Irving Art 01 leeaky Manual
Contents
1. Why don t roots get in There are no physical holes in LH also water does not stay in the hose to attract roots Why don t insects get in There are no physical holes for them to enter and as long as it is kept sealed at each water entry poiny insects cannot enter Is it termite proof Testing by CSIRO has shown that the two most common Australian termite species show no interest in LH Is it susceptible to sub zero temperatures Leeaky Hose installed in the Aust Alps three years ago is still functioning though other normal hose and other piping has cracked and has had to be replaced www leeakyhose com au 8 5 Installation 5 1 General Principles of Installation 5 1 1 Overhead Vs Below Ground Watering Heavy surface watering is generally bad irrigation Above ground watering amp flood irrigation has a tendency to encourage shallow root systems which in turn are quickly affected by hot temperatures and dry winds which leach water from the top few centimetres of soil Heavy surface watering also can force the finer soil particles in the soil to migrate downwards reducing surface soil density and forming a denser layer that slows down the movement of air and water from the surface panning One of the most telling arguments is that water penetration from above ground is a lot slower than the below ground capillary action Even in ideal soils water penetrates at the rate of cm per hour So the effects of 2 hours2. User Manual kl saves water saves money d3 0 Ready to Use 12mm x 20 metre Fitted www leeakyhose com au Index l The Advantages of Leeaky Hose 0 0 eee eee eee 3 2 The Principles of Leeaky Hose elles 5 3 Applications Uses of Leeaky Hose 0 0 eee eee eee 7 4 Most Common Asked Questions 0 ccc cece eee eee eens 8 Ss Installation coxads adesse aoc wx deter het eer sek EX Y ae Teens Bde 9 General Principles of Installation xb a ia vee oem em Rt x aoe 9 Overhead Vs Underground Watering 5 5 25 e mex y 9 CURING MC 9 uc MeCCPC PPP 10 S il TYPES ACCEPI II SPACING s erstere sesin EXE ESHA ERA qu ap s ETARE Une qa SAGAS ee ee heed E Dept lt x a r R 0 0 eds padaan aena ae a a A eaa i RE II Soil Moisture Content euin sace he OA P ROSE tede eee Pg Ree ate t a 12 Watering PIG edd ata d RR Poe TR EEE CRS RRRED ESSE SER a ER TRT ee Ses 12 Setting How Rates quaa oen di ded ag s Re NOR CR eae ee De M ROC Op CR Cua i amp 12 Cycling EE 14 Installation Flat land Consistent Soil 4 2 ves cud oe Yr Oxo Neh s WK Se ee eRe Eq ES 14 Above Ground Installation xoa one done 69 Ge deh y dr Ke Rad Ba Sa ewe EO ano 14 Below Ground Installation 4 3 x chi xe e R9 ed eee ER RA ee ea ROLBACEOC A AUR EUER EON 15 Installation on SIopes 222m RR RE ERI DRE Reg Hake Sos oho qo RA ERR ee RE l6 Installation in Commercial
3. may have built up 6 1 2 Filters If using pressures higher than 25kPa 4psi you MUST use a filter This is because at pressures greater than this the dirt particles are driven into the pores and may not be easily removed by flushing This also applies to the inline tap method of pressure control www leeakyhose com au 21 16 2 High Pressure Compensation Alternative System for High Pressure or Pumped Water Supply Break the pressure by using a ball cock in a tank The tank is elevated to provide the pressure whilst the ball cock keeps the tank topped up The advantage of this system is that it is easier to monitor the amount of water applied if you turn off the incoming water once the tank is full It is also very easy to apply liquid feed No atmospheric losses are experienced as the nutrients are delivered directly to the root zone Ball Cock System Hose or Polypipe Leeaky Hose Metre to ground l 6 3 Low Pressure Low Head Compensation If your Leeaky Hose is a long way from the source more than 20 metres or if the water volume delivery to the beginning of the Leeaky Hose is below the required rate a larger diameter feeder hose will compensate in most cases We recommend thin walled polypipe in either 16mm or 19mm diameter Doubling the diameter of the feeder hose increases the cross sectional area by four times so a small increase in diameter gives a lot more volume and enables much longer supply lines Reduci
4. and suffer the consequences of this How often to cycle The unsatisfactory but honest answer is that this depends on some four or five factors But a rough guide is to water at least once a week and for at least six hours unless watering in coarse sand at the higher rate Rainy Season watering Unless you are totally sure that your ground is water logged you should stillwater in the rainy season if only to be sure that your sub soil moisture content does not fall below the 43 required to maintain capillary action Another good reason is to continue encouraging your plants to keep rooting deeply and thus to become shockproof faster It is handy to remember that it takes an hour of overhead watering to penetrate Icm of soil so that even an hour s heavy rainfall will not by itself put any water into your plant s sub surface root zones 5 2 Installation Flat Land consistent soil 5 2 1 Above Ground Installation When planning your installation take special note of any plants with heavy water needs or high points over which the hose may travel These will need to be compensated for in your plan High Points In runs under 20m in length these should not be a problem In longer runs the Leeaky Hose should be run to either side and linked across the high point with non porous poly pipe or hose High Consumption plants In many cases these can be compensated for by running an extra length or circuit of Leeaky Hose in the roo
5. Operations 25 44 04 0 mr rhe Rm RR he 18 Problemi Solving PTT atte ae P Tt 19 Typical Layouts arst ne SOG amos Cc dox aT URS S Roe ena eee a OE neca 20 6 Water Supplies 6 65665 064 Ni ORES KEES xe URP RR quee ar acce BOR RE 21 High Pressure Low head Compensation cc eee eee reece ee nnn 22 Low Pressure compensation sse e e e R e e e vie svete reese eee ede eee E AS 22 Recycling VVater Grey Water 2a acacice wae lc C CERTE poe re CAT eig beeen 23 Stored RallwWael iaces xc RR E Ne NAP aCA CURA gor iioc s dab eave att AUR A eicere 25 T AerdtlOD 252 cb sheet sea dedi Rd e sed Coe da baci eta wed doi dibus Doa arae E ees 26 Aquaculture x zu aos rea HE a ales AORPERE RAE Ya EEEE Vu dun PERS ud a e eR 26 Oxygen transfer rates of Leeaky Hose 2 eee eee eee eee eens 27 Aquaculture Case Notes P m 28 Sewerage Aeration cesa d veweexktt ys oec riw Fibre ee SEXY pel dvd Rd wr ees 29 8 Market Garden Configurations 0 0 0 ccc ee eee 30 Waterways Farm DRIG asean ei qe a or ee rice Geet eV CIE ee eee Bed 4a RES 30 9 Leeaky Hose Vs Other Rubber based systems 000 eee eee 33 www leeakyhose com au The Advantages of Leeaky Hose 1 1 Summary Financial Benefits Saves 70 of water Reduces need for herbicides and weedicides Maximises fertiliser use Reduces pumping energy needs Will operate on low head Invisible system less susceptible to vandalism Environmental Advan
