Earl Mathieson

What Is Hard Water

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What is Hard Water And Why is it A Problem?

Hard water is any water high in mineral content compared to water lower in mineral content referred to as soft water. Hard water is formed as water travels through deposits of limestone and chalk. Limestone and chalk are made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates. As these carbonates dissolve in water they make water "hard."  The more calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water the higher the level of hardness.

The biggest problem with hard water is the costly breakdowns it can cause to boilers, cooling towers and other equipment that handles water in both residential and industrial applications.

In domestic use, hard water impedes almost every cleaning task from doing the laundry to washing the dishes, from bathing to personal grooming. For example, if you wash your clothes in hard water your clothing may look duller in colour and lose their soft-to-the-touch feel. This is because soap curds lodge in fabric during washing to make fabric stiff and rough. And because hard water impedes full cleaning soil and dirt is left behind, making the clothing look duller in colour. Using hardwater for laundry can shorten the life of your clothing. Crockery and glasses can come out spotted or coated in a light scum when dry. Hard water may also create a film on glass shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks and faucets. Hair may feel sticky and look dull when washed in hard water. And to top it all off, mineral deposits left in pipes can restrict water flow.

Many synthetic detergents are incompatible with hard water because the active ingredient in the detergent is only partially activated when used in hard water. Bathing in hard water causes a thin film of sticky soap curd to be left behind on the skin. The thin layer of film reduces the cleaning of soil and bacteria which are then left behind on the skin. Soap curd also hampers the return of skin to its normal, slightly acid condition, and may lead to itchiness or eczema. If soap curd is attached to the hair the hair may become hard to manage, lose its luster and feel lifeless.

Hard water also gives rise to inefficient and expensive operation of appliances that rely on water for use. For example, any water-using appliance that increases the heat of the water can cause the calcium and magnesium minerals in the water to harden into a scale which can reduce the efficiency of the appliance. Pipes flowing water to or from appliances or recirculating water within an appliance can become clogged with scale which leads to a reduction in water flow and eventual (and sometimes costly) replacement of pipes. Problems with red and black stains in dishwasher and dishes.

Indications of Water Hardness

Hard water is most easily recognized in domestic applications by a lack of suds forming when soap is agitated in water, and by the formation of lime scale in kettles and water heaters.

Interpreting Test Results

The hardness of your water will be measured in grains per gallon, milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm). A single grain of hardness equals 17.1 mg/l or ppm of hardness.

The table below shows a breakdown of hard water classifications:

Classification mg/l or ppm grains/gal
Soft0 - 17.00 - 1
Slightly hard17.1 - 601 - 3.5
Hard120.1 - 1807.1 - 10.5
Very Hard> 180> 10.5

To summarise Hard Water Problems, they include:

  • Stiff, greyish laundry
  • Mineral (or soap scum) deposits on dishes and glassware 
  • Excessive soap usage and necessity for fabric softeners 
  • Dry, itchy skin and scalp 
  • Difficult to manage hair 
  • Extra work in the form of scrubbing to eliminate soap curd on bathtubs and shower screens and walls 
  • Increased energy and possible replacement costs as a result of scale build-up in pipes and in appliances

Laundering

If you wash items of clothing in hard water they will typically come out looking discoloured and feel rough and scratchy. The minerals that cause water to be hard often group with certain soils and create insoluble salts which are almost impossible to remove in a normal laundering process. Soil found in clothing added to the wash can be a major culprit in supplying water hardening minerals to the wash cycle. Ongoing  laundering of clothing in hard water is reported to damage the fibres and shorten the life of clothes by as much as 40%.

Bathing

Hardwater, when mixed with soap in bathing will leave a film of sticky soap curd (sometimes referred to as scum) on your skin. This soapy film can inhibit removal of soil and bacteria from the skin. Soap curd can also leave your skin feeling itchy as it prevents your skin from returning to its normal, slightly acidic condition. Soap curd on hair can make your hair dull, lifeless and difficult to manage.

