MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Well after all this time banging on about how amazing Blumats are I'm finally experiencing the issues other people have talked about with runaways. The last 2 times I've left my grow for a few days I've returned to find a flooded tent, every time this happens it leaches all kinds of goodness out of my no till bed, raises my humidity and brings my root temps down, not a good look. I'm not sure what I've done wrong, as far as I can tell I'm using them more properly than I have before, followed the Rolling green acres tutorial to the letter, using just plain water and a proper sized reservoir that's well elevated etc, full system reset after last flood, and TBH I haven't got the time to work it out at the moment, so I'm looking for an alternative system that I can utilise instead. The one main requirements is that the system will provide water as and when needed/on demand, run using sensors, not run using timers. Oh and it needs to be cheap/good value. I can remember some clever chap had been messing around with this exact idea, parts sourced from ali express or similar, but I can't remember/find the thread. I need to get something sorted fairly quickly as I'll be away for a full week in a months time and of the people I trust not to rob me I wouldn't trust anyone to not fuck things up . 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 @Whatwentwrong was it you? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 Found the thread 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilgePump Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Its the runaway cones that have put me off blumats , shame really as hand watering my current set up is arduous, I'm in bagged compost rather than no till though so I'll probably go kärcher rainsystem drippers on a timer. (Autopots and easyfeed systems I've tried, don't like) I'm interested to see what you come up with dude , no doubt it'll be proper clever. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whatwentwrong Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Yeah man, if your only using water and it’s a no till bed so it’s well developed and compact it would work a treat. The sensors on the red set was very good. I haven’t set it back up after the last grow as I had a flood too but mine was caused by poor potting up on my part. I want to find a way to be able to leave for a few days too so I’m going to give it another shot on the next grow now youve mentioned it. i 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 @BilgePump these little Arduino systems as discussed in the above link do look quite promising, and they're cheap enough that if they're shite its not a great loss. I reckon I'll be getting one to play with. @Whatwentwrong I've replied on the other thread, just to make it as annoying as possible for anyone trying to follow the discussion sounds like a winner to be fair. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilgePump Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I'm just rereading that thread myself dude. They look proper nifty the Arduino sets , I'm genuinely crap with anything remotely computer/electronic based though so it'd probably be wasted on me (took me two hours last night to turn on predictive text on my phone ) Hasn't stopped me googling them though! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeTester Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 @MindSoup I feel your pain, I had a mare of a grow with blumats. I went for auto pots, I have used them lots over the years so I knew what to expect. Bottom feed systems are not for all, some people hate it. I can live with it because I get no dry ups or floods, I can sleep at night. What ever you go for, I hope it works for you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 @SmokeTester I've always got on fine with them, but this time round they're really playing up. I've seen some great grows with autopots, so bottom feeding can dedi work if done correctly. I was considering making a DIY Earthbox where the water would be wicking through the soil from below, they work absolutely brilliantly and could easily be modified fitted a float valve and attached to a raised res like autopots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 @BilgePump they do look a little bit scary without having a nice housing or wrapped wires etc but I'm sure after a bit of head scratching all will become clear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B0bbyBuds Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Hey man, out of curiosity you said it happens when you leave your tent for a few days. What’s different regarding the blumats when you attend to your tent vs when your away? I assume you’ve set and left them to do their thing either way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chairman O The Bored Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 im trying out somethings called hydro halos. saw @Notorious B.U.D use one and needed something that would manage a watering or 2 when i was away for a few days and in my newly setup tent, i can only get in from one side, so regular watering is a bit of a ball ache in any case. So trying these out... install over the weekend along with DIY medusa trays! will update once i get the thing setup. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 5, 2022 Author Share Posted March 5, 2022 15 hours ago, B0bbyBuds said: Hey man, out of curiosity you said it happens when you leave your tent for a few days. What’s different regarding the blumats when you attend to your tent vs when your away? I assume you’ve set and left them to do their thing either way? I'm not sure tbh. i thought it was because I'd attached a bigger reservoir, but then it worked fine for over a week. Letting it empty past a certain point is all I can really think of, the timing might just be pure coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted March 5, 2022 Author Share Posted March 5, 2022 @Chairman O The Bored I think I say that thread, I didn't realise they where automated, I'll check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chairman O The Bored Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 6 hours ago, MindSoup said: @Chairman O The Bored I think I say that thread, I didn't realise they where automated, I'll check them out. There not automated... just like big drippers i guess. I've made a drip ring, a la @SYZYGY and @GSZZ in this thread: I have a condensate pump and a few meters of tubing to make some DIY runoff collection so i can get a full watering... i know your no till so prob not an issue for you. chair. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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