To prepare the dosing channels for use, complete the following steps:
1. Place the suction hoses into a bucket of fresh water and submerge them
completely.
2. Test the dosing channels by irrigating briefly using the fertigation recipe.
3. Check the water pressure on the venturis (see "Water supply and pressure" on
4. Check for leaks. Rectify any leaks found.
5. Place the suction hoses in the correct fertilizer tank/acid tank.
Please exercise caution when working with acid.
5.6.1
Even fertilizer dosing
Due to differences in viscosity, some fertilizers may flow through the venturi faster
than others. This can cause uneven dosing. This can be prevented by further opening
or closing the needle valves. This ensures that the liquid levels in all dosing channels
are the same and operating at the capacity set (see section "Software configuration"
on page 38). The flow rate can be read using the sight glass in the dosing channel.
Figure 5-1:
Fertilizer dosing
No.
Name
No.
Name
1
Gate valve
2
Sight glass / flow meter
5.7
Testing the FertiMiX
To test the FertiMiX, you can initiate a short irrigation cycle. Please check the
following:
1. Is water being pumped into and out of mixing tank?
2. Is the system pump working without excessive noise?
3. Are fertilizers (and acid) being dosed? You can check this by looking at the sight
glasses on the dosing channels.
4. Are the EC, pH and flow meters showing realistic values?
5. Are the EC and pH setpoints (target values) being achieved?
FertiMiX
47
