Rivulis Drip Guide Book 4 20230209 Eng-Webversion

THE
RIVULIS
DRIP GUIDE
4
MAINTENANCE
GROW
BEYOND
www.rivulis.com
THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE
DISCLAIMERS
This booklet, the information and recommendations included therein regarding your choice and operation of Rivulis products,
including the applicable Rivulis drip irrigation system, and regarding other farming related procedures (the “booklet”) are
designed and rendered for information purposes only and to the best of Rivulis’ knowledge and experience. The content is
provided for the purpose of offering an introductory overview of drip irrigation and related agricultural issues. It is therefore not
an exhaustive guide, and this booklet should be used in conjunction with other sources.
Rivulis has used commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that its own product information, including data sheets, schematics,
manuals and brochures are correct in all material respects. That being said, any information should be verified before making any
decisions and all information in this booklet is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of any kind either
express or implied. For the sake of clarity, the booklet includes public information and other materials provided by third parties
which Rivulis has not independently verified; all of which is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of
any kind either express or implied.
Except for the specific product warranties, available from the local Rivulis office of your area, Rivulis hereby disclaims all
warranties, express or implied, including without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, reliability, title, fitness for a
particular purpose, and non-infringement. Applicable law may not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so to that extent,
such exclusions may not apply.
Please note further that in light of the numerous variances of every farm, growth, climate, regional differences, etc., the booklet
cannot be deemed as an exhaustive guide of every consideration that must be considered when choosing the suitable product
for you and when taking other farming related decisions included in the booklet. As always, you should consult with a local
irrigation consultant for your specific needs.
As some of our products are not available in all regions, please contact your local authorized Rivulis dealer for additional details
and irrigation solutions. Rivulis reserves the right to change, edit and/or modify the booklet from time to time, as well as any of
its products’ specifications and designs without any notice.
Please note that all applicable safety regulations and means must be applied when using, storing, installing, operating,
maintaining, and troubleshooting of Rivulis products, their components and any other product or equipment referenced within
this booklet. Without derogating from the generality of the aforesaid, at any installation, use, maintenance and troubleshooting
of any of Rivulis products you and any of your employees, affiliates and partners must implement strict safety procedures
regarding, inter alia, electricity, machinery and the use of hazardous materials.
Some chemicals and fertilizers mentioned in this booklet are dangerous and their use is subject to local laws/regulations. To
learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required safety means related to such materials – refer to the safety
data sheets of such materials.
Any information provided by Rivulis in this booklet about the chemical or fertilizer treatment or chemical materials (including
safety information and handling recommendations), is provided as a general service only. Rivulis is not a treatment material or
fertilizer manufacturer and cannot guarantee that this information is sufficient, complete or accurate and cannot notify you in
case of changes in any handling guidelines. Therefore, prior to use, you must carefully learn about the hazards related to and the
safe performance and use of such treatments and materials, including by reading the relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS),
and consult with applicable professionals. Using such materials is at your own risk.
All guidelines mentioned in the booklet regarding the use of such materials are subordinate to the instructions of the
manufacturer of such materials and to applicable safety and environment laws.
As Rivulis only manufactures irrigation products, descriptions, guidelines, and recommendations included in this booklet, not
specifically linked to the use of its products, including ones related to chemical treatments, fertilization, salinity management,
etc, are provided to you as a general service only. Rivulis cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy, and sufficiency of such
information and therefore does not guarantee and will not be responsible, for any yield results, crop loss, equipment loss, etc.
resulted from using this information. You solely bear the responsibility of using this information and for handling your farm and
soil.
There are hazards associated with working with farm and irrigation equipment. The user must comply with all relevant safety
measures of all equipment and materials. For example, protective clothing, shoes, and eye protection must be used as required.
Electrical installations must only be made by licensed professionals and according to local laws and regulations.
This booklet may be translated into various languages. However, in the case of doubt or variance, the English version prevails.
Rivulis reserves all intellectual property to this booklet. No part of this booklet may be reproduced without the prior written
permission of Rivulis.
2 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

MAINTENANCE
The complete set

This book is one of four books written to help you to get the most out of your irrigation system.
Download the books and view our interactive knowledge hub at:
www.rivulis.com/knowledgehub, or scan the QR code:
Introduction to drip irrigation Overview of drip irrigation Design Maintenance

systems & components – Installation
The 6 key considerations in from water source to emitter Startup
developing your irrigation system
Edition: February 2023

© 2023, Rivulis Irrigation Ltd, all rights reserved.
Reproduction, duplication, sale or rent of this booklet in any form is prohibited without the written consent of Rivulis
Irrigation Ltd.
RIVULIS and other marks, logos, branding features and service marks used and displayed in this guide are trademarks,
registered and unregistered, of Rivulis Irrigation Ltd.
Written by Matt Clift

Photography coordination and additional content by Romeo Dragan.
Many thanks to Eyal Ben-David, Rafi Golan, Zvika Golan, Avishai Schneider, and the extended team involved in the
development of the Rivulis Drip Guides. The author also wishes to acknowledge legacy company information which
served as additional source material for this guide.
MAINTENANCE 3
CONTENTS
Maintenance 8
The big nine 9
Number 1. Good filtration 11

Maintenance – hydrocyclone filters 18
Maintenance – manual and semi-automatic filters (screen and disc) 19
Maintenance – automatic screen filters 20
Maintenance – media filtration 26
Maintenance – disc filters 31
Number 2. Correct operation pressure 42

Pressure gauge locations 44
Reading pressure levels 45
Pressure regulating valves 46
Key take aways – pressure 46
Number 3. Correct flow rate 47

