Mimi, I got this at the last minute today -- I'm going to tackle each one of those questions when I return to the office early in the a.m. tomorrow :) I'll do it as a new reply so that you get notification -- have a great evening, I'll be in touch!

You got it! Particularly if you're not elevating, get them facing up as much as possible (some will twist sideways, and that's generally ok) -- the big thing is just to make sure none are in a position to suction in dirt after system shut down, so if they're sideways or almost upside down, that can be ok so long as they're not getting dirt into holes :)

You're very welcome, thank you for watching!

Great question, and it does get a little fuzzy at that point as the segments after the Tee are not necessarily cumulative in the same way as a continuous run. Like a magician's secret, finding concrete information and/or math on this is difficult. In cases like this I like to defer to friction loss and velocity calculations and treat the segments off the Tee semi-independently. In this case, the 100' run is going to carry the full flow rate, including the flow that branches off the two outlets on the tee, so I'd calculate the friction loss and velocity for the full flow rate in the 100' run. The two 50' runs I would calculate only for what flow was going through those. Flow, in this case, just refers to the sum of all emitters operating off that line. Since the line splits, not all the flow of the system will be going through both segments coming off the Tee. Basically, if the system had a total of 200' of drip line with a 0.5 GPH emitter spaced every 12", the total flow rate of the system would be 100 GPH and the initial 100' run would carry all of that 100 GPH. I would use that to calculate velocity and friction loss through 100' of 1/2" tubing. If that drip line was split evenly, you'd have 100' of drip line through one segment of the tee and 100' of drip line through the other segment of the tee. That means each segment would be responsible for 50 GPH, which I would calculate for those individual lines and not add them to one another, but only to the 100' main segment that came before the split. I know that's a lot of information so please don't hesitate to ask any follow-up questions that come up!

This system was for about 6-10 potted plants on a patio -- we used the smaller 3/4 gallon EZ-Flo, but they also make a larger one for hose bibs and then even larger ones for systems running from solenoid valves on a PVC mainline. If you're running from a hose bib, there's a reasonable chance the 2.5 gallon tank would be large enough :)

You bet, it's fairly common (particularly on larger Ag projects) for them to be buried. With 1/4" couplers I'd say it does slightly increase the chance of debris getting in (which should be flushed out), with the 1/2" couplers the risk of any debris getting in a fairly minimal :)

LOL Your point is well taken, there's definitely some truth to that! I'd agree that a short run of soaker hose can be viable -- got a short (around 10') run of hedge that needs quite a bit of water? A soaker hose is a fine solution there. With the caveat that you get one made from fresh materials and not recycled tires (lots of problematic ingredients in tire materials like Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and heavy metals).

From what you've described so far, it sounds like you could use 1/2" as your mainline, at least in regards to length if both of those lines will be operating independently of one another. The other thing to account for will be the flow rate going through the 1/2" lines -- you want the total flow going through each one to be less than 200 GPH -- with 166' of drip lines it sounds like you'll be under that 200 GPH mark, but i wanted to mention it just in case :)

Thanks for answering 😊 I’m ready to buy everything

@@stephaniefuente-albadoming7961 You're very welcome! If any last minute questions come up or installation questions when everything arrives, don't hesitate to shout out :)

In most places, it will be mandated by the local water authority either way, at least on any connection running from municipal water. Even though the odds are low of cross contamination, they are not 0 and it's best not to risk any cross contamination from animal waste, fertilizers, and soil pathogens, particularly when a hose bib backflow preventer as of this time (2024) is less than $10. :)

To create a hose bib closer to the garden, you'd want a pipe or tubing type that is rated for constant pressure for the run from the house to the new hose bib. Usually this will be PVC due to cost and availability, but metal pipes and most PEX can be used.

Is this happening at system shut-off or is it constant during the watering cycle? If you're able to, a quick video showing it spraying (with a wide enough shot to see the rest of the head assembly at the hose bib) might help me determine if it's something wrong with the preventer, or something else that could be quickly fixed. You could send / share that video by sending an email to us here, I'll be happy to help :) help.dripdepot.com/support/tickets/new

@@dripdepotTicket submitted!

