Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer proportioners ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and holding several gallons of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that if they had been available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead - heck, I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so 40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .

"Ray" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects
to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price
is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and
holding several gallons of
concentrate.

If it would work at the end of a 100 ft hose fed from my house, then I would
buy one (not for my orchids, but for outdoor beds). I have tried siphon
feeders, but they don't work when a 100 ft hose is attached since the
pressure drop is too large.

--Matt

I actually need one Ray put me on the list. My old one has rusted & it
leaks!!!
Oh yes, have you tried one out? Also as long as it is not a mathematical
challenge?
--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

Ray wrote:
Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer
proportioners ranging from hose-end types to siphons to
Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that
connects to your hose bib, and that feeds at a constant rate no
matter what the flow or back pressure. Price is likely to be less
than $100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to
100:1 and holding several gallons of concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain
that if they had been available before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd
have gone with these instead - heck, I mix 5 gallons of fertilizer
concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so 40%
more often to save $300????

Thanks for your input.

Can to be rigged for a more or less permanent install to PVC?

K Barrett

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer proportioners
ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects
to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price
is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and
holding several gallons of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that if
they had been available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead - heck,
I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so
40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .

Matt,

That is the sort of question I specifically asked, and these particular units function independent
of the pressure and flow.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message ...
"Ray" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects
to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price
is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and
holding several gallons of
concentrate.

If it would work at the end of a 100 ft hose fed from my house, then I would
buy one (not for my orchids, but for outdoor beds). I have tried siphon
feeders, but they don't work when a 100 ft hose is attached since the
pressure drop is too large.

--Matt

Nope, haven't tried one yet. This "market survey" is the step before that...

From the literature I got from the manufacturer, it looks like a simple device - poly tank to which
you add fertilizer and water to form your concentrate, screw on the lid, which has an adjustment
dial and the inlet- and outlet hoses which connect to the coupling device on the spigot, and away
you go.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"wendy7" wrote in message news:UGDhc.26266$ab3.4176@fed1read02...
I actually need one Ray put me on the list. My old one has rusted & it
leaks!!!
Oh yes, have you tried one out? Also as long as it is not a mathematical
challenge?
--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

Ray wrote:
Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer
proportioners ranging from hose-end types to siphons to
Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that
connects to your hose bib, and that feeds at a constant rate no
matter what the flow or back pressure. Price is likely to be less
than $100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to
100:1 and holding several gallons of concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain
that if they had been available before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd
have gone with these instead - heck, I mix 5 gallons of fertilizer
concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so 40%
more often to save $300????

Thanks for your input.

There is apparently an adapter just for that purpose...for an additional $10-$12, of course.

The literature says that the thing isn't supposed to stay under constant pressure. The make bigger,
more expensive units for those installations.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"K Barrett" wrote in message news:iRFhc.12234$GR.1630130@attbi_s01...
Can to be rigged for a more or less permanent install to PVC?

K Barrett

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer proportioners
ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects
to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price
is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and
holding several gallons of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that if
they had been available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead - heck,
I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so
40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .

Matthew Donadio wrote:

"Ray" wrote in message
...


I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects


to your hose bib, and that


feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price


is likely to be less than


$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and


holding several gallons of


concentrate.



If it would work at the end of a 100 ft hose fed from my house, then I would
buy one (not for my orchids, but for outdoor beds). I have tried siphon
feeders, but they don't work when a 100 ft hose is attached since the
pressure drop is too large.



I'm not a fluid dynamicist, nor do I play one on TV, but wouldn't it
work if you hooked up the siphon at the house end of the hose? May be a
bit more difficult to plumb than sticking it on the business end of the
hose, but once the solution is mixed it should stay mixed for the
duration of your 100' run, regardless of pressure drop.

Somebody tell me I'm nuts, and I'll believe you. Seems like a
simple solution though.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit

I'd be interested.

K

"Ray" wrote in message
...
There is apparently an adapter just for that purpose...for an additional
$10-$12, of course.

The literature says that the thing isn't supposed to stay under constant
pressure. The make bigger,
more expensive units for those installations.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:iRFhc.12234$GR.1630130@attbi_s01...
Can to be rigged for a more or less permanent install to PVC?

