# Drip wall problems



## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm having big problems with my Epiweb drip wall. I've tried several pumps, but since the tubes are very thin (6 mm inner diameter) the flow is still really low at the top of the wall. It would be sufficient for keeping the wall moist, but I've found it difficult to distribute across the wall because of the low flow. If I use a normal drilled tube then only the holes closest to the inlet have a flow. I could of course try to change the diameter of the holes along the tube, but I'm pretty sure it would be difficult to get it stable.

Now I'm thinking if there is a way to wick the water across the wall, for example by siliconing towels (I mean the type you use in the kitchen, I don't know the word) across the wall and then attach my Epiweb panels to that. Would it work? Anyone who has had a similar issue and solved it somehow? I'm rather lost here, so very thankful for any help


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

How about adding drip emitters every inch or so instead of drilled holes? You could change out pipe for tubing and then add these (should link to picture below) 

Rainbird 1 GPH Drip Emitter-Pressure Compensating (Qty 10)


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

Hmm, I've never heard of them before. How do they work? Can they function with very low water pressure?


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

They do, they are may for low flow plant irrigation. I have played around with them both indoor and outdoors in my garden and work very well. I have found that using a smaller pump (this one for the size I used) Also the drip emitters come in varying gallon per minute drip - typically from 1g to 3g per hour. 

Amazon.com: Sunterra 104506 Table Top Fountain Pump 30 GPH, Black: Patio, Lawn & Garden

I used 1/2 black tubing and you punch holes in the tubing and press the emitters in the hole in the tubing (you really have to press hard but they eventually pop in). I used this to make round holes:

Amazon.com: Drip Irrigation Standard Tubing Hole Punch: Patio, Lawn & Garden

I added 8 to the tube I was playing with, put the pump on it's lowest setting and the drip was constant our of each emitter in the line (space about 1 inch apart over 12 inches or so. 

I found the emitters and hole cutter at my local DYI hardware store, they can also be found at hydroponic stores. 

They also make this type which is adjustable: Amazon.com: Drip Irrigation 360 Degree Adjustable Dripper on 1/4" Barb (Pack of 10): Patio, Lawn & Garden

or this: which is similar but used one per line at the end (1/4 tubing) and regulate the flow: Amazon.com: Orbit 67101 10-Count Inline Multi-Stream Emitter: Patio, Lawn & Garden

This is the set up that I finally settled on for a new tank I am setting up, I wanted more then a drip but not a full flow: 










they look huge in the picture but it is actually just a close up shot the entire "head" is only about 1.5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. This is the unit that attaches to the pump I listed above. The tank I will be using it in is 24 inches tall and the pump is strong enough to push the water up the high - I actually needed to adjust the emitters quite a bit to slow the flow down.

I hope that helps and not overkill on the links!


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

Now that I think about your idea - do you mean Sponge like this:






Interesting idea (if that is what you were thinking of...) so the sponge would fill up with water and then drip from all over the sponge once it was saturated (or full).

Hmmm.... something to think about


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

Oops, one more link that might help with the set up so you can see the process 






Also, the links are just random links to show pictures of what I referenced.


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks a lot! I looked into drop emitters and I think my pressure it too low. It's basically almost a trickle even without anything connected. It says that most drip irrigation systems are designed for 1-3 bars of pressure, which is far more. Or do you think it will work anyways? However, I found that the same shops also sell soaker hoses (Soaker hose offers water saving root irrigation solutions with the use of perforated hosepipe instead of sprinkler syste for example). Has anyone tried that? Seems to me that it might work even with low pressure.


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

I'm not an expert  but sounds like you do need a pump that is a bit bigger. How high is your tank and what type of pump are you using now?

On the soaker hose, I have one in my back yard and I need every bit of water pressure from my faucet to get water to flow out of it. I don't think it is a cheap hose either, I bought it this year and it is only 25ft long and by the time you get to the end of the hose there is hardly a tiny trickle coming out of it. Mostly it is just wet. I would think that you would need a much bigger pump to be able to use a soaker hose but I have never tried one other then using it in my back yard.