6. available only to major growers able to make the capital investment and pay the continuous energy costs without any return on their investment for three or four years Leeaky Hose aeration is not only 70 8076 cheaper to establish but is 500 more efficient in adding dissolved oxygen to the water Leeaky Hose installations typically require 5076 less in annual energy costs Those farms which introduce some form of aeration will increase pond yields because of The low cost of Leeaky Hose compared with paddle wheels 2 Not having to run expensive electricity lines to each dam and 3 The higher dissolved oxygen yield for a given volume of air 7 1 3 Why Is Oxygen So Important in Water When we put fish into a pond we put them there to grow not to practice their survival skills But in still water the oxygen that is used is only replaced slowly through oxygen brought in during rain falls or wave action on the surface on windy days In the meantime the fish are competing for the oxygen with the phyloplankton and the bacteria that break down the pond waste into food If the fish use the oxygen they will not grow bigger because their food supply is low If there is not sufficient oxygen for the aerobic bacteria to grow this makes it possible for anaerobic bacteria to flourish www leeakyhose com au 26 7 1 4 Oxygen Transfer Rates with Leeaky Hose Testing carried out by the United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlif
7. best across slopes Leeaky Hose is in fact a preferred product for preventing erosion on steep slopes To equalise the flow from a single header to multiple runs of Leeaky Hose there are several proven methods The first method for gentler slopes is to place a run of polypipe down slope and T off to Leeaky Hose so that it runs across the slope This can be achieved by running normal hose or poly pipe down the slope and running Leeaky hose from it MethodA Leeaky Hose In line taps The in line taps are placed in the feeder line at approximately each metre of fall and the flow rate adjusted to the appropriate water requirement for the number of metres of Leeaky Hose below each tap Method B The following method offers the advantages of irrigating larger areas from a single feed line as it can be run at pressure and reduce or increase water flow rates for isolated patches of different grained soil High pressure feed Leeaky Hose slope watering configuration Also relevant to cope with inconsistent In line taps p soil types on slopes or flat ground In the above diagram the single in line tap feeding each three or more lines of Leeaky Hose is fed from a high pressure line The flow rates through each tap can be regulated for the individual soil type or plant needs www leeakyhose com au 16 5 3 2 Down Slope Leeaky Hose can run down slopes more than 2 5 degrees but a pressure reducer or in line t
8. capillary bandwidth If it is not continue the cycling process See Cycling 5 1 7 5 2 2 Below Ground Installation The advantages of installing below ground include Greater achievable flow rates on medium runs Longer single runs up to 120 metres from a single water source Even greater water savings Lower susceptibility to crusting of dissolved minerals from the water Less surface weed germination Ability to fertilise underground The installation steps are similar to those for above ground Set trench depth according to soil type and plant needs If plants are naturally shallow rooted keep the depth to around 10cm Keep trench relatively level without sharp bumps or dips Installation Steps l 2 Follow Steps 4 above When water flow through hose is established and it is clear that there is no blockage the hose may be covered After completing the first watering cycle check water spread by digging into the soil at varying distances If only the trench area is wet the surrounding soil is too dry to support capillary action and the hose will need to be cycled until the soil has been conditioned Accidental Damage If the hose is subsequently damaged when tilling the soil this will show by a pronounced wet spot on the surface To repair dig down to the hole cut across the hole and insert a 13mm barb joiner www leeakyhose com au 15 5 3 Installion on Slopes 5 3 1 Across Slopes Leeaky Hose works
9. has high concentrations of calcium These concentrations are high enough to cause problems with micro sprays and drippers sealing them on a regular basis Most commercial growers and vineyards spend a lot of money on complicated filter systems to reduce the regularity of the blocking and home gardeners replace components on a regular basis Calcium carbonate has low solubility in water and begins to precipitate from water droplets which have a relatively large surface area immediately upon being exposed to the ambient air Therefore scale deposits begin to form immediately above ground systems are activated Leeaky Hose has been installed below ground in this area of South Australia for two years and systems have not been affected by the calcium This is believed to be for the following reasons When installed below ground it remains moist between watering It is also not exposed to high ambient temperatures and air flow which would cause the calcium and lime to form a crust Drippers and sprays have only one or two small outlets which flow at around 2 litres per hour Leeaky Hose s flow rate is slower as two litres per metre per hour is released each hour through thousands of pores in each metre Thus the calcium is applied over a much greater surface area With each water cycle through Leeaky Hose the pores firstly expel air as the hose is charged and the hose swells These actions effectively contribute to removing any scale that
