Best way to plumb irrigation lines?

[macdiesel]

So I tried plumbing 12 plants in a row with one pump. Didn't work to well, so I'm keeping it to one pump per 6 plants. Each plant has a single hydro-halo in it. 3/4" main tubing, 1/2" to the hydrohalo watering ring. Anyway, I'm wondering what is the best way to plumb it? Top or bottom illustration for best pressure consistency to all rings? Or maybe scrap it all for ball valves? I'll probably use ball valves at each ring anyway to control flow to them. Any new ideas appreciated too! Thanks-Mac dizzle

 

[overgrowit]

The bottom picture would give you the more even flow i would imagine. You could put a valve on the shortest path to the manifold so you could get the pressure to balance out to the far side.

You could also put a t fitting in the middle of the manifold so the water pressure enters in the center of the plants so equal pressure to each side.

Ball valve at each ring would give you most control in case one plant isn't drinking as much.

 

[HqFarms]

Or just a bigger pump or use drip lines instead of halos

 

[Stallion1027]

I recommend a loop for even pressure. I encounter similar issues when I tried doing this.
Check out this Thread ( https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=62654 ) Its worked great for me so far. Check it out and he also has a setup also using these.
( https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Irrigat...=1488242331&sr=8-2&keywords=manifold+drippers )

 

[clown baby]

Or just a bigger pump or use drip lines instead of halos

+1.

I run a 3/4" PVC manifold with tophat grommets and 1/4" lines feeding each plant. At about 16" over the reservoir, I can feed ~24 sites with a 400gph submersible pump.

flow rate is definitely going to be lower than what you're getting with hydro halos, but it's an option.

You could also try a utility pump
https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pum...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XN95XHCN7YEXZJ3MXAVJ

 

[coldcanna]

use open ended 1/4" lines, you start using drippers you will run into clogs and buildup... who wants to have to buy another bottle at the hydro store to flush your lines all the time? also open ends allows for smaller pump

 

[Stond_Face]

I agree with most posts here.

Use the loop arrangement your diagram.

Use a large pump (>400 gph ) keep pressure and volume even between emitters.

Use open tubes at the plants.

 

[OldPhart]

I was using a small pump one time to try to feed 16 plants, and some of the longer hoses were not doing well. After adding an extra barbed connector to the ends of the 1/4 inch tubes at the plants, they all evened out nicely with the added restriction, and never had a clog either.

OP

 

[macdiesel]

Thanks everyone. I've ran dripper lines in the past, as many as (8) 1/4" lines per plant. It works well, but the spaghetti gets kind of gross after a couple of cycles. Not a huge deal. My biggest complaint about them would be uneven saturation. I went with halos because if you bring the water in fast, it will pool at the top of the soil across the entire soil surface, and then go down into all of the soil.....where as dripper lines would just saturate the immediate area around the spike/open end etc. Not a huge deal, but combine that with a million 1/4" lines everywhere and I like the halos better. Thanks again.

 

[macdiesel]

+1.

I run a 3/4" PVC manifold with tophat grommets and 1/4" lines feeding each plant. At about 16" over the reservoir, I can feed ~24 sites with a 400gph submersible pump.

flow rate is definitely going to be lower than what you're getting with hydro halos, but it's an option.

You could also try a utility pump
https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pum...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XN95XHCN7YEXZJ3MXAVJ

That pump is awesome. Thank you for the link. 1500gph is badass for that price.

 

[bsgospel]

I'm running a loop right now and I'm not a fan. Granted, it's a long damn loop At a certain point, the plants in the middle get less solution

For six plants/halos though at any reasonable distance, anything in the 300/400 gph range will do about the same for a straight line as a loop. Or rather the pressure will even out quickly enough with that straight line that your plants wouldn't notice a serious difference.