I’m looking to setup a proper drip irrigation setup and would like some advice/info from the experts. I’m looking at using NetaFim stuff. Pump in the res that pumps out to an inline pump. Inline pumps it to the drippers. I’m curious if there are pros/cons of using tubing or pvc for those lines. Then, I’m also curious if bubblers or the dripper lines that pop right into tubing are better. Finally, what all do I need to make sure each line gets the same amount of pressure/water and that once the timer/pump shuts off water doesn’t keep flowing from the res if drippers are below res level? I see the air valves, filters, solenoid valves, and stuff. I’m just curious what all I need and what the best options there are these days. Thanks for any info and help!!
I don’t know anything about those systems but I know they have pressure regulated manifold that would make sure the drippers are set to what they need to be. https://a.co/d/8mroNsB
I think that would also prevent siphon from the res but you need to check into that!!!
Yeah, those don’t stop the overflow. I wasn’t sure if that’s all you need to make sure they’re all even. Pretty easy if that’s all it is. Already have those. I’d like to be like these folks who can say “each plant gets 150mL per ferting” and stuff.
There has to be some sort of check valve for irrigation. I know they have them for 2" well pumps for sprinklers. They must have 1" or whatever your looking for also. I would just make sure it’s a lower pressure(if available)
Sweet! Thanks! I’ll shoot NetaFim a message before I order everything and see what they suggest. I’ll do PVC from the pump in res to a filter and then to the inline. Then tubing from the inline and four drippers per container. Really wish I didn’t have so many plants or else I could get those Bucket Company runoff deals and really be able to relax. After this run I’m not flowering more than 8-12 plants at a time.
I just made a system a few runs back. It’s in my journal if you want to check it out. It’s nothing fancy, and not as pretty as a pre made system but it was cheap to build and it’s been working really well.
good luck I’ve been waiting for an email back from them since namm…
I like netafim but they’re not concerned with the little home growers using their setups it doesn’t seem.
even with that said I’m going to be using their .5g/hour 6in angled stakes in a similar fashion but am going to try to make do with 1/2 pex pipe I have laying around from the res to a drip supply line. should be fun to see in action if nothing else lol
I’d recommend buying these pre-assembled dripper + pressure compensating emmiter. The emitters are both pressure compensating and no leak function so your drippers won’t drain your rez dry if they happen to be below the rez through siphoning. The cool kids call these “whips” as in “whip kits”
I’d recommend the .5gph if you plan on 1 drip stake per plant or the .3gph if you are going 2 drip stakes per plant. I would recomend going with 2 .3 gph per plant. Having the 2 stakes gives you some redundancy if one of the lines gets clogged.
You’ll then need to use 17mm semi rigid (giggity) tubing to create the irrigation loop that will supply your dripper stake assembly (whips). There is a punch tool that you will use to pierce the 17mm tubing so you can then plug in the dripper stake assemblies. There is a barb on one of the sides of the PC drippers that gets pressed into the hole you made with the punch tool. I would create a loop in your tray with this 17mm tubing to help equalize the water pressure. Although the Pressure Compensating diaphragm in the dripper negates the need for it, I still like the idea of trying to provide equalized pressure so why not build for it =)
They have these quick lock fitting for building your loop using the 17mm tubing.
You can use a sump pump if it’s going to sit in your rez and push water into the lines. You will want the main supply line in PVC from the pump, out of the rez and into your tent. Then that PVC main supply line connects to the 17mm table supply line. They make adapters to connect PVC to this 17mm tubing. The PC diaphragms in the drippers require I think 10psi to open so you will need to make sure you get a sump pump able to create that pressure. Not all of them do! I went with a mondi yellow sump pump that most hydro stores have. On paper this one should be fine but I haven’t run it myself yet to know for sure.
I plan on installing a pressure gauge at the very end of my irrigation loop to be able to monitor pressure.
You might also consider an air bleed valve into your hard plumbed PVC supply
line.
This will provide an air break to prevent a vaccum in the line once all the air gets pushed out initially. I want the solution stuck in the supply line to drain back into the rez where it can be re-circulated with a mixing pump. If that wasn’t a concern for you skip the air bleed and the solution would stay in the supply line untill the sump pump kicked on again and pushed it through the drippers. On shorter length of runs having solution stuck in the line probably doesn’t matter at all. Totally up to user unless anyone can point out pros or cons of using the valve that I haven’t thought of.
Your also going to want a disk filter in that pvc hard line supply.
Sweet! Thanks!! Didn’t realize those stake drippers had an anti-siphon feature. Perfect!!
So, those air valve deals return all of the solution from the lines back to the res? Those are what I was really trying to figure out what they do. Haha What those do and if PVC is needed from the res to the tent. Also, a powerful submersible pump can handle getting even flow to all of the drippers without an inline pump setup? That would be cheaper for sure.
Not all of them do so check the specific ones you are ordering. Netafim calls this feature CNL and stands for something I can’t remember No Leak lol.
The air valve just provides an air break in the supply line. Serves 2 purposes, first is that it gives a place to push all the air out of the line when the pump comes on. The air will eventually push its way out of the drip stakes without the air bleed valve but the valve will get the job done sooner. Second purpose it serves is to allow air back into the system once the pump turns off. Allowing air back into the supply line means that gravity can push the solution back into the rez. Without an airbleed valve once all the air gets pushed out and the only thing left is solution it will create a vacuum in the line and keep the solution sucked into the supply line. Think of a straw in a fountain drink if you put your finger over the top of the straw with pop in it you can remove the straw the liquid will stay in the straw until you take your finger off and allow air back in the line.
I guess technically the supply line from the rez to the tent doesn’t need to be PVC. You could just plumb the whole thing using the 177mm tubing. I would only specifically use PVC if you had long runs where your pump was providing a constant pressure in the line. Those are high end pumps either Leader or DAB but if you are only wanting to supply a single tent then using a submersible sump pump should be fine. You only need 10 psi to get the pc diaphragm to open. Depending on how close you are planning on having the rez to the tent its feeding and how high you need to push the water will make a difference on pump selection.
A rez right outside the tent sump pump should be fine. If you plan on pushing the water long distances across a basement for example or up to a different floor in your house then an inline pump might be more needed. sump pumps are like 150$ and the inline pumps are 1200-2000 so best to use a sump where possible.
Lots of good info here, would just echo above that I’ve been doing drip for a long time and have never used an in-line pump, assuming you are just an in-home guy. Pond pumps are also suitable for in-res pumps. Fwiw, the best pumps would be low flow, high pressure.
My system is pressurized and I still use the plastic flexible irrigation pipe as my main line. No problems so far, knock on wood. PVC is nice but optional imho. Good luck!
I’ve seen it recommended a few times and I know @Tripl3fastaction is using one.
Do you know if these be triggered on/off with a normal 120v timer? Or do they have to stay primed and pressurized and only trigger when they sense low pressure?
Im not trying to spend ridiculously or anything, but I also want to get a proper setup. So, I’ll do the PVC into the tent. I’ll be needing quite a few drippers and wasn’t sure about the pump power needed. If a submersible will give me even distribution amongst say sixty drippers or six bubblers, then perfect. What size pump will do that for me?
I just got one of these and it will probably do closer to 200+ drippers. This thing puts out more than a garden hose. And only 50$. Best pumps I have found were little giant. https://a.co/d/iI1RXgS
I’m a big fan of that pump. Have a few of them. Great deal currently. Jeez. Wish I paid that much for them. Haha They’ll push enough water for drippers?? That would be nice and make things pretty cheap.
