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Kentucky - USA

Hi everyone.. I've never used a soaker hose before. I was wondering maybe if I attach one to a 55 gallon barrel if they would be enough pressure for it to work right. If that dont work too well I was considering using pvc and drilling a bunch of tiny holes in it. Any suggestions on this? thx

4/8/2001 5:23:36 PM

canal winchester ohio

elevate the barrel 3-4 ft. and there should be no problem. Paul

4/8/2001 6:16:07 PM

Midway City, California

Look in a previous disscusion that we had on the subject, about q month ago. A soaker hose may clog up without sufficent pressure and difinetly if you use firtlizer in them.

4/8/2001 7:36:41 PM

Deer Park WA

T-man, I use two 55 gallon barrels stacked on top of each other, and gravity feed/water my specimins with soaker hoses. There are a couple of things in my technique to note. First I have built stands that are about 4 feet tall at the mid level where the second barrel rests. Second I use 3/4" (recycled tires) soaker hoses. I found that the 1/2" and 5/8" hoses do plug up, and also restrict flow at the static presure my barrels maintain. I also unhook my soakers every so often and run City water presure through them to "Flush them out". One last thing, I also have developed an oxygen/carbon dioxide injection system that basicaly injects oxygen and if needed carbon dioxide into the barrels at about 1/2 psig, this helps push the water/fertilizer through my system plus gives all the little microbes a great shot in the arm. Hope this helps! Gadberry

4/8/2001 11:20:17 PM

Herndon, VA

GADS,

What kind of water supply are you using to fill the barrels? Well? Stream? City? I will be using river water at a new growing site this year and am concerned about debris plugging the soakers.

Bruiser

4/9/2001 9:05:45 PM

Deer Park WA

Bruiser, I only have municipal water for my plants, in your instance however there is a wide assortment of mesh strainers and micro filters that you could use to strain your water, and they are fairly cheap. LOL

4/9/2001 10:34:06 PM