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Blumat auto watering
- Thread starter sunnydog
- Start date
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- Tags
- blumat drippers irrigation watering
Kreamy
Member
WasntMe, I really appreciate the response. +rep I'll stay away from the aftermarket ones, and look for the blumats. I was thinking about trying some on potted veggies so I'll try to get ahold of the patio ones. Given the success of this product I can't believe it is not more readily available (ie any garden shop in town).
Kreamy
Member
To follow up on my last post, I called a local gardening center, and was told that they just ordered a shipment of the patio sets, and expect them in next week. I can't wait to pick mine up! I highly encourage anyone looking to buy these to call or go into a local garden center first, and get the word out that this is a product worth carrying.
just talked with these guys again today. they have really awesome customer service, and specifically asked me if there was anything missing from their blumat selection that they should include in the next order.
they have everything! thru-hulls, 3mm drip line, extra t's, feeder line on/off valves, the garden hose pressure reducer thingy, the distributer drip sets, and 3 packs of juniors or regulars or maxis (the link to the three packs was mislabled "jr's" but they actually carry all of them) and a mountain of patio sets.
thiz-
i've only worked with diatomaceous earth (DE), never water crystals, but they probably work similarly (absorb and store a lot of water).
I think it should extend the time between reservoir refills by helping with water retention and reducing water loss through evaporation.
the only thing i could see causing a problem was if the ceramic cone was touching a disproportionately high amount of them and therefore couldn't accurately gauge the soil's moisture level.
B
BlueberryNutz
i read from page 1-33 and then decided to order my set right now. im sure i missed some cool shit between page 33 and 81 but i'll catch up soon. i hope mine work out as nice as everyone elses
Thanks To You All
Thanks To You All
I am now part of the Blumat phenomenon (club)
After reading all the pages of this thread I decided to "pull the trigger" on using these for the rest of my natural growing days. Of course, the advice offered here was second to none and seeing as how I'm a "tinkerer" by nature I wanted create a set-up that was not only semi-hands-off, but also easily removable.
So to show my support of this thread, as well as possibly help others to brainstorm as you all did for me, I would like to share pics of my set-up.
First off, I'm working with a rather small Growlab GL80 tent which has a footprint of about 2'7" x 2'7".
#1: Here's a pic of how I hooked up my Blumats.
I basically constructed a distribution manifold out of 1/2" pvc and 1/4" barb fittings. Taking the advice of another member in this thread (sorry don't remember who), I purchased the quick couplings from Kent Systems. They are the 1/4" female shut-offs and the 3/32" triggering open flow males. I just simply zipped tied the manifold to a washing machine pan I picked up for about 16 bucks, to help contain any possible "run away" Blumats. I designed this outfit to accommodate (9) 2 gallon smart pots, all for single cola growing
Oh yeah, GOOD call on the shop vac for cleaning up run-off. 19 buckaroo's from Lowes.
#2: Here's another shot with all the Blumats hooked up. I was doing a little flow testing.
#3: Another very good idea I wanted to incorporate was a drain/purge valve to clear any air that might have gotten into the system. I can also drain my sump when it comes time to switch out nute formulas. Again, thanks to the member who suggested this.
#4: Here you can see what the Blumat looks like hooked up and running in a smart pot. It's been hooked up for about 2 days and just started dripping (you can barely see it).
#5: Again, have to give credit to the member who suggested this configuration for hooking up the reservoir.
I honestly feel that in order to be successful in running these you have to maintain consistent water pressure. I'm running a 27 gallon reservoir which constantly feeds a 5 gallon sump, hung at about 7 feet above the Blumats.
The line going all the way to the top on the sump is the feed line from the main reservoir.
The line on the bottom right goes to the distribution manifold.
The line on the bottom left is the return back to the reservoir. To make it work I had to make a durso stand pipe screwed to an ebb&flow bulkhead fitting inside the sump. It's very similar in design to what they use in large aquarium wet dry filter systems. (see pic below).
Well, I hope that I have successfully contributed to this thread and hope that others can use some of the same ideas to set-up their Blumats. I can't wait to have all nine pots running.
Peace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenon
Thanks To You All
I am now part of the Blumat phenomenon (club)
After reading all the pages of this thread I decided to "pull the trigger" on using these for the rest of my natural growing days. Of course, the advice offered here was second to none and seeing as how I'm a "tinkerer" by nature I wanted create a set-up that was not only semi-hands-off, but also easily removable.
So to show my support of this thread, as well as possibly help others to brainstorm as you all did for me, I would like to share pics of my set-up.
First off, I'm working with a rather small Growlab GL80 tent which has a footprint of about 2'7" x 2'7".
#1: Here's a pic of how I hooked up my Blumats.
I basically constructed a distribution manifold out of 1/2" pvc and 1/4" barb fittings. Taking the advice of another member in this thread (sorry don't remember who), I purchased the quick couplings from Kent Systems. They are the 1/4" female shut-offs and the 3/32" triggering open flow males. I just simply zipped tied the manifold to a washing machine pan I picked up for about 16 bucks, to help contain any possible "run away" Blumats. I designed this outfit to accommodate (9) 2 gallon smart pots, all for single cola growing
Oh yeah, GOOD call on the shop vac for cleaning up run-off. 19 buckaroo's from Lowes.#2: Here's another shot with all the Blumats hooked up. I was doing a little flow testing.
