Fertilizing problem...

[swamprad]

I purchased a Hozon Proportioner Mixer from Kelly's Korner, as well as a Wonder Waterer watering wand. I mix up a strong solution of fertilizer in a five-gallon bucket, drop a little tube into the bucket, and the mixer sucks up the fertilizer and mixes it with the water coming through my water hose. It works well and I like it.

BUT, here is the problem. To make it work, you have to have the water faucet turned up at least moderately high, and the watering wand (which is also a water-breaker) almost wide open. The result is the the water pressure is too forceful for smaller plants. It's ok for the big catts and other big orchids, but the plants in 3.5" and 4" get knocked around somewhat. Not good.

Solutions anyone? Suggestion for a better fertilizer mixer that works under low water pressure? Thanks!

 

[SlipperKing]

What about the kind that screw onto the end of the hose? Hyponex sells a plastic gezmo with an attached tank you put the fertilizer in. I've only use it for outside use but it might work.
The one you are using I had to remove the rose head inorder to get it to work for me, small as well as big pots.

 

[Rick]

I actually use a pump sprayer Mark, but you have a lot more plants and space to cover than me.

 

[jtrmd]

I'm using the Dramm 170 Water Breaker without any issues.Before this one I had Dramm 1000,which I liked a lot better.The supply store by my house didnt have them in stock.When it comes time to get a new head I will go back to the 1000.

 

[Ernie]

The issue is the required pressure/flow rate, not so much your choice of breaker IMO. We considered lots of different proportioners and read a LOT of reviews on Amazon, general gardening forums, and specific vendor sites. The Dosatrons and similar are by far the favorite, but they're expensive. The Hozon type ones have the water pressure issue (tap needs to be full blast to get fert injection). We went with an EZ Flo from Drip Depot http://www.dripdepot.com/1205 . It's very easy to use and delivers down to a very slow flow (one of its intentions if for drip irrigation- they call it "fertigation"). We use it with Dramm water breakers and slow flow misters and lots of other devices and have had no issues. It's only been in use maybe a month or two, and I want to gather different samples at different intervals to test TDS to verify it is giving a consistent dilution, but just haven't gotten to that yet.

We also had a discussion about this not too long ago... can't seem to find the thread.

Bottom line is... I guess you get what you pay for.

 

[swamprad]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

Ernie, I will order the EZ Flo system you recommend. May I ask how strong you mix the fertilizer for your plants, and what feed ratio you use? Which size unit do you think I need in my 18x24 greenhouse containing 800 - 1000 plants?

 

[Ozpaph]

All the proportioners that 'suck' up a concentrate rely on the venturi effect ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect ). If you slow the flow the venturi doesn't work properly and the concentration of the final mix will vary and NOT be as advertised. ie you wont know what concentration of fertilizer your applying. The EZ flow system is pressurised but I'm not sure how it can be accurately calibrated without knowing the faucet flow rate/pressure (assumed constant) and the EZ flow containerflow rate/pressure (which will change as the internal pressure drops). It will have an ideal working pressure and dose at a predicted rate under those conditions only. I assume you'd have to measure the fertilizer output concentration and adjust accordingly if 'mission critical'.

A watering can is so much easier!

 

[SlipperFan]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

Ernie, I will order the EZ Flo system you recommend. May I ask how strong you mix the fertilizer for your plants, and what feed ratio you use? Which size unit do you think I need in my 18x24 greenhouse containing 800 - 1000 plants?

I'd love to see a picture of your greenhouse -- inside.

 

[Ernie]

All the proportioners that 'suck' up a concentrate rely on the venturi effect ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect ). If you slow the flow the venturi doesn't work properly and the concentration of the final mix will vary and NOT be as advertised. ie you wont know what concentration of fertilizer your applying. The EZ flow system is pressurised but I'm not sure how it can be accurately calibrated without knowing the faucet flow rate/pressure (assumed constant) and the EZ flow containerflow rate/pressure (which will change as the internal pressure drops). It will have an ideal working pressure and dose at a predicted rate under those conditions only. I assume you'd have to measure the fertilizer output concentration and adjust accordingly if 'mission critical'.

