Fishbulb
Well-Known Member
Using Cana Coco
Moonshine
Blumat watering system
- Thread starter Leon727272
- Start date
Moonshine
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
They are not supposed to drip evenly if properly set. I use them without those dripper thingys; just the one small hose through the carrot. You could use two or more carrots for that container; the moisture will be regulated only in the one spot where the carrot is located. I put 2 carrots into each 7g smartpot; 3 in the 10g. You still even may need to hand water as needed to avoid dry spots. Make sure the reservoir is elevated high enough for perpetual gravity feed; I had to rig up a pump to fill my res bucket because it’s up so high...set on top of an old tv cabinet.
The carrots are supposed to be set once and then adjusted as needed over the next few days or so. Once properly dialed in the root system pulls off moisture as needed; the drip increases slightly as the soil becomes drier. It does not run indefinitely; requires re-adjustments every couple weeks. Sometimes; especially when the system reservoir runs very low or dry, you’ll need to re-soak the carrots again and reset the drip.
Blumats are great for going on vacation but they don’t keep working automatically forever. The problem with “flooding” occurs when the inside of the carrots or the soil itself becomes too dry and they begin to pull more moisture which causes a runaway drip effect. You try to increase the drip valve to adjust it but sometimes you overcompensate. I’ve emptied my reservoir overnight this way more than a few times.
Leon727272
Active Member
Great info......thanks......... I was thinking about adding a 2nd carrot to my 7 gallon and not using the drippers at all........exactly as you suggested. I will do that tomorrow and monitor accordingly. Cheers
Never used dripper either. Two carrots per plant in prepared trenches in ground. As with anything, just keep an eye on things. I have a 275 gallon tote that I use as a reservoir. I have that connected to a 24 volt pressure pump, attached to a two gallon accumulator tank (pressure tank). Same type of setup an RV uses. This keeps the system pressurized to 45 psi, which is reduced to 15 psi as required by Blumat. Always prefill carrots and soak overnight before placing in ground. Then you have to dial each carrot in. Takes a bit of patience. As this is an off grid hoop house, conserving water is a top priority. Blumats deliver the amount I dial in at each site rather than just running on a timer. I am running 1/2 strength Jack 321.
I run netafin in my raised vegetable gardens where water availability is not as big an issue.
I run netafin in my raised vegetable gardens where water availability is not as big an issue.
Leon727272
Active Member
Very good info. Thanks a lot. I am going to stop using the drippers and set up my 7 gallon pot with 2 standard carrots and a Blumat moisture meter.
Do you suggest looking at any youtube videos in specific or pages on the forum to look at for tips? I am thinking of running a system similar to you. I have 2 5x5 tents with about 20 plants in each.
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
Not much to it; fairly simple set up and the blumat website contains helpful info. Never looked at videos about blumats myself but I’m sure they exist. You can probably use a single reservoir for both tents but a standard 5 gal bucket might not suit your needs for that many plants. You will need at least one carrot per pot & possibly two depending on size. Could be significant initial cost for a 20+ plant system.
Thank you sir . Yeah, price is exactly what I'm looking at. And I feel like it's over priced all except maybe the sensors. My uncle suggests try making a system from scratch blueprinted of blumat. However. The piece I don't know how to replicate is the drippers [the carrots]
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
Tropf got their carrot dripper design locked down which is why they can charge what they do. I have a fairly small system; using it only for my bloom room plants right now but it was a pretty big nut to swing to get started and then I had to add more carrots. Tryin to keep plant count down to 6 flowering at once max but perpetuity may force crowding the space.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Blumats. Who's using them?
So I'm going away in Feb (pending covid lockdowns) and of coarse I'll be in final weeks of flower when I'm gone. It's either get my buddy to water whom I trust but he's busy and got kids and his own room to deal with or I get blumats. Was looking at this It comes with this Running 7gal pots...
www.rollitup.org
Right. The idea would be to get the rigging down from home depot and then the carrots from them.
Thanks you
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
Blumat has a potential of flooding your grow so plan accordingly.
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Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
I duno how you could flood if you're looking at your grow. I've never had a full out runaway I've caught it in time. Plus I put a pond liner on the bottom for insurance. There's ways to make sure you won't flood.
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
My friend isn't Grand Master Grower level yet.
Has anyone had experience making their own system? I consider it "grand master" knowledge for sure don't get me wrong. And I'm quite novice. But..man. .this gravity system seems very easy to manipulate and save you about 300 dollars or more.
Also, thank you guys for the responses
Also, thank you guys for the responses
lusidghost
Well-Known Member
People discuss different looping setups in that thread that was recommended. I use a small pump and a pressure reducer valve, but most others have gotten crafty with gravity.
The one posted from jjgrow? For sure I'll take another gander. My uncle also brings up considering putting in air stones or stirs to the res since I'm planning on have a reservoir big enough to accommodate 40 plants. [Or split to 20x20] He believes the water can stagnate. Have you had problems similar?
lusidghost
Well-Known Member
Get yourself a wavemaker or two. Some people use small pumps, but they can raise the water temp quicker if that's an issue. Air stones supposedly raise the ph quicker, and I hate their rigid hoses.