Dishwashers

Hardwater may cause spotting and filming on crockery when used to wash crockery, especially in a dishwasher. The temperature of the water directly affects the release of minerals from hard water. The hotter the water the more minerals, and therefore the more spotting and filming occurs. Spotting and filming is not necessarily a health risk. But does affect the appearance and lifespan of your crockery.

Hard Water Problems in Hot Water Systems and Pipework

Hard water is a major source of reduction in efficiency and increase in running costs of appliances that rely on water use. When hard water is heated it forms a scale of calcium and magnesium minerals (Limescale deposits) that can affect efficient operation and even lead to failure of water-using appliances. As stated earlier in this article, pipes can easily clog with scale formation that impedes water flow and will eventually lead to replacement of pipes. And as far as your pocket book goes, it is not uncommon to see Limescale deposits increase energy bills by as much as 25%.

Limescale in Solar Heating Systems

Limescale build up is also a common occurrence in Solar heating systems used to heat swimming pools. This concentration of Limescale will reduce the efficiency of the electronic pump and cause a lower level of performance throughout the entire system. A low cost solution to correct the water balance is to install a magnetic water conditioner before the pump to prevent Limescale build-up and remove existing Limescale through prolonged use.

Hard Water Benefits

First of all, hard water is not harmful to your health. The National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) actually states that drinking hard water contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium dietary needs. They go further to say in some instances, where dissolved calcium and magnesium levels are very high, hard water could be a significant source of needed calcium and magnesium in the human diet.

The ideal solution therefore is not necessarily to remove all hard water from your home or equipment but to alter its state so the calcium stays in the water but doesn’t form Limescale.

If you have identified a hard water problem we are here to help. Call our office or send an email to management and we will be in touch to answer your questions and provide an effective solution.

What Is Scale or Limescale

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What is Scale or Limescale?

Limescale (or Calcium Scale) is a solid, off-white chalky material frequently seen on the metallic parts of water-operated equipment. It is mostly common in machinery and equipment that contains heating elements (such as boilers) or heat transfer elements (such as heat exchangers).

Limescale can also be seen in metal pipes, pumps, filters and other water equipment to a lesser or greater degree, contingent upon water quality.

The increase of this scale, which occurs over time, can brutally impede the efficiency and dependability of machinery, pipework and processes, ultimately producing a reduction in efficiency and costly breakdowns.

Where does Limescale come from?

Limescale deposits (usually referred to as “scale”) are produced by small amounts of naturally occurring minerals found in most tap water supplies. Under the right circumstances, these minerals form deposits of Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Hydroxide and Calcium Sulphate to metal surfaces.

When water contains higher concentrations of Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Hydroxide and Calcium Sulphate it is known as “hard water”.

Hard Water in Australia

The hardness of water varies greatly from region to region in Australia. Measured in parts-per-million the Australian Water Association has discovered ranges of 10ppm to 226ppm across the capital cities.

Commercial Impacts of Limescale

When Limescale builds up inside machinery and water equipment it slowly reduces performance outputs. Because this reduction in performance doesn’t happen all at once but slowly, over a period of time, these changes usually go undetected until it’s too late, concluding in long term losses of efficiency that persevere for long periods.

When Limescale builds up on heat transfer surfaces it acts as an insulator, decreasing the effectiveness of heat transfer. In heating applications this results in increased energy usage and additional loading on heating elements. In cooling equipment there may be a noticeable increase in thermal stress due to ineffectual cooling which can result in a reduction in efficiency and greater failure rates.

If left unchecked, pipes and pumps with Limescale deposits experience diminished water flow as the scale build up constricts critical openings. Over time Limescale can reduce flow in even large diameter pipes to a mere trickle or even block flow entirely.

