Need help on Diy indoor drip system

Mojave

Well-Known Member
So i picked a 400gph submersible pump and plan to water two 25 gallon fabric pots. I currently have 1/4" vinyl hose, 1/4" soaker hose, adjustable 1/4" valves, various T and straight connectors. Havent got a timer yet.

I was going to make a halo of soaker hose for each. My question is will the pump be pushing too much pressure through the hose making water bleed through too quickly? should i run a hose from the halos back to the resevoir to bleed off pressure? I was also wondering if i should make some type PVC manifold off from the pump, that the 2 supply lines come from? But i dont know what connectors i would need for that to happen. the outlet from the pump has 1/2", 3/8" and 3/4" fittings. so i then need some type of adapter to go from whatever size is best down to the 1/4".
 

ruwtz

Well-Known Member
So many variables: pumping distance (vertical and horizontal), max head power, number of holes in the halo, size of the halo etc.

FWIW, I run similar sized pumps running 10ft from the res and with some climb too, 1/2 inch hose with 1/4 inch drip lines, 6 holes in halos 8 inches in diameter. Everything runs fine but keep it clean cos those halos do gunk.

Oh and watch out for syphoning. I had one res emptying for days before I figured out what was going on.
 

TurboTokes

Well-Known Member
A soaker hose would literally take hours to deliver a gallon of solution to 25 gallons of medium

I do indoor drip to waste myself, tried lots of different halos/ tees/ line sizes. Best advice if you want even waterring is to have a loop in the system, and you can take your supply lines from anywhere in the loop. As an example



Also as mentionned, a siphon will ruin your floor/house in a hurry. Can be stopped very simply by adding a vent in the supply line, above the res water level. Obviously a hole in your supply line will leak water when the pump is running, so its best to put a "T" fitting on the supply line above the pump, inside the resevoir, just above your intended water level. When the pump turns off, air will be allowed to enter this hole and the siphon will be broken and your house stays dry. The hole doesnt need to be very big, some people simply poke a hole in the supply line instead of using a fitting.
 

ruwtz

Well-Known Member
A soaker hose would literally take hours to deliver a gallon of solution to 25 gallons of medium

I do indoor drip to waste myself, tried lots of different halos/ tees/ line sizes. Best advice if you want even waterring is to have a loop in the system, and you can take your supply lines from anywhere in the loop. As an example



Also as mentionned, a siphon will ruin your floor/house in a hurry. Can be stopped very simply by adding a vent in the supply line, above the res water level. Obviously a hole in your supply line will leak water when the pump is running, so its best to put a "T" fitting on the supply line above the pump, inside the resevoir, just above your intended water level. When the pump turns off, air will be allowed to enter this hole and the siphon will be broken and your house stays dry. The hole doesnt need to be very big, some people simply poke a hole in the supply line instead of using a fitting.
Clean setup! What are those tap fittings on the PVC leading to 1/4" hose?
 

ruwtz

Well-Known Member
A soaker hose would literally take hours to deliver a gallon of solution to 25 gallons of medium

I do indoor drip to waste myself, tried lots of different halos/ tees/ line sizes. Best advice if you want even waterring is to have a loop in the system, and you can take your supply lines from anywhere in the loop. As an example



Also as mentionned, a siphon will ruin your floor/house in a hurry. Can be stopped very simply by adding a vent in the supply line, above the res water level. Obviously a hole in your supply line will leak water when the pump is running, so its best to put a "T" fitting on the supply line above the pump, inside the resevoir, just above your intended water level. When the pump turns off, air will be allowed to enter this hole and the siphon will be broken and your house stays dry. The hole doesnt need to be very big, some people simply poke a hole in the supply line instead of using a fitting.
Is this your pic? Please tell me more about those PVC-to-1/4" tube fittings!
 

TurboTokes

Well-Known Member
I buy them at lowes, $3 each, the end in the PVC is an NPT thread, the end connected to the hose is 1/4" ID barb fitting, wth a ball valve in the center (to dial them in, I start with them all closed, then slowly open each to desired drip/flow)

Im sure you could find em online for cheaper I havent looked

Takes a little time and care to drill and tap the holes in the PVC, but if your mechanically inclined at all its prety easy, and leak free
 

Redoctober

Well-Known Member
I buy them at lowes, $3 each, the end in the PVC is an NPT thread, the end connected to the hose is 1/4" ID barb fitting, wth a ball valve in the center (to dial them in, I start with them all closed, then slowly open each to desired drip/flow)

Im sure you could find em online for cheaper I havent looked

Takes a little time and care to drill and tap the holes in the PVC, but if your mechanically inclined at all its prety easy, and leak free
@TurboTokes I have to tell you, this is AMAZING!! Such a clean and organized build.

I have been really struggling with this and was at my wits end when I stumbled upon your post.
The way I've been attempting to make a system was to use RainBird irrigation polyethylene semi-rigid tubing, and punch holes, inserting little barbs, then attaching 1/4" tubing leads. No matter what I would do the barb/rain-tube interface would leak. I tried 3 different types of silicone and none made a difference. I've attached pics so you can see the barb I used and the piece of crap tube I made. I'm throwing the whole thing in the garbage tomorrow and doing it your way. I love that yours doesn't leak.

I have scoured the internet but can't seem to find those 1/4" stainless steel fittings. Would you happened to have a link?
Is the black barb part of the fitting, or a separate piece you screw into it?
In the pic it looks like 2 pieces, the stainless steel mini-ball valve, and a plastic elbow male npt to barb fitting.

The closest I could find are these but they don't match what you are using (no barb) and are quite expensive: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Mini-Ball-Valve/dp/B006VE3C4A/ref=pd_sim_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3H6AMHPEX3Z9B2VR4AX6
 

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