Reading flow rate measurements 49
Key take aways – flow rates 50

MAINTENANCE
Number 4. Flushing regime 51

When and what to flush 55
How to flush 59
Number 5. Chemical treatment 61

Chemical treatments 62
A note regarding time 63
Acid treatment 64
Types of acids 64
Acid handling guidelines 65
Material sensitivity to acid 65
How to calculate the concentration of acid required 66
How to calculate the total acid injection quantity
according to the injection period 67
How to apply acid 70
Oxidation (chlorine/peroxide) treatment 72
Important oxidizing treatment guidelines 73
MAINTENANCE 5
CONTENTS
Active chlorine and peroxide test kits 74

Continuous/periodic injection regimes 75
Chlorine 76
How to calculate the total chlorine injection
quantity for the injection period 77
Hydrogen peroxide 83
How to apply oxidation treatments 88
Number 6. Leakage and clogging prevention 90

Leak monitoring 91
Leak cause – insect damage 92
Leak cause – rodent damage 93
Leak cause – magnifying glass effect 94
Leak cause – damage during installation 95
Clogging cause – root intrusion 96
Clogging cause – soil ingestion 98
Clogging cause – precipitation 99
Clogging cause – poor quality filtration 102

MAINTENANCE
Number 7. Correct fertigation regimes 104

Fertilizer types 105
Difference in solubility with temperature change 107
Calculation of the injection rate 107
Some specific considerations to keep in mind 108
When to fertigate 110
Number 8. Maintenance of pumps and open water sources 112

Reservoirs and other open water sources 113
Pumps 114
Number 9. Salinity management 118

Measuring salinity 119
Risk factors for salinity 120
Managing salinity 120
Salt leaching techniques 121
Conclusion 122
MAINTENANCE 7
MAINTENANCE
No one buys (we hope) a new car and expects
it to work the same in five years without any
maintenance.
It’s exactly the same for your drip irrigation

system!
Preventative service ensures:
• the system performs as it was designed

(uniform water application)
• protection of your equipment for longevity.

MAINTENANCE
THE BIG NINE

Get these nine things right, and you will
sleep soundly.
MAINTENANCE 9
Adequate Correct operation Correct Flushing

filtration pressure flow rate regime
In this book, we will delve into

each of the big nine, so you are
equipped with the skills to maintain
your irrigation system.
Chemical
treatment
Salinity
management
Maintenance Correct Leakage and clogging

of pumps and fertigation regimes prevention
reservoirs
We have included salinity management in this book, even though it is not directly related to maintenance of system
components, as it needs to be part of your overall drip irrigation system management.

MAINTENANCE
NUMBER 1.
GOOD FILTRATION
Some chemicals mentioned in this section are dangerous and their use is subject to local laws/
regulations. To learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required safety
means related to such materials – refer to the safety data sheets of such materials.
Any information provided by Rivulis in this booklet about chemical treatment or chemical
materials (including safety information and handling recommendations), is provided as a
general service only. Rivulis is not a treatment material or fertilizer manufacturer and cannot
guarantee that this information is sufficient, complete or accurate and cannot notify you in
case of changes in any handling guidelines. Therefore, prior to use, you must carefully learn
about the hazards related to and the safe performance and use of such treatments and
materials, including by reading the relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS), and consult with
applicable professionals. Using such materials is at your own risk.
All guidelines mentioned in the booklet regarding the use of such materials are subordinate
to the instructions of the manufacturer of such materials and to applicable safety and
environment laws.
MAINTENANCE 11
Your filtration system is the forefront barrier and protection against clogging for your irrigation system.
If your filtration system fails, there is a high likelihood that you will damage your drip laterals.
Remember: Filters operate under hydraulic pressure and with dirty water. They often also have moving parts
that will wear over time. Therefore, they require regular maintenance for optimum performance.
In this section, we will look at the maintenance required for each filter type – hydrocyclone, screen, media,
and disc.
However, to start, we need to understand pressure differential (PD) and the automatic flushing processes.
Pressure differential
If we monitor the pressure differential between the inlet and

outlet of a filter, we can measure how clogged the filter is, and
when it needs to be flushed.
First, we check the pressure differential with a “clean” filter. This

is a filter just after it has been back-flushed via a manual flushing
sequence (automatic filters), or manually cleaned (manual filters).
Checking this pressure differential and comparing it to the

standard value according to the filter technical documentation
will tell us if the flushing is working as it should.
Usually, a pressure differential lower than 0.1 bar (1.5 psi) is

acceptable for a clean filter and is considered normal head loss.

MAINTENANCE
• If the pressure differential is above the normal

head loss, this means that the screen, disc, or media
is clogged. In this case, we will most likely need to
open the filter to inspect the cause for the clogging.
• If the pressure differential drops below the normal

head loss, this means that the filtration medium
is not filtering correctly, and water is passing through
unfiltered. It might mean a broken screen or that
the discs are not being pressed together, or in the
case of media filters, it might mean that tunnels have
been formed in the media and water is passing
though the filter without being cleaned.
MAINTENANCE 13
Automatic flushing
All automatic filters back-flush – by

timed intervals, and/or when a pressure
differential reaches a set threshold.
If you have an automatic filter, whether

that be media, disc, or screen, special
attention needs to be paid to these filters
as the flushing operation relies on the
irrigation controller and other electric and
hydraulic components.
The filter back-flush controller will be able

to display detailed information on the
filter flushing frequency and the reason for
flushing.

MAINTENANCE
If you notice that the flushing frequency is too high, this might indicate that the filter remains
clogged after flushing, or that the set pressure differential value is incorrectly set on the controller.
Faults in automation and sensors can also be considered here.
If the flushing frequency is too low, this might be a sign of mechanical failure or faults in automation
and sensors. It might also mean that the filtration medium (screen, disc, or media) has been breached
and water is not being filtered properly.
Remember: All automatic filters require a minimum

pressure and flow to back-flush. These numbers will be
found in the user manual for your filter.
If you do not have enough pressure for back-flush, an

option is to add a pressure sustaining valve
downstream to the filter to provide the minimum
pressure for flushing.
MAINTENANCE 15
Maintenance
In addition to the specific guidelines

listed in the following pages for each
type of filter, all automatic filters have
hydraulic and electric components
used for opening the flushing valves
for cleaning.
Be sure to clean the small plastic

filter and micro-tubing operating
in this hydraulic circuit.

