Blumat water tank cleaning and changing?

[bye12]

Hi fellow growers!!

I recently invested in a Tropf Blumat irrigation system and it is working great so far, except that I noticed a "slimy" feeling on the inside of my water tank after a couple of days.

I have a totally blackout water tub that hold about 50l (13gal) that should be enough water for my 4 plants for about a 8-10 days in flower. My hope was that I could just top it up all the time without emptying it and cleaning it, but have noticed a "slimy" felling when I touch the inside of the tank below the water level just after a couple of days.

Is this something to be concerned about?
If so is there a way I can prevent it?

I only have tap water and water from my dehumidifier in my tank and some PH-. No other nutrients or additives since I use Greenhouse organic powder feeding.

Thank you in advance.
Peace

 

[troutman]

It's probably just bacteria if no sunlight is reaching the water and it happens to all water containers.
Any aquarium owner could tell you that. If it gets too messy. Just change the water from time to time.

 

[exploziv]

I think the only risk there is the film coming off and blocking some parts of your irrigation system. all irrigation systems should have a filter to mitagate those risks, tho..

 

[flylowgethigh]

I would be concerned that 13 gallons is enough for 4 plants to last 10 days in flower.

 

[Brother Nature]

I used to run Blumats with Coco and a 25L "res" (was just a large black bucket). I generally changed the water once a week and didn't have the 'slimy' issue, but when running the system with one or two plants, I did notice it if my water sat for more than a week. I solved that issue by putting a tiny water pump at the bottom of the res, circulated the water for 15 minutes, once a day, and the slimy shit wouldn't stick to the sides any more. The only issue with that I found is that it would raise the ph level a bit over a couple days, but that is easily remedied.

 

[exploziv]

Maybe an air pump would fix it? If you are really bothered by it, if not, maybe you can live with it..

 

[bye12]

It's probably just bacteria if no sunlight is reaching the water and it happens to all water containers.
Any aquarium owner could tell you that. If it gets too messy. Just change the water from time to time.

wow that was quick
my tub is totally backed out so definitely no sunlight reaching the water.
Do you think the bacteria can be bad for the plants? or are they maybe beneficial?

I will add another outlet from the tank so I can easily clean it and change it without disconnecting the blumats

Thanks

 

[bye12]

I think the only risk there is the film coming off and blocking some parts of your irrigation system. all irrigation systems should have a filter to mitagate those risks, tho..

I was looking for a filter but have not found any that I can connect to the Blumat main line, it is only 8mm.
Do you have any suggestions?

Peace

 

[bye12]

I would be concerned that 13 gallons is enough for 4 plants to last 10 days in flower.

I have pretty small plants since I'm limited in space but I do top up the reservoir every day with my dehumidifier water. its about an extra gallon a day.
I do have 20L(5gallon) pots with with soil and they stay moist all the time but I think I will up the watering for my next run.
How much does your plants drink approximately during flowering?

 

[bye12]

I used to run Blumats with Coco and a 25L "res" (was just a large black bucket). I generally changed the water once a week and didn't have the 'slimy' issue, but when running the system with one or two plants, I did notice it if my water sat for more than a week. I solved that issue by putting a tiny water pump at the bottom of the res, circulated the water for 15 minutes, once a day, and the slimy shit wouldn't stick to the sides any more. The only issue with that I found is that it would raise the ph level a bit over a couple days, but that is easily remedied.

how did you go about to change the water?
Did you just disconnect the main line and left the blunts in the pots?
That's what. I been doing any way. I have a bleeder valve at the end of my main line so I always makes sure there is no air left in the line afterwards.
I don't see how a pump would remove the issue, wouldn't it just make the slimy shit not stick to the sides and be mixed I to the water then?

My Ph is rising the first 2-3 day after I refill the thank but then is seems to stay within 6-7. nothing a little PH- can't fix

 

[exploziv]

There are filters you can use straight on the end of the tube that takes water from the barrel. Made by same guys doing the tropf blumats. Or at least they used to make them. Its just a sponge fabric in a plastic housing with a line attachement. I bet you could use something like a filter sponge material from the aquarium shop to fix it somehow over your water intake port.