10. rate until a litre container is filled in minute The position of the in line tap is now set and can be left connected with the hose This only needs to be approximate The formula would read as follows hose length x 2 litres minute rate per minute 60 LH Total Length Millilitres per Minute Caution Notwithstanding the above calculations as stated elsewhere there is a finite amount of water that can be carried by Leeaky Hose If after setting the flow rates to the above calculation you notice that the hose is spurting or spraying in its early sections and starving at the other end then you areputting too much water into it Reduce the flow until the spurts cease and the hose begins to leak uniformly www leeakyhose com au 13 5 1 10 Cycling If Leeaky Hose is turned on all the time your plants will DIE Now we have your attention it is important to understand that many of the ancillary benefits of Leeaky Hose come as a result of proper cycling of the system Each time Leeaky Hose is turned on for the proper period it lifts soil moisture content up to the high 90 levels When this is achieved the Hose should be turned off Over the ensuing three or more days this water level will gradually reduce encouraging plants to root more deeply as they follow it down also picking up more nutrients from the soil as they go At no time should water levels be kept this high as eventually your plants will get wet feet
11. shrubs whose roots will quickly find the water but it must be taken into account in situations like lawns or ground cover 5 1 9 Setting Flow Rates DO NOT apply high pressure directly to Leeaky Hose as this could damage it If you see a lot of little spurters the pressure is too high Leeaky Hose is a slow soaker system and is not designed for high flow rates Leeaky Hose may be used if you have a high pressure water supply however you will need to regulate the flow of water running into the Leeaky Hose by means of pressure reducing valve before an in line tap set to no more than 75kPa 10 5psi 25 head If using an in line tap you need to do the following calculations in order to set the flow rate The nominal rate of leakage is 2 litres per metre per hour If for example you are running a 30 metre length of Leeaky Hose the amount of water required to be delivered to the soil in an hour over the length of the hose would be 60 litres Divide the total volume in this case 60 litres by 60 to get therate per minute This gives you a flow rate of litre per minute Now run water through the in line tap where it is to join the hose and adjust the flow rate until a litre container is filled in minute The position of the in line tap is now set and can be left connected with the hose This only needs to be approximate www leeakyhose com au 12 Now run water through the in line tap where it is to join the hose and adjust the flow
12. the sign of any algae growing as a sign that he is over feeding Overfeeding will also deplete oxygen as it is absorbed by the decomposing food www leeakyhose com au 28 7 2 Sewerage Aeration The efficiency of Leeaky Hose for aeration of fish ponds is equally relevant to the oxygenation of sewerage ponds In most applications it will not only provide superior aeration for the same air flows but will require less energy to achieve Also as it is not subject to corrosion the longevity of LH is believed to be greatly superior to stainless steel pipes and membranes and most water lifting devices Installation In most ponds the preferred installation method would consist of fastening Leeaky Hose in a spiral to a steel or plastic grid raised to a minimum of 20cm above the floor of the pond A number of smaller grids would be preferred to the installation of a single large grid to allow redundancy and greater ease of handling 7 3 Maintenance While Leeaky Hose is not susceptible to blocking from the air flow it can be prone to build up of fungus on the outer wall If this is not dealt with on a regular basis the fungus will gradually grow into the wall cells This can be done by removing it from the water every 3 6 months and soaking in a chlorine solution or passing a chlorine solution through it every three months www leeakyhose com au 29 8 Market Gardening Configurations Leeaky Hose is superior to overhead waterin
13. ap is required every metre of fall so that the lowest runs of LH do not receive all of the water The first preferred for gentler slopes less than 10 degrees and simplest method is to work up from the bottom of a run As Leeaky Hose is not a pressure system but a water delivery system the flow of water needs to be regulated to some degree so that each section receives roughly the same amount of water in a given time period In line taps can be used to regulate the flow to each section Leeaky Hose _ _ sa In line taps 3 Metres fall In the above example in line tap C is inserted in the hose on the first metre of fall up the slope and the flow rate is adjusted at for example 2 litres L per metres M per hour where M equals the number of metres between C and the end of the hose Tap B is adjusted for the flow rate required between B and C PLUS the flow rate from C downwards Therefore tap A would be set for the flow rates required from the start to A plus the flow rates required through B and C www leeakyhose com au 17 5 4 Installation in Commercial Operations 5 4 1 Soil Preparation The following method is a general rule but is essential for highly compacted clays and heavy loams It is also essential if the soil is to be planted within a month of installation and water or time is not available for soil conditioning i e bringing soil moisture levels up to wh
14. bility of particles is not always a guide to particle density and flushing should be the first procedure carried out should any drop in the flow rate be noticed Note any drop off in water flow rates will be gradual How to Flush No special water supply is needed After removal of the end plug s or opening the flush valve the water would be run at 50 greater flow rate for an hour or until the discharged water is seen to run clean Water Entry keint gt Back Flush System Leeaky Hose Water Feed Flush valve www leeakyhose com au 10 5 1 4 Soil Types While there are three main soil types sand loam clay the porosity of a soil can vary quite markedly in one plot of ground The understanding of soil type and its characteristics is important when designing or installing a Leeaky Hose system as it relies totally on the soil s inherent water transfer characteristics Water travels more slowly but further in fine soils like clay It travels faster in sand but only half as far In recently cultivated or heavily mulched soils there may not be sufficient particle contact for water to travel laterally no matter what the original soil type This sometimes is the cause of dry spots A variation of soil type down a run of Leeaky Hose also could result in wet spots where a patch of finegrained soil is taking up water more slowly than the surrounding soil Where found this patch should be isolat