@@spencerk4387 Perfect, thank you! I'll go take a look now, expect to hear from me shortly :)

In regards to pressure, you'll be good to go :) They include the 40 PSI so that if your water source is over 50 PSI and you don't have another regulator, you can use the unit -- over 50 PSI can cause damage to it. If your system operates at 25 PSI, that's still more than enough -- it operates on the Venturi principle, so really it just needs pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet. If your system's flow is particularly low, you can use one of the flow-discs they include -- those discs serve to increase the pressure differential to make sure suction is achieved.

Any time, you're welcome!

It unfortunately will not work installed backwards due to the spring, valve and diaphragm assembly inside :( If it's a threaded regulator, it may not be too horrible to remove and re-orient though!

Thank you for the great comment! Absolutely happy the video was a help :)

Victor, do you know what is clogging the emitters (mineral build-up, organic debris like algae)? Also, what emitter types are they, misters/foggers, or drippers? Misting nozzles, often used in greenhouses, have the smallest orifices irrigation -- they're prone to getting clogged by calcium/mineral build-up, probably more than any other emitter type. These are often unclogged by injecting solutions that lower pH enough to break up the build-up and flush it out of the end of the line. Some misting nozzles are easily removed and can be soaked. Likewise with algae or other soft organics, solutions can be ran through the lines to eliminate it so it can be flushed out of the end of the lines. Aside from that, regular flushing of the lines can help prevent any kind of build-up -- drip irrigation tubing and many emitters are designed to create turbulent water flow -- this turbulence breaks up debris so it can be flushed out of the end of the line. Without flushing, debris begins to build-up inside the lines eventually causing a clogged emitter. You can also check the mesh of the filter being used -- filter elements can go up to 200 mesh / 80 micron, which is very fine filtration. With that said, if you're at 150 to 155 mesh, I wouldn't expect the filtration to be at play, at 155+ everything except the very finest particulates will be captured and those that get through can be flushed.

Typically we recommend to pick a watering cycle and monitor the health of the plants -- this is largely because there's no one right answer in regards to watering duration -- or rather, there is, but it depends on may variables (time of year, maturity of plants, local conditions, humidity, soil infiltration rate and many more). Don't let that make you worry though, the "water and watch" method is very effective and is even used on the commercial side of things. Your plants will let you know if they need more or less water. In Oregon, I typically start with a 10 minute cycle when the plants are young (unless we have rain, then no cycle). As they mature and the days get hotter, I'll increase this to either a longer cycle, or running a second cycle later in the evening. My first year using drip I ended up with two 45 minute cycles when water demands where the highest (hottest days, plants fruiting). The next year I dropped that down to two 30 minute cycles and still had great results -- basically, there's some room for error with drip. Your aren't likely to be exactly the same, but you can start around there if you're growing some common garden veggies. Watch to see how the plants respond and adjust as needed :)

You're very welcome, thank you for commenting too! :)

Dave, that is absolutely amazing! And dang, 5 zones? You're come a long way! I hope you filmed it, or at least took photos, I'd love to see the system and the garden it's irrigating. At 5 zones, I suspect it looks awesome =D

This can depend on how you approach the drip system, and the type of tree to some degree. Many trees have their absorptive roots near the surface due to oxygen availability, nutrient concentration and water availability. With that said, watering slowly and deeply can help the taproot penetrate deeply into the soil, and drip irrigation is great about slow, deep watering. You can combine drip irrigation with watering stakes to penetrate even deeper. Basically, with the right watering strategy (slow delivery of water over a longer period of time), drip can effectively irrigate trees, both the shallow absorptive roots near the surface and the taproot. Here is an example of a watering stake that can be used for even greater penetration: www.dripdepot.com/deep-drip-watering-stakes

For a larger container system, for one further way from the hose bib or one you plan to expand on in the future, absolutely go with 1/2" -- if it's a small system right next to the hose bib, the 1/4" tubing will cost a good bit less. I would say most container setups do use 1/2", but lots of smaller balcony setups will only call for 1/4" :)

You're very welcome, thank you for the comment!

