LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
I'm trying to decide first time through if 1 carrot per 5g bag is enough or if I'll have better luck with two to keep the entire medium damp...
Blumats. Who's using them?
- Thread starter Jjgrow420
- Start date
I believe someone above posted that 1 carrot with a couple drip points was good for 5 gallons. A friend of mine talked me into getting the kit after running his for a couple cycles, and he uses 1 carrot with 3 drip points in 5 gallons, he doesn't use the "drippers", just an open end off a T. I was just over there a couple weeks ago, and his plants are really seeming to like the way he's got it set up, and at $68.95 shipped, I really couldn't say no to trying something that a lot of people are seeming to have success with.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
No prob man. Justblazin or xtsho would be my goto guys to ask questions I'm still a blumat noob lol. But I'm happy to share any info I have with you. Ask away anytime. That goes for anyone too.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
One will be fine. But 2 gives you a more even drip. I ran 1 in a 7gal and it was just fine.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
I tried doing that with the t and it would randomly drip from either side, not both. Tried everything. Couldn t get it to work unless the carrot was wide open which of coarse doesn't work
I'll keep that in mind
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
So I'm in. Just also booked a second run of about 10 days away at the very end of April, so it became a bit more necessary. That trip, I'll be flying solo, so Mrs. L.E.G. will be around to make sure it all looks good along the way. Then later in June we're out for 10 days together. In the meantime I think I have a few more long weekends.
But either way, did my order direct w/Sustainable Village, with the medium kit, 2 filters, upgraded 8mm, extra 3mm, a few extra shut-off valves, a few extra carrots (I counted and I currently have 14 plants in the tent, two Durban Poison, 5 hot peppers & 7 tomato seedlings). I'll pick up a mid-sized plastic bin locally to use as a reservoir, drill it out for 2 connectors and do a loop with filters on boths sides as well as top shutoffs and one bleed at the center of the loop.
But either way, did my order direct w/Sustainable Village, with the medium kit, 2 filters, upgraded 8mm, extra 3mm, a few extra shut-off valves, a few extra carrots (I counted and I currently have 14 plants in the tent, two Durban Poison, 5 hot peppers & 7 tomato seedlings). I'll pick up a mid-sized plastic bin locally to use as a reservoir, drill it out for 2 connectors and do a loop with filters on boths sides as well as top shutoffs and one bleed at the center of the loop.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Just make sure to 'set' them a week or two before you go away to make sure everything's working as it should. Takes a few days to make sure the carrots are working then I like to watch like a hawk for the first week or 2 and make sure the dry cycle is where I want it to be.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
That's why I ordered them now. I assume it'll be a week or so before they show up, then I have a couple weeks to sort out getting them working just right.
I'm going to get some plastic 'bins' or trays to put the plants in (I spied a couple that are low and wide and hold about 14g each) for just in case of run-away situations. I'm fence-sitting about whether I'll 'wire up' everything in the tent or if I'll just do the Durbans and let my wife take watering duties on all the other stuff.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
So my Blumat box should arrive today, planning on getting it up and running hopefully tomorrow or later this week. Any thoughts on if I need anything to keep lines or 'sensors' clean? I'll be working with GH Maxi Gro/Bloom, and have been using a little bit of epsom salt too.
Thoughts on the best way to keep the system clean and clear and functional? I think that GH Maxi is pretty clean running anyway and I'll also have filters on both lines from the reservoir.
Thoughts on the best way to keep the system clean and clear and functional? I think that GH Maxi is pretty clean running anyway and I'll also have filters on both lines from the reservoir.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Not really man. You can use drip clean or similar products but not necessary imo. I just flush out a gallon or two when I fill the res
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I planned for having one flush valve at the end of my 'loop' and two air-bleeds up at the top of each output from my reservoir. Just didn't know if there was any issues with the actual carrots getting any kind of buildup, etc.
yinyang814
Well-Known Member
Not related to buildup but...
Fill carrots with water that's been sitting for a while otherwise air bubbles will form inside
Fill carrots with water that's been sitting for a while otherwise air bubbles will form inside
xtsho
Well-Known Member
You should be fine with the GH Maxi. It's the micro in the trio that is kind of sludgy. I've never used any filters but I only use nutrients that dissolve easily and leave no sediment.
I bought some PekAcid when I first started using blumats. Never needed it. It's basically the same thing as DripClean just 10 times cheaper. Phosphoric acid and Potassium oxide just in powder form. I use it instead of pH Down as it does the same thing and phosphoric acid is what many pH Down products are.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I also dose my feed-water ahead of time by a day or two and let it sit to dissolve completely. I know lots of people bitch about the Maxi stuff not dissolving well or completely and having to use warm water or shake it for long periods of time, but I don't seem to have the same issues. I drop the stuff in 24-48 hours earlier, give it a quick shake then maybe one more quick 5 second shake the next day and it's fully dissolved. I don't love the 'chunks' that seem to form in it even with the bag sealed shut, but I just pull those out. In this case, since I'd be doing half strength, it would be something like 3.5g per gallon which isn't that much.
So far since moving from the trio system I find it way easier to deal with and the plants seem to be overall happier. I know I can go straight MaxiBloom but so far have been running Maxigro for my most recent for the first handful of weeks. I'll start a transition right before I flip. But yeah, these little Durban Poisons are pretty damned happy and I've been topping and snipping lowers and all that, and for now they have fans the size of my hand happening.
xtsho
Well-Known Member
I think that many people that are having issues with dissolving dry nutrients are mixing them into to little a volume of water and hit the solubility limit. I had that issue with MaxiBloom dissolving enough for 5 gallons in a 12 oz water bottle. I started mixing the same amount in in a gallon jug instead and it dissolved easily and completely.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
Because of how I watered/fed previously with 1g water jugs, it's been literally a few grams into each jug. I'll probably move to doing something more like that for the blumat setup. I'm still not sure it will be a permanent setup or if I'll just use it for when I'm away. It will probably depend upon how I think the plants do while using it. If they show growth that's more aggressive, closer to a hydro setup, then I'll probably keep it up and running.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
I often mix MaxiGro/Bloom at 64g/gallon. It takes a day or so to dissolve starting with warm water and some shaking, but it does dissolve 100%
From that point on, 2oz of liquid is 1g of maxi, easy math.
I'm not sure its worth the effort but it works
From that point on, 2oz of liquid is 1g of maxi, easy math.
I'm not sure its worth the effort but it works
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
That's easy enough to work with. Once I buy (lol) and set up my reservoir, I'll mark it out with a silver Sharpie in 5g increments, then it would be a quick move to put in X grams per gallon in the tank.
Anyone remember what size drill I need to drill out my reservoir? Sustainable Village box has arrived at home, but I'm in the office until 5pm. Was going to do a visit to Lowes after work and grab what I need to get up and running tomorrow.
LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
You idiot, if you'd searched on the googles, you'd find out it was a 1/2" bit...