Lets build a fertilizer injector for outdoor drip system????

[DJ_highst_]

All right guys this may be a tall order but we got enough smart folks here to build something cool.

So I decided no more hand watering with 5 gallon buckets anymore, everything is getting automated outdoor this year. After looking at fertiler injectors and seeing how expensive they are and not designed perfectly for my use. I decided to try to build my own.

I will try to get some links up for examples, I was just trying to get the ball rolling and see who wanted to help tackle this challenge with me. peace_highst

 

[DJ_highst_]

No one...


here is some examples

http://www.mortonproducts.com/page.cfm/1623
*I think this PVC tank design looks like one that can be based on for our use
http://www.ezflofertilizing.com/

http://www.berryhilldrip.com/Injectr_Small.htm#MAZZEI FERTILIZER INJECTORS

*design ideas

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1237.htm

 

[Guest]

hey dj, when ya build it just make sure you use a back flow valve. it's definately a must have. without it you could at the very least make a bunch of people very sick.
wm

 

[CarharttKidd]

Dude- siphon valves are not expensive. less than $20. I have alot of experience with this http://www.dosatronusa.com/PortableCartSystems.htm particular unit. The dosacart. This unit works OK for feeding chemical ferts and even dry chemical ferts, but it works pretty shitty for organic stuff. If you do not use all of the concentrated fertilizer in the tank, the solution you make up in the tank will seperate and not be homogeneous. You will probably clog a siphon valve with organics. Siphon valves work great with GH 3 part and Grow More products, though.

WhyMe- what are you talking about? Fertilizer is not going to magically find its way back into the city water without a check valve.

 

[DJ_highst_]

Who is Dude?

Siphon valves thanks for the input guys .......now lets get back to the topic.

CarhartKid, that unit is pretty pricey I have been looking at that one for a while, I think its in the link I posted, thats the reason I want to build my own. The unit in the second link was the one I want to borrow from the most but on larger scale and with multi tanks. .

any one have some input on how they would build one?

I want to keep it simple, something like a line from the hose and one from a nutrient feed tank that could mix into a central insulated rez. then pump through drip lines. I was thinking of having the valves from each lines having a control/cut-out valve to regualte the fertilzer being injected. Maybe use a simple gauge to monitor the water flow of each and just use a PPM meter and some math skills to guage the amount need until I can dial everythin in.

I am still in the early planning stages, so these are some rough ideas, I was hoping to bounce some design ideas off people to help come up with something.

 

[DJ_highst_]

Before I started this thread I searched and found nothing on this site on fertiler injectors. I figured it would be good to start a thread on the topic to start some discusion and the only feed-back was use a siphon valve and a link to something that I posted a link to two poist above........pretty disappointing, i thought we had some creative people, here.


Does anyone have experience using PBP indoors, think that it would work well with this system outdoors and over come the issues of using an organic fert with traditionl fert injecctors and drip system.


Maybe I should post this is in the Outdoors section after the weak responce here.

 

[DJ_highst_]

****Can a mod move this thread to Outdoor section please****

 

[CarharttKidd]

Highst- All of the fertilizer injectors out there I am familiar with are essentially an adjustable siphon valve. You did not link the dosacart in your second post. I use the dosacart on an almost daily basis to fetilize a few hundred thousand dollars worth of nursurey stock with, and I told you my experience with it. I do not see anyone else out there with experience with fertilizer injectors step up to try and help you out. Quit bad mouthing the help experienced people are trying to give you. The simple facts are that nutrients with organic components including PBP settle without agitation. Unless you are going to use the entire stock tank in one go or have the means to keep the stock tank solution mixed, you are going to have a less than homogeneous mix. This is plain common sense.

Nobody else has said it, so I will. I would hope your time is worth something. I can get a dosacart for a few hundred dollars. For the time and money you spend researching, searching for, buying parts, and working out the kinks in your ghetto system, you could have been earning money to buy a system.

If the answers to your question dissapoint you, stop asking dissapointing questions.

 

[Guest]

dj, i at first thought you were tryin to do this system with domestic pressurized water, i woulda never guessed you wanted to use a rez and pumps. the thing about drip systems is, is you hafta use pressure between 10 and 20 psi so you need pressure regulators to lower any domestic water to that. i've got a system that i've used for years that works good but more on the ghetto scale(=cheap) . low pressure with 3 valves for the whole system includin fert valve.
i posted the check valve idea out of concern for folks that don't know that ferts can back flow with a muni water system. just tryin to make diy'ers aware.
imo a rez and pump system is a total waste of time outdoors. way too much invested for waht you'll gain. good luck tho.
carahtkid, we also were on a diff page about check valves, i was thinkin it would of been pressurized by domestic water and in that case it would'nt magically backflow, it would easily backflow.
wm

 

[CarharttKidd]

Whyme- how do you figure? There would be a hose bib in the way. When the water gets shut off, it isn't going to backflow past a shut valve into pressurized pipes.

 

[Guest]

It's always on. i use a water timer.

 

[CarharttKidd]

Wouldn't your water timer have a diaphragm valve between the injector and the city water?