Explanation Of Water Filters

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Why you need a water filter

Sanitary drinking water is a must for peak health. It taste better and there’s less chance of catching a disease. Of course, not all water requires a water filter to pass as sanitary. But even unfiltered water considered “sanitary” can contain harsh chemicals. That’s why a filter can help because water filters improve the taste and extract chemicals and sediments which make filtered water safer to drink.

Not all water filters are the same. So be sure to compare apples to apples when selecting a water filter for your water.

This article gives you a few pointers – things to think about – when selecting a water filter for your specific application.

Types Of Water Filters

Sediment Filters

A sediment filter acts just like a sieve to catch particles such as rust flakes from the pipes, grains of sand, organic matter, clay or any other small particles that find their way into the system.

Why remove sediment from the water supply?

There are a couple of reasons why you’d want to use a sediment water filter to remove sediment from your water. The first is purely for aesthetic reasons. The las thing anyone wants is a glass of water swirling with rust or sand particles. The second reason is that sediment can cause blockages or malfunctions in any equipment that uses water such as your washing machine, dishwasher or shower system. Loose sediment can find its way into flow controls and even the solenoids in powered equipment. A sediment water filter removes these particles but it does not filter chemicals from the water. To remove chemicals and heavy metals from the water you need a carbon filter.

Carbon Filters

Carbon filters are typically used when you need a water filter to remove harmful chemicals such as chlorine, pesticides and herbicides and any number of other chemicals that can find their way into your water supply. Carbon filters also remove bacteria and improve the taste and smell of the water.

How do carbon water filters work?

Carbon filters work through a process called absorption where the positive charged carbon attracts the negatively charged impurities found in the water. Because the carbon has hundreds of tiny pores, the molecules and impurities get trapped on the surface of the carbon and keeps them from getting into your water.

Carbon water filters are great for eliminating the following contaminants:

  • Giardia Lamblia – is a parasite which can cause an infection in the bowel or gut known as Giardiasis. It attaches itself in large numbers to the wall of your bowel and restricts your body’s natural absorption of nutrients. Giardia Lamblia typically makes its way into your body through drinking contaminated water or by eating uncooked food, fruit or vegetables that have been contaminated or have been washed with contaminated water.
  • Cryptosporidium – is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. The cryptosporidium parasite has a hard outer shell which shields it and allows it to survive outside the body for extended periods of time. Its ability to survive outside the body makes it very tolerant to chlorine disinfection. While this parasite can be distributed in several different ways, it is most commonly spread through drinking water. Cryptosporidium is one of the most common sources of waterborne disease among humans.
  • Other Protozoa – Drinking water supplies that rely on surface or ground water are exposed to contamination by enteric waterborne pathogens. The discovery of these pathogens (and other indicator organisms) may signal fecal contamination of the water. These pathogens can initiate in leaking sewer lines, septic systems, or inadequately secured well heads that allow polluted surface water to leak into the aquifer along the outer well casing. Organisms of concern in this regard include waterborne pathogenic human enteric viruses, such as Adenovirus, Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus to name a few. These organisms are a risk to human wellbeing to anyone who ingests water in which these organisms are present.
  • Chlorine – Chlorination is used to disinfect water and kill any germs that may reside therein.

Water Filter Micron Rating

Water’s ability to filter and remove contaminants by the size of the particles is measured in microns. A micron is a unit of measure in the metric system equal to 0.001mm. To put this in perspective, an average cross-section of a human hair is 50 microns or 0.05mm.

  • 50 micron (0.05mm) – Diameter of a human hair
  • 8 – 14 micron (0.08 – 0.014mm)  – Giardia
  • 3 - 6 micron (0.003 - 0.006mm) – Cryptosporidium
  • 1 – 10 micron (0.001 - .01mm) – Protozoa

Although there are many different micron ratings, the two most common terms used are nominal and absolute. Why do ratings like nominal and absolute exist? They exist because when choosing a water filter you need to know the filters' removal efficiency of the specific particle sizes for your specific application. For example, a filter that has a rating of "10 micron" has some ability to capture particles as small as 10 microns; however, 10 microns doesn’t tell the whole story. That’s where nominal and absolute ratings come in:

Nominal vs Absolute Micron Rating

The Nominal micron rating of a water filter refers to the capability of the filter to arrest particles of a specified size at efficiency between 50% and 90%. For instance, a 10 micron nominal rated water filter simply means that filter captures as little as 50% or a maximum 90% of contaminants 10 micron in size and larger.