15. celand AirWick product for four years He currently has three 1 8 metre deep ponds in production with Tropical Redclaw and Southern Blue claw crayfish It is driven by a 5kWh pump at a pressure of 49kPa feeding through 13mm poly pipe to the run at the bottom of the ponds He says that by changing the pulley on the pump it will deliver sufficient volume to aerate a fourth pond He currently runs the pump for about 10 hours each night The Leeaky Hose is installed through house bricks keeping it some 5cm off the mud which allows the crayfish sufficient clearance to walk under Benefits of Leeaky Hose Capital outlay By using Leeaky Hose to aerate and circulate the water he has dispensed with the need to run electrical power to the ponds to run paddle wheels or other devices which normally require 3 phase power 2 Water circulation While concise rates of circulation have not been recorded Bruce says the circulation can be proved by the lack of variation in water temperature In Spring and Autumn we can have 25 days and a frost at night With paddle wheels or no circulation this would leave us with water surface temperature of 14 while the bottom temperature was 4 C By running Leeaky Hose overnight there is 0 5 or less difference and a water temperature of around 10 C 3 Stocking levels Bruce believes the improved aeration allows pond stocking to be doubled 4 Algae Algae is not a problem as his water is turbid cloudy He takes
16. do a load of washing up to 180 litres of water is used and this normally goes to waste One wash a day adds up to 1260 litres of water a week Everyone has this waste water so if this could be utilised efficiently it would solve every gardener s problem of keeping their garden flourishing during the dry months To this can be added the five litres per minute spent by each person in the shower each week Leeaky Hose has been on trial in New South Wales and New Zealand with grey water to make sure it would operate as a low maintenance system and that it would not block with lint A small capital investment is required depending on where your laundry is situated and what you have lying around but if you compare this to the cost of buying water the system cost is minimal 6 3 3 The system The only real problem we have with grey water is lint and there is lots of it If you don t want your clothes to wear out then don t wash them Lint will not block Leeaky Hose permanently but it is a nuisance having to flush the hose regularly and can sometimes effect the ability to place it in a permanent location To avoid this we must let the water settle for 24 hours and then take the water off at approx 100cm from the bottom After settling the water needs to be put through a 200 mesh filter to get rid of the remaining lint If you are fortunate to have your laundry elevated then you can use gravity feed to your hose But if your machine is on the ground fl
17. e Service against air stones gave the following results C mem orm orm 0 098 sq M 0 23 sq M 0 97 sq m Actual Air Flow 3 76 litres minute 3 76 litres minute 3 76 litres min Standard oxygen 293 3 mem 91 02me min 35 4 me riin Transfer rate THE pe mane i e To bring a pond 40 metres by 80 metres x 2 metres deep from 0 oxygen content to saturation 20 C requires the hose to be run at 2 66 p s i for 12 hours If the water temperature is lower the hose will need to run longer to achieve the saturation This entails a configuration of 90 x 10m lengths ideally spaced at approximately 4 metre spacings 7 1 5 Airflow Rates Vs Back pressure Airflow testing of 20 metres of Leeaky Hose at a depth of metre demonstrated its ability to cope with and supply from 20 cu ft per minute to 300 cu ft per minute At the lower rates this delivered 33 cu Metres per hour per metre length of LH As the length of the runs increase the tyranny of the Reynolds Number in relation to turbulence will come into play Back Pressure On start up there is significant back pressure as the air drives water from the hose The answer to this is to start up gradually and take 3 4 minutes to lift your flow rates to the desired level www leeakyhose com au 27 AQUACULTURE CASENOTES Supplied by Bruce Wells Secretary Australian Freshwater Crayfish Society Dondingalong via Kempsey NSW Bruce Wells has been using Leeaky Hose and the I
18. e necessary the above diagram is a guide www leeakyhose com au 24 6 6 Stored Rainwater Rainwater can be collected from the roof of your house shed or glasshouse and stored in an elevated tank Did you know that Omm of rain on square metre of your roof produces 10 litres of water 2 19 UK gallons Even a small shower during the summer period could provide useful water for your garden p Using Rainwater Poly pipe or hose Leeaky Hose Metre L Minimum www leeakyhose com au 25 7 Aeration 7 1 Aquaculture Using Leeaky Hose as an air carrier in fish ponds increases profits through faster growing fish less food waste and shortened harvest intervals 7 1 1 Why Aerate For Aquaculture l Grow more fish in a given area of water 2 Grow fish faster through increased food supply 3 Reduce losses of fish through stratification 4 Lower food costs per kilo of fish harvested 7 1 2 Leeaky Hose Aeration Increases oxygen levels in any given area of water 2 Provides greater levels of oxygen to phyloplankton food 3 Equalising water temperature through continual convection 4 More food through faster more efficient breakdown of pond waste Before the development of Leeaky Hose fish eel and lobster growers had two options Il To let the fish grow naturally and very slowly with marginal profits or 2 Install paddle wheels aerators and carry power to each site The second course of action was