 

[bye12]

Maybe an air pump would fix it? If you are really bothered by it, if not, maybe you can live with it..

I really would like to manage without any pumps or so since I don't want any air bubbles stuck in the water line.
It definitely don't bother me but what if its bothering my plants. that's what I want to figure out here but so far no one really seems to think it would harm the plants so will probably just roll with it.

 

[flylowgethigh]

I have pretty small plants since I'm limited in space but I do top up the reservoir every day with my dehumidifier water. its about an extra gallon a day.
I do have 20L(5gallon) pots with with soil and they stay moist all the time but I think I will up the watering for my next run.
How much does your plants drink approximately during flowering?

The big sativa plant is drinking a gallon a day. Usually at least 1/2 gallon or more each, more if the plant is big. I am in a tent though with air blowing through.

 

[bye12]

Thank you so much for all the help.
My conclusion so far is that it really shouldn't effect the plants so no action is needed, that's really nice to hear.
If any one have any thing else to add I will of course take that in to account.

 

[Peacefrog]

Long time user of Blumats here. I found them looking for a way to keep my grow going when I left town and ended up adapting my growing methods to work best with a maintenance-free reservoir. I originally started out running a coco/perlite mix with the reservoir containing various nutes but had all kinds of slime issues and pH swings. I had to clean the reservoir weekly to keep it under control. I had great results doing it this way but it was too much work with all the mixing and cleaning. Then I switched to organic soil and dechlorinated tap water only in the reservoir and it got better but it would still get slimy and stinky over time. Then I switched to reverse osmosis water only in the reservoir and now I can go months with no reservoir issues. The only problems happen when I introduce contamination into the water going into the reservoirs. Plus I have to account for the missing cal/mag in the water via the soil mix or supplemental feedings.

So the moral of the story is use pure 0 ppm water and keep your hands and containers clean when you refill and you'll have a stable reservoir. Cheaper filter systems may be helpful to remove the contaminates in tap water that multiply into slime and stink but your mileage will vary. RO is the way to go if you want a low maintenance reservoir.

Came back and edited to mention that the slime and other organic activity in the reservoir can cause sediment buildup in your lines leading to very unfortunate outcomes. My only problems with the lines with RO is air bubbles that build up and can block water flow, especially when there are large ambient temperature swings. This issue can be mitigated with proactive bleeding of the lines at the end of the run to force the air out.

 

[bye12]

Long time user of Blumats here. I found them looking for a way to keep my grow going when I left town and ended up adapting my growing methods to work best with a maintenance-free reservoir. I originally started out running a coco/perlite mix with the reservoir containing various nutes but had all kinds of slime issues and pH swings. I had to clean the reservoir weekly to keep it under control. I had great results doing it this way but it was too much work with all the mixing and cleaning. Then I switched to organic soil and dechlorinated tap water only in the reservoir and it got better but it would still get slimy and stinky over time. Then I switched to reverse osmosis water only in the reservoir and now I can go months with no reservoir issues. The only problems happen when I introduce contamination into the water going into the reservoirs. Plus I have to account for the missing cal/mag in the water via the soil mix or supplemental feedings.

So the moral of the story is use pure 0 ppm water and keep your hands and containers clean when you refill and you'll have a stable reservoir. Cheaper filter systems may be helpful to remove the contaminates in tap water that multiply into slime and stink but your mileage will vary. RO is the way to go if you want a low maintenance reservoir.

Came back and edited to mention that the slime and other organic activity in the reservoir can cause sediment buildup in your lines leading to very unfortunate outcomes. My only problems with the lines with RO is air bubbles that build up and can block water flow, especially when there are large ambient temperature swings. This issue can be mitigated with proactive bleeding of the lines at the end of the run to force the air out.