An Absolute micron rating means the water filter can remove at least 98.7% of a specific size particle. Using the same example of a 10 micron absolute rated water filter means the filter will capture 98.7% of contaminants 10 micron in size and larger.

A water filter that has an absolute micron rating therefore is much more effective at refining water than a water filter having a nominal micron rating.

I should add at this point that a water filter will not remove minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron that are necessary for our health. The down side of not removing these minerals is that as they increase I quantity they will build up as scale and eventually damage taps, hot water systems, showers and any other household appliance that uses water flow.

For hard water treatment see our chemical free hard water solution.

Micron Rating vs Flow Rate

Water filters with a higher micron rating have a larger pore size allowing higher flow rate. Low micron water filters have a smaller pore size and lower flow rate.

When choosing a water filter you need to consider flow rate and water filtration. The higher the micron rating selected, the higher the flow rate will be but the greater the instance of contaminants, bacteria and cysts passing through the water filter into your drink water. You do have a number of options to combat this and make sure your water is clear from bacteria and cysts.

Option 1 – Larger Filters

The first option is to increase the size or number of filters to enable higher flow rates when using a lower micron water filter.

Option 2 – UV

Adding UV to your system beyond the water filter will make sure all bacteria, cysts and virus are killed on the spot.  The good thing about UV, especially where higher flow rate is desirable, is that you get the best of both worlds: higher flow rate AND elimination of bacteria, cyst and virus producing contaminates.

Ultra Violet (UV) Disinfection

Ultra-Violet (UV) disinfection of drinking water is widely acknowledged as a safe, effective, and inexpensive chemical free method of disinfecting drinking water without upsetting the taste.

Why it works: UV radiation of wavelengths between 200 to 280 nm (UV-C) has proved to damage DNA molecules of nearly all pathogenic micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses, yeasts, etc most commonly found in water supplies. When the DNA of a microorganism is damaged with UV radiation it loses its competency to cause infections. According to studies and testing, no pathogenic microorganism is able to resist properly applied and adequate doses of UV-C radiation.

Plastic vs Stainless Steel Water Filter Housings

Plastic water filter housings are the most commonly used around the world.  They are manufactured from an ABS material, are UV stabilized and are pressure rated to 100PSI. Water filter housings are available in the following sizes;

  • 2.5” x 10” Long
  • 2.5” x 20” Long
  • 4.5” x 10” Long
  • 4.5” x 20” Long

Another option is stainless steel. Stainless steel water filter housings are obviously more hard-wearing and obtainable in either a grade 304 or 316 stainless steel. Grade 304SS is appropriate for normal fresh water applications and grade 316SS is used in salt-water applications. These stainless steel housing is ideal for use with cold and hot water, extreme heat or extreme high-pressure situations.  They are pressure rated to 200PSI, which is twice the rating of the plastic filter housings. Stainless steel housings are premium filter housing and therefore you pay more. Stainless steel water filter housings are available in just two sizes;

  • 2.5” x 10” Long
  • 4.5” x 20” Long

Either the plastic and stainless steel housings suitable for whichever sized sediment and carbon filters are needed in your specific application.

Water Filtration vs Water Treatment

Water Filtration

A good water filtration system removes sediment, chlorine, bacteria, cysts and odour from water and results in polished, bacteria free water for drinking and bathing.  You have a number of options to study when selecting a water filter system including:

Bench Top Systems – a bench top water filter is a single housing unit typically with a single carbon filter.  They connect directly to the tap on the sink and if the micron rating of the carbon water filter is low enough, they will give you bacteria free water. The main drawback of the bench top system is the fact that they take up bench space with a permanent tube running from the filter to the tap. But it’s a great option if you are renting.