19. e turbulence sometimes described as head loss and the less distance the water will travel The canvas hose overcame this by being tapered from 3 to 1 2 but had problems in installation and tended to collapse once buried And all hoses relying on pressure showed a tendency to become less efficient over time due to blocking from impurities So the fact came to light that microporous walls carrying water at pressure are highly vulnerable to blocking by water impurities so that despite intensive filtering of the water they block up over time The Leeaky Hose Breakthrough The dry Australian continent with its range of water sources from the totally pure to turbid clay dams and iron bearing artesian water provided the challenge for a water efficient delivery system which overcame the stumbling blocks that had inhibited the acceptance of earlier microporous systems The goal was a microporous delivery system that could be used below ground for distances of at least 100 metres 110 yards was flexible and easy to install and was not susceptible to blocking by undissolved particles in the water The key proved to be the development of a NO Pressure system that was not inhibited by turbulence and which did not drive solids into the pores www leeakyhose com au 5 How Leeaky Hose Works Leeaky Hose is designed so that water can work through its walls while it has no physical holes which would allow roots to enter The porosity i
20. ed by a separate tap or feed line if possible One solution would be to reduce the flow to adjacent wet spots by installing an In line tap between the two sections and to reduce the flow rate to the coarser soil 5 1 5 Spacing To work out the optimum spacing for Leeaky Hose it is recommended that the hose be placed on the ground during an initial 12 24 hour curing period Then the spread of the water through the adjacent soil can be measured by digging down into the soil at varying distances more deeply the further from the hose This will suggest the optimum between each row of hose These first results will show the minimum spacing as the water tends to travel further once the soil has been conditioned by several cycles and soil moisture content is brought up to minimum levels see 5 1 7 The following table gives a general indication of spacing Soil Type Spacing Sand 1 0 metres Loam 1 6 metres Clay 2 0 metres For Lawns amp Ground cover Halve these spacings 5 1 6 Depth Leeaky Hose can be placed from 30cm below ground in heavy soils but should not be placed below 5cm in coarse sands Water will travel vertically above the hose See 5 1 8 as long as it is charged for a sufficient period of time Initially conventional overhead watering may be needed to assist seedlings and lawns to become established www leeakyhose com au II 5 1 7 Soil Moisture Content While capillary action works in all soil
21. en watering cycles Plumbing Infrastructure The low operating pressure of Leeaky Hose system means quick and easy installation and the ability to gravity feed without the need for pressure pumps The system uses standard fittings In line taps are used at the start of each row to adjust flow rates in undulating installations and for individual vegetable types These factors have led to significant savings in support plumbing pumping and maintenance costs A 2 50mm main covers the first 800 metres from the dam and is connected to 19mm feeder lines that are led across the beginning of each bed A 13mm is tapped into the feeder line for each bed and connected via an in line tap directly to the Leeaky Hose Fertilisation Liquid fertiliser may be applied through Leeaky Hose No atmospheric losses are experienced as the nutrients are delivered direct to the root zone With each watering sequence atmospheric nitrogen is pumped through the soil assisting general aeration and encouraging worm activity Diseases Pests and Weeds These problems have been virtually eliminated The surface of the soil remains relatively dry preventing the breeding of diseases insects and weeds This has been particularly noticeable on snow peas Conventionally watered sprinkler snow peas have shown a strong tendency to contract downy mildew Leeaky Hose watered snow peas have remained free of this disease Generally disease insect and weed problems have be
22. en reduced by 7076 or more www leeakyhose com au 31 Species Segregation and Companion Planting Conventional watering systems make companion planting or inter cropping difficult due to conflicting water requirements Leeaky Hose has enabled us to practice companion planting with ease and subsequent success Planting and harvesting can be carried out with much greater flexibility This factor has enabled us to produce seed as well as fresh produce Root Growth and Yield A much larger volume of soil in each bed has been accessed by the plants for nutrients The deeper rooted growth has led to less stress on very hot days Yields have generally been 20 higher www leeakyhose com au 32 This document is copyright and all rights reserved by Premier Plastics P L 65 67 Killara Road Campbellfield Victoria 3061 Australia T 61 3 9357 8477 F 61 3 9357 8938 www leeakyhose com au info leeakyhose com au www leeakyhose com au 33
23. ere capillary action can occur Soil must be ripped to the depth to which the plants tap roots can be expected to grow This can be us much as 40cm for tomatoes corn and sunflowers Where Leeaky Hose has been laid in the centre of a bed that has only been superficially tilled plant tap roots will grow vertically until the hard pan then horizontally towards the centre water source halving the water available to their inside neighbour 5 4 2 For Optimum Installation Unroll the hose along side the target bed without dragging Then whip and shake until the hose lies flat and shipping coils are released 2 Connect water at feed end at 6 10 litres per hour leaving other end open until the full length waters evenly 2 Uneven Watering If sections are not watering evenly leave water flowing and clamp off flow after the first tight section nearest the feed end and leave for 2 hours or until flow from section matches rest of section Do this for each tight section until full length waters evenly 3 With water still flowing lay hose without kinks into pre prepared trench 30 40cm below surface 4 Check open end to see that water is still flowing at pre installation rate If flow is reduced check for kinks When flow rate is satisfactory plug end and fill trench 5 Leave hose flowing for 2 4 hours at a time with 2 4 hour intervals or until surface wet spots occur to bring sub soil water content up over the 4376 leve