That's exactly the reason I choose to go with Blumat as well.
I don't have the option to invest in a RO system so that's a no go for me but that would be the optimal solution.
I have been pretty careless when I check my PH so will start by being more sterile when doing any thing with my water.

I have tried to find a filter for my 8mm water line going out of the tank but have not found any thing that seems to be reasonable.
So if you or any one have a suggestion it would be highly appreciated.

I do bleed my lines every now and then just to make sure there are no air bubbles and so far I have not had any issues.

Any other tips and tricks that can be helpful when dealing/ setting up Blumats is also where appreciated.

 

[Peacefrog]

That's exactly the reason I choose to go with Blumat as well.
I don't have the option to invest in a RO system so that's a no go for me but that would be the optimal solution.
I have been pretty careless when I check my PH so will start by being more sterile when doing any thing with my water.

I have tried to find a filter for my 8mm water line going out of the tank but have not found any thing that seems to be reasonable.
So if you or any one have a suggestion it would be highly appreciated.

I do bleed my lines every now and then just to make sure there are no air bubbles and so far I have not had any issues.

Any other tips and tricks that can be helpful when dealing/ setting up Blumats is also where appreciated.

Your dehumidifier water will be close to 0 ppm but there is a contamination concern from the coils that the water drips off. I think that's fairly minor but do your research if it worries you. Depending on where you live there may be water kiosks that sell RO for cheap. Primo is a brand found in my area. You can fill up a 5 gallon jug for a couple dollars. Or you can buy distilled water at the grocery store. Drinking water filters like Pur or Brita are better than nothing but they won't get you to 0 ppm.

Also make sure you are killing everything in your reservoir when you clean it or the slime will come back quicker. When I clean I use a bleach based cleaner for this reason and rinse thoroughly after I've scrubbed all surfaces with the bleach.

Check out Sustainable Village for all kinds of Blumat accessories. They have their own web site and also sell a bunch of their stuff on Amazon. It really is the closest thing to Blumat porn if you are in to that sort of thing. I think they have an inline filter that would catch the sludge for you if you stick with unfiltered tap water. The flexible 8 mm tubing they sell is life changing if you've gone through a few setups with that stiff tubing that comes with the Blumat kits. The shutoff valves are handy for a lot of things. They have all kinds of things that you didn't think of to help your Blumats work better for you.

Good luck with your adventures.

 

[bye12]

Your dehumidifier water will be close to 0 ppm but there is a contamination concern from the coils that the water drips off. I think that's fairly minor but do your research if it worries you. Depending on where you live there may be water kiosks that sell RO for cheap. Primo is a brand found in my area. You can fill up a 5 gallon jug for a couple dollars. Or you can buy distilled water at the grocery store. Drinking water filters like Pur or Brita are better than nothing but they won't get you to 0 ppm.

Also make sure you are killing everything in your reservoir when you clean it or the slime will come back quicker. When I clean I use a bleach based cleaner for this reason and rinse thoroughly after I've scrubbed all surfaces with the bleach.

Check out Sustainable Village for all kinds of Blumat accessories. They have their own web site and also sell a bunch of their stuff on Amazon. It really is the closest thing to Blumat porn if you are in to that sort of thing. I think they have an inline filter that would catch the sludge for you if you stick with unfiltered tap water. The flexible 8 mm tubing they sell is life changing if you've gone through a few setups with that stiff tubing that comes with the Blumat kits. The shutoff valves are handy for a lot of things. They have all kinds of things that you didn't think of to help your Blumats work better for you.

Good luck with your adventures.

I live in Europe and have no access to any water stations but have thought about a simple water filter but then that's another thing that need to be paid for and changed over time so would rather go without.
Let's see how it does when I'm a little bit more careful with cross contamination.

Its so weird that Sustainable Village have more stuff for Blumats then the Blumat store it self, but your right it is like Blumat porn over there

Do you use a loop system to get even pressure true out your line or just a single line?
I only have a single line at the moment but wanted to change it so I get an even pressure at all droppers but don't know it that is necessary.