A watering can is so much easier!

I don't think the EZ Flo works on venturi. I think it's the black and tan effect. The concentrate is "heavier" and sinks below the incoming water of lower gravity. ??? The system fills up and pressure drives it. The biggest concern I have is what we discussed before- the feed concentration just after adding fertilizer to the tank is higher than when the fertilizer in the tank is nearly gone. ??? Again, a kinetic TDS study is needed.

Here's a quick rundown of our irrigation...

Water prep... first the hose bib, then a backflow preventer, then a carbon and particulate filter http://www.amazon.com/Culligan-RVF-...EVR8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1306725671&sr=8-2 , then the EZ Flo, then the hose to our hose end devices (mist head, breaker, jet for filling s/h containers, misting system...).

To begin a cycle, we fill the EZ Flo with about 5 lbs of dry fertilizer. It has 20-20-20 in it now, but we switch around with MSU and various traditional formulae. Usually first thing in the am I set the EZ Flo the highest setting and mist the Vandas, Papionanthe, Epidendrums, and everything mounted or in/on trees twice around. Then I switch to the breaker and drench the Arundinas, bananas, pineapples, vegetables, and the elephant ears if needed. If the potted orchids need watered, I switch the EZ Flo to the lowest or next to lowest setting to do them. We keep a 3 gallon pump sprayer with rain water and MSU RO and my wife mists the hanging stuff and thirsty terrestrials at least one more time during the day. If it is a hot, sunny day, sometimes I mist again just after work if I feel like it. Of course, the frequency and deepness of watering is dictated by sun and temp- if it's been cloudy, rainy, or cool, we water less. Repeat until the water in the EZ Flo is clear (it will be blue, pink, green... or whatever with fertilizer in it). Then we run just water for about 1/3-1/4 the amount of time fertilizer was in the tank- if we got 14 days out of that 5 lbs, we use water for 3-5 days.

We've only been using the EZ Flo for a couple months, and I'm sure this will all be adjusted, but at the moment, it isn't hurting anything. We are in prime growing season- it's been in the mid 80's to low 90's for some time. Stuff is growing like gangbusters. Yet we see no signs on nutrient deficiency and no signs of excess fertilizer (leaftip burning, powdery mineral buildup). I hope the do some TDS tests soon to let us know if we can feed at a higher setting, I see no reason to back off any... at least until fall.

 

[Ernie]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

Ernie, I will order the EZ Flo system you recommend. May I ask how strong you mix the fertilizer for your plants, and what feed ratio you use? Which size unit do you think I need in my 18x24 greenhouse containing 800 - 1000 plants?

Damn, Mark! We gotta see this baby! A step up from what you had on your patio when I was there! We got the small one (3/4 gal) mostly for mental reasons... dumping 15 pounds of fertilizer in a proportioner at a time is scary.

Don't forget to get a backflow preventer so you don't feed fertilizer back into your public system- they're only a couple bucks.

You'll also want to find someplace local to get soluble fertilizer by the 25 lb bag! You can mail order, but cha ching on shipping! That's gonna put you on some watchlist, so don't look suspicious. Plan carefully to get MSU from Oak Hill when they pass through Memphis.

We got our EZ Flo from Drip Depot directly. They are also on eBay, but I think we saved a couple bucks going direct.

http://www.ezflofertilizing.com/ From this pg, the lowest setting is equivalent to about 3/4 tsp fertilizer/gal, next is about 1.5 tsp/gal. A pretty good place for most orchids.

 

[Jim Toomey]

First rays sells a mini dositron.
MiniDos 2.5% Fertilizer Metering Pump
https://www.firstrays.com/cgi/cart/...7.158&product=Miscellaneous&pid=711&keywords=

 

[L I Jane]

I use the same Hozon Mark & have for years I use just a simple fan spray on the end of the hose. Haven't found any problem with blowing plants away with the pressure.I just bought another fan spray recently--orbitz, on ebay for 1.99.