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Automated Watering for Soil Grows

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  • LuckyAcres
    replied
    Man I love to find those old threads just when you need them! Any chance there'd be other pictures of the system? It sounds really efficient.

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  • bobsakamoto
    replied
    DnkTnk thanks for this. i am interested to see if others have any thoughts on the BluMat

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  • DnkTnk
    replied
    I'm looking to set up a self watering system for an upcoming get away. I shut everything down last year when I was away a week and it set me pretty far back. I use super soil in 3 gallon smart pots, was looking at the "Blue Mat Carrots/sensors" gravity fed watering system. Their products seem relatively inexpensive, decent quality and it they function as advertised, their sensors/carrots only suppy soil with water when it's dry thru a drip line, which eliminates the need for pumps (gravity fed) and timers (sensors). Has anyone seen or used a BluMat self watering system?

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  • Weasel
    commented on 's reply
    Well you must have split the line to feed 12 plants , in 12 pots.
    I think I get it now though - you tapped directly into the main line where it meets each plant- with the 1/8 line used to split the flow into the pots.

  • Canyon Grower
    commented on 's reply
    Any pictures Weasel ? Sounds like a great system !

  • PuravidaC
    replied
    Great idea! I have been holding off on next grow because of planned trip to Florida next week and other get aways always evolve around grow, due to watering issues. Have left babies alone for 4 or five days without serious effects but they are the last thing I check before leaving and the first when I return!!!

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  • suttre
    replied
    Originally posted by Weasel View Post
    I'll go google around to try to find a description of the pressure regulator- which I'm assuming is what you're using as a manifold to split into more than one line? I can't really make sense of your picture -the third one over, which I think is meant to show this?
    I didn't split it. This is feeding 12 plants, so I just ran one supply line off of the regulator.

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  • Weasel
    replied
    I'll go google around to try to find a description of the pressure regulator- which I'm assuming is what you're using as a manifold to split into more than one line? I can't really make sense of your picture -the third one over, which I think is meant to show this?


    I set up my system like this -

    Res with electric pump on a timer
    -to 3/4" pipe which runs from the res to the center of the grow
    - to a manifold system with eight 1/4" lines.


    I don't bother putting in any dripper/emitter type gadgets on the ends- too much risk of failure. So I just leave the lines open and set timer for however many minutes needed to dispense X gallons of water- every few days.
    That's for vacations.
    I also have a similar permanent setup for the DTW part of my grow. That one has nutes in the res, and a bubbler to help keep the ph stable.

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  • Canyon Grower
    replied
    suttre I am an organic soil grower. No nasties ever touch my plants. Not a criticism of our hydro brethren. Its all good. And they grow some really nice stuff.
    ​​​​​​​As to your question. My water comes out of an irrigation ditch which taps summer snow melt, so am pretty sure its more or less sparkling. Our well water is quite hard however and my indoor grows get it right out of the tap. I havent noticed any issues, but then this is use once and throw away soil. I suppose after many years of use you could have mineral build up, but then wouldnt you be turning it over and amending it on a regular basis? If so, I wouldnt worry. Glad to have another soil grower here. Good luck and again, kudos to your diy wizardry !!!!

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  • suttre
    replied
    Originally posted by Canyon Grower View Post
    suttre , wow!!!! Love this system !! I had a similar system set up for my outdoor grow but was gravity fed. Never thought about using something like this indoors. VERY cool.
    Did you do a rainwater catch outdoors? Do you have any comparison, anecdotal or not, between house water and rainwater?

    I do outdoor in the summer and would like to give it a try, but haven't made anything happen. My well water runs from 6.5 to 8.5 pH, with a fair amount of calcium and magnesium in it. I don't pH adjust outdoor water. . . just pipe it in with drip tape. Yields were good this past year (1st year), but I'm moving to a greenhouse environment and wonder whether that hard water is going to build up over several years and cause problems. Guess I could just dig a big hole and backfill with supersoil if it does. But better not to screw up the native soil.

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  • Royal Nugs
    replied
    Thank you for sharing Suttre! Information like this is what makes GWE the best!

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  • suttre
    replied
    Originally posted by DW2 View Post
    Hi suttre,
    I'm a hydro grower, but that is impressive. Do you have a plan for automating the nutrients and/or supplements into the system?
    I don't. My system is organic super soil. . . so I occasionally add whatnots to the soil, but not regularly. You could do it pretty easily with the reservoir.

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  • Charlie
    replied
    That's great, when the canopy is large and its hard to water, or the tent is crowded, this is a great idea.

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  • Canyon Grower
    replied
    suttre , wow!!!! Love this system !! I had a similar system set up for my outdoor grow but was gravity fed. Never thought about using something like this indoors. VERY cool.

    Leave a comment:


  • DW2
    replied
    Hi suttre,
    I'm a hydro grower, but that is impressive. Do you have a plan for automating the nutrients and/or supplements into the system?

    Leave a comment:

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