 

[ben-kenobi]

I've got a similar objective. I want my reservoir to stay fresh for the whole time and I simply want to top it off with fresh water every week. I read something in another forum where someone wrote he does achieve exactly that with Great White beneficials and hasn't switched his water for 5 months without problems. Was trying to find the post again but couldn't so far.

Another thing I was trying to find is how important is the rez temperature. People say it should stay below 75°F/24°C. What happens if it goes above 75°F? I only find cases where they are using their reservoirs for DWC and not as a simple feeding tank for soil or Coco. Aeration doesn't play that big of a role for anything "not DWC". The beneficial microbes are the main point I guess. Are they dying above 75°F or is there another problem?

My plan is to install a pump for water movement, keeping the nutrients well mixed and the water aerated. Additionally, I want to install a fan to blow directly on the water surface to cool the water a little bit by evaporation. The water will hold a mineral nutrient solution and some Great White beneficials and will be topped off with water, nutrients, and great white once a week.

What do you guys think about that? I'm tired of searching for hours and thought about just giving it a try. The last resort would be running a sterile reservoir with 1PPM of chlorine but I would love the taste benefits of the microbes. I don't want to buy a water chiller because of the high energy costs.

 

[bye12]

I've got a similar objective. I want my reservoir to stay fresh for the whole time and I simply want to top it off with fresh water every week. I read something in another forum where someone wrote he does achieve exactly that with Great White beneficials and hasn't switched his water for 5 months without problems. Was trying to find the post again but couldn't so far.

Another thing I was trying to find is how important is the rez temperature. People say it should stay below 75°F/24°C. What happens if it goes above 75°F? I only find cases where they are using their reservoirs for DWC and not as a simple feeding tank for soil or Coco. Aeration doesn't play that big of a role for anything "not DWC". The beneficial microbes are the main point I guess. Are they dying above 75°F or is there another problem?

My plan is to install a pump for water movement, keeping the nutrients well mixed and the water aerated. Additionally, I want to install a fan to blow directly on the water surface to cool the water a little bit by evaporation. The water will hold a mineral nutrient solution and some Great White beneficials and will be topped off with water, nutrients, and great white once a week.

What do you guys think about that? I'm tired of searching for hours and thought about just giving it a try. The last resort would be running a sterile reservoir with 1PPM of chlorine but I would love the taste benefits of the microbes. I don't want to buy a water chiller because of the high energy costs.

That's exactly what I want as well, just top it of most of the time and correct the PH and then just let it be.
But so far that's not what's been going on at my place.

I have tried to search the web for any information regarding the use of Great white beneficials to keep the water fresh longer but didn't find any thing. But would be interesting to perform a little experiment.
Do you have Great white at home already? if so, why not just do a little experiment with 2 jugs of water. 1 with Great white and one without so see what happens over time.
I would be really interested on how it turn out.

Temps will probably play a role since most bacterias and microbes multiply faster in higher temps, but if you don't have any to start off with there is non to multiply.
It might help to have a fan blowing across your reservoir but I don't think it will have a big impact, and how are you gonna keep light from reaching your water?
Please try and document some temps before and after to see what effect it really has.

I can see that you need a pump if you have nutrient in your reservoir to keep them properly mixed but since I only run water I don't think it would actually help.

I'm on my second grow at this location and my water is really hard to deal with, I constantly have to add PH down to keep it at an acceptable range and it really don't work out with my schedule so my wife is not so happy. And you you what they say, happy wife happy life

My next step is to get some kind of water purification but have not decided on what the best option would be.
I just need something that is affordable, cost effective and that don't need any hardware installations. I live in a rental so can't make any permanent changes.

Options so far (not listed in order)
The smallBoy water filter (or similar)
Zerowater
Reverse osmosis

Any other suggestions?

Im not sure about installation but I would think I could just connect an osmosis system to my faucet in my bathtub since it got a 1/2" male connection.

Wow, 1 hour later.... got high, I hope I make some sense with my words.


peace