Floraflex irrigation air bleed valve

1ManTeam

Active Member
You’re talking about a snorkel? Just have a quarter inch line tap into your main running back into your reservoir so it does not keep siphoning water through your OCTO bubblers when the watering cycle ends.
Did not mean to hijack I’ll keep quiet
Na man we’re all here to help each other , I think that’s what he’s talking about
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
Ok so you mean the left over water that’s left in the pvc pipes after feeding? And to get rid of it the next feeding so ur plants won’t be getting whacked out ph’d water that was left in the pvc?
Yeah, that's exactly what I was talking about. I opted against the drilling of a hole (for now). Here is my temp pump setup...
2.jpg

It's far from automated, but I'm still testing things out. I keep that red handle drain closed when I turn the pump on. Then open it when the pump is off. The way I assumed it would work, and I believe I am correct, is that the Air bleed sucks in air when the pump shuts off. But then the main line is filled with both air and water, under a low pressure. When I open that red valve, it drains water and the air bleed starts pulling in more and more air and basically *pushes* most of the leftover water out of the lines. When I do this and wait 5 minutes, I can remove one of the manifolds and look into the main line and there is no water!
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
I see. Your vegging and flowering in the same spot. Nice. How many plants per sq foot?

and how about you same question. This is veg and flower correct? I mean your not vegging in a different room it’s all in the same spot? # per sq foot?
Just curious not trying to be a nuisance.
To stay on topic, feel free to ask me non-related questions in my journal - out of respect for the OP.
 

1ManTeam

Active Member
Yeah, that's exactly what I was talking about. I opted against the drilling of a hole (for now). Here is my temp pump setup...
View attachment 4772887

It's far from automated, but I'm still testing things out. I keep that red handle drain closed when I turn the pump on. Then open it when the pump is off. The way I assumed it would work, and I believe I am correct, is that the Air bleed sucks in air when the pump shuts off. But then the main line is filled with both air and water, under a low pressure. When I open that red valve, it drains water and the air bleed starts pulling in more and more air and basically *pushes* most of the leftover water out of the lines. When I do this and wait 5 minutes, I can remove one of the manifolds and look into the main line and there is no water!
So what I understand the floraflex air bleed valve helps pull in air to cycle water back into ur reservoir when the pump is off and the red valve is open?
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
So what I understand the floraflex air bleed valve helps pull in air to cycle water back into ur reservoir when the pump is off and the red valve is open?
Yep...exactly. And a nice side effect is that any risk of a siphon when the pump shuts off is completely eliminated.
 

1ManTeam

Active Member
I see! Thanks for sharing , I haven’t glued any pvc together yet but u think this valve is placed wrong or should I put another one here that’s in the picture?
 

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1ManTeam

Active Member
I don’t think the air breather would do the trick because isn’t it a check valve ? only allows air out and not in. No I promise I’ll keep quiet
Your good man lol, I’m interested on how the air bleed valve can blow the water back into the reservoir without a pump or sort
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
I see! Thanks for sharing , I haven’t glued any pvc together yet but u think this valve is placed wrong or should I put another one here that’s in the picture?
Is the water from the pump going to move from the left to the right? I think this will work, if so. Can you take another pic and zoom out a bit so i can see a bit more?
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
Your good man lol, I’m interested on how the air bleed valve can blow the water back into the reservoir without a pump or sort
Gravity. Its not blowing, gravity is pulling it. Think about two drinking straws in a 90 degree orientation. One piece horizontal and then turning down, vertically. Both straws are filled with water and you have your finger on the horizontal one. As soon as you release, what's going to happen?
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
Gravity will not be able to push the excess water back up the bucket in this case - too much force to overcome. Mine is working because the water does not have to travel back uphill...only horizontally.
 

1ManTeam

Active Member
Gravity will not be able to push the excess water back up the bucket in this case - too much force to overcome. Mine is working because the water does not have to travel back uphill...only horizontally.
Your right , I gotta think about another way... maybe a blow pump to blow out the water. The ones to blow up a air mattress ‍
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
Like I said man, I'm not an expert here. This is my 1st attempt and I'm trying to wrap my head around all of the principles in play and I'm sharing my observations.
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
You have a possible super easy alteration here:

From the pump, go directly thru the bucket at the bottom at the same level as it is going into the tent.
Install a 2nd bucket right next to the 1st with the valve and at the same horizontal level. When the pump stops, open the valve and the excess can drain into bucket 2.
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
Or close the floraflex manifolds when I feed agin and let a good amount of water out until I feel the cold fresh batch of water come out and the reopen the valves
Perhaps. Depending on how often you water, the old water in the lines may not be worth worrying about. Give that a try.
 

1ManTeam

Active Member
Perhaps. Depending on how often you water, the old water in the lines may not be worth worrying about. Give that a try.
Rite , I like to water with runoff and will probably get pushed out with new water but when I start flowering I wanna be constantly feeding daily with no runoff
 

Hot Diggity Sog

Well-Known Member
I grow in coco and I'm a big fan of runoff, even tho its a bit wasteful. That said, if you do drain to waste and always allow runoff, maybe the stagnant water is a non issue - not sure. If you're running coco, I would advise against skipping runoff. If not coco, I have no opinion.

I do think you're onto something with closing the manifolds. The fresh water will mix with the stagnant and then you water. Probably AOK with that.
 
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