Twin Under Sink Systems – The twin under sink system is installed under the sink and has two filter housings. The first stage filter is a sediment filter and the second stage filter is a carbon filter. The twin under sink system connects to your water supply and either to a dedicated water filter tap or to your cold water tap where it will filter all water flowing through your cold water tap. Again, the lower the micron rating of the sediment filter and carbon filter the better quality water you will have.  You can also install these under sink models to your bathroom water to give bacteria and chlorine free water for brushing your teeth.

Whole House System – The whole house system is a terrific option if you want chlorine and bacteria free water throughout your whole house.

Shower Filtration – The purpose of a shower water filter is to remove sediment and chlorine from the water giving you a better showering experience.

Water Treatment


All water contains minerals. When rain falls and is collected in water catchment dams or soaks through the earth surface and settles in underground aquifers, it dissolves minerals which remain suspended in the water. The number of minerals present in the water will determine the hardness of the water and define the scaling difficulties you will have.

Our bodies need the minerals found in water but we don’t want the costly problems associated with scale.  So, to keep the good minerals without causing scale to form our water treatment systems include a water conditioner that treats the minerals and reduces costly problems as they filter the water. The end result is a soft, mineral rich but sediment, bacteria and chlorine free water.

We can supply you with a water treatment system including water conditioner and filtration for:

  • Your sink
  • Your whole house
  • Your shower
  • Your Caravan and RV

It doesn’t matter if you’re on town water, bore water or rainwater we have a water filtration or water treatment system to suit your specific requirement. UV can be added to our systems for additional bacteria and cyst treatment.

We provide rapid solutions to your hard water problems. Call us today to discuss your water filtration and treatment requirements.

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What Is Hydroponics

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What Is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is the art of growing plants without soil. Instead of soil, hydroponics uses mineral nutrient solutions in water to feed the plants. The reason Hydroponics works is because it gives the plant the exact nutrients it needs, when it needs it, delivered right to the roots. It’s a much more efficient and dependable method for growing certain plant types. In fact, hydroponics is a proven method for growing vegetables faster with increased size and yield.

The most common form of hydroponics is a method where the plant roots sit directly in the nutrient rich water. This system of hydroponics is called Nutrient Film Technique or N.F.T.  But it’s not the only way to grow a crop using hydroponics.

Types of Hydroponic Systems

The Wick System

The wick system utilizes a number of wicks to draw the nutrient solution into the plants. One of the upsides of the wick system is that it has no moving parts. One of the downsides is that plants requiring high volumes of water may use up the nutrient solution faster than it can be supplied.

Water Culture

The most basic form of hydroponics uses a Styrofoam platform to hold the plants in place with the root system dangling into the nutrient solution beneath. Air is then injected into the nutrient solution to supply oxygen to the root ball. With the exception of lettuce, very few plants thrive in a water culture system.

Ebb and Flow System

In the ebb and flow system of hydroponics, the plants sit on a platform called a “grow tray”. A pump and timer is then used to flood the grow tray with nutrient water which then drains back into the tank beneath the tray ready for recirculation.

The Drip System

Just as it sounds, the drip system utilizes drippers to feed the nutrient solution to the base of the plant. The excess nutrient solution is recirculated back through a pump and timer.

N.F.T (Nutrient Film Technique)

When people think of hydroponics they typically think of the Nutrient Film Technique or NFT. NFT uses a pump to continually circulate water to the highest point where gravity feeds the water back through the plant to the holding tank. The plant itself is placed in a plastic holder with the roots protruding through to the nutrient solution in the holding tank.

Aeroponic System

The aeroponic system uses a nutrient filled mist, sprayed into the air by a pump and misting nozzles. Similar to the NFT system, the nutrients are largely fed to the plant through the air.