K Barrett

"Ray" wrote in message
...
Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer
proportioners
ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that
connects
to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure.
Price
is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1
and
holding several gallons of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain
that if
they had been available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead -
heck,
I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing
so
40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 18:29:12 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer proportioners ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects to your hose bib, and that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price is likely to be less than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and holding several gallons of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that if they had been available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead - heck, I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so 40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

Ray, is this system similar to the EZ-Gro (aka EZ-Flo) fertilizer
system found on http://www.mrdrip.com/ezflofert.htm ? I didn't find
the EZ-Gro unit I bought worthwhile. Water is continously added to
the tank as the fertilizer solution is drawn out. The manufacturer
claims that the added water floats on top the heavier fertilizer
solution, but that is clearly only a short term effect so the
fertilizer solution is diluted over time. Also, I found that the
output concentration (measured by a TDS meter) spiked upwards 3-4x
when the flow was stopped / started.

deg

Rob Halgren wrote in message ...
I'm not a fluid dynamicist, nor do I play one on TV, but wouldn't
[a siphon feeder]
work if you hooked up the siphon at the house end of the hose? May be a
bit more difficult to plumb than sticking it on the business end of the
hose, but once the solution is mixed it should stay mixed for the
duration of your 100' run, regardless of pressure drop.

I have tried it with a Hozon siphon feeder attached to the hose-bib on
the house, and then a 100' hose attached to it, and this doesn't work
well. The problem is that siphon feeders work using Bernoulli's
principle (similar mixing fuel and air in a carburetor). A longer
hose attached to the feeder means there is more fluid drag which
results in pressure loss / velocity loss. As a result, the Bernoulli
effect is less pronounced, and less or no fertilizer concentrate gets
sucked into the stream.

--Matt

Interesting, Dewitt. The unit is very similar to the EZ-Gro, but I'd certainly want to test one
before going ahead.

Thanks for the warning.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Dewitt" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 18:29:12 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer proportioners ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that connects to your hose bib, and
that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure. Price is likely to be less
than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and holding several gallons
of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that if they had been
available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead - heck, I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing so 40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

Ray, is this system similar to the EZ-Gro (aka EZ-Flo) fertilizer
system found on http://www.mrdrip.com/ezflofert.htm ? I didn't find
the EZ-Gro unit I bought worthwhile. Water is continously added to
the tank as the fertilizer solution is drawn out. The manufacturer
claims that the added water floats on top the heavier fertilizer
solution, but that is clearly only a short term effect so the
fertilizer solution is diluted over time. Also, I found that the
output concentration (measured by a TDS meter) spiked upwards 3-4x
when the flow was stopped / started.

deg

"Ray" wrote in message
...
That is the sort of question I specifically asked, and these particular
units function independent
of the pressure and flow.

If this is true, and you gave it your seal of approval, then I would
probably be interested in one.

--Matt

Let me know how this turns out. Could be a draw back!

K
"Ray" wrote in message
...
Interesting, Dewitt. The unit is very similar to the EZ-Gro, but I'd
certainly want to test one
before going ahead.

Thanks for the warning.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

. . . . . . . . . . .
"Dewitt" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 18:29:12 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

Question for the gang:

We've often discussed and debated the utility of fertilizer
proportioners ranging from hose-end
types to siphons to Dosatrons/Dose-matics.

I have an opportunity to begin carrying a tank-type device that
connects to your hose bib, and
that
feeds at a constant rate no matter what the flow or back pressure.
Price is likely to be less
than
$100 for a unit capable of feeding at an adjustable 1000:1 to 100:1 and
holding several gallons
of
concentrate.

Do you think there would be a value in them? I feel quite certain that
if they had been
available
before I bought my dosing pumps, I'd have gone with these instead -
heck, I mix 5 gallons of
fertilizer concentrate for a 100:1 pump now, you think I'd mind doing
so 40% more often to save
$300????

Thanks for your input.

Ray, is this system similar to the EZ-Gro (aka EZ-Flo) fertilizer
system found on http://www.mrdrip.com/ezflofert.htm ? I didn't find
the EZ-Gro unit I bought worthwhile. Water is continously added to
the tank as the fertilizer solution is drawn out. The manufacturer
claims that the added water floats on top the heavier fertilizer
solution, but that is clearly only a short term effect so the
fertilizer solution is diluted over time. Also, I found that the
output concentration (measured by a TDS meter) spiked upwards 3-4x
when the flow was stopped / started.

deg

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:iRFhc.12234$GR.1630130@attbi_s01...
Can to be rigged for a more or less permanent install to PVC?

Most stores with a good supply of brass plumbing fittings should have
hose-thread to pipe-thread couplers. Home Depot should have them (I have
bought them there before). If you spend some some in the plumbing aisle,
you can pretty much figure out a way to connect anything to anything else,
and build in a shut-off while you're at it.

--Matt