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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] soaker hose/drip pipe experience

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  • From: <darren@permaculture.biz>
  • To: "'permaculture'" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] soaker hose/drip pipe experience
  • Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 23:18:46 +0700

G'day Rain,

Thanks for the quiz. Response below in CAPS.

-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Rain Tenaqiya
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 4:29 AM
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [permaculture] soaker hose/drip pipe experience

Hey Darren,

Don't you have a problem with the lower areas getting more water than the
upper areas?

THERE IS A PHYSICAL LAW (THE NAME OF WHICH ESCAPES ME!) THAT DETERMINES THE
OPTIMAL LENGTH OF A PIPE ACCORDING TO ITS DIAMETER. FOR THIS DIAMETER ITS
ABOUT 150M. I HAVE PRESSURE TESTED THE ENDS OF THESE LINES AND THERE IS A
MARGINAL DROP IN THE PRESSURE COMPARED TO THE START. ASIDES THIS SITE IS
PRETTY FLAT SO SLOPE ISN'T REALLY AN ISSUE.

Also, this type of pipe gradually gets larger and larger holes in it, in my
experience, until it is not really useable anymore.

THE GUY WHO INTRODUCED THIS PRODUCT TO ME HAS BEEN USING THE ORIGINAL
PROTOTYPE PIPE (HE KNOWS THE INVENTOR) FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND IT STILL WORKS
FINE. THIS PIPE LOOKS AND WEEPS JUST THE SAME AS THE NEW STUFF. THE
OPERATING PRESSURE IS CRITICAL, AS HIGHER PRESSURES CAN RUIN THE PIPE. ITS
IS DESIGNED TO RUN AT VERY LOW PRESSURE AND PREFERABLY BURIED SO THAT THE
SOIL'S HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY "DRAWS" WATER FROM THE PIPE AS OPPOSED TO THE
PRESSURE PUSHING IT OUT.

Don't you think the embedded energy in this pipe (even though it is
partially recycled) ends up being more than the long-lasting emitters?

WITHOUT FORMALLY AUDITING THE PROCESS MY SUGGESTION IS THAT THIS IS A
PRODUCT MADE FROM PRIMARILY WASTE MATERIAL (TYRES, PET BOTTLES) THROUGH A
SIMPLE EXTRUSION PROCESS, AS OPPOSED TO NORMAL PIPE & DRIPPERS WHICH ARE
MADE FROM VIRGIN LDPE AND HDPE. INLINE DRIPPER PIPE ARE VERY SOPHISTICATED
ITEMS AND REQUIRE A LOT OF MECHANISATION TO MANUFACTURE. AS WITH MOST
WESTERN COUNTRIES AUSTRALIA HAS A MASSIVE VEHICLE TYRE DISPOSAL PROBLEM WITH
THIS PRODUCT BEING ONE OF THE MORE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO "DISPOSE" OF THEM.

Also, why do you say that you can grow more trees with this pipe when you
can add as many emitters as you want to with poly pipe?

THIS OBSERVATION REFERS TO THE WHOLE 150M LENGTH OF PIPE WEEPING OFTEN
NUTRIENT RICH WATER ALONG THE ROW. I HAVE NOT INSTALLED A COMPARISON LINE OF
PIPE AND DRIPPERS FOR COMPARISON. MY OBSERVATION ALSO POINTS TO THE RATIO OF
COST AND WATER USE TO TREE GROWTH AND QUANTITY.

And how come you can irrigate less frequently? I'm trying to do a similar
agroforestry project in an area with a similar climate (inland northern
California coast) and would love to learn more because I'm just about to
install my irrigation system.

AS WITH MOST THINGS PERMACULTURE ITS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM WHERE DIFFERENT
ELEMENTS ARE SUPPORTED BY OTHERS. I WOULD POINT THE REDUCED WATER
CONSUMPTION TO THE FOLLOWING FACTORS;

1. KEYLINE CULTIVATION = INCREASED SOIL DEPTH AND BIOTA
2. REMINERALISATION = INCREASED SOIL STRUCTURE AND BIOTA
3. MULCHING = REDUCED EVAPORATION, WEED COMPETITION
4. DEEP LEEAKY HOSE BURIAL (200mm) = LESS EVAPORATION, WEED COMPETITION

I WAS VERY SKEPTICAL OF THIS PRODUCT WHEN INTRODUCED TO IT AS I HAD SEEN
SIMILAR PRODUCTS WORK VERY BADLY. THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT AND I SPENT YEARS
PLAYING WITH IT BEFORE I STARTED USING IT IN CLIENTS PROJECTS. IT TOO WILL
WORK BADLY IF NOT OPERATED PROPERLY: WHICH MAY TURN OFF SOME PEOPLE.

OH AND FOR THE RECORD I DO NOT HAVE ANY VESTED INTEREST IN THIS PRODUCT.

THANKS AGAIN AND I HOPE THIS HELPS.

Thanks,

Rain


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