In each hydroponic example the water and amount of nutrients that is useable by the plant is affected by water hardness. The harder the water the more damage the water causes to both the plant and equipment. Even the nutrients are affected because hard water reduces the absorption rate of nutrients by the plant so you will need an increased volume of nutrient to grow your crop.

This can be fixed by installing a Softerwater Conditioner to the hydroponic system.

Softening the water in your hydroponic system will cause the water to mix better with the plant nutrients. This will make the nutrients more easily absorbed by the root ball encouraging more feeder roots giving you a healthier plant.

In the example of the Ebb and Flow, Drip, NFT and Aeroponic Systems a water softener can be attached after the pump to soften the water.  Installing a Softerwater Conditioner after the pump will soften the water and give the nutrient solution and water a thorough mix as the solution is recirculated time and time again.

Specific Hard Water Problems

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Hard Water can produce Scale and Limescale build-up in pipes and taps at home

Any tap water comprising higher than normal quantities of minerals (primarily calcium and magnesium) is referred to as hard water. As hard water flows through pipes and fixtures it can leave behind lime and mineral deposits which harden and become almost impossible to remove. We refer to these deposits as scale and Limescale.

Another problem with hard water, in addition to scale and Limescale is the effect it has on cleaners like body wash, soap, dish washing liquid and laundry detergent which do not work as well in hard water. Hard water reduces the effectiveness of these cleaner which means you need to use more in most cleaning applications. It also means a residue sometimes called soap scum or film is left behind on shower screens, bathtubs and on crockery, glass ware and so on.

Here’s a summary list of some of the problems cause by hard water use in your home:

  • Decreased lathering of soaps and detergents which results in using more soaps and detergents to get the required result
  • Lime scale deposits which build up in pipes and taps and can eventually reduce water flow and damage appliances
  • Hard to remove scum lines around baths which are ugly and take a lot of elbow grease to clean
  • Plumbing problems such as blocked or corroding pipes
  • Increased electricity costs which hits you in the wallet
  • Dry itchy skin of eczema irritation

The upshot of hard water however, is that your body needs the minerals for optimum health. So removing the minerals is not necessarily the best option.

Check out our range of Softerwater conditioners to reduce scale and Limescale deposits without removing vital minerals from your drinking water.

Hard Water In The Pool

There are two types of water hardness that can have a negative effect on your swimming pool, pool accessories and the water.

  1. Low calcium hardness. The outcome of low calcium hardness is corrosive water. Signs of low calcium harness are:

    – Any plaster surfaces or grouting around tiles softens and erodes,
    – Any metal equipment and accessories oxidize and rust leaving a stain on the pool’s surfaces which can ultimately lead to a requirement for resurfacing

  2. High calcium hardness. High calcium hardness produces scale on the pool surface and scaling in the pipes, plumbing and filter. If the calcium hardness levels get too high it can lead to dull and cloudy looking water. This typically is a sign that the calcium content of the water is precipitating out into the water rather than onto a surface. High calcium levels in a swimming pool, in addition to creating scale are a major source of aggravation creating sore eyes.

Water hardness problems don’t need to lead to scale and Limescale formation in your swimming pool. Your swimming pool water hardness problems can be fixed with the simple addition of the right Softerwater conditioner from our range. Call or email our office to discuss an effective solution that’s right for you.

What Is Irrigation

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What Is Irrigation?

Whenever water is artificially applied to land for agricultural purposes we call it irrigation. The most effective form of irrigation stimulates every step of the growth process from initial seedbed preparation, seed germination, growth of the root, supply and absorption of nutrients through to the quality and quantity of yield.

Why is irrigation used?

