Calling all Drip Gurus

[slade122]

I'm ready to take a step forward and automate my watering process, now that Texas is in the full swing of summer. Is become quite cumbersome to water around 130 or so pepper plants, in addition to the rest of my plants and yard on a daily basis. I've chosen drip irrigation for a number of reasons, including efficient water usage, ability to fertilize and water simultaneously with fertilizer injectors, and a few other reasons.
 
But first, an image of my garden just to give you an idea, so I can better explain myself. Just as a note - I'm growing in Coco+perlite, which is very good at providing capillary action for even water distribution.

As you can see, there are 10 rows, with 12 to 13 plants in each row, each in 5 gallon pots. There are also 3  4' x 4' raised beds in the back off to the left. Plants are spaced 18-24 inches apart in both directions. Each row is around 20 feet long.
 
The following link will take you to a google spreadsheet with all of the parts that I plan to purchase. They can all be found at dripdepot.com which I found had some of the best pricing when designing some systems over the past few weeks. I included enough drippers and Tees for 150 plants so I have extras.
 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Sf7WkeK_OT72yDpxU5oufsitTimZCroIy1qXhRS76K0/edit?usp=sharing
 
Now for the plan!
 
The water line connector is off to the right, at about the end of the last column, and over about 15 feet or so. My plan was to run a main line straight left across each of the columns, connect tee's between every other row (IE: between 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, and then to the raised beds). That way I can still walk between 2 and 3, 4 and 5, and so on to pick my produce. The raised beds will have 1 Microsprinkler in each one on the last line. I planned to use 2 pressure compensating drippers per plant to prevent plant death from having a dripper clog as well as providing a bit more even watering.
 
Now, connecting it all.
 
For the main line that connects it all
Water Spigot -> Backflow Preventer -> Filter -> Pressure Reducer -> 3/4" Hose Thread to 1/2" Poly connector -> Run of hose to between rows 1 and 2 - Tee -> Run of hose to between rows 3 and 4 -> Tee and so on.
 
For each row
From Tee between Rows -> Run hose all the way down the row -> End cap
 
For Emitters in each row
Punch hole between plants -> 1/4" Tee -> Run of 1/4" Hose to each pot on either side -> Tee each hose again -> Run of hose for each of the 4 barbs for 2 pots -> Drippers at each hose end
 
Up Next, the Raw math included in my spreadsheet on flow rate at max runs.
 
1/2" Poly is rated @ 200GPH flow rate, and a max run of 200feet. 300x .5GPH drippers puts me at 150, plus 3x 9.5GPH sprinklers will bring me to a toal of 178.5GPH out of a possible 200GPH flow rate if I use all 300 drippers. I plan to use around 260, which will cut it down by 20GPH which will put me at 158.5GPH.
 
The max run for 1/2" poly is 200 feet. If each of the 5 runs is 20 feet, that will bring me up to 100 out of 200 max feet. The main that connects it all from the faucet to the raised beds should be no more than 75 feet, which brings me up to 175 out of 200 usable feet of max run length. The ground is fairly even, so uneven flow should not produce any challenge.
 
Future Additions:
Timer.
 
Feedback I'm looking for:
1. will it work properly with the way I have designed it?
2. Are there any changes or suggestions that you would make?
3. Are there any problems that you could forsee - assuming my math is correct?
4. Any other questions, comments, or otherwise for clarification?
5. Will it work properly with future additions proposed?
 
 

 

[juanitos]

1. yes
2. how are you securing the drippers? i like the drippers with stake all in one. https://www.dripdepot.com/product/4bd2348075eb512997b20300
3. i don't think you need 2 emitters per bucket. mine don't clog that easily..

watch these maybe drippers  and  fert injection

 

 

[slade122]

1. yes
2. how are you securing the drippers? i like the drippers with stake all in one. https://www.dripdepot.com/product/4bd2348075eb512997b20300
3. i don't think you need 2 emitters per bucket. mine don't clog that easily..

watch these maybe drippers  and  fert injection

 

 
Ah, I didn't think about fixing the emitters to a specific location. Good call on that one.  As for ditching the two emitters per pot, I would simply opt for single 1gph on a stake as you proposed. Should cut down on the number of tubes and 1/4" Tees. Probably would reduce the overall cost some, even with the higher price of emitters on stakes.
 
Fertilizer injection appears far more costly than to find an 275 gallon IBC tote and putting a big pump on it with a digital power timer. Then I could simply put a float valve that would auto-fill the tank when it gets low, and just test the PH and EC fairly regularly and add what is needed. I'll have to follow up and do more reasearch, but I can at least get start on the drip system so all I will have to do is turn the water on as needed.
 
Many thanks for your thoughts Juanitos.

 

[Seacowboy]

1 emitter for 5 gal pots is plenty, I had a variety of pots sizes so I used 2 to a higher flow rate on the bigger pots. When figuring emitter size that's for your regular flow and gph, you may need a regulator before your main line. I haven't had much luck with timers due to them leaking on 1 side or the other and I didn't want to pay the ridiculous bill for a slow leak or a possible blow out. Just chose to turn on as needed after dark and look for the run off to start and shut it down. I used the 1/2 main line with a 1/4 line to branch off, they have quick connects that twist to make additional lines or junctions, T's or 90's. Considered a fertilizer induction deal but decided to just pour it or do the spray foliar deal instead.

