irrigation system for pond water

[dejswa]

I have a lot of thoughts here. Feel free to comment on any of them as I am new to farming, etc, but am enjoying learning about it.

I wish to develop an water source for irrigation of about half an acre of gardens consisting of everything from above ground sprinklers to extensive drip irrigation to taps and hoses for manual watering. I have about a 2 acre pond that I can draw water from. It stays usually full from runoff but can get low in drought.

I wanted to drill a water well, but that is another story. Seems my area is just outside the known aquafers in the area and 2 drilling companies recommended against trying. In addition, I have heard that there will come a time soon when we will be taxed for the water metered from our private wells (Texas) (but that's another thread, I guess.)

I have a creek that is 1250 ft away and 40 vertical feet below on my property which flows about 150 gal/min all year. I am constantly hunting for a 'deal' on pvc pipe and wire to set up a pump / pipeline system to get the water to the gardening area and / or to the pond to keep it full.

But I am mainly inquiring about how to process water from the pond for irrigation including drip, which is sensitive to dirty water. I have found some good designs for intake screens from the pond.

Next, I need a pump. Does it need to be a 'trash' pump incase I get crud into the system? Is a 'clear water' pump too sensitive for occasional bits of debris that may enter the system.

Then I want some sort of 'low maintanence' filter. Either something that is large enough that it doesn't need to be cleaned more than once a week or a system that can be either manually or automatically backwashed less than once a week. I am thinking that maybe a used pool 'sand filter' from craigslist might work. I am also familiar with 'cartidge filters' for pool use although cleaning them is a pain and the replacement cartridges are expensive.

I have searched this forum for this topic and have seen mesh filters mentioned as well, lthough mesh filters don't seem to handle algae well.

Any ideas here?

DJ

 

[WantedWolf]

$$$$'s and filters

I am mostly a city sprinkler guy but my supplier pushes these filters for reclaimed water. they run flush cycles from a controller but I think they are about 9-12vdc and you could rig a cheaper system. And of course wherever you place them the "flushed" water needs to be routed somewhere.

Rain Bird - Drip Irrigation: Products: Automatic Filter Kit

then for drip systems
200mesh inline Y filters for each Drip zone or block

then if $'s allowed you might consider self flushing valves

And im not to sure about the pump, but Id say the cage screen on intake hose and some sort of sand filter for the organics pre pump.

 

[dejswa]

Interesting idea with the automatic flush system.

Here is the item you referenced:

I read the PDF instructions. Looks like you flush it by activating the flush solenoid for 30 sec after each irrigation cycle. Would be programmable with any sprinkler controller.

I noted that it looks remarkably similar to these items which I get at Lowes, etc.

3/4 MIPT Y Filter with Ball Valve for Flushing : TNFarmSupply.com, Quality Farm Supplies

Perhaps the bottom outlet of these devices is also a flush outlet but I never have read the instructions on them. I just put them in line with my drip water source after the pressure regulator, but before the ganged valve system for distribution to my drip zones.

If this is the case, could also just put a manual valve on the bottom of my cheap filters and open it every week or so.

But the filter you mention seems to be a more industrial / bigger unit

Another advantage to your unit is that it uses PIPE fitting and not HOSE fittings!

Using the hose filters with hose fittings, drives me crazy. I spend hours each time looking for the various ADAPTERS to go from pipe to hose then back to pipe when I install these items.

I am still wondering about sand filters vs whatever for the primary filter.

 

[Uncle Doug]

Not sure how clean you are trying to get your water before sending it through the sprinklers but you might try a pool pump and filter. We had a DE filter on our inground pool that would clean up even pond water to clear. The newer sand filter are better. Both can be back flushed. Don't know where you are but hurricane Ike did in the pool so now the pool pump and filter are still sitting around and could go free to a good home.

I have an older electric sump pump that I use on any trash pumping. It has a 1 1/2 inch discharge and will move quite a bit of water over time. I don't know the hp but it is not that large. Leaves and dirt do not seem to bother it much. It would be good for filling a pond or aeration of the pond.

 

[dejswa]

Thanks, Uncle Doug.

I am in Dallas and Mt. Vernon, TX.

I am thinking that a used sand filter might be good. I think they might be better with algae than a cartridge filter. My experience with cartridge filters and algae is this. I have a pool at my house (unfortunately - came with the house). When I get algae, then nuke the pool to release the algae, it mostly clogs the filter. I have a big, multi-cartridge filter. Then I have to power wash it to get the slime out of the cartridges. Back washing does not do much to it. I can only imagine that a pond would gum it up quickly.

Might do the same to sand as well but I have never dealt with a sand filter. I see a few used ones for sale on craigslist, though.

DJ

 

[charlz]

I have a pond that feeds 99% of my sprinklers and drip. The setup was existing when I bought the place but I have added on as I have added gardens. It consists of a 1hp pump, pressure tank etc. The intake is floated in the pond using a goose decoy. Seems to work pretty well. I don't get any sand and I don't filter the water going to regular sprinklers.

I extended a 200 foot 1 1/2" black plastic 'mainline' out into my garden and field area. This feeds the garden drip on a separate filter as well as 3/4 hose bibs for garden hoses and 1 1/2" 'layflat' lines that I can run big sprinklers off of or flood irrigate corn etc.

The biggest issue is the algae and 'floaties' clogging up the drip filters. I have a 150 mesh screen filter in the pump shed that feeds all the drip zones around the house. This filter needs to be cleaned every other day or the drip output goes to almost nothing. Flushing the filter does nothing, I have to take it apart and rub it with my hands under flowing water to clean it up. Big pain in the butt and you can't really be away for vacation etc. in the heat of summer. The Y filter out in the garden doesn't seem to need cleaning as much.

Based on a thread I started here not too long ago I am either going to find a used pool filter or go with a bank of the cheap Y filters. Any high-capacity irrigation filter I can find is $$$$. I am not sure the micron level that a pool filter goes down to but I think you need 100 mesh or better for drip.

 

[Uncle Doug]

Thanks, Uncle Doug.

I am in Dallas and Mt. Vernon, TX.


DJ

I have a good friend, William Kirby from Mt Vernon who is also now the current state president of the Texas Young Farmers a non profit group I have worked with for many years.

 

[rcrcomputing]

What kind of pump would be needed to get the water out of the pond.
Going uphill about 100' horizontally and vertically about 15 feet from the top of the water...

 

[dejswa]

That would depend on what flow rate you need. I am new to this, but I would guess that you could use pump that is self priming and place it near your filter.

For one of my applications, I have about a 40 ft vertical rise to deal with, thus I will need a pump down by the water source.

I believe that there are charts that will tell you what sort of pressure drop you will get with a given flow over a known distance in a specific pipe size.

For another application, I have no power source in the paddock where I will be pumping water, thus I am looking at using a lower power pump, smaller tubing, a water storage tank (elevated) and maybe a solar panel to pump slowly over the entire day until it is needed.

Lots of factors to consider!

 

[studor]

One of the other techniques you can use is to put pumps "in relay" using barrels in between so the suction and head requirements of smaller pumps are not exceeded. When working on hard rock drill rigs we used to often use three or four pumps this way to supply water to the drill.