New fertilizer tank for $15

[Josh]

Hi all,
Just thought I would show my new fertilizer tank. I usually just fill the watering cans be it takes ages and I get bored so I don't fertilize as often as I should. I was up at my parents place in Echuca and went to the tip shop. I found this old pool filter and they wanted $5 for it. I cut the top off to make it easier to work with. I removed the guts which left a 1 1/4 hole in the base. $10 worth of fittings plus a couple I had lying around at home and I now have a fertilizer tank. I smelt of chlorine so gave it a really good wash with detergent. I will mark the inside to certain levels and have the required liquid fert for each level depending on how trees I fertilizing and which liquid fert I'm using.
I can mix a whole batch at once making it easier. Later on I might find a small pump to attach to it. So far works well, I open the tap just enough to give me time to empty one can while the other is filling, makes fertilizing easy.

IMG_4140.JPG

[kcpoole]

I have a 60 L drum that i use to mix mine in.
Just dip the watering can in till its all used up

Ken

[AnneK]

I have a 60 L drum that i use to mix mine in.
Just dip the watering can in till its all used up

Ken

Hi Kenn,

I don't know where I got this restraining idea from: but I seem to think that "fert" goes off once mixed and has to be used fairly quickly. Can anybody addd to this?

Regards, AnneK.

[Josh]

I have a 60 L drum that i use to mix mine in.
Just dip the watering can in till its all used up

Ken

Ken, This would hold 60 ltrs. It's the larger of pool filters. I put one can under and fill while I'll empty the other. I was trying to work out if I could plumb it into my watering system to folier feed when needed. That might be a bit complicated though.

I have a 60 L drum that i use to mix mine in.
Just dip the watering can in till its all used up

Ken

Hi Kenn,

I don't know where I got this restraining idea from: but I seem to think that "fert" goes off once mixed and has to be used fairly quickly. Can anybody addd to this?

Regards, AnneK.

Yes Anne, fert should be used fairly quickly although with the number of trees ken has I don't think 60 ltrs would last long.

Josh.

[shibui]

I don't see any reason why fertiliser needs to be used soon after mixing. The nutrients in it don't evaporate or go off as far as I am aware. It may grow some algae if stored for long periods but even so, the nutrients are still there, just changed to a different form and if you put it on the plants the algae will eventually break down and release the nutrients again.
My worm juice and compost liquid is often stored for many months. It might lose a little N through evaporation but still seems to be effective even after being stored for months at a time.

Some herbicides do have warnings to use them the same day they are mixed but I've never seen it mentioned for fert.

[Drac0]

I don't see any reason why fertiliser needs to be used soon after mixing. The nutrients in it don't evaporate or go off as far as I am aware. It may grow some algae if stored for long periods but even so, the nutrients are still there, just changed to a different form and if you put it on the plants the algae will eventually break down and release the nutrients again.
My worm juice and compost liquid is often stored for many months. It might lose a little N through evaporation but still seems to be effective even after being stored for months at a time.

Some herbicides do have warnings to use them the same day they are mixed but I've never seen it mentioned for fert.

Most liquid ferts concentrates do say they need to be used within 24 hours.

How do you store your worm juice? One of the biggest benefits of worm juice is the bacterial activity it introduces to the soil, helping plants with the uptake of nutrients. Storing it in sealed containers deprives the bacteria of oxygen thereby killing them. While the base nutrients, which are usually pretty low anyway, may (or may not) still be present, you have lost one of its biggest advantages. I just keep feeding my worm juice back through the system until needed.

Cheers

[Josh]

I don't see any reason why fertiliser needs to be used soon after mixing. The nutrients in it don't evaporate or go off as far as I am aware. It may grow some algae if stored for long periods but even so, the nutrients are still there, just changed to a different form and if you put it on the plants the algae will eventually break down and release the nutrients again.
My worm juice and compost liquid is often stored for many months. It might lose a little N through evaporation but still seems to be effective even after being stored for months at a time.

Some herbicides do have warnings to use them the same day they are mixed but I've never seen it mentioned for fert.

Most liquid ferts concentrates do say they need to be used within 24 hours.

How do you store your worm juice? One of the biggest benefits of worm juice is the bacterial activity it introduces to the soil, helping plants with the uptake of nutrients. Storing it in sealed containers deprives the bacteria of oxygen thereby killing them. While the base nutrients, which are usually pretty low anyway, may (or may not) still be present, you have lost one of its biggest advantages. I just keep feeding my worm juice back through the system until needed.

Cheers

My understanding is the uv rays begin to break down the fert after a while. Might be different if its sealed but my tank is open. Doesn't really make any difference to me cause I only mix what I need and use straight away. I know roughly how many trees a can does and mix accordingly.

