Farm-Size Water Treatment System Produces Better Crops

Farm-Size Water Treatment System Produces Better Crops CROPS New Techniques Tim Renger who farms near Bancroft Iowa says the water treatment system he put together on his farm can produce about 400 gal of mineral-free and neutral pH water per hour that he uses for spraying and fertilizing corn soybeans and alfalfa “I’ve learned over the years that water purity and pH can make a big difference in how well the chemical products will mix and how effectively the plants will uptake that mix ” Renger says A meticulous farmer who looks closely at details that many people would gloss over Renger says their well water is very hard with a high pH and “that’s a combination that doesn’t produce the best results with herbicide and fertilizer applications ” Renger says that hardness minerals like calcium magnesium and iron can quickly attach to the herbicide molecules so the herbicide and water don’t mix properly The higher pH reduces herbicide effectiveness so it takes higher amounts to kill the weeds Renger drew up plans for his system and had his cousin who owns a plumbing and heating business specify and pull the components together Water from the well hydrant goes into a conventional water softener with two regeneration tanks Two tanks were needed so the system has enough capacity for continuous operation After the softener water goes through a large capacity micron filter to remove any additional mineral impurities The next element is a Reo-Pure™ commercial reverse osmosis system that can output up to 400 gal per hour This pressurized system removes salt and other impurities from the water as it passes through a large membrane Output water is 99 9% mineral and salt free with a pH in the high 5’s which is ideal for effectively mixing herbicides and fertilizers for farm crops His Reverse Osmosis RO system mounts on a wood pallet so it’s easy to move inside a heated shed for winter It removes about 99 9 percent of minerals and lowers the pH from the high 7’s to the mid 5’s “With this system we’re creating water that makes the chemicals more effective We can use smaller amounts of chemicals and get the same effectiveness as higher rates We have healthier crops because using less chemicals is better for the growing plants ” Renger says the system operated without a hiccup in 2012 “We have storage for 16 000 gal The system is plumbed directly into the storage tanks and has an automatic shut-off The system cost about $5 000 but Renger figures it will pay for itself in two to three seasons because he uses less chemicals for spraying The softener uses 100 lbs of salt for 3 000 gal of water Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tim Renger 1002 390th St Bancroft Iowa 50517 ph 515 320-3287

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