 

[Mikes]

I ran a dripper system once but it was only for 12 plants. No guru but I will share my expierences. It was convenient but I found that on a timer system that I would be watering all plants the same amount when some were still heavy from the last watering. A lot more math involved in your system lol. To bypass the spigot , and leaks/high bills, I used a sump pump in a res that needed filling by hand each time. I also found it hard to maintain a desired ph level. I was using GH nutes with ph up and down. I could get the ph right but by the next day it would be significantly off and I would have to adjust, so the system I had was not really set and forget. I guess you could install a peristaltic pump with an inline ph meter that would add ph up or down to maintain your set level? I just didn't put that much effort into it. It was worth the time savings mixing nutes in the res and just letting the sump run. And then for the next 2 waterings that were only h20 when I didn't have to worry about ph. I let the timer have at it...that was nice . I'm in Austin, where are you located in tx? It sure was toasty here today.

Here I thought it got old watering 12 plants! You sir have a pepper problem lmao. Can't wait to hear how it all goes.

Mikes

 

[slade122]

I ran a dripper system once but it was only for 12 plants. No guru but I will share my expierences. It was convenient but I found that on a timer system that I would be watering all plants the same amount when some were still heavy from the last watering. A lot more math involved in your system lol. To bypass the spigot , and leaks/high bills, I used a sump pump in a res that needed filling by hand each time. I also found it hard to maintain a desired ph level. I was using GH nutes with ph up and down. I could get the ph right but by the next day it would be significantly off and I would have to adjust, so the system I had was not really set and forget. I guess you could install a peristaltic pump with an inline ph meter that would add ph up or down to maintain your set level? I just didn't put that much effort into it. It was worth the time savings mixing nutes in the res and just letting the sump run. And then for the next 2 waterings that were only h20 when I didn't have to worry about ph. I let the timer have at it...that was nice . I'm in Austin, where are you located in tx? It sure was toasty here today.

Here I thought it got old watering 12 plants! You sir have a pepper problem lmao. Can't wait to hear how it all goes.

Mikes

Thanks for your thoughts, Mikes. The vast majority of my plants are completely dried up in 2 days time, with basically none having any water at all after a 3rd day, so they all seem to be pretty close as far as water, as well as nutrient consumption. Plus, it seems like the more I feed them, the more water they consume. I'm definately not pushing them as hard as I could either. I've been running hydroponic setups for a number of years now, so I feel pretty confident that I could get everything stabilized as far as PH is concerned once I did decide to add fertilizer to be delivered with my drip system. I thought about getting some .5GPH drippers too though, if I have some plants that just don't want to drink as much as others after running the system for a bit.
 
One note is that I do not plan to run a timer all of the time, but say I were to go on vacation for a week, it would be nice to have that timer so the person taking care of it just has to check to make sure they all look good every day, which would only take a minute.
 
PH'ing isn't much of an issue because my tap water sits right around 6.0-6.2, which is perfect for Coco. If anything my nutes drop it enough to where it its been 5.8-6.0, so it's usually dead on. I've lived in other places though where I had to battle PH, it wasn't very fun.
 
And yes, I do have a pepper problem. Most of what I grow is gone so quickly. My tolerance for them seems like it has risen 10 fold, although, I sometimes run in to a Nuclear-class Jalapeno that gets me. I don't know if they occasionally mix with something else, but they can get crazy hot. 
 
I'm right in the heart of North Dallas, close to Love Field Airport. It's been heating up here too. Just trying to keep my lawn alive... 
 
 

1 emitter for 5 gal pots is plenty, I had a variety of pots sizes so I used 2 to a higher flow rate on the bigger pots. When figuring emitter size that's for your regular flow and gph, you may need a regulator before your main line. I haven't had much luck with timers due to them leaking on 1 side or the other and I didn't want to pay the ridiculous bill for a slow leak or a possible blow out. Just chose to turn on as needed after dark and look for the run off to start and shut it down. I used the 1/2 main line with a 1/4 line to branch off, they have quick connects that twist to make additional lines or junctions, T's or 90's. Considered a fertilizer induction deal but decided to just pour it or do the spray foliar deal instead.

 
Thanks for your thoughts. I figured if my chineses went up to 10-15 gallons I could just add a second (or 3rd) dripper to make sure they get the same amount as the other plants because I still have a little headroom. I really appreciate your statements about the slow leaks and the blowouts, that would not be fun in either case. Pouring it or spraying probably isn't what I want to do though, last night when I did that, it took around an hour and a half. It's just far too much to do 2-3 times per week in addition to my regular responsibilities.
 
Fertilizer injection is definitely an investment, far more expensive than the drip system itself, which is why I was leaning towards the other method - at least for now.
 
I'm waiting until I can draw up a plan for that which is A) Reasonably Priced B) Reliable C) Not difficult to Maintain or overly complicated. I like to keep things simple(ish)