tokenroll Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 @growinggold thanks for the headz up. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyRider Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I hate to jump on the bandwagon but by coincidence I ordered some last night I was going to ask for some tips/tricks too but looks like you guys have got it covered already, cheers Girlfriend is down to stay for a week in 3 weeks time... need to get these up and running by then so I don't have to find excuses to kick her out the house every day for watering 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NezA Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 25 minutes ago, tokenroll said: Im looking about 20 of them to use in 3 litre pots of coco/perlite for a sog grow, not sure if these would be the best way to go or just go simple drip feed and a timer. Any ideas folks?. Toke... So for me personally I think the biggest advantage of blumats is that each pot gets a tailor made feed schedule that's based on what that specific plant is using. That plant that's closer to the fan and is transpiring more? Well the blumat is going to supply that plant with more water as and when it demands it. That plant that's in the corner and not getting quite as much light? Well it's probably going to get a bit less water because it's not using as much. That's the win for me on these. The watering becomes a symbiotic relationship, the more the plant uses the more is supplied etc. The one hang up with coco is the need for an occasional flush to monitor ec and ensure there's no salt buildup. But even that can be achieved in a lazy fashion by running a separate feed line to each pot and watering until run off by switching a pump on manually once a week or so. The blumats do all the heavy lifting. And it's all tailor made to that specific plant's demands. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpoolbouncer Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) Nice to see people adopting the blumats in an array of ways. Edited March 9, 2021 by blackpoolbouncer 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokenroll Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) @NezA reference the coco needing the flush, this was the one thing holding me back from buying the blumats. So on this point these would not be suitable for my style of growing with coco. 3 x shelves x 20 plants per shelf = 60 plants in my flower cabinet, simple drip feed on a timer i think would work out better. Now saying that if i switched over to dirt and use organic feeds that problem would be solved perfectly. The thing that puts me of using say ecothrive soil for example or similar is pests unless those soils are bug free, this i have no idea about. So if anyone is using bug free composts / soils can you confirm bugs or not. The wife draws the line when it comes to bugs in the cabinet as it's in our bedroom. Some good info being posted here and im sure there is many more growers that are looking at either blumats or similar auto feeding setups. Toke... Edited March 9, 2021 by tokenroll 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceiling Cat Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 You shouldn't get a run away if you do a good job of bleeding the line and you've assembled the carrots properly under water while using a syringe or a pipette to remove any remaining pockets of air. If you're using distribution drippers, leave the last one in the line unattached otherwise the line doesn't bleed properly on set up then attach it after. It's also a good idea to have a Blumat shut-off valve where it comes out of the res, making it much easier to shut off your system should you need to replace a carrot or at the end of the grow. And try not to leave the drip line sitting on the surface of the medium because the slower the drip, the more roots will try to work their way in there. I've had hard chunks of roots around an inch high trying to reach the end of the tube. I used to use Lego brick to prop them up but now use the fancy Blumat support stakes. Have a look at the Maxi carrots too. They don't have to be pushed all the way into the ground so you can have them set to any moisture depth you want. My 3p 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growinggold Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 @tokenroll how you manage to keep on top all that i do not know. Even more kudos to your top level growing skills. Regars bugs and compost clover MCP is the best £6 for 75l bugs its lottery though. depends how long And where it's been stored as I'm sure you will know. I went to my local nursery last week and stocked up as they had only just had theree yearly delivery. The pallet was still fully wrapped and I got the 1st bag so confident no contamination yet and I will store in lean to wood shed, (not the best), but that will depend on the relationship you have the nursery, plus if your local one is any good/ clean. I know the bloke at mine now and we always have good chat last week's was on about the last frost and starting Tom's early.so it's gamble in short and tbh it doesn't sound the best solution for you. Thanks for explaining your system it really interest me is your ceiling like 4m how do you stack 3 shelves? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NezA Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 @tokenroll Based on @blackpoolbouncer's advice I think organic feeds are a bit of a no no through these as the organic matter encourages microbiology and that eventually will lead to clogged drippers. Personally I can't see how you'd end up with salt buildup in the pots as mine are never dry the moisture is just kept at a constant level. I'm using salt based chemical ferts in compost and worm castings. So I'd have thought I'd also see issues with salt buildup if it was a problem with these. However I've not been running them long enough to say for sure. I certainly can't argue with the findings of other coco growers that have said they've needed to flush weekly. I'm probably somewhere in between compost/soil and coco really. No bugs in my setup but I do like to try and harness microbial activity in my soil (a pouch of mycorrhizal fungi and a bag of worm castings.) So mine is very much a hybrid setup and it seems to be doing the trick for me. There's no pHing, no monitoring EC and no run off. I've never seen plants like it. Same as everything in this hobby there's 100 different ways to do something and everyone has the methods that tick the right boxes for them. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeroG Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 So im pulling the trigger too, 43 quid for the starter pack, 12 'carrots'...and the associated tubing - looking and reading, ill be using 4 of them with multiple drip points or maybe just one 'vanilla' as im using 11l pots - and storing the rest in the garage...I think its the3m kit. My space is 1.2m2 - I recon that should cover it. Ive bought these bit from zon of the am, cause of the no quibble return policy if I got it wrong... At this stage I have no idea what Im buying in regard to drippers etc to make those dripper points. To be honest Its quite unfamiliar. Although Ive been involed in hydro, ive never taken care of it past doing the nutrient routine once out of curiousity, - and marvelling at the bubbling, and the exponential growth compared even to just coco...so tube sizes, and what things are actually called is sometimes mystery... Strangely enough Im faily excited about getting it set up, and spending less time than I already do playing with my hobby... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somelad Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 @zeroG Google blumat distribution drippers. They come as a set of 10. with the hose, 8 inline drippers a small rubber nipple and 2 end drippers, the nipple is so u can use a inline dripper as a end dripper. Also fit a inline shutoff valve so u can turn your res off when it's time to chop, and get some dripper supports to keep them up off your grow media, to stop roots blocking them. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeroG Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 @someladbought an inline valve, but thats not coming until end of the month. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somelad Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 This is what the drippers look like 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somelad Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 I purchased the blumat 6007 kit it comes with 6 carrots, 7m of tubing, 1 t connector, 1 end connector and a tank connector if anyone needs to buy a smaller set 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeroG Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 @somelad Yeah, Im just al Blumat now, distribution drippers, supports, tank connector so I can pick my own res...Thx for your pointers man...no doubt Ill be back...lets hope @badbillybobkeeps the thread going as a 'come to spot' for resources...always easier when shit's in one place - especially when sharing ideas. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grower951 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Anyone care to link some diaries with blumats I can have a nose at? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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