Josh.

[kcpoole]

I have a 60 L drum that i use to mix mine in.
Just dip the watering can in till its all used up

Ken

Hi Kenn,

I don't know where I got this restraining idea from: but I seem to think that "fert" goes off once mixed and has to be used fairly quickly. Can anybody addd to this?

Regards, AnneK.

Does not last long enought to "go off"
I mix up a batch on Sundays usually, then water all trees aboum 10 am. 60 L does all of my trees in one go.

Ken

[lackhand]

Why use watering cans when you have a huge container like this?

http://bonsaial.wordpress.com/2014/03/1 ... ing-sucks/

I've been thinking about doing this myself, seems like it would save lots of time. My watering can might get lonely, but I think I could live with that.

[Elmar]

Why use watering cans when you have a huge container like this?

http://bonsaial.wordpress.com/2014/03/1 ... ing-sucks/

I've been thinking about doing this myself, seems like it would save lots of time. My watering can might get lonely, but I think I could live with that.

G'Day Lackhand,
this looks like what I used at a Vineyard to fertilise the fruit trees and Water melons … just smaller… does this use the 'suction' from the running tap to draw up the fertiliser and then mixes it into the reticulation system?!

[Neli]

I just use a 220 liters plastic drum which I put up next to my water tank which is 6m high. I have a borehole.
I fill it with water from my koi pond.I suspect it has lots of goodies. I add to it some acid fertilizer, (organic and inorganic mix)(125ml...I dont know how much to put but I guess if added every day should be OK) plus muriatic acid 125ml since my water is very hard and PH is 8.5. This has to be done every day.
During growing season I add also sea/kelp liquid fertilizer.
Foes anyone know how to calculate using percentages...how much fertilizer to add daily to the water...or maybe I should do it less...like twice a week???

[lackhand]

Why use watering cans when you have a huge container like this?

http://bonsaial.wordpress.com/2014/03/1 ... ing-sucks/

I've been thinking about doing this myself, seems like it would save lots of time. My watering can might get lonely, but I think I could live with that.

G'Day Lackhand,
this looks like what I used at a Vineyard to fertilise the fruit trees and Water melons … just smaller… does this use the 'suction' from the running tap to draw up the fertiliser and then mixes it into the reticulation system?!

From my understanding, yes that's how it works. Sucks up the fertilizer as you water. Looks pretty affordable and it would definitely be much faster.

[Josh]

Why use watering cans when you have a huge container like this?

http://bonsaial.wordpress.com/2014/03/1 ... ing-sucks/

I've been thinking about doing this myself, seems like it would save lots of time. My watering can might get lonely, but I think I could live with that.

G'Day Lackhand,
this looks like what I used at a Vineyard to fertilise the fruit trees and Water melons … just smaller… does this use the 'suction' from the running tap to draw up the fertiliser and then mixes it into the reticulation system?!

From my understanding, yes that's how it works. Sucks up the fertilizer as you water. Looks pretty affordable and it would definitely be much faster.

I see you wasting a lot of fert with this unit. If your watering with over head sprinklers then there is a lot of waste going on the ground. The other thing is I don't fertilise all the trees the same. I have freshly potted trees so no fert. Banksias so half strength till they build up to full strength. Some trees that are heavy feeders get a more regular feed while others are every second week. The other thing I like about watering by hand is you get to see each tree and see if the may be a problem before it becomes an issue. Just my

Josh.

[lackhand]

I see you wasting a lot of fert with this unit. If your watering with over head sprinklers then there is a lot of waste going on the ground. The other thing is I don't fertilise all the trees the same. I have freshly potted trees so no fert. Banksias so half strength till they build up to full strength. Some trees that are heavy feeders get a more regular feed while others are every second week. The other thing I like about watering by hand is you get to see each tree and see if the may be a problem before it becomes an issue. Just my

Josh.

All good points, Josh, and things that need to be considered. For me, I still water by hand every day with a wand, so this would be something that I only used once a week or so and not daily. My sprinkler system only kicks in for really hot afternoons, and is run from a separate water source, so no problems with that.

Ultimately, it comes down to what works for each person and their collection. Mine is still small enough that using something like this once a week would make it much easier, and I would still be able to monitor and control which trees get certain amounts of fert. Anything to make caring for trees easier is good in my book, but like you said, depends on your collection and setup. It may not save work, and could cause trouble if not used properly.

At any rate, your new tank looks pretty sweet, and should save some work however you end up using it.

[cre8ivbonsai]

Hi Josh so reading between the lines being open top, is this designed to batch mix and use straight away filling a watering can, looks to be about 40lt ? So three to four refills saves mixing 4 seperate batches