The general rule is to make the diameter about halfway through the canopy -- this can vary of course, but in general the root system of a tree is as large as its canopy. So if the canopy had a 24" diameter, you could put the drip line ring approximately 12" away. Arborvitae can have root systems that are smaller than the canopy, but with them you can use the caliper to get a good idea of its root diameter :)

Great question! In most gravity systems, the pressure regulator is going to need to be downstream a bit from the water source, as there is typically not enough pressure to engage the regulator right at the source. With the common pressure regulators, you need at least 5 PSI more at the inlet than what they regulate to downstream. This means if you were using a 15 PSI pressure regulator, it would need to be placed in a location that has at least 20 PSI at the inlet of the regulator.

To test your water source's flow rate, all you need is a timer and a bucket -- time how long it takes to fill the bucket with water and then put the numbers into the flow rate calculator here: www.dripdepot.com/irrigation-calculators If you'd like to see the entire process, we have a short video guide to testing the flow rate of a hose bib water source at this link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tGxJaqQeg94.html :)

You bet, we'll add that to the list! In the meantime, I can help here as well -- sizing a lateral is very similar to sizing a mainline. The lateral will be considered its own line in regards to its friction loss and velocity calculations. As a quick example, if this lateral was feeding two sprinklers, each of which delivered 1 GPM, you would run the calculations for a line with only 2 GPM going through it -- essentially, you wouldn't be considering the water that's going through the mainline, as it is feeding many laterals who are calculated individually.

I'm probably misunderstanding (and if I am, definitely let me know!), but the reason we went 18' and then Tee'd off is so that each bed could have its own individual on/off. Here is an image that shows the design we were going for -- the coupling valves in this design are in a slightly different place, but achieve the same thing (third picture down): help.dripdepot.com/support/solutions/articles/11000119078-raised-bed-sample-layouts

@@dripdepot thank you! That makes sense :). I really appreciate your quick response.

This is a good point -- right now I'm showing that in most cases it would cost less to use the repair coupling for 30' rows, but I do think with a short enough row there would come a point where it could cost less to run a new length. This could also depend on how much tape overall was purchased (some of the 6 mil stuff, bought at a large quantity, would get very inexpensive per foot). I checked this with current prices on the 15 Mil 500' roll and 6 Mil 10,000' roll and both, at 30', would cost less to use a repair coupling -- the 6 Mil roll was close though, coming in at about $0.90 per 30' with the repair couplings costing $0.59 and $0.50 (economy version) at the time of this writing. Great thought exercise Mark, thank you!

Glad we got this one out in time for the season this year, thank you for watching! :)

For pressure, both zones were regulated to 1.03 bar (15 PSI) and we used 1073m of the 1250m drip tape the kit comes with. If you were to use all of the tape and ran it as two zones, the filter would need to be able to support 32.37 l/m. The canister filter used in the video can handle up to 37.85 liters per minute. :)

They are 3 ft in diameter each and spread 10 ft apart, they are 4 ft tall to start with (each)

To determine if you'll need one or two zones, what we want to look at is flow -- specifically, the flow rate provided by the water source versus the flow rate demanded by the irrigation system. As a quick example, let's say you are going to use four 10 GPH bubblers at each of the 14 plants -- 14 10 GPH emitters will be a total system flow rate of 140 GPH. In that example, you would want your water source to provide more than 140 GPH so there would be enough water available to feed all the emitters. Given there are 14, it's highly likely you can accomplish this as one zone, at least unless you were using very high flow emitters. Still, it's best to confirm (measure twice, cut once and all that!). You can test the flow rate of your water source with just a timer and a bucket (3 gallon, 5 gallon, etc). Time how long it takes to fill the bucket with water and then plug the numbers into this flow rate calculator to get a good approximation of its flow rate: www.dripdepot.com/irrigation-calculators Keep that number handy so you can compare it to the flow rate of the irrigation system -- emitters will have their flow rates stated in the Specifications on their item page or in the Specifications PDF on each item page -- just add up their flow rates (or multiply it by the number you'll use) and you have your irrigation system flow rate :)

It can go either way depending on if you're using a screen or disc filter --- I suspect you have a screen filter from the sounds of it. If it's a disc, it goes the opposite way. This is because a screen filter filters from inside out and a disc filter filters from outside in, so they get installed in opposite directions. Some filters will have an arrow to indicate the direction water should flow -- if it's a filter that can use a screen or disc element, it will often have two arrows to indicate direction of flow, and they should be labeled "Screen" or "Disc". Great question, thank you!