MAINTENANCE
The irrigation controller will

let you know if the batteries
need replacing, so check the
controller screen when
possible.
Always make a manual flush by

the controller. This will ensure
that the controller, solenoid,
and the back-flush valve are
working together.
MAINTENANCE 17
Maintenance – hydrocyclone filters

Maintenance for hydrocylone filters is quite straightforward as there are no moving parts. In fact, the
maintenance is more the actual manual cleaning of the filter since there is no back-flush mechanism.
Open the drain valve periodically and remove

sand collected in the sand collection chamber.
Do not allow the sand to build more than 1/3
of the tank.
Make periodic checks for leaks and to ensure

overall good condition.
Remember that hydrocyclones require a

specific flow range to operate. Ensure this flow
rate and head loss is still being achieved.
If you don’t have the minimum head loss specified,
the filter is not providing filtration.

MAINTENANCE
Maintenance – manual and semi-automatic filters

(screen and disc)
Beginning and end of season
Remove the screen/discs and pressure wash them.

Check all O-rings and gaskets. Lubricate with silicone grease.
If the filter has a pressure differential indicator (F6400 filters), check that it still works,
and apply silicone grease to the shaft.
MAINTENANCE 19
Maintenance – automatic screen filters

With many moving parts, automatic screen filters require attention both during and after the season. The
following advice pertains particularly for the Rivulis F3000 series of automatic filters.
If the pressure differential counter number is large

compared to that of time, then the flushing interval
time between two back-flushes must be reduced
as the water quality will have deteriorated over time.
It could be that silty run-off water has run into the
dam or algae has bloomed in the water source.
During the cleaning process, the back-flush

valve should maintain a set pressure differential
across the cleaning and flushing chambers
of the filter. This can be checked by moving
the pressure gauge on the filter to the cleaning
and flushing chamber ports. The difference
between the two should be a minimum of
2.0 bar (30 psi).

MAINTENANCE
During the season

Number of flushes by DP
Checks should be made with the controller
to ensure that the filter is flushing via the
time command sent by the controller. This can
be identified by comparing the number of
back-flushes performed by the controller
based on time and pressure differential.
Pressing the enter button shows the number

of flushes and the reason of flushing.
Number of flushes by time Number of manual flushes
MAINTENANCE 21
At the end of the season
Checks should be made with the controller to ensure that the filter is flushing
via the time command sent by the controller. This can be identified by
comparing the number of back-flushes performed by the controller based on
time and pressure differential.
Before irrigation is shut down for the season, automatic screen filters should be
back-flushed manually for two or three cycles. Performing this step will remove
any impurities from the screen or settlement of contaminants on the screen.

MAINTENANCE
Filters are supplied with an electronic pressure

differential (PD) switch that manages the backflush
process if the pressure differential across the filter
reaches a predetermined level.
It’s built into the controller system, and for peace
of mind, it displays real-time PD across the filter.
It’s recommended to recalibrate the PD switch by
removing high and low pressure water lines and
performing recalibration through the controller screen.
This will ensure that PD readings are accurate.
Pressure-washing the screen assembly is

recommended, including the inside of the filter
body to remove any dirt or organic build up
inside.
Check the filter for any physical damage on the

inside, which must be repaired immediately to
prevent rust and corrosion.
MAINTENANCE 23
The hydraulic motor (hydraulic-powered filters

only) should be taken apart and cleaned of any
impurities. At this stage, cleaning of the pressure
line that balances the suction scanner should be
performed as well.
Due to the complexity of the electric motor and

switchboard panel in electric-powered filters,
it will require an inspection and service from a
licensed electrician.
Before reinstalling the screen assembly, all seals

should be checked for damage and replaced
with genuine parts. Since the filter will not be
operational for some time, all the seals should
be lubricated with grease to prevent them from
cracking during the off season. Refer to your
filter’s manual for the correct type of grease.

MAINTENANCE
The beginning of season
At the start of the season, the filter has been

sitting idle for more than ~six months, so the
seals should be lubricated again.
After 12 months of filter use, the screen

assembly must be removed from the filter to
service the back-flush mechanism, which sits
inside the pre-screen assembly. It’s important
to use the correct type of grease and to check
for any physical damage to the unit.
MAINTENANCE 25
Maintenance – media filtration

Media filtration has limited moving parts, but the media in particular requires monitoring and maintenance.
Install a flow control valve
To make maintenance easier, we recommend the installation of a flow control valve on the back-flush line to
moderate the back-flush flow. If the back-flush flow is too high, it can take the media with it. If it is too low,
the back-flush will not be enough to lift the media during the cleaning process.
The level of flow depends on the type of the media. Setting the flow control valve requires a bit of trial and
error.
Have a person in place to inspect the water that will be expelled from the back-flush.
Initiate a manual back-flush sequence.
Slowly increase the level of back-flush flow with the flow control valve. When the person sees media
being expelled, reduce the flow a bit, ensuring that no further media is being expelled.
Remember:
If you use just a manual valve, the flow rate will be for that specific flow and pressure condition. It does not
adapt to changes of pressure or flow. Therefore, you need a flow control valve with a pilot to regulate it.

MAINTENANCE
Whenever media is added/replaced

(including the first use)
First, before adding the media:
1. Inspect the conical diffusers (mushrooms).