24. g for plants that are susceptible to mould and fungus diseases from overhead watering Leeaky Hose can be installed in a range of configurations according to the farm layout and particular vegetable types In a number of cases the hose is laid just below the surface before seedling plantings then recovered after harvest Depending on the length of the bed or the run of Leeaky Hose an additional run of Leeaky Hose is often laid during the heading of vegetables such as lettuce and cabbages to ensure sufficient water is available during this phase Following is a report from Waterways Farm in the Barossa Ranges of South Australia which has established organic farming status Waterways Farm Organics Eden Valley Road Keyneton South Australia 5353 Contact Bernie Smith 015 186 710 Waterways Farm is located at Evandale Kyneton One of the first farms settled in the Barossa Ranges of South Australia the farm orggamically produces vegetables fruits herbs flowers timber seedlings seeds honey compost medium merino wool mutton and poultry The farm is gently undulating at 400 450 metres altitude experiencing a typical Mediterranean climate with 400 600mm annual rainfall The low rainfall is insufficient to allow intensive market gardening using traditional overhead watering methods Soils range from sandy loam to clay loam European farming methods had destroyed soil structure depleted organic matter and added tox
25. ic substances In 1993 after serious drought and loss of topsoil alternative farming methods were actively sought and Leeaky Hose was first trialled in that year in the vegetable garden Since that time the vegetable operation has been expanded to six acres consisting of a series of formed beds either 60 or 120 metres long www leeakyhose com au 30 Water Use The 1993 trial proved we have been able to reduce water usage by 75 80 The majority of the formed beds have a single run of Leeaky Hose in the centre of each 5 Metre wide bed placed just below the surface or on the surface and covered with mulch before the seedlings are planted The seedlings are raised in Arborcell units which guarantees that each has a long untangled root structure of up to 10cm long before transplanting into the beds This ensures that the seedlings are able to immediately secure moisture from the pre wetted beds drastically reducing losses Once the plants are established the watering cycle is slightly reduced to ensure that the surface remains dry and the taps are regulated to ensure that the lines supply at a maximum of 2 litres per metre per hour Watering Supervision Leeaky Hose has given us considerable time savings over all other systems Watering flexibility is much greater with Leeaky Hose as plants are generally deeper rooted Constant checking of emitters has been eliminated The larger wetted soil volume has led to longer intervals betwe
26. l This can be verified by digging a spade depth down at the estimated spread level for the type of soil i e metre from trench on clay www leeakyhose com au 18 5 4 3 Problem Solving Causes of severe over watering of first 2 5 metres Excessive flow above 4 l m h Hose laid at lesser depth and too close to feed end of bed Feeder hose is lower than the Leeaky Hose it is feeding Over porous section of Leeaky Hose 5 4 4 Feed End Flow Field trials show that in long runs 80 120 metres Leeaky Hose feeds best with rural water where the feed hose is looped prior to connection to the Leeaky Hose and the In line flow regulating tap installed at the top of the loop i Tap Water Source Leeaky Hose d www leeakyhose com au 19 5 5 Typical Layouts Narrow Garden Garden hose or poly pipe Patches of Garden SHENDE SS MEER Widley spaced Shrubs or Trees Sections of Leeaky Hose Tree Ring Run at outer limit of drip zone Leeaky Hose www leeakyhose com au 20 6 Water Supplies In the main the quality of the water going into the hose is irrelevant to the performance of the hose for irrigation purposes providing that it is not put in at pressure The only major criterion is that anything dissolved in the water is not harmful to the plants for which it is intended 6 1 Water Solids 6 1 1 Water Calcium In South Australia much of the underground water especially in the South east
27. leeakyhose com au 4 2 The Principles of Leeaky Hose Leeaky Hose has been designed to water or irrigate in the most efficient and beneficial manner yet known i e to deliver water below the soil direct to plant root zones Apart from the important water savings this form of delivery achieves healthier hardier and more productive plants The Capillary Action of Soil This principle of soil mechanics has been documented since the mid 8th Century While soil mechanics can be quite intricate the basic principal is that soil has the ability to draw water through itself by capillary action The distance the water will travel from the source varies according to particle size The larger the particle e g sand the shorter distance the soil can maintain mechanical tension The smaller the particle e g clay the greater distance the mechanical tension is maintained both horizontally and vertically Microporous Delivery Systems Since the turn of the century various delivery systems have been developed and patented Some of the most interesting were ones made from ceramics and another from canvas Another one using rubber was patented nearly 30 years ago As each of them had disadvantages or restrictions none of them took the world by storm All these relied on water pressure and only the canvas one was able to be used in larger scale agriculture Pressure and Volume The higher the pressure through a given pipe diameter the greater th
28. ng joiners and T s are readily available to connect the feeder hose to 13mm so it matches Leeaky Hose Useful Conversion Factors 1 0 metre of elevation IOkPa I 45psi 7 5 metre of elevation 75kPa 10 5psi 1 0 litre 1000 millilitres 1 0 metre 3 feet and 3 inches www leeakyhose com au 22 6 4 Water Timers on Low Pressure If you are planning to use a timer with low pressure irrigation check with the supplier that the solenoid valve used to shut off the water will operate on low pressure Many solenoid valves are designed in such a way that the incoming pressure assists the valve to close As strange as it may sound a valve of this type may not shut off a low pressure supply so in effect it will be useless To get around the problem you can put a solenoid on the high pressure side of the pressure reducing valve or regulating tap so there is effectively high pressure on each side of the valve The reducer or In line valve can be preset to the desired low flow rate for Leeaky Hose If using a tank you will have to find a valve that operates on low pressure 6 5 Recycling Water Grey Water 6 5 1 Introduction Regular users of Leeaky Hose know the enormous savings that can be achieved but where water supplies are limited or expensive and for some people who are on very restricted water supplies no amount of water saving is enough There is however a solution 6 5 2 Grey water there is lots of it Every time you
