Well , I've got the system all installed , though I might add one more run across the strawberries to the taters . The silt separator* seems to be working well , I haven't had to clear but a few emitters . The plastic 55 gallon barrel I'm using has a couple of 1/16" holes near the top that I have been using as indicators of system pressure . The distance the streams of water coming out of those holes go tells me when I have it balanced for inflow/outflow . Being under slight pressure has made a big difference in how much water is being applied in a given time . Having most of the garden covered with black plastic has also made a lot of difference , both in lower evaporative losses and in more uniformity in moisture levels . *The silt separator is the 55 gallon barrel . The inlet is at the top and has a 1/4" diameter tubing section at the tip that accelerates flow speed and is angled to induce a swirl in the barrel . That swirl makes the silt drift to the outside as it falls to the bottom . The outlet pulls from the center of the barrel about a foot from the bottom . So far it has worked as I hoped , I'm not cleaning emitters every time I water .
- posted
11 months ago