Are they in a good state? Are they
properly tightened? Is the gasket/rubber
grommet for each diffuser still in a good
condition?
2. For arm collector models – inspect for

damage. Fix any issues before proceeding.
It is recommended to fill the tank 50%
with water before adding the media. If
you add the media without the water,
you can damage the arm collectors.
3. Fill with water and test for leaks.
When the above is okay, you can fill the tanks

with media to the required level.
Conduct an initial back-flush for every tank to

wash out any dust/fine dirt from the media.
This also allows you to test that the whole
array is functioning. Repeat the back-flushes
until the back-flush water is clear.
MAINTENANCE 27
Checking the media
The media needs to be periodically checked for:
1. quantity – is there still sufficient quantity? Some media can be lost during
back-flushing
2. quality – over years the media can become blunt and needs to be
replaced.
Signs that the media quality is still good Signs that the media needs replacing
• Media grains are loose in the tank • Caking is observed

• Media grains have sharp edges • Media grains are blunt
(similar to beach sand)

MAINTENANCE
During the season
Monitor the quality and quantity of media

(see above).
Ensure that the back-flush mechanism is

working correctly. It should occur when the
pressure differential increases by 0.2–0.5 bar
(3.0–7.5 psi) above the pressure loss of a clean
filter. It should also back-flush on a timed
interval, between three and four hours.
For a clean filter (after back-flush), ensure that

there is not more than 0.2 bar (3 psi) pressure
differential.
Check the back-flush (flow limiting) valve to

ensure that during back-flush, media is not
being expelled. If you see this happening, you
need to reduce the flow rate of the back-flush
via the flow control valve, and most likely
replace the lost media.
MAINTENANCE 29
Yearly
Chlorine is dangerous and its use Chlorination of the filter is recommended at the
should be in compliance with end and the beginning of each season. Below are
LOCAL safety LAWS/REGULATIONS. standard guidelines, but consult your user manual
To learn about the health and for your specific filter.
environmental hazards and
the required safety means read • Close the array’s inlet and outlet valves.
the safety data sheets of such • Empty the filters to ½ full of water.
materials. Please also refer to the • Use a common chlorine such as sodium
handling guides on page 73 of this hypochlorite (NaOCI) for each filter according
booklet. to the table supplied by the filter manual.
• Add water to each filter until it is 10 cm (4”)
above the media surface layer.
• Wait for 30 minutes, then perform two back-
flush cycles (without opening the outlet
valve).
Potential
Corrosive
Danger
Grease the thread of the handle.
Inspect and clean the manual screen filter

included within the media filter array.
Perform all the tasks stated in “During the season”

to ensure correct operation.

MAINTENANCE
Maintenance – disc filters

To maintain the discs in good condition, seasonal
maintenance is required. It is recommended to
perform a manual disc clean once a year, which in
addition to cleaning with a pressure washer, it should
include a chemical treatment depending on your
requirements. :
1. Depressurize the system.
2. Close the inlet and outlet valves of the

system. Open the drain valve in the lower
filter manifold to drain the filter.
3. Open the disc filter housing and release the

piston holding the discs pressed together.
MAINTENANCE 31
4. Remove the discs (thread with a wire to keep

them together/in order) and pressure wash
until the disc grooves are cleaned.
5. A soft nylon brush can be used if required.
6. Visually inspect and replace any damaged disc.
7. After cleaning is over, tighten the discs to

the proper position, or proceed to chemical
treatment.
Depending on your water source, you

will need to clean the discs to remove
organic/biological or manganese/iron/
carbonate residue. The process for each
cleaning technique is described in the
following pages.

MAINTENANCE
Manual disc cleaning for surface water with organic and

biological residue
1. Remember to have a wire threaded through the discs to keep

them together/in order.
2. Create the first cleaning solution – mix 10 liters (quarts) of water

with 5 liters (quarts) of hydrogen peroxide.
The 5 liters of the Hydrogen Peroxide should be at 10%

concentration to give a total of 3.33% of H2O2 in the bucket.
Potential
Corrosive Oxidising
Danger
Peroxide is dangerous and its use should

be in compliance with LOCAL safety LAWS/
REGULATIONS. To learn about the health and
environmental hazards and the required safety
means read the safety data sheets of such
materials. Please also refer to the handling guides
on page 73 of this booklet.
MAINTENANCE 33
3. Soak the discs in the solution for one hour (lightly stirring
occasionally).
4. Rinse the discs with water.

If at this stage the discs are clean, you can skip to step 8.
5. Create the second cleaning solution – mix 10 liters (quarts) of water

with 5 liters (quarts) of hydrochloric acid, being careful to add the
acid to the water. Do not pour water into concentrated acid, as it
will violently react which is very dangerous. The 5 liters of the
hydrochloric acid should be at 10% concentration to give a total of
3.33% of HCl in the bucket.
6. Soak the discs in the solution for one

hour (lightly stirring occasionally).
Potential
Corrosive
Danger
Acid is dangerous and its use should be

in compliance with LOCAL safety LAWS/
REGULATIONS.
To learn about the health and
environmental hazards and the
required safety means read the safety
data sheets of such materials. Please
also refer to the handling guides on
page 65 of this booklet.

MAINTENANCE
8. Reassemble the disc cartridge and

replace the covers to reassemble the
filter array.
9. Close the drain valve on the outlet
manifold.
10. Gradually open the upstream manual
valve and then the downstream valve.
11. Pressurize the system.
12. Manually flush to test the system and to
remove any chemicals before resuming
normal operation.
Transparent filter cover only to show

water movement during flushing
MAINTENANCE 35
Manual disc cleaning for well water with

manganese, iron or carbonates
1. Remember to have a wire threaded through the

discs to keep them together/in order. .
2. Create the first cleaning solution – mix 10 liters

(quarts) of water with 5 liters (quarts) of
hydrochloric acid, being careful to add the acid
to the water. Do not pour water into
concentrated acid, as it will violently react
which is very dangerous. The 5 liters of the
Hydrochloric Acid should be at 10%
concentration to give a total of 3.33% of
HCl in the bucket.
3. Soak the discs in the solution for one hour

(lightly stirring occasionally).
Acid is dangerous and its use should be in compliance with

LOCAL safety LAWS/REGULATIONS. To learn about the health
Potential
Corrosive and environmental hazards and the required safety means
Danger
read the safety data sheets of such materials. Please also
refer to the handling guides on page 65 of this booklet.