29. of above ground watering in the evening can be sucked from the soil by hot winds the following day 5 1 2 Curing The following information relates to Leeaky Hose manufactured before March 1998 Hose manufactured after this date does not require curing Leeaky Hose is supplied in an uncured state and leaks initially at a rate exceeding 18 litres metre hour I m h Over the first 24 hours of use the rubber composite cures and the porosity drops to around the normal leak rate of 2 I m h This is normal In fact this curing takes place over a period of weeks but 9976 of the curing occurs in the first 24 hours To cure hose intended to be used on very low pressure it is important to cure the hose at a higher pressure To do this using the rate per minute formula put your hose length into the formula and adjust your tap to a flow rate of approximately twice the value calculated For example if you calculated either from the formula or the table that you needed litre of water per minute adjust your tap to two litres per minute Run your hose for 12 24 hours the longer the better Do not apply full town pressure If you see little spurts then the pressure is too high for the length you intend to run and the hose will be damaged This sets the porosity so that it will run on a low head or low pressure This only needs to be done the first time you put water in the hose and it is not necessary if using a high pressure as your normal s
30. oor then you will need a small pump to push the water into an elevated holding tank Once in the holding tank you can gravity feed your garden www leeakyhose com au 23 Grey Water Schematic Leave gap between tank and inlet to prevent syphoning Storage Tank Optional Bulk storage tank for full domestic water recycling Settling Tank x2 N 200 filter Leeaky Hose Overflow 4 Lint Drainage It pays to have two settling tanks 2 x 200 litre drums so the washing machine hose can be alternated each day from tank to tank Lint can be drained from the bottom of the settling tanks Every now and then put some fresh water through the hose to flush out any soap residues Washing water does not normally harm plants grass for instance thrives on it However some plants may be sensitive to grey water so it is advisable to test the plant or if in doubt keep the water away from it Pump The pump and collection tank can be quite simple and inexpensive One 20 litre tank placed in an appropriate place under or near the laundry to take the flow from the washing machine Into this can be placed an inexpensive bilge pump as used in boats to pump into storage tanks If placed beneath the house ensure that there is appropriate drainage for the overflow NOTE Council permission may be required in some areas for grey water recycling As every situation is different variations on the layout will b
31. part of five months each year This in turn suggests that the average garden needs some 1500 litres per square metre each year Currently in Melbourne this would cost a mere 0 97 cents in straight water charges per year to which needs to be added a percentage of the arbitrary assessment for sewerage which is a further 15 cents per kilolitre But the average garden is generally larger than sq metre in fact most are nearer 250 square metres based on a quarter acre block Multiplying 1 20 water cost x 250 size of garden 300 per year to water the garden Installation of Leeaky Hose can reduce this by two thirds or more These savings can be close to doubled if washing machine water or grey water are harnessed to Leeaky Hose see the relevant section For example More than 1000 litres per week are used in the average household washing machine 1 2 2 Other Benefits It is now well documented that below ground or slow release watering grows healthier and more drought resistant plants As plants root deeper they pull more natural nutrients from the soil thus reducing the need for added fertiliser When compared with overhead watering methods plants watered with Leeaky Hose are less susceptible to plant diseases and there is a noticeable reduction in weed growth With maintenance Leeaky Hose requires less labour as it does not require supervision or adjustment and is the ideal system for awkward bed sizes www
32. s controlled so that the water can sweat through the walls at a controlled rate over long distances at low water pressure At pressures of 4psi 25kpa or below the hose will deliver moisture to the surrounding soil through capillary action This ensures that the system will deliver proper irrigation to plants even in extremely low pressure water reticulation areas or from relatively low header tanks When Leeaky Hose is turned off the residual water is gradually taken up by the surrounding soil so it is not attractive to plant roots or pests such as termites The lack of physical holes also keeps the hose free of insect infestation www leeakyhose com au 6 3 Applications Uses of Leeaky Hose 3 1 Watering Irrigation for Domestic lawns and gardens Golf courses Horticulture Landscaping Market gardens Public gardens and reserves Orchards Ovals playing fields Organic vegetables Vineyards 3 2 Aquaculture Aeration Oxygenation Thermocline Prevention Aquariums Crustacean holding tanks Fish farms Prawn ponds Sewerage ponds Yabbie farms 3 3 Ground Stabilisation maintaining minimum moisture content Highway batter preservation Erosion control Prevention of foundation slab cracking shifting 3 4 Fertigation Delivering soluble fertiliser direct to plant root zones 3 5 Pest Control Sub foundation delivery system for pesticides 3 6 Sewerage Effluent Dispersal Hygienically acceptable dispersion of sewerage and grey wa