#3: Another very good idea I wanted to incorporate was a drain/purge valve to clear any air that might have gotten into the system. I can also drain my sump when it comes time to switch out nute formulas. Again, thanks to the member who suggested this.
#4: Here you can see what the Blumat looks like hooked up and running in a smart pot. It's been hooked up for about 2 days and just started dripping (you can barely see it).
#5: Again, have to give credit to the member who suggested this configuration for hooking up the reservoir.
I honestly feel that in order to be successful in running these you have to maintain consistent water pressure. I'm running a 27 gallon reservoir which constantly feeds a 5 gallon sump, hung at about 7 feet above the Blumats.
The line going all the way to the top on the sump is the feed line from the main reservoir.
The line on the bottom right goes to the distribution manifold.
The line on the bottom left is the return back to the reservoir. To make it work I had to make a durso stand pipe screwed to an ebb&flow bulkhead fitting inside the sump. It's very similar in design to what they use in large aquarium wet dry filter systems. (see pic below).
Well, I hope that I have successfully contributed to this thread and hope that others can use some of the same ideas to set-up their Blumats. I can't wait to have all nine pots running.
Peace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenon
Attachments
T
THriveCompany
Wow thanks for all the info...what a great thread...Ill post pics once i get all mine going..once again just wanted to say thanks to all for all the info..
LeeROI
Member
Awesome post, ROOTZ.
I found dursostandpipes.com but couldn't you instead just run the supply line from the pump up and over the side of your hanging reservoir?
Edit: I guess noise reduction would be the big reason to use a standpipe.
Edit2: I didn't read the post closely enough. Seems like a second (lower) fitting in the side of the bucket would accomplish the same thing as the stand pipe?
I found dursostandpipes.com but couldn't you instead just run the supply line from the pump up and over the side of your hanging reservoir?
Edit: I guess noise reduction would be the big reason to use a standpipe.
Edit2: I didn't read the post closely enough. Seems like a second (lower) fitting in the side of the bucket would accomplish the same thing as the stand pipe?
Happy things are working out!
Happy things are working out!
I am happy to see so many people making good and clever use of these!
Kinda' funny, when I saw these in a dusty old box at the grow store,and found practically no info on them, I said "fuck it seems like a good idea" and bought a bunch for outdoors.
I was blown away by how well they worked, and figured I had to spread the word
!
I simply could not believe almost no one was using(documenting) these!
Drip on!!!
SD
Happy things are working out!
I am happy to see so many people making good and clever use of these!
Kinda' funny, when I saw these in a dusty old box at the grow store,and found practically no info on them, I said "fuck it seems like a good idea" and bought a bunch for outdoors.
I was blown away by how well they worked, and figured I had to spread the word
!I simply could not believe almost no one was using(documenting) these!
Drip on!!!
SD
Last edited:
TheGreenViking
Member
Great pictures... love when people show their setups so I can steal ideas for mine. 
Thanks all for the kind replies. AND, definitely a big thanks to sunnydog for bringing these to the masses.
Sure, no problem.. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos before I put all this together. I was kinda pressed for time to get everything up and running again.
Instead, I scanned my little draft I used when I was trying to "put it all together" so to speak. Thankfully it all worked as planned..LOL
Hopefully it's pretty clear in case others wanna feed off of it as well.
dansbuds,
Sure, no problem.. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos before I put all this together. I was kinda pressed for time to get everything up and running again.
Instead, I scanned my little draft I used when I was trying to "put it all together" so to speak. Thankfully it all worked as planned..LOL
Hopefully it's pretty clear in case others wanna feed off of it as well.
Attachments
So you are adding GH nectar, floranectar, and bleach to your res? I was using LK and was looking for replacements for it in my blumat res. I think the nectar and floranectar would be it.
B
BlueberryNutz
just got mine in the mail today. just to be sure.....the little grommet thing for the resevoir has a washer. im assuming that the washer goes on the inside of the res or am i wrong?
You are correct, the gasket goes on the inside.
my second round with the Blumats. I like them lots. Definitely needed to scale back on my nute regimen when switching from DripToWaste to the Blumats. These are my keeper Strawberry Diesel F2 clone bred by Ganesh
N
NachoConQueso
So more input on the distributors. My line doesn't drip after I change my res. I'm finding that if it doesn't stay pressurized then the distributors don't drip evenly or at all. I clean my res every week so I'm finding that I have to get underneath the plant to unscrew the last distributor so I can get the water pressure even again. It must be air bubbles or something. I don't know...I could manage it on about 20 plants, but any more and it would become a huge pain. I'm still looking for the perfect answer for even water distribution on larger pots. It'd be a lot cooler if these distributors were made out of rubber so I could squeeze out the air bubbles. I bet someone could come up with a better design.
