What size pump for micro drip irrigation

Greengrouch

Greengrouch

Well-Known Member
Looking to step up my game, and stop staying up all night to do multiple hand waterings :dunce:
Up to 16 plants per res. Reservoirs not very high(14in), 30 gallon tote. Is 160gph good? And do I need a pressure regulator? I’ve been hand watering for 4 years, so clearly I’m kinda dumb.
 
Greengrouch

Greengrouch

Well-Known Member
1or 2 drips per plant, so either 16 or 32, this is the kit I’m looking at. Flantor Garden Irrigation System, 1/4" Blank Distribution Tubing Watering Drip Kit/DIY Saving Water Automatic Irrigation Equipment Set for Garden Greenhouse, Flower Bed,Patio,Lawn https://a.co/d/43ecLTt
 
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Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I like the idea of having 2 separate sets of pumps and lines/drippers for the same system. Both on the same timer, sitting next to each other, feeding the same pots. That way, if one pump ever failed, the other is still running as a backup. Your not straining on them as hard either, by splitting the load, or wearing out the vanes on the impellers as fast, etc. Pumps are cheap, and especially more affordable to buy extra when you are building your own system from scratch, and saving money instead of buying marked up dripper kits.
 
lusidghost

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
Drop That Sound said:
I like the idea of having 2 separate sets of pumps and lines/drippers for the same system. Both on the same timer, sitting next to each other, feeding the same pots. That way, if one pump ever failed, the other is still running as a backup. Your not straining on them as hard either, by splitting the load, or wearing out the vanes on the impellers as fast, etc. Pumps are cheap, and especially more affordable to buy extra when you are building your own system from scratch, and saving money instead of buying marked up dripper kits.
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That's not a bad idea, but it sounds like a lot of heat in the res.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
2 pumps splitting the load wouldn't heat up as much, and probably have the opposite effect. They would run cooler I would think, but I've never really tested to check. I always installed inline pumps outside of the res anyway..
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I don't like the idea of using a monster 1 hp floraflex pump feeding multiple sites though, that's for sure. Id rather have 2 small pumps running each site, so I know it would be halfway watered if I was on vacation if one pump failed. Not only that, but you can also purchase smaller UPS battery backup supplies, that will run a few cycled pumps each for days or even weeks. A UPS or battery backup supply that could handle the starting amps of a 1hp pump would cost a fortune, but 10 smaller ones might be a grand or so, keeping 10 tables watered without power for days.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Greengrouch said:
So could I just hook the pump up to something like this plastic air manifold and put emitters on the en then of the hose?
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Making a looped manifold would be the best, and help to equalize pressure throughout all the feed lines, but ya you can probably make that work.

I wouldn't even waste the money on those though, and use regular fittings instead, like PJ ^
 
P

Princed

Member
I recently hooked up auto watering with a flora flex system. Ran 3/4 pvc to bubbler heads at each net of my 4x4 nets. Then ran .5 gph drippers of the bubbler head 2 drippers per 5 gallon pot. It's working great.
 
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