MAINTENANCE

If at this stage the discs are clean, you can
skip to step 8.
5. Create the second cleaning solution –

mix 10 liters (quarts) of water with 5 liters
(quarts) of hydrogen peroxide.
The 5 liters of the Hydrogen Peroxide should be

at 10% concentration to give a total of 3.33% of
H2O2 in the bucket.
6. Soak the discs in the solution for one hour

(lightly stirring occasionally).
8. Reassemble the disc cartridge and replace the
covers to reassemble the filter array.
9. Close the drain valve on the outlet manifold.
10. Gradually open the upstream manual valve and
then the downstream valve.
11. Pressurize the system.
12. Manually flush to test the system and to remove
any chemicals before resuming normal
operation.
Peroxide is dangerous and its use should be in

compliance with LOCAL safety LAWS/REGULATIONS.
To learn about the health and environmental Potential
Corrosive Oxidising
Danger
hazards and the required safety means read the
safety data sheets of such materials. Please also
refer to the handling guides on page 73 of this
booklet.
MAINTENANCE 37
During the season
Periodically inspect the discs and clean as per the

previous section.
Start/end of each season
The manual cleaning process should be

completed at least once a year.
Reapply silicone grease to all O-rings.
Test the back-flush (if an automatic filter)

MAINTENANCE
Additional maintenance for automatic disc filters
During the season
For automatic disc filters – test the back-flush.
• The back-flush should occur at maximum 0.5 bar

(7 psi) pressure differential.
• The back-flush time should be 30 seconds for

each filter pod. Although this can be adjusted, it
should not be less than 20 seconds.
• Check that water is being expelled from each

drainage pipe during the back-flush process.
• If you find that your filter is continually flushing,

this is a sign of a blocked filter and the filter discs
need to be manually cleaned.
• The backflush valve needs minimum 1 bar

(14.5psi) to open. And in order to preform an
efficient cleaning we recommend to have 2.5 bar
(36.25 psi) at the downstream.
MAINTENANCE 39

MAINTENANCE
Watch some of the above maintenance tasks

in our F7250 maintenance video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACGk5lgEMN8
MAINTENANCE 41
NUMBER 2.
CORRECT OPERATION
PRESSURE

MAINTENANCE
The operational pressures will be included in the original hydraulic design

of the system. Any variance to these stated pressures normally
Remember:
reflects a problem that needs to be addressed.
It is recommended to check
the accuracy of your pressure
gauges periodically.
In terms of verifying that your irrigation system is operating

correctly, a pressure gauge is your best accessory. It, along with
a flow meter, provides your best point of reference as to whether your
system is working correctly or not. In addition to fixed pressure gauges,
a portable needle point pressure gauge is essential so you can check
pressures at multiple points throughout the system.
FLAT AREA
Block : 1.1
Block Block
: :1.3 1.2
Area : 2.48 Ha.
Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m Area Area
: 2.48
Plnt
: 2.46 Ha.
spc: 6.0X4.0 Ha.
m
Plants : 1040 Plants : 1040
Emt Spac: 18X16 m
No. Emtr: 90
Plnt spc:
Emt Spac: 6.0X4.0
No. Emtr: 90
18X16 m m
Lats : 9
Shift : 1
PlantsLats:: 91040
Shift : 1
Flow : 97.1 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m Emt Spac:
Preq.: 36 m 18X16 m
Flow : 96.7 m3/h
No. Emtr: 90
Lats : 9
A4
Shift : 1
Flow : 97.1 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m
P=48 PUMP
A1
Q=425 m³/h
A2
P=55 m
Design and Irrigation Data

Design/irrigation parameters Units
Crop Orchard
Irrigation area (net) A3 Ha. 10
Water source type
Crop spacing
Block : 1.3
Area : 2.48 Ha.
Block : 1.4
Area : 2.46 Ha.
m 6X4
Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m
Type of irrigation system

Plants : 1040
Emt Spac: 18X16 m
No. Emtr: 90
Plants : 1040
Emt Spac: 18X16 m
No. Emtr: 90
Frost Protectio
Lats : 9 Lats : 9
Emitter type
Shift : 1
Flow : 97.1 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m
Shift : 1
Flow : 96.7 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m
S7000 Metal Imp
Emitter flow rate l/h 1050
Emitter spacing m 16
Lateral spacing m 18
Design and Irrigation Data
Design/irrigation parameters
Number of laterals per row
Units
1
Crop
Irrigation area (net)
Irrigation
Ha.
rate
10
Orchard
mm/h 3.65
Water source type
Crop spacing Average
m peak
6X4 consumptive use mm
MAINTENANCE 43
Type of irrigation system Frost Protection
Emitter type IrrigationS7000
interval
Metal Impact days
Emitter flow rate l/h 1050
Pressure gauge locations
Pressure gauges, or ports for a pressure gauge, should be installed on the mainline both before
and after the filters.
The pressure gauge/port after the filters should be located near the mainline flow meter.
It is beneficial to install a pressure gauge/port at each submain riser (field control).
One pressure gauge with a selector valve can be used to measure the pressure at multilple
points (e.g. before and after a filter)

MAINTENANCE
Reading pressure levels
All pressure gauges should be read and recorded for the new system, and then on a regular basis after.
Pressure variance diagnoses
Indication Possible Problem
• Debris buildup in filters

• Inadequate flushing of filters
Large pressure drop across filters
• Pump wear
• Other water supply problems
Gradual pressure decrease at filter inlet
• Damaged or broken lateral

• Damaged or broken submain
• Damaged or broken mainline
• Pressure regulator failure
Sudden pressure decrease at filter outlet
• Water supply failure - check flow rates
• Emitter clogging
• Other flow restriction - check flow rates
Gradual pressure increase at filter outlet
• Stuck control valve

• Other flow restriction - check flow rates
Sudden pressure increase at filter outlet
• Damaged or broken lateral - check flow rates
Sudden pressure decrease at submain
MAINTENANCE 45
Pressure regulating valves
As part of your maintenance routine, you should check that all pressure regulating valves are functioning at
the correct pressure as per the irrigation design.
If the valve is not regulating correctly, first check if foreign material has entered the valve and is clogging the
adjustment mechanism.
Pressure regulating valves can be adjusted using the pilot, as shown below.
Key take aways – pressure
Set the pressure of the irrigation system as per the design.
Do not operate below the minimum pressure (measured at the critical points).
Measure frequently at various points, including pressure regulating valves.

Investigate the cause of variations and take action quickly.

MAINTENANCE
NUMBER 3.
CORRECT FLOW RATE
MAINTENANCE 47
Like pressure, having the correct flow is the other

critical measurement of your system performance.
If both the flow rate and pressure are within an
acceptable range, you can have confidence that
your system is functioning well from a hydraulic
perspective.
At a minimum, you need one flow meter installed

on the mainline to indicate the total amount of
water being applied to the field.

A4 MAINTENANCE
Reading flow rate

measurements
Once your irrigation schedule has been determined, read the flow meter to confirm that the system is
P=48 PUMP
applying the amount of water it was designed to apply. A2
A1
Q=425 m³/h
P=55 m
Because of the large number of variables at play in an irrigation system, the measured application rate
cannot be expected to be exactly the same as the predicted rate. What you are looking for are large
differences – either sudden or gradual.
A large difference indicates either a problem in your calculations or a physical system problem such as a
broken or clogged line. Measure and record flow meter readings for the new system, and on a regular basis
so that you can observe any flow rate variations that may occur.
A3
Flow rate variances, and their potential problems are listed on the next page.
FLAT AREA
Block : 1.3
Area : 2.48 Ha.
Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m
Plants : 1040
Emt Spac: 18X16 m
Block : 1.1 Block : 1.2
Area : 2.48 Ha. Area : 2.46 Ha.
No. Emtr:
Plnt spc:90
6.0X4.0 m
Plants : 1040
Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m
Plants : 1040
Lats : No.
9 Emtr: 90
Emt Spac: 18X16 m Emt Spac: 18X16 m
No. Emtr: 90
Shift : Lats
1 :9
Shift : 1
Lats : 9
Shift : 1
Flow : Flow
97.1
Preq.: 36 mm3/h
: 97.1 m3/h Flow : 96.7 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m
Preq.: 36 m
A4
Design and Irrigation Data P=48
A2
A1
PUMP
Q=425 m³/h
P=55 m

Crop Orchard
Irrigation area (net) Ha. 10
Water source type
Crop spacing m 6X4
Type of irrigation system Frost Protection
A3
Emitter type S7000 Metal Impact

Emitter flow rate Block : 1.3
l/h 1050 Block : 1.4
Area : 2.48 Ha. Area : 2.46 Ha.
Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m Plnt spc: 6.0X4.0 m
Plants : 1040 Plants : 1040
Emt Spac: 18X16 m Emt Spac: 18X16 m
No. Emtr: 90 No. Emtr: 90
Lateral spacing
Lats : 9
Shift : 1
Flow : 97.1 m3/h
m 18 Lats : 9
Shift : 1
Flow : 96.7 m3/h
Preq.: 36 m Preq.: 36 m
Number of laterals per row 1

Irrigation rate mm/h 3.65
Average peak consumptive use mm
Irrigation interval Design and Irrigation Data days
Water application per irrigation
mm
Crop Orchard
Time of irrigation per operation

Irrigation area (net)
Water source type
Ha.
h 10
Number of operations perType

cycle
Crop spacing m 6X4
1 MAINTENANCE 49
of irrigation system Frost Protection
Emitter type S7000 Metal Impact
Max. discharge per operation
Emitter flow rate l/h m³/h
1050 388
Min. discharge per operation
Lateral spacing m m³/h
18
Number of laterals per row 1
Flow rate variance diagnoses

Indication Possible Problem
• Emitter clogging
• Could indicate pump wear or filter clogging - check
Gradual decrease in flow rate pressures
• Stuck or clogged control valve

• Other flow restriction - check pressures
• Water supply failure - check pressures
Sudden decrease in flow rate
• Incremental damage to laterals from insects

or other pests
Gradual increase in flow rate
• Damaged or broken lateral

• Damaged or broken submain
• Damaged or broken mainline
• Pressure regulator failure
Sudden increase in flow rate
Key take aways – flow rates
The flow rate is the amount of water the system is applying to your crop. A variation of flow rate
is a direct change to the amount of water that is being applied to your crop.
Flow rate changes can be gradual or sudden. Both are serious. Any problem with flow should be
addressed immediately to avoid crop damage.
Log (document) flow rate measurements often so that you can identify changes. These measurements
are normally logged automatically with your controller.

MAINTENANCE
NUMBER 4.
FLUSHING REGIME
MAINTENANCE 51
Flushing is one of the most important

preventative maintenance activities for
your irrigation system.
Although you have filtration, very small

debris (e.g. silt and clay) will pass through the
filtration system. They will usually not create
problems unless they remain in the system
and coagulate, especially with organic material,
over time to become much larger problematic
material.
Flushing expels this foreign matter before it

becomes a problem.

MAINTENANCE
First – some key concepts.
What is flushing?
Contaminants like minerals or organic materials can be found in any water source.
When the water is traveling quickly, this isn’t an issue as it stays suspended in the
water, but when it slows down, it can begin to settle out and build up over time
in the pipes.
Flushing, as the name implies, sends a higher velocity of water through the
system to push out any contaminants that have built up to keep the pipes clean.
A key point is that a higher velocity, and therefore a higher volume of water, is
required to flush.
Poor, infrequent or no flushing will cause clogging, and result in the loss of crop
yield and ultimately the cost replacement of the system over time.
Due to the increased water requirement to flush a system, this additional water
needs to be considered in the hydraulics when first designing the system.
MAINTENANCE 53
Water velocity and flushing
Basically, velocity is the speed the water travels through the pipe.
Getting the speed right is critical to the effectiveness of the flush.
Submains should have a flushing velocity of at least 0.5 m/s

(1.5 ft/sec).
Drip laterals should have a flushing velocity of at least 0.3 m/s
(1.0 ft/sec) at the end of the laterals.
In a perfect world, flushing water velocity should be 0.5 m/s

(1.5 ft/sec) for drip laterals, but in reality, this can be difficult due
to the different hydraulic requirements between irrigation and
flushing. Therefore, 0.3 m/s (1.0 ft/sec) is acceptable. Below
0.3 m/s (1.0 ft/sec) is not sufficient to flush a system.
The higher the flushing velocity, the better, however, there is

always the constraint of available flow rate and pressure.
Drip laterals
V = Min 0.3 m/s (1 ft/sec)
Submains
V = Min 0.5 m/s (1.5 ft/sec)

MAINTENANCE
When and what to flush
Mainlines & submains
At the beginning of every season
After any damage or repair that is upstream
Drip laterals
At the beginning of every season
After any damage or repair upstream (mainlines/submains)
During the season, depending on water quality.

This could be weekly in extreme conditions, to
monthly with better conditions.
Although these are time-based
recommendations above, there is absolutely no
“one size fits all”, so here are three
considerations.
1. Water quality
The greatest determiner of flushing frequency is

the quality of the water. Aquifer water is generally
quite clean and only contains mineral contaminants.
Being relatively clean, it requires less flushing than a
system that draws water from a river or dam where
there can be high quantities of organic material that
encourage algae growth in the pipes.
MAINTENANCE 55
2. Drip lateral longevity needs
Consider what the life requirement of your drip laterals are.
A vegetable crop using drip line for only one season may only require irrigation a few months of the year
before the drip tape/line is recycled. Flushing is therefore not as critical.
An orchard, vineyard or a permanent subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system is a different story. In these cases,
the drip lines are expected to last many years, and flushing becomes very important to ensure the longevity
of the system.
Greater flushing requirement
Multi-season and permanent

drip installations will require
a more thorough flushing
regime than a single season drip
installation
Less flushing requirement

MAINTENANCE
3. How much water will flow through the system (plant’s water requirement)?
Lastly, it is also important to look at the plant’s water requirements (irrigation application rate) as this will also
vary the amount of flushing required.
The more water flowing through the irrigation system, the more often you need to flush.
To show two contrasting

Less flushing requirement examples – a vineyard crop
may require 6,000 m3/hectare
(2.0 ac-ft/acre) per season, while
an almond crop may require
12,000 m3/hectare (4.0 ac-ft/
acre). With more water flowing
through the almond system, it’s
more likely for contaminants to
build up and flushing will be
needed more frequently than
the vineyard.
Greater flushing requirement
MAINTENANCE 57
How to flush
First – pressurize the system.
Mainline Flushing
Closed
• Submain flush valve

• Lateral flush valves
Open
• Mainline flush valve
Submains Flushing
Closed
• Mainline flush valve

• Lateral flush valves
Open

MAINTENANCE
Drip laterals Flushing

Closed
• Main flush valve

• Most of the lateral flush valves (see below)
Open
• Open a small portion of laterals at a time (generally
up to 25% of the block at one time). This is to ensure
adequate flushing velocity while maintaining the
required flow and pressure of the entire system.
• Once they are flushed, close the laterals in
consecutive order
An easy method to check your water velocity
A bucket can be used at the end of a lateral to measure if the flow rate is adequate.
Water volume in 1 minute Water volume in 1 minute

Pipe size (ID)
for flushing velocity 0.3 m/s (1.0 ft/sec) for flushing velocity 0.5 m/s (1.5 ft/sec)
13.8 mm (0.540 in) 2.7 liters (0.71 gal) 4.5 liters (1.2 gal)
If the volume collected in a minute is below the amount as per the table above, the flushing velocity is
insufficient. In this case:
Try opening fewer laterals at a time.
If this still does not work, you can change hydraulic valves from “auto” to “open” in order to bypass the
pressure regulating function of the valve. However, caution is advised to not exceed pressures that
the system can handle.
MAINTENANCE 59
When is the flushing complete?
In particular for the laterals, there will be four stages.
Dirty water Clean water Dirty water again Clean water

(contaminants at (don’t stop yet) (the contaminants (finished)
the line end) along the line)
Self-flushing line ends
These are small valves that are “normally open”’ (NO), but they close when the system reaches a certain
pressure. This creates a short flush at the beginning and end of each irrigation system.
Self-flushing line ends help clean the system, in particular the line ends, but they do not provide a high
velocity flush.
Normal flushing is still required.

MAINTENANCE
NUMBER 5.
CHEMICAL TREATMENT
environment laws.
MAINTENANCE 61
Chemical treatments Potential

Danger
Corrosive Oxidising
Treatment is necessary to avoid clogging of the drip lines by solids that precipitate, aggregates in the tubing,
and organic matter that passes the filter and propagates inside the irrigation system.
There are effectively two forms of treatments.
Acid treatment Oxidation treatment

(chlorine/peroxide) treatment
for dissolving mineral sediment
for oxidizing organic material, iron and manganese, prevention
of algae formation, and elimination of sulfur bacteria
Acids and oxidizing agents are hazardous!
Acids, chlorine and peroxide are dangerous and their use should be in compliance with LOCAL safety LAWS/
REGULATIONS. To learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required safety means read the
safety data sheets of such materials. Refer to the handling guides on page 65 (acid) and page 73 (oxidizing
agents– chlorine and peroxide). Also refer to the disclaimers within this booklet including pages 2 and 61.

