Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in my
greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically I want to
convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way to add the nutrient
to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the nutrient running out when
the water is stopped.

What I need is for a tank of nutrient to be mixed in with the water but not
for the water to flow through the tank and mix it all in at once so that I
can leave the whole thing for a couple of weeks when I go on holiday so that
everytime the water flows a measured amount of nutrient is added to the
water.

Is such a thing possible or will I have to get a pump and a large tank and
pump the water and nutrient around in a closed system? The problem with
that is if the pump fails the tomatoes die.
This is all for next year as I want to try a different method of growing
tomatoes so that it is all automated and I want to try to grow things
hydroponically and not have to rely upon unreliable neighbours.

Hope you understand all this

Thanks Jan

"Janice" wrote in message
...
Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in my
greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically I want to
convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way to add the
nutrient to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the nutrient running
out when the water is stopped.

What I need is for a tank of nutrient to be mixed in with the water but
not for the water to flow through the tank and mix it all in at once so
that I can leave the whole thing for a couple of weeks when I go on
holiday so that everytime the water flows a measured amount of nutrient is
added to the water.

Is such a thing possible or will I have to get a pump and a large tank and
pump the water and nutrient around in a closed system? The problem with
that is if the pump fails the tomatoes die.
This is all for next year as I want to try a different method of growing
tomatoes so that it is all automated and I want to try to grow things
hydroponically and not have to rely upon unreliable neighbours.

Hope you understand all this

Thanks Jan


www.dosatron.com

Janice wrote:
Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in
my greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically I
want to convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way to
add the nutrient to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the
nutrient running out when the water is stopped.

Venturi based systems are available. No knowledge of this application, but
when I worked in the cleaning machine industry we used a very simple
metering system.

The chemical (in your case nutrient) was added to the water flowing into the
bucket/machine tank by the flow of water. Dilution remained the same
regardless of water pressure or flow. No moving parts, dilution ratio was
set by using one of a number of colour coded metering tips supplied with the
kit.

Sorry, can't recall makers name at the moment.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On 29 Jul, 22:44, "Janice" wrote:

Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in my
greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically I want to
convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way to add the nutrient
to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the nutrient running out when
the water is stopped.

What I need is for a tank of nutrient to be mixed in with the water but not
for the water to flow through the tank and mix it all in at once so that I
can leave the whole thing for a couple of weeks when I go on holiday so that
everytime the water flows a measured amount of nutrient is added to the
water.

Is such a thing possible or will I have to get a pump and a large tank and
pump the water and nutrient around in a closed system? The problem with
that is if the pump fails the tomatoes die.
This is all for next year as I want to try a different method of growing
tomatoes so that it is all automated and I want to try to grow things
hydroponically and not have to rely upon unreliable neighbours.

Hope you understand all this

Thanks Jan

this sort of kit has been common in commercial nurseries for decades.
ISTR a Cameron diluter. Probably available in plastic for home use by
now.

They were deemed a safety risk due to back syphonage, so ensure a
double check valve is used with one.


NT

Owain wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Venturi based systems are available. No knowledge of this
application, but when I worked in the cleaning machine industry we
used a very simple metering system.

Is this the same way that cleaning stuff is added to pressure washers?
It might be possible to cannibalise a pressure washer lance forthe
dilution mechanism

More or less yes. The venturi would be machined into the pump head, the
lance just allows a choice of 'same pressure as nozzle in venturi'
(therefore no chemical) or 'lower pressure than nozzle in venturi'
(chemical).


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

wrote:
On 29 Jul, 22:44, "Janice" wrote:

Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in
my greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically
I want to convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way
to add the nutrient to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the
nutrient running out when the water is stopped.

What I need is for a tank of nutrient to be mixed in with the water
but not for the water to flow through the tank and mix it all in at
once so that I can leave the whole thing for a couple of weeks when
I go on holiday so that everytime the water flows a measured amount
of nutrient is added to the water.

Is such a thing possible or will I have to get a pump and a large
tank and pump the water and nutrient around in a closed system? The
problem with that is if the pump fails the tomatoes die.
This is all for next year as I want to try a different method of
growing tomatoes so that it is all automated and I want to try to
grow things hydroponically and not have to rely upon unreliable
neighbours.

Hope you understand all this

Thanks Jan

this sort of kit has been common in commercial nurseries for decades.
ISTR a Cameron diluter. Probably available in plastic for home use by
now.

They were deemed a safety risk due to back syphonage, so ensure a
double check valve is used with one.

The water authorities consider everything to be a safety risk due to back
syphonage. Some don't consider a NWC approved double check valve sufficient
protection.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

In article , Janice
writes
Hi I'm not sure if I can explain this properly but here goes.

I want to add a liquid fertilizer to my automatic watering system in my
greenhouse which is fed by a Gardena electronic timer. Basically I want to
convert the whole system to hydroponics but I need a way to add the nutrient
to the water flowing in the hosepipe without the nutrient running out when
the water is stopped.

What I need is for a tank of nutrient to be mixed in with the water but not
for the water to flow through the tank and mix it all in at once so that I
can leave the whole thing for a couple of weeks when I go on holiday so that
everytime the water flows a measured amount of nutrient is added to the
water.

Is such a thing possible or will I have to get a pump and a large tank and
pump the water and nutrient around in a closed system? The problem with
that is if the pump fails the tomatoes die.
This is all for next year as I want to try a different method of growing
tomatoes so that it is all automated and I want to try to grow things
hydroponically and not have to rely upon unreliable neighbours.

Hope you understand all this

Try:
http://www.lbsgardendirect.co.uk/cat...at_id=DILUTORS
The hanging basket version might suit you. Watch out as the others are
designed for higher flows and just won't lift the feed if you run them at low
flows. They do a 10% introductory discount.

Note however that they don't seem to be advised for long slow delivery, the
notes on that page suggest a short feed cycle then water alone then refill
and feed again.

http://www.access-irrigation.net/index.htm are the makers who do sell as
well but may not always have stock, useful info on site.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla