Irrigation Solutions for Your Greenhouse Consists of Everything Involved in Bringing the Water From Your Water Source to Your Plants
Whether it is drip irrigation, overhead sprinklers or ebb and flood, the sizing of pipes, pumps and valves is important to ensure you can get an adequate and even amount of water to all of your plants.
Depending on the size of the crop, the irrigation cycle could be simple, or it could progress through a series of zones controlled by automatic solenoid valves.
Drip Irrigation | Overhead Sprinklers | Preassembled Drippers
Storm Water SolutionsIt is a given that water recycling is an essential procedure required in the Australian agricultural and horticultural industries. The National Water Initiative (NWI) has been established as Australia’s enduring blueprint for water reform. Through this initiative, governments across Australia have agreed on actions to achieve a more cohesive and national approach to the way Australia manages, measures, plans for, prices and trades water. In short, if you are not already recycling water, it is guaranteed that this procedure will be enforced within the not too distant future. Irribiz represents a shared commitment by governments to increase the efficiency of Australia’s water use, leading to greater certainty for investment and productivity for rural and urban communities and for the environment. Introduced below is a sample of some of our strategies and tools, which shows how we are currently supporting the industry regarding this issue.
Storm Water Recycling
In rain events, water is collected in the roof gutters where it runs to one or both gable ends of the greenhouse. Here, large pipelines are installed to take the water to the appropriate dam. The storm water system must be designed to cater for a typical rain event that is likely to happen in the specific area.
Priva Neutraliser pH StabiliserHigh levels of bicarbonate can make it difficult to adjust the pH level to the desired value, especially when using borehole or surface water. The Priva Neutraliser pre-treats your source water, reducing bicarbonate levels and facilitating a stable pH level.
The Importance of Controlling the pH LevelEach crop has a pH level at which it performs best. Maintaining the right pH level is not only essential for the optimal intake of nutrients to prevent deficiencies and diseases, but also to ensure excellent plant quality.
- A stable pH level from the fertiliser unit down to the plant roots
- Less blockage of drippers thanks to reduced bicarbonate levels
- Improved growth, flavour and vitality of your crop
- Applicable for all kinds of water sources
- Water and urban water sources can all contain high levesl of bicarbonate
Filtration Solutions
If you are making use of storm, dam, bore, recycled or drain water, it will need processing prior to being pressurised for use in the greenhouse.
Irribiz has a long history in water treatment – from field irrigation to our speciality of protected cropping applications. We are the company you want working with you when it comes to preparing the cleanest water possible for your applications.
Disc Filtration
Media Filtration
Screen Filtration
Clarification Systems
Water Polishing
Gutter Drain Solutions
Taking the water away from the greenhouse and back to your recycling centre is an important system within itself. Depending on the lay of the land, different systems can be incorporated to move the water out of the greenhouse and back to your holding tanks for later use.
Our systems can be customised, but they usually consist of a sump pump system that picks up the gutter drain and pumps it back to the holding tanks. This can incorporate pH, EC and volume.
Custom Drainage Solutions and Recycling
Growing crops in a soil-less substrate can be wasteful in terms of water, fertiliser and therefore return on investment because in order to properly flush the substrate, it is necessary to apply 30%-50% more water than the evapo-transpiration rate (plant requirements).
In saying this, it is possible to collect this water and be able to recycle it through the rest of the greenhouse, however to do this we need to develop the collection points specific for your greenhouse.
Recycling options offer several advantages: significant water and fertiliser savings (50%-70%), enhanced quality yields (as the result of increasing water applications), improved availability of nutrients and more efficient flushing, which reduces ground water contamination and ecological damage in agronomic regions.
Irribiz has invested in solutions for various gutter types and therefore can provide a positive outcome to allow the maximum benefit from your limited resources.
Disinfection Systems
Do you want to reuse your drain water? Maximising the usage of resources is key to efficiency and environmental responsibility. For this reason, we have several systems that provide disinfection to drain water. Disinfection of your drain water will reduce pathogen transfer between plants and neutralise micro-organisms that may damage your crop.
Fertigation Systems
Your greenhouse is unique, and as a result so are your plants. How they grow changes, and you need to be able to adapt and make specific changes to their nutrient application. Our range of fertigation systems allow for accurate and reliable dosing that you can keep control of 24/7. Keep your plants strong and healthy with a fertigation system by Irribiz.
Water Storage
Based on professional growers' needs, high quality water storage is essential to day-to-day operations in the greenhouse. Reliable source water and storage solutions are fundamental to growers,yet often hastily undertaken. Irribiz provides high quality solutions – from long lasting EPDM products to lined tanks.
Water Monitoring for your Substrates (WC, EC and Temp.)
Based on the professional growers’ needs for higher accuracy and reliability in monitoring water content (WC), electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature in substrates – Irribiz source and work closely with manufacturers of high quality systems.
We can help you monitor your substrate to ensure essential information you receive is up to date, easy to obtain and reliable to provide optimum return on investment of the equipment and your ongoing crop. One of the big advantages to automating this process is the ease of controlling the consistency of delivery across your greenhouse when it is linked to climate and irrigation automation systems.
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Reducing Algae in your Water SupplyThe algae in your water storage are microscopic organisms that fall into several categories, including one that is actually a bacteria – blue/green algae. There are several different methods of removing and preventing algae build up. Aqua-HortAqua-Hort applies supercharged copper ions and an electromagnetic treatment to the nutrient water. The positively charged copper ions unite with any negatively charged surrounding particles, including spores and organic matter. The positive side effect of these charged ions is the control of bacteria, algae and fungal spores. Before Aqua-Hort, a controlled supply of copper ions was difficult, because copper binds easily before it gets to the rootzone or water supply. Now with Aqua-Hort a regulated supply of copper ions is achieved at the exact time of watering. The amount of copper released is within the ‘normal’ fertiliser standard of less than 5 ppm.
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Fungal disease treatment
Canker disease treatment
Bacterial disease treatment
Blossom end rot treatment
Water-borne E.coli treatment
Reduced algae
White, strong healthy roots and vigorous plants
Operates under a wide range of water conditions
Free copper ions available for plants
Proven to increase calcium uptake
Very low total treatment costs vs other options such as chemical sprays
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How Aqua-Hort Systems WorkAqua-Hort systems implement a controlled electrolytic fertilisation of copper and an electromagnetic water treatment to nutrition water. Danish State Research Station, Aarslev, has contributed to the basic ideas and principles behind the operation and construction of Aqua-Hort systems. Copper ions produced by the Aqua-Hort system are highly charged and easily united with negatively charged particles, such as fungal spores and organic particles. The positive side effect of these charged ions is the control of bacteria, algae and fungal spores. The electromagnetic treatment increases the effectiveness of the copper ions on pathogens. It has been known for a long time that a controlled level of copper ions in the water supply can considerably contribute to the prevention of fungal attacks – especially Pythium and Phytophthora. These two destructive fungi form zoospores that are spread in watery environments. Laboratory studies show that the zoospores are killed instantly when exposed to Aqua-Hort treated water. The bacteria Xanthomonas, Agrobacterium, Ralstonia, Erwinia and Clavibacter are also killed when exposed for 2-4 hours with Aqua-Hort treated water. Aqua-Hort produces a controlled and regulated supply of copper ions at the moment of watering. The amount released is within “normal” fertiliser standards and adjusts automatically based on varying flow rates and water EC. The Aqua-Hort system consists of a control box, flow meter, electromagnetic treatment pipe and four sets of electrodes with copper rods or plates for the controlled release of copper. Polarity switching ensures that the copper rods of each electrode are evenly used up. The flow meter also allows for the automatic adjustment for variations in flow.
See also: Reducing Phytophthora in Berry Crops With Aqua Hort
Aqua-Hort Product Models
Mini Mini 50mm 3 m3/h
Mini 75mm 10 m3/h 25 amp
Standard 90mm 30 m3/h 65 amp
Tank 400mm 80 m3/h 200 amp
Boat 200 m3/h 400 amp
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