33. s it has an essential pre requisite It will only work when the background soil moisture content is greater than 43 If the ground is drier than this and this is often true in ground that has only been overhead watered previously capillary action will not work immediately If the hose is buried this will show as wet spots on the surface of the trench area There is only one solution to turn the hose on every 48 hours until the minimum moisture level is restored This will need to be repeated until the background moisture levels have reached the 43 mark and the spread of water is within the parameters for the soil type outlined in 5 1 4 The length of this process is purely a factor of how dry the soil was originally and whether or not it is a fine or coarse particle type 5 1 8 Watering Profile The sub surface water profile from a length of Leeaky Hose or any other slow release system also varies with soil type This and the needs of the existing or intended plant should be taken into account in an irrigation situation In clay the water cross section has a profile similar to a field mushroom with the outer edges a metre from the hose only centimetres below the highest point In loam it assumes a more button mushroom profile In coarse sand the profile is shaped like a teardrop with the outer edges half a metre from the hose being some 5cm from the drops highest point This will not matter for trees and established
34. t zone to deliver the extra water needed during the same watering cycle set for your less thirsty plants If this is not sufficient the plant will require a separate feed and extra watering cycles Length Constraints Without surrounding soil and its subsequent hydrostatic pressure the maximumcontinuous run of Leeaky Hose above ground from a single feed is 60 metres unless fed in the middle or from both ends It should also be noted that the longer the run the lower the flow rate per metre per hour This is a factor of the physical amount of water that can be passed through a 13mm hose at low pressure in a given period In some situations this can be as low as 1 2 Litre per Metre per hour This translates into 1 4 Litre per square metre on either side of the hose This will be insufficient for some applications or require impractically long watering cycles By feeding from both ends the flow rate will be more than doubled www leeakyhose com au 14 Installation Steps l Plan your watering system see above Lay out the hose where required Connect to water source and turn on tap to ensure that water flows freely through the hose Then insert end cap or other stopping device Set flow rate for curing at least 4L m h See 5 1 2 use method described in 5 1 6 When comfortable that hose is cured and flowing evenly it must be covered with mulch or soil Check after cycling several times to ensure that the watering profile is within the
35. tages Made from 100 recycled materials Allows use of Recycled water Reduces drain on finite water resources through reduced watering needs Can be used with dam bore and river water Operational Advantages Fewer weeds Less plant disease such as mildew Significant savings in maintenance support plumbing No drippers or sprays to block Easy to install and maintain Uniform water distribution Uses low cost standard fittings Ideal for awkward bed configurations Production Advantages Water delivered directly to roots Stronger root growth Less susceptibility to wilt No scorching or brown leaves Has a 5 year guarantee Can irrigate day or night without fear of burn Fewer weeds Reduced insect infestation www leeakyhose com au 3 1 2 Why Install Leeaky Hose 1 2 1 Water Saving Money Saving In the new User Pays environment the cost of water is becoming a significant factor in household and business budgeting though in most instances little can be done to make noticeable cost reductions Leeaky Hose offers that opportunity to users who do use water outside the house Considering that plants in a square metre of garden need on average 3 litres of water per day and that it takes at least 10 litres from overhead watering to achieve it saving two thirds of that water does offer an opportunity for savings In most areas this process of water replacement watering takes place over the best
36. ter below the surface www leeakyhose com au 7 4 Most Common Questions About Leeaky Hose Why doesn t it block with dam or bore water Because it is a low pressure system and the dirt stays in the hose while the water passes through See Section and 5 1 3 How long will it last below ground It is made of non volatile and non reactive materials Leeaky Hose is guaranteed for five years The limits of its life have yet to be determined Does it need to be buried No But if used on the surface it must be covered See Installation It does operate most efficiently when all of it s wall is in contact with the soil y How far can it go in a single run Approximately 120 metres below ground and 60 metres above See Installation Is it poisonous No It is made from recycled tyres and food quality polymers Recycled rubber is used in children s playgrounds and often as plant mulch There is NO cadmium in car tyres Can you install it on slopes Yes but this requires different installation procedures See Installation Slopes Why is it better for fish pond aeration The finer bubbles provide 5 times greater oxygen transfer for a given amount of air and lower pressure means lower energy costs In the correct pattern LH can also replace water circulation mechanisms See Aquaculture How far does water travel through the soil This depends on soil type but up to a metre either side in fine clay and 1 2 M in sand
37. upply or a short run With very low pressure we recommend having the hose in as much contact with the soil as possible i e buried The water tension in the soil is a very important factor when operating on these low pressures Generally the finer the soil the greater the water tension www leeakyhose com au 9 At the start of the curing process it will be noticed that the hose leaks only at one end or the middle Gradually the leaking will extend to the full length of the hose This is a part of the curing process Also the time period of this process can vary depending on length of run slope or how long the hose has been coiled in a roll This is the hose regaining its original memory Important With too high a flow rate with dirty water water borne solids could be driven into the wall cells of Leeaky Hose gradually and permanently reducing its effectiveness 5 1 3 Flushing Allowance for flushing is an important part of a Leeaky Hose installation In the normal operation of the hose any particles will be left behind on the floor of the hose as the water passes through the walls An installation should either have a back flush system particularly if the hose is deeply buried or the end plug clearly marked so that it can be accessed and removed for flushing Regularity of flushing There are no hard and fast rules though it should be part of any preventative maintenance programme to flush every six months The visi
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