Gravity Fed Irrigation!

[Kristen]

To rely on it for a week would need very clean water to avoid blockages, that I suspect is where soaker hose has the advantage.

I think you will need a filter (and possibly clean water) that anyway. There are filters available for dripper circuits which should do the trick - provided they don't reduce flow so much that you get none!



75 micron filter (dunno if that is small enough though ??)
Rain Bird Inline RBY Filter with Stainless Steel Filter Screen

"Simple to clean, as cap has a sealing O-ring and unthreads to provide access to the stainless steel filter element"

[Bill HH]

Perhaps the safer way to go would be a timer and a much faster flow (less likely to block) Maybe it would only need twice a day for 10 minutes. Probably better to have my holiday in October.

[Kristen]

Timer is probably cheaper than a poncy filter

(Quite a few brands of water timer need mains pressure to operate, so if water is coming off a barrel check that the timer works with low pressure supply)

[Bill HH]

Timer is probably cheaper than a poncy filter

(Quite a few brands of water timer need mains pressure to operate, so if water is coming off a barrel check that the timer works with low pressure supply)

Good point, I could go mains but leaving it on a week is not a good idea unless plumbed in with proper water pipe, hoses go soft and expand in hot weather and blow the flippin fittings.

[Bigmallly]

Please can you tell me where did you get your drippers Bm?

The ones I've found, so far, all show a flow rate of 4 lts/hr - much too fast! and they don't look adjustable either

Hi Thelma, I'll put 3 links up. 1 for the tube........ 1 for the 3 way taps...... & 1 for the 2 way end taps.

Aquarium Air Line Clear PVC 4mm Fish Tank Marine Koi Pond Airline Pump Pipe Tube | eBay

Aquarium Plastic 5mm Dia 3 Way Cross Type Air Valve Hose Connectors Joint 4pcs | eBay

Air Regulator Plastic Control Valve 5 pcs for Aquarium Pump Tubing | eBay

[Bigmallly]

It might turn out better to have two drippers per plant for safety.

Good idea Bill, alongside the drippers, I plan to par bury terracotta pots between 2 plants, fill them with water and allow it to seep through to the roots.

[Thelma Sanders]

Hi Thelma, I'll put 3 links up. 1 for the tube........ 1 for the 3 way taps...... & 1 for the 2 way end taps.

Cheers m'dears

[Bigmallly]

Cheers m'dears

You're welcome............

[bearded bloke]

Made sticky for easy future reference

[Bill HH]

If anyone does intend using a timer this one is supposed to work on low pressure systems, the hozelock apparently does not work so well and has a lot of reliability problems.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darlac-Elect...ref=pd_cp_lp_2

[Alison]

If anyone does intend using a timer this one is supposed to work on low pressure systems, the hozelock apparently does not work so well and has a lot of reliability problems.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darlac-Elect...ref=pd_cp_lp_2

I use a basic hoselock one on my gravity feed and it works well with no problems bar flat battery in the several years I've used it, unlike the one from Lidl one which needed pressure


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum

[Bill HH]

I use a basic hoselock one on my gravity feed and it works well with no problems bar flat battery in the several years I've used it, unlike the one from Lidl one which needed pressure


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum

You must be one of the lucky ones Alison, the reviews on Amazon is just a great list of people complaining that the seals fail and let water into the battery compartment. There seems so much dissatisfaction that i can't beleive they havent rectified this fault by now. If I bought one I would buy from somewhere that I can take it back localy rather than online.

[redser]

The aldi one works fine for me from a 1000 lt IBC. They should be going on sale soon.

[Alison]

You must be one of the lucky ones Alison, the reviews on Amazon is just a great list of people complaining that the seals fail and let water into the battery compartment. There seems so much dissatisfaction that i can't beleive they havent rectified this fault by now. If I bought one I would buy from somewhere that I can take it back localy rather than online.

Just checked on the reviews, looking at them there are some people who have had problems with this but the average rating is still 4 stars out of 203 reviews so I don't think I was that lucky, would more say the people with problems were unlucky but suppose it's how you look at things.

[bario1]

I think people are far more likely to bother posting a review if they've had a bad experience than if they're happy with the product, which can skew the figures a bit. I'm hoping so anyway, because I've just bought a hoselock timer for my poly but haven't used it yet!