Pump pressure issues

13 years ago

I'm using a Rio 3100 HP pump to feed my system. There are 11 bato buckets and all fed off a 1/2 inch pipe with tees and shut off valves for each. They reduce down to a 1/4" mini tube about 2 feet from the buckets. I wanted to make circular rings with drilled holes but the pressure is pretty bad, almost no flow. I was thinking to make more uniform pressure I could mount a 5 gallon bucket at the ceiling and pump into it with an overflow returning to the sump and feed the distribution manifold with a line from the bottom of the bucket. I would then get about 3 psi of pressure from the head. Has anyone done this or have any suggestions? Even my Little Giant pump is having trouble on the system right behind this one and its a bigger pump, much more powerful.

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Comments (4)

ricksindoorgarden
Original Author
13 years ago
These are the drip distributors I made, I started with 1/16" holes then upped the size to 1/8" (about 15 holes in each) but the flow is barely a drip.
ricksindoorgarden
Original Author
13 years ago
These are the drip distributors I made, I started with 1/16" holes then upped the size to 1/8" (about 15 holes in each) but the flow is barely a drip.

{{!gwi}}
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cole_robbie
13 years ago
Those remind me of dribble rings. I put a link to them below.

Mag drive pumps just aren't designed to make pressure, nor is any transfer pump. Obviously they make a little to do their job, but it's not much. A pump that makes pressure will have a psi rating, like a well pump. There are also a lot of cheap DC pumps that make pressure for RV water systems.

I would swap out the pump for one that made pressure. You'll want to use manufactured emitters that will deliver a specific GPM at their working pressure.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dribble Rings
hex2006
13 years ago
With six to eight 30psi 3gph emitters per bucket, the Aquatec 5503-AEE-B656 (120v) $134 or 5503-AEE-B636 (12v dc) $109 would do the trick. Run for 5 minutes every 3 hours.