There are dozens of reasons why irrigation is used to farm crops. In general, irrigation allows primary producers to:

  • grow a higher volume and quality of pastures and crops
  • achieve good plant growth during times when access to water would otherwise be limited (due to a deficit in soil moisture)
  • Achieve higher yields and meet market/seasonal demands during periods where rainfall is minimal
  • Lengthen the growing season
  • Time the start of a growing season in years where late rain would cause a late break in the season
  • Provide ‘insurance’ against seasonal variability and drought
  • Increase the volume of animals per hectare with tighter, more consistent pasture supply throughout the season
  • Maximise benefits of fertiliser applications which require “watering in” for best results
  • Increase useable land space by utilising land that would otherwise be considered too dry to farm
  • Capitalise on market incentives given to primary produces for unseasonal production
  • Reduce reliance on additional feeding in grazing operations due to the more reliable supply of feed grown with irrigation

There are 7 primary types of irrigation systems available on the market today

Center-Pivot Sprinkler Systems

  • The center-pivot sprinkler is a self-propelled irrigation system with a single pipeline suspended 2 to 4 meters above ground and connected by a row of rotating towers. The water is distributed in a large circular area via sprinkler nozzles attached to the pipeline as the towers rotate around a pivot point.  The nozzles grade from small to large, with larger nozzles on the outside of the turning circle to maintain an even spread of nutrient distribution across all nozzle points.

Hand-Move Sprinkler Systems

  • Just as the name suggests, the hand move sprinkler system is manually moved to ensure full coverage of the area to be irrigated. A hand-move system is a series of lateral pipelines attached to a mainline which can be either portable or buried. The Hand-move system is most suitable for small, irregular areas requiring irrigation and is typically used for smaller crops as a tall crop makes moving the pipelines difficult. A hand-move irrigation system is the most labour intensive of all irrigation types.

Solid Set / Fixed Sprinkler Systems

  • Solid set /fixed sprinkler systems are typically found in orchards and vineyards and can be installed below the ground or along a wire or some other source of support. The solid set or fixed irrigation systems typically have exposed nozzles which drip or spray nutrients to the plant leaves or to the root ball. Solid-set systems are also widely used on turf and in landscaping.

Travelling Gun Sprinkler Systems

  • The travelling gun system is a large, self-propelled sprinkler system mounted on a moving trailer or wheel. The sprinkler head is fed by a flexible rubber hose. The unit travels in a lane guided by a cable. The system requires high operating pressures as the pressure is used to both force water through the sprinkler to water the ground and to propel the wheel or trailer. 100 psi not uncommon.

Side-roll wheel-move systems

  • The side-roll wheel-move systems use large-diameter wheels astride a pipeline, allowing the line to be rolled as a unit to consecutive positions across the field. The side-roll wheel-move system is not suitable or all crop types as the pipe sits approximately 1 meter above the ground.

Linear or Lateral-move Systems

  • The linear or lateral-move systems are similar to center-pivot systems, with the exception that the lateral line and towers move in a continuous straight path across a rectangular shaped field. Water is supplied to the linear or lateral-move system via a flexible hose attached to the system of or pressurised from a concrete-lined ditch along the field’s edge.

Low-flow Irrigation Systems (these include drip and trickle)

  • The low-flow irrigation systems (including drip and trickle) use narrow-diameter tubes located above or below the soil’s surface. The low-flow system is typically used in orchards, vineyards, or high-valued vegetable crops. Water is supplied frequently but slowly to the soil through small holes or emitters. The emitters receive the nutrient water via a network of main, submain, and lateral lines. The low-flow irrigation system is highly efficient due to the water being dispensed directly to the root zone, which avoids runoff and minimises water loss through evaporation.

The best-fit irrigation system for your operation requires knowledge of equipment, system design, plant species, growth stage, root structure, soil composition, and land formation. Choose an irrigation system that will boost plant growth while minimising associated problems such as salt imbalances, leaf burns, soil erosion, and water loss from evaporation, wind drift, and run-off.

How Do You Know If You Have Hard Water?

Download this 9 point checklist to diagnose if you are affected.