I wonder if you go back to your original thought and cover (or wrap) your pipe in sponge, if that would give you the same results?


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

I have a really big pump, 3000 l/h and 3 m over head. The problem is that the tubing is too narrow, and I can't replace it since it's embedded. This pump is 66W and it would feel a bit silly to go above that I think.

I went to the hardware store today and checked out a soaker hose, and I agree that it seems like it would need much larger pressure. I will try wrapping a tube in sponge and see how it works. 

Damn me and my poor hydrodynamics skills


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

What you need are some of the things used for hydroponics like Drip Irrigation | Dripworks | Drip Emitters Basic & Pressure Compensating or Drip Irrigation | Dripworks | T-Tape (Drip Tape) 

Ed


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks, but that was suggested in an earlier post and I'm pretty sure that the pressure will be too low. Most such systems are designed for >0.5 bar.


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## Duff (Aug 4, 2011)

Hi Rasmus, I'd be curious to hear how the sponge wrapped tube works out. My hydrodymanic skills need help a well but you just never know- you may have found the perfect solution with the sponge  Good luck!


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I think your going to have problems with the sponge as it becomes colonized by bacteria, algae, mosses etc, your going to see a severe reduction in water flow. There are a couple of possible solutions, one is to resize the pump,... the second is to use a new piece of pipe and redrill it... at the end closest to the pump, drill the smallest holes that will still allow water to flow and slowly scale up the size as you move away from the pump. Playing with placement of the holes in the side of the tubing can also help, since for example if you place them a little higher at the end closest to the pump (assuming your getting enough flow to fill the pipe at least partially at that end) you can also change the pressure required to get water to flow. 

Personally, if your having this much trouble already you need to resize the pump to get enough pressue. 

As another personal comment, having worked with these sorts of parts of exhibits for a long time, they are really a pain in the neck as plant, algal, or moss growth tends to plug the drip holes requiring one to get into the area and clean the exit holes (only to have them seal again)...... 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

I think that a sponge solution would be less sensitive to growth/debris than drilled holes. Also, it is not an issue if the flow changes, if so I could just run the pump for longer. It's the very uneven flow that I'm worried about. I've also thought along the lines of cleverly placed holes of different diameter, but I don't think I can make it work. I've tried pumps from 1 m over head to 3 m and the difference in flow is rather small. I think that the tubing is just too narrow, and any increase in pump capacity is negated by the increased resistance. I'm already using one of the largest aquarium pumps commonly available.

The best solution for me, if I was a bit more patient, would be to buy a 3 bar diaphragm pump and then use drip emitters like was suggested before. But that would cost me some money and I don't want to wait for shipping so I'll give the sponge approach a shot. While at the same time preparing for a failure pretty soon


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

When the pores in the sponge become clogged with biologics, then water isn't going to pass through them readily... This is easily seen if you've ever worked with a sponge prefilter... Once the sponge becomes clogged water flow becomes greatly reduced..... 

Some comments 

Ed


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## Blue_Pumilio (Feb 22, 2009)

I always just used a 1/2 PVC pie with holes drilled in it and kept horizontal. Cap the ends.


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

Ok, so this is what I did. Don't know if it will work yet. I figured that because of the low water pressure the tubes have to be open to atmospheric pressure. So I took a large diameter tube and cut out the upper third or so.









If I position this with the opening upwards it will fill with water. Then I sew these very absorbent wash cloths to the tube. They will wick water out of the tube and get soaking wet. The dripping from them is rather uniform. 









I'm now siliconing them to the wall and then siliconing the epiweb to them. At the very least I know that this solution will be resistant to debris plugging any holes, and that I can get the cloth wet, which might be enough for some plants, even if the transfer to the epiweb fails.


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

the cloth will eventually rot...


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

It's plastic, so it should do fine I think


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## spyder 1.0 (Aug 27, 2012)

I was/am thinking of trying the same method but with hygrolon in the back and epiweb in the front for my false tree bark, but don't you think the transfer of water or moisture will be minimum given the affinity differences for water of the two materials?


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## Rasmus (Sep 13, 2011)

I gave it a try and then gave up on it just because of those reasons. Just a warning to others


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