blumat in each connected to a 13 gallon rez and set to veg one more week or 2 b4 switching to flower.

don't get me wrong, ive done plenty of blumat grows but I was just doing regular size 3-4 week veg plants. I'm talking like a 1.5-2 month veg with a shit ton of LST, mainlining etc

my blumats have been in storage for a while since I went bigger but now its got me thinking that I miss the simplicity of it all.

I guess if I need to I can add a second carrot to keep up. I still have my auto fill reservoir stuff so setup will be minimal

 

[kalopatchkid]

Get the drip distributors and make a ring of drip sites around each pot and it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Desert Hydro]

Get the drip distributors and make a ring of drip sites around each pot and it shouldn't be a problem.

do you have to adjust each drip site or just the main carrot because it would be a pain in the ass to do each one

 

[saitama]

I'd put 2 sensors in each pot, and watch em grow.

Get the drip distributors and make a ring of drip sites around each pot and it shouldn't be a problem.

I think either of these suggestions would do you well. I was recommended to use the distributors by sustainable village as well. You don't have to adjust them, you just let them do their thing and if you're familiar with how they work (as I assume you are) you know they will feed accordingly. The distributors I believe are just to get a more accurate reading from the sensor and quicker. Why don't you give them a call? Their customer support is out of this world.

I look forward to seeing your progress!

 

[Bwanabud]

do you have to adjust each drip site or just the main carrot because it would be a pain in the ass to do each one

I've used multiple distributors off of single carrot sensors, don't bother using more than 2 per carrot...the first dripper will run faster than the end. They have "T" and "End" drippers, a combo with both and micro tubing no longer than 6"-8" between works. I did have problems with the screw threads clogging up from reduced pressure in the micro tubing.

Once your pot depth gets 15" or so, they say to use the Maxi's for sensing moisture better...I use to run all 3 gal. pots in flower, and 5 gal. pots for Mom's using standard carrots, just run the pot "wetter" by adjusting. I've grown rooms full of 8' plants with Blumats, tho ceiling height and heat become an enemy at some point.

The pressurized systems will be easier to control your flow rate, when using in larger pots in big rooms...especially with multiple carrots and dripper sites.

 

[kalopatchkid]

do you have to adjust each drip site or just the main carrot because it would be a pain in the ass to do each one

Only need to adjust the main carrot. I use one carrot with 3 drip distributors per 5 gallon pot. They can clog occasionally but I found elevating the drippers so they arent touching the soil helps to reduce that problem.

 

[Desert Hydro]

thanks guys. i like the idea of the T and two end pieces. seems to make more sens as far as even flow is concerned. i may try the single carrot first to see if they can keep up. i miss the simplicity of blumats. i left for a week and was panicking the whole time and returned to happy healthy plants. best feeling in the world to not be tethered to your garden 100% and know theyre well taken care of.

time will tell if i keep them going, ditch them for PPKs or do half and half.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

I found this very interesting. Seems other's are hopping on the bandwagon that will give blumat some competition finally. The ones with capillary mats for the top that just wick were what I was most interested in.

https://floraflex.com/

http://www.bghydro.com/floraflex-matrix-pad-105-in-pack-of-12.html

The FloraFlex® Matrix Pad is part of the Matrix System, a patent pending first of its kind Top Feeding Wicking System that provides the most even way to deliver water and nutrients to your plants. It can be used with pots ranging from 7.5”-18” Diameters. You will need a Matrix unit, the same size Matrix Pad, and the correlating Matrix Circulator.


Water and nutrients travel into the Circulator, hit the slope of the Matrix and are pushed outward into eight maze sections that have individual holes dripping the water and nutrients onto the Matrix Wicking Pad.


The Matrix Pad is a lightweight Non-Woven Capillary Mat placed between the Matrix and the medium. Traditionally capillary pads are placed underneath plants, however FloraFlex has designed the Matrix Pad to absorb water and wick to the top of the medium, delivering water and nutrients evenly.

 

[kalopatchkid]

I think it would be cool to combine the floraflex with blumats so you can still get the benefits of a self regulating blumat sensor that doesnt need a timer/electricity but have better water distribution with the floraflex.

 

[saitama]

I found this very interesting. Seems other's are hopping on the bandwagon that will give blumat some competition finally. The ones with capillary mats for the top that just wick were what I was most interested in.

https://floraflex.com/

https://www.bghydro.com/floraflex-matrix-pad-105-in-pack-of-12.html

Those mats are pretty neat. The one thing I would worry about is the mat evaporating nutrients faster than the blumats can deliver them.

 

[Bwanabud]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The FloraFlex system looks interesting, but pricey for the whole deal.
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[spaceboy]

Well I finally got my blumats up and running thanks to all the help from everyone. I don't always have time to reply, but I just wanted to let everyone know I appreciate it. Only problem I have now is that I never expected them to grow this much!

 

[420Barista]

Well I finally got my blumats up and running thanks to all the help from everyone. I don't always have time to reply, but I just wanted to let everyone know I appreciate it. Only problem I have now is that I never expected them to grow this much!

enjoy

 

[Jhhnn]

Well I finally got my blumats up and running thanks to all the help from everyone. I don't always have time to reply, but I just wanted to let everyone know I appreciate it. Only problem I have now is that I never expected them to grow this much!

That looks like a developing management problem, for sure.

I like to just let 'em grow straight out of the pot in organic soil, no pinching or training other than trimming away larf producing lower growth. Using blumats & growing from seed, I have to flower at 12-15" tall, 5 weeks, because most strains will stretch to 42" or more before they finish. Letting them get any taller turns into a real PITA in my space w/o significant increase in yield.

Getting set up to use blumats well requires some ingenuity & expense but they're totally worth it. They can be fiddly at times but using them & Ace's scratch soil mix upped my game tremendously. Overall effort expended is way down, too.

I had no idea just how well they would work until I tried them.