15 Tools That Can Help You Maximize Water Quality and Efficiency in the Greenhouse
New advancements in water management and irrigation are making it easier for you to manage your water use. Check out the slideshow above for a look at some of the latest offerings from leading suppliers, and how you can best incorporate them into your greenhouse.
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Solenoid Pumps (H.E. Anderson Co.)
H.E. Anderson now carries Solenoid Pumps for chemicals injected at lower rates. These new solenoid-operated chemical pumps work for both sanitizers and acids. They carry a two-year warranty and do not generate any waste water. Available sizes are 0.625 gallons per hour (gph), 1.25 gph, and 1.875 gph. The pumps are available with Teflon or Viton diaphragms.
HEAnderson.com -
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TAF Series Filters (Amiad Water Systems)
Amiad’s TAF series filters are innovative, self-cleaning, high-quality, plastic filters, suitable for a wide variety of applications. Water enters the inner area of the screen cylinder and traps solids. When self-cleaning is initiated by pressure differential across the filter, the filter’s exhaust valve opens and the drive unit spirals the suction scanner back and forth. The spiral rotation of the suction scanner nozzles across the inner surface of the screen vacuums the solids out of the exhaust valve.
AmiadUSA.comTechnical Details:
• Flow rates of up to 22 gallons per minute
• Inlet/Outlet diameters: 2 and 3 inches
• Minimum operating pressure: 25 PSI
• Filtration degrees: 25 to 500 microns
• 110/220V AC, 1-PH, 60 Hz
• Water for cleaning: less than 1% of total flow -
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Scanaway (Amiad Water Systems)
Amiad’s exclusive semi-automatic Scanaway assemblies provide a quick and efficient way for cleaning manual filters. Amiad’s Scanaway is an add-on assembly built for upgrading Amiad’s steel and plastic filters to semi-automatic operation by adding a simple turn-of-a-handle cleaning mechanism to the filter’s screen. Upgrading a manual filter to semi-automatic operation eliminates the need for turning off the water and extracting the filter screen for rinsing. With the semi-automatic assembly, the process flow is not interrupted during operation.
AmiadUSA.comTechnical Details:
• Flow rates of up to 4,400 gallons per minute
• Inlet/Outlet diameters: 2 to 14 inches
• Minimum operating pressure: 30 PSI
• Filtration degrees: 50 to 500 microns
• Water for cleaning: less than 1% of total flow -
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Retain Substrate Enhancement (RainSoil)
A new innovation in substrate enhancement, Retain incorporates an organic component, similar to super-absorbent polymers (SAP), for improved water and nutrient retention. To better aid in the balance of micronutrient release, Retain also includes rock flours and clay minerals. It can be mixed dry or pre-hydrated into soil and soilless media, and absorbs up to 40 times its weight in water. Once water is absorbed, Retain slowly releases it into the soil as needed, providing even water and nutrient supply to the plants. Additionally, Retain expands to several times its dry volume when in contact with water, which in turn helps aerate the growing media.
RainSoil.com -
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Poseidon Nutrient Management System (Dosatron USA)
Take your Nutrient Delivery System (NDS) to the next level of control. The Poseidon Nutrient Management System features intelligent fertigation (irrigation and fertilization), with simple, easy-to-use technology. The Poseidon is powered by Dosatron and Etatron’s dosing technology, meaning there are no venturi tips to clog.
DosatronUSA.comTechnical Details:
• Customizable nutrient delivery feed schedules
• Comprehensive monitoring
• Built-in line flushing for sanitation
• Alarm settings with automatic adjustments
• Saves time and money by eliminating hand mixing -
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Oasis Standard (Control Dekk)
The Oasis Standard is a watering solution created to improve growing practices for hanging baskets on cable conveyors. Basket soil moisture can vary greatly due to always-changing greenhouse environmental factors. Oasis can give each basket the exact amount of water it needs. The negative impacts to plants and floors under watering areas are decreased due to the reduction/elimination of water runoff/dripping. Water and chemical usages are also reduced.
ControlDekk.comTechnical Details:
• 5-inch by 7-inch by 18-inch modules are constructed of stainless steel and UV-stabilized polymers
• Color touch screen intuitively allows for easy navigation of the many functions
• Schneider Electric components are industrial rated and UL listed for a long life
• Durable moisture-tight control enclosure is sunlight and corrosion resistant
• AC motors are variable speed for additional functionality -
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Oasis Custom (Control Dekk)
Oasis Custom helps growers add precision watering and increased control to basket-cable conveyors. Oasis requires minimal grower set up to become an automated solution, which also provides valuable information for grower evaluation. Oasis determines how much water each basket needs, eliminating manual weighing and water seepage.
ControlDekk.comTechnical Details:
• All the features of Oasis Standard with additional site-specific benefits
• Growing staff chooses the best methods and locations for monitor and control (touch screens, hand-held devices, site PCs, off-site access)
• Maintenance staff determines the best locations for control hardware. -
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Hanging Basket Watering System (WaterPulse)
WaterPulse’s Hanging Basket Watering System eliminates inefficient hand watering and reduces over-watering and under-watering. The system lets growers automatically water all hanging baskets at once. When the hanging plant is removed from the rack, the water stops to that specific location, while the other irrigation for remaining plants is still enabled. It uses the weight of a plant to engage each dispensing hanger’s irrigation. All hangers are fully automated on the same drip line.
