What size pump for micro drip irrigation

Looking to step up my game, and stop staying up all night to do multiple hand waterings
Up to 16 plants per res. Reservoirs not very high(14in), 30 gallon tote. Is 160gph good? And do I need a pressure regulator? I’ve been hand watering for 4 years, so clearly I’m kinda dumb.

How many emitters, and at what GPH rating? If you use pressure compensating emitters you should be fine.

1or 2 drips per plant, so either 16 or 32, this is the kit I’m looking at. Flantor Garden Irrigation System, 1/4" Blank Distribution Tubing Watering Drip Kit/DIY Saving Water Automatic Irrigation Equipment Set for Garden Greenhouse, Flower Bed,Patio,Lawn https://a.co/d/43ecLTt

Well either that or this floraflex kit. https://floraflex.com/default/catalog/product/view/_ignore_category/1/id/7013/s/16-plants-per-4-x4-1-2-gallon-potpro-w-microdrip-irrigation-4-x4-4-x44/

I personally use 16 emitters in my system, 4-plants with 4-emitters per plant, pumped by a 260 gph pump. Really all you need is a way to connect the 1/4 tubing to the pump, some 1/4" T's, a bunch of 1/4" line, and emitters. I really think pressure compensating emitters are the way to go.

You recirculating your runoff? Neat, I like not wasting stuff.

Greengrouch said:

You recirculating your runoff? Neat, I like not wasting stuff.

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No, it's just going to a res that I dump most of the time. Recirculating is a bit trickier to get the nute levels right, but I might try it in the future.

It looks like your drain pump is the main pump, I had to look again, lol.

The res is out of the pic. The pump you see is a condensate pump which is collecting runoff, and sending away.

I like the idea of having 2 separate sets of pumps and lines/drippers for the same system. Both on the same timer, sitting next to each other, feeding the same pots. That way, if one pump ever failed, the other is still running as a backup. Your not straining on them as hard either, by splitting the load, or wearing out the vanes on the impellers as fast, etc. Pumps are cheap, and especially more affordable to buy extra when you are building your own system from scratch, and saving money instead of buying marked up dripper kits.

Drop That Sound said:

I like the idea of having 2 separate sets of pumps and lines/drippers for the same system. Both on the same timer, sitting next to each other, feeding the same pots. That way, if one pump ever failed, the other is still running as a backup. Your not straining on them as hard either, by splitting the load, or wearing out the vanes on the impellers as fast, etc. Pumps are cheap, and especially more affordable to buy extra when you are building your own system from scratch, and saving money instead of buying marked up dripper kits.

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That's not a bad idea, but it sounds like a lot of heat in the res.

2 pumps splitting the load wouldn't heat up as much, and probably have the opposite effect. They would run cooler I would think, but I've never really tested to check. I always installed inline pumps outside of the res anyway..

So could I just hook the pump up to something like this plastic air manifold and put emitters on the en then of the hose?

I don't like the idea of using a monster 1 hp floraflex pump feeding multiple sites though, that's for sure. Id rather have 2 small pumps running each site, so I know it would be halfway watered if I was on vacation if one pump failed. Not only that, but you can also purchase smaller UPS battery backup supplies, that will run a few cycled pumps each for days or even weeks. A UPS or battery backup supply that could handle the starting amps of a 1hp pump would cost a fortune, but 10 smaller ones might be a grand or so, keeping 10 tables watered without power for days.

Greengrouch said:

So could I just hook the pump up to something like this plastic air manifold and put emitters on the en then of the hose?

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Making a looped manifold would be the best, and help to equalize pressure throughout all the feed lines, but ya you can probably make that work.

I wouldn't even waste the money on those though, and use regular fittings instead, like PJ ^

You'll use up so much extra tubing, using individual lines for each dripper. It will look like a spaghetti factory, lol

I recently hooked up auto watering with a flora flex system. Ran 3/4 pvc to bubbler heads at each net of my 4x4 nets. Then ran .5 gph drippers of the bubbler head 2 drippers per 5 gallon pot. It's working great.

what kind of fitting could be used to connect pvc or poly tube directly to the water pump and is able to be detached for cleaning/res change but is snug enough to stay on when in use? I'm using a 5 gal bucket as a res.

Banjo camlock fittings are nice. They make them just about any size too. Threaded, or barbed ends, whatever you need.

Drop That Sound said:

Banjo camlock fittings are nice. They make them just about any size too. Threaded, or barbed ends, whatever you need.

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exactly the kind of thing I was trying to think of, thank you!