MindSoup Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) Hello Chums I've got myself a Blumat Pro in an attempt to get a bit more accurate with my watering, had a few shite runs so trying to dot every I cross every T type of thing. Is it me or these absolute wank? I've only had it filled and in the bed for half a day and it's already got a sizeable air bubble floating around in it. Even used pre boiled (and cooled) water to try and stop the bubbles forming on the sides etc etc. Maybe it's faulty, maybe I'm being an idiot. Who's using these, can you give me some pointers? I'm usually anal enough to get the carrots working properly, but this thing is on another level of temperamentality. @lildaveham @Ned The Head @Hazeytones @Wooden Monkey Who else is doing no till? There's a few of us now iirc. Edited February 28 by lildaveham 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 not Blumat Pro, Blumat Digital @lildaveham can you change the title please me old chum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazeytones Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Do you mean the moisture meter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 (edited) Yes mate, fucking hell I'm baked as a cake Edited February 28 by MindSoup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazeytones Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 yeah they are a bit of a fucker. Did you submerge it in the pre boiled water for a bit? Obviously without the cap. I've been having a few issues with mine aswell, you sort of have to keep them topped up. I'm getting my head melted abit with the blumats myself at the min. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 (edited) Yeah I forgot the pre boiled water and I think I overtightened the o ring. Got a big pan currently cooling down, I'll do the carrots as well at the same time to everything is safe. Mate, for ages and ages I just used mine and they just worked, never understood people not getting on with them, but somewhere along the line I started getting issues and sometimes I end up going round in circles trying to sort them out. Edited February 28 by MindSoup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildaveham Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 They work differently to the carrots in the way that it is a tentionometer (sp?) iirc. They can loose water but you just unscrew the top with the carrot left in situ and fill it up. They do take a bit of getting used too tbh and I use mine as a guide not an absolute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Cheers for the title @lildaveham Oh right, that seems a bit shit for something that costs 50 quid, but I guess topping it up before each reading isn't the worst thing in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazeytones Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I try not to get too excited about the meter reading anymore. If it's way off the mark it's probably worth checking before making any adjustments to the carrots. I'm running a pot and a bed off the one tank and they both are a bit of a head fuck. Nomatter what I do with the pot this run it seems to over water, well the meter says it it does. It goes to about 160/180 down to 40 no matter how much I dial back the carrots, the only difference it makes is how much it dries out before going back to 40. I've had the carrots dialled back that it dries to 250 but when it starts to water still always back to 40. Strange thing is for the first few weeks it just swung between 80 and 140 In the bed they were set the same at 100 but the blusoak always seems to be filled but keeps drying out, I now just let it get to about 180 then give it a water by hand to bring it back to about 100 then let it creep back up. I sort of wonder if it's a pressure thing with the bed and a dodgy carrot with the pot, I'm really not sure I just know I'm not looking forward to ever having to go away and leave them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildaveham Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I had issues with mine a little while back now I think about it. I think I was expecting the thing to be waterproof and didn’t cover it when I watered. I took it apart as much as I could and let it dry out before reassembling and reseting it. It has worked fine since and now I cover it with a little plastic tub. @MindSoup You shouldn’t have to top it up that frequently?? I do run my soil on the wetter side so maybe that helps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grooving Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 I think the installation has to be spot on too in terms of the right contact, I worry mine are a little loose but don’t want to over pack the medium. Taking the water-proof lids off lifts the sensor out too if I’m not careful in gently twisting it off. I have 2 between 8 45l containers in the vague hope of getting an average since I didn’t wish to buy 8 at that price. Shame there isn’t a more analogue version like a dial and needle on an old barometer. Must have been tensionometers before modern electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildaveham Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Also and this may be the key, I remember reading that they will read quite low one the blumats have been activated so it’s best to take readings 24 hrs apart( i know, it’s a pita) so you get a truer reading. Almost like an average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildaveham Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) 5 minutes ago, grooving said: Shame there isn’t a more analogue version like a dial and needle on an old barometer. There is Edited February 28 by lildaveham There, their, they are, idfk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazeytones Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 (edited) @grooving I was fussy enough about installing mine, I made sure to put it into compost only so it wasn't hitting any pumice etc. @lildaveham mine can't have got wet because they have the protection covers over them but I might have a go at taking an average reading I have a cheap digital moisture meter that I check it against and when my blumat shows a low reading the other says its wet so I guess it's working. It's more why the blumats keep watering past the target is what is annoying me. It's also worth recalibrating the meter every so often. Edited February 28 by Hazeytones 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildaveham Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 21 minutes ago, Hazeytones said: It's more why the blumats keep watering past the target is what is annoying me. Yeah I hear you on that one they are very fiddly when it comes to adjustments. They recommend that you make half turn adjustments and then leave it for 3 days or longer before adjusting again if needed. Who has the time for that, I mean we tend to want to be able to change things quickly in our favourite pastime. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now