Waterpulse.com -
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Filtomat M100 (Amiad Water Systems)
The Amiad Filtomat M100 and MG Series are automatic, self-cleaning filters, ideal for remote installation sites, with a water-driven, self-cleaning mechanism that doesn’t require an external power source for operation. The Filtomat series uses more than 12 times less water for self-cleaning than traditional sand media, and the cleaning is performed 36 times faster.
AmiadUSA.comTechnical Details:
• Flow rates of up to 3,520 gallons per minute
• Inlet/Outlet diameters: 2 to 14 inches
• Minimum operating pressure: 30 PSI
• Filtration degrees: 80 to 500 microns
• Water for cleaning: less than 1% of total flow -
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Engineered Ozone System (DRAMMwater)
Ozone is the strongest oxidizer available for use as a water disinfectant. It is strong enough to eliminate biofilm and pathogens, and it then reverts to dissolved oxygen, helping plants to grow. DRAMMwater Ozone Systems are custom engineered for each situation to provide the proper amount of ozone required each time. While ozone systems can be more expensive to purchase, they generally cost less in the long run due to very low operating costs. Using a thorough design process, DRAMMwater provides a properly planned system, combined with other technologies, to ensure water is safe and healthy.
Dramm.com -
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Deep Media Filtration (DRAMMwater)
Deep Media Filters from DRAMMwater filter finer than standard sand filters. When properly designed, these filters can remove particulates as small as 5 to 10 microns, reducing water turbidity, protecting mechanical systems, and even helping to filter some pathogens. DRAMMwater uses various medias, based on the end goal of the filtration system. Unlike sand, one of the most selected medias is VitroClean. This media has a non-crystalline shape, offering less density and more open space between, trapping fine particulates. Because it is a crushed glass, it does not degrade like standard silica sand, greatly reducing the need for replacement due to compaction of the media. With proper backflushing, VitroClean can last for eight to 10 years. DRAMMwater designs every filter system to backflush at the most opportune times, often using multiple, smaller vessels rather than fewer, larger vessels to reduce backflush loads and allow for critical water usage during any backflush event.
Dramm.com -
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Capillary Watering Mats (WaterPulse)
WaterPulse grower watering mats take advantage of the natural capillary action of soil to deliver both water and nutrients uniformly, resulting in healthier, more consistent, and more attractive plants. The easy-to-use mats deliver uniform watering and reduced plant maintenance, which translates to lower water and labor costs. The mats are constructed with three separate layers: an impermeable backing layer, a patent-pending geo-textile capillary-fiber layer, and a pervious top layer. The geo-textile material wicks water evenly and quickly throughout the mat. As water is drawn into plants via the soil, the remaining water in the mat continues to evenly distribute. This unique capability allows WaterPulse capillary mats to be used on lightly sloped tables or on the ground. Custom sizes and shapes are available for unique situations.
WaterPulse.com -
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AcceleWET (RainSoil)
A blend of surfactant chemistries, which reduces the surface tension of water, AcceleWET and its Water Enhancing Technology (WET) provides more even vertical and lateral movement of water. AcceleWET aids in the decompression of compressed soilless growing media (e.g., coconut coir) and is recommended for use by soilless media producers and growers to aid in both initial wetting and rewetting of soilless growing media. Because AcceleWET improves the spreading and penetrating properties of water, it also helps move nutrients and even soil-applied pesticides more evenly throughout the media. AcceleWET is non-hazardous, biodegradable, and pH-neutral product, and it is available in 1-liter and 2.5-gallon containers.
RainSoil.com -
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J+ Advanced Controller (H.E. Anderson Co.)
The J+ Advanced controller is an upgrade over the J+ controller. The J+ Advanced is capable of injecting eight different solutions at eight different rates. It works with traditional Anderson pilot valve manifolds and pumpers as well as the newly available solenoid pumps. External communication via modbus is now available for interfacing to programmable logic controllers or personal computers. The new display and keypad also improve the setup experience and ease of use.
HEAnderson.comTechnical Details:
• Eight individual 12-VDC outputs
• Flow-rate display
• Re-settable and permanent flow totalizers
• RS485 Modbus communication
• Power required: 12VDC or 120VAC
• 4 x 20 LCD and 12-button interface -
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DB Wall Series (H.E. Anderson Co.)
The DB Wall Series is an economical, single solution alternative to the H.E. Anderson J System. The self-contained proportional injection system bolts to the wall and is easy to install. Simply connect water in, water out, and drop the suction tube into the chemical tank. The DB Wall Mount works from ¼ to 20 gallons per minute flow rate and from 30 to 125 psi pressure.
HEAnderson.com
View all
Solenoid Pumps (H.E. Anderson Co.)
TAF Series Filters (Amiad Water Systems)
Scanaway (Amiad Water Systems)
Retain Substrate Enhancement (RainSoil)
Poseidon Nutrient Management System (Dosatron USA)
Oasis Standard (Control Dekk)
Oasis Custom (Control Dekk)
Hanging Basket Watering System (WaterPulse)
Filtomat M100 (Amiad Water Systems)
Engineered Ozone System (DRAMMwater)
Deep Media Filtration (DRAMMwater)
Capillary Watering Mats (WaterPulse)
AcceleWET (RainSoil)
J+ Advanced Controller (H.E. Anderson Co.)
DB Wall Series (H.E. Anderson Co.)
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Brian Sparks is senior editor of Greenhouse Grower and editor of Greenhouse Grower Technology. See all author stories here.