Happy to help! And I can confirm this should not leak, so let's get you up and running leak free :) The first place to check is inside the female side of the adapter -- there should be a gasket in there, if it's missing that would be the likely cause. If it's in there, be sure the adapter is threaded down enough on the pressure regulator that it's engaging that gasket. If it's still leaking, just let me know and I'll get a replacement en route to you :)

You're very welcome! And you bet, we always try to remember that even though we've been doing this for years, most people have not and it's important to actually show each and every step. Thank you for the great comment!

Thank you so much for the great feedback! And I ended up doing all my yard too, then finding excuses to build new beds, drip irrigation can be a little bit habit forming =D

Do you mean this fitting here? www.dripdepot.com/1609 If so, excellent job locating that one! It's one I don't see used very often (I think people just don't know it's out there) but it can indeed connect 1/2" tubing to 3/4" or larger tubing. A Tee can also work, but the 400 barb fitting has a lower cost and works just as well -- the only limitation to that one is that it cannot connect 1/2" tubing to 1/2" tubing, just 3/4" or larger, which sounds like exactly what you've got here :)

@@dripdepot Yes, that is it. I have a 3/4" main line feeding the 6' long header. I will connect 4 laterals x 13' long of 1/2" PC Drip Line 9" intervals @ 0.5 GPH (SKU 13017) to the header. This is a cumulative flow of 35 GPH -- well below the limit of 1/2" poly. Is there any reason to use 3/4" poly header in this case?

@@geordonp In regards to flow, I can confirm nothing is calling for a 3/4" main -- how long will that mainline be? After 200' it can benefit to start using 3/4", but if your line is under 200' and you'll have ~35 GPH in flow, you would be well within the green to use 1/2" instead :)

There are 768 teaspoons in a gallon of water, so it sounds like your fertilizer is calling for a 768:1 ratio -- On the hose bib EZ-Flo fertilizers, the "Slow" setting on the dial is a 1000:1 ratio and the #1 setting is a 500:1 ratio, so you could set the dial roughly in between the two to get around the desired ratio (this changes if you need to use one of the flo-discs, however). The maker of these recommends filling up the tank entirely with fertilizer, as the mixing happens within the injector itself -- so you could fill it to the top with the fertilizer (but save a little room to top it off with water, it helps things get started) and then select the mixing dial and it will mix and then inject the solution right into the irrigation lines at approximately the selected mixing ration.

We operated this system at 25 PSI :) On the flow, it's drip irrigation so it's fairly low flow overall -- we were using 0.5 GPH emitters, so even at 20 of them the flow of the system, at 25 PSI, would be 10 GPH. The plants were all contained to one area, so our 1/4" line didn't need to be very long (which helps with the pressure loss). We have the long form version of this video here if you wanted to see the entire project: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a2MsV51ENpw.html

You're very welcome, thank you as well for the comment Marette! And greetings from Oregon, happy growing! =D

Timers that work at low pressure are very rare for some reason -- we do have one that can work at very low to no pressure that could work for you at this link: www.dripdepot.com/13919 That filter is the one we recommend for use in gravity irrigation systems where there's often little to no pressure. It's not a flashy one or anything, but offers the standard features (programming, hose inlet/outlet) :)

You're very welcome Tara!

You bet, it's best to factor that pressure lost in the drip line for sizing the pump as well. If you'll be using pressure compensating drip line you can allow for a little more loss so long as the end result is above the drip line's minimum operating pressure. This is because pressure compensating emitters put out about the same amount of water through their entire operating pressure range.

Taylor, I think you're right about this not being in a video yet -- I'm going to toss it into our ideas list, thank you for the idea :) I believe you could do exactly as you're suggesting, other than the backflow preventer. So you can have: Faucet --> Timer --> Backflow Preventer --> Y Splitter --> (on the drip side) Filter --> Pressure Regulator --> Drip System You could probably put your filter after the backflow preventer near the timer if you wanted to filter for both sides, but it's also fine to place it after the Y splitter.

@@dripdepot Thank you so much! Your videos are so extensive and helpful for a beginner - I couldn't have done it without you!