MAINTENANCE
A note regarding time
When developing a chemical treatment regime, keep in mind that it takes time for the chemical to
travel through the system from the injection point to the last dripper:
• What is the time that it takes for the chemical to reach the end of the drip line from the point
where it is injected?
• What is the time that it takes to flush the system, so that the entire system is free of the chemical
to the point of the last drip emitter?
This calculation often requires a hydraulic engineer to advise the duration of this process.
Although important for all systems, it is particularly important for larger systems where the “travel time”
to the last drip lateral can be significant.
MAINTENANCE 63
Acid treatment
Acid treatment has two purposes with two different administration methods:
avoid the build-up of limescale (calcium carbonate) – slight continuous acidification throughout
the irrigation season, with the objective of maintaining a water pH of 6.0–6.5
dissolve mineral sediment that has already settled inside the drip laterals – periodic injections that bring
the pH of the water to a lower pH for a short period of time, followed by flushing.
Types of acids
There are several acids used for treatment, each with its benefits.
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is the most common form of acid, and it is the cheapest. Other acids are more
potent, and may contain nutrients, but are also more dangerous. While some other acids may be less potent.
Of course, stronger acids requires lower dosages.
It is imperative that you check that all the materials used in your irrigation system can handle contact with
acids.
Nutrients
Acid name Formula Relative strength Danger (hazard)
provided
Hydrochloric HCl ++ + None
Phosphoric H3PO4 + +/- P
Sulfuric H2SO4 +++ ++ S
Nitric HNO3 +++ +++ N

MAINTENANCE
Acid handling guidelines

Potential
Corrosive
Danger
• Acid is a dangerous substance. Follow carefully the

manufacturer’s instructions and local regulations. All information contained
in this booklet is secondary to local laws and manufacturer instructions.
• Contact with acid may cause severe skin burns. While handling acids, use
protective gear, including gloves and boots.
• Protective goggles must be worn, as contact of acids with the eyes can cause
severe injuries and blindness.
• Inhaling acid fumes and swallowing acid can be fatal and must be avoided.
Make sure that workplace is well ventilated.
.• When diluting, the acid should always be added to the water, never add water into acid. If water is
added into acid, an exothermic reaction will occur, which may boil the water which is dangerous.
• Do not leave acid treatment site unattended and ensure only authorized access during the operation.
• Acidification tests and calibration, and compatibility with the irrigation system must be determined
before injecting any acid into your system. There should be no contact between the concentrated acid
and the parts of the irrigation system that are sensitive to it as this may cause extensive damage.
• When the irrigation water is diluted with acid, this irrigation water must not leak into any potable water
system by using an appropriate check valve or another adequate method.
• Acid must not be mixed with chemicals that can produce dangerous by-products (e.g. chlorine).
• When using chelated micro-nutrients in irrigation water, the pH should not be lower than 4, because
the chelates will disintegrate and be ineffective.
• Flushing after treatment is critical for the protection of sensitive irrigation components. For example,
many barb connectors are made of acetal. A short period of acid treatment is generally okay, but if you
do not flush afterwards, damage will occur to the connectors.
Material sensitivity to acid
The table provides a summary of the System part Material Resistance

resistance to acid for each major component
Drip lines PE, PP +
of an irrigation system.
Tubing PVC +
If you have a sensitive material in your
Cement, steel, cast iron,
system, you need to inject the acid after this Tubing -
component. For example, if you have a cement galvanized, aluminum
mainline, you need to inject the acid after the Connectors Acetal +/-
mainline, most likely at the secondary control
head. Connectors PP +
MAINTENANCE 65
How to calculate the concentration of acid

required
1. Prepare a clean bucket with 10 liters (quarts) of

irrigation water.
2. Fill a measuring tube or a syringe with the acid you

intend to use. If the acid is of a high concentration,
i.e. 75 - 99%, it is recommended to dilute it 10 fold
before calibration.
3. Drip the acid gradually (small amounts) into the

water container while mixing.
4.
Measure the pH level of the water in the container
until it reaches the required level:
a. pH 2.0 is recommended for periodic injections
b. pH 6.0 – 6.5 is recommended for continual
injections.
5.To calculate how many liters of acid you require per

cubic meter (gallon) of water:
a. Take the amount of acid (in ml) (in ounces)
required to acidify the 10 liters (quarts) of water
and divide this number by 10 (2.5). This gives you
the amount per single liter (gallon) of water.
b. Multiply this number by 1,000. This is the amount
of acid you require per cubic meter (m3) of water.

MAINTENANCE
How to calculate the total acid injection quantity according to the injection period
We want to know how much acid to dilute into the operational tank that feeds the injection pump.
To do this you need to know:
• the flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour

• the flow rate of the irrigation system per hour
• the number of hours of injection required
• the required concentration of acid in the irrigation water (the previous formula).
Steps
1. [flow rate of the irrigation system per hour] x [the number of hours
of injection required] = the total volume of water to be treated
2. [total volume of water to be treated] x [the concentration of acid

required (the quantity of acid that you calculated you need per m3 (gal)
from the bucket test)] = the total volume of acid required
3. [the flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour] x [the number
of hours of injection required] = the total volume of mixture to be
injected by the pump
Of this mixture, we need to know how much is acid, and how much is water.
4. [total volume of mixture to be injected] – [total volume of acid required]

= the amount of water that needs to be mixed with the acid into the operational tank to be
injected.
IMPORTANT:
Acid must be added to the water. NEVER add water to acid. If water is
added into acid, an exothermic reaction will occur, which may boil the
water and produce a vapor that is very dangerous.
MAINTENANCE 67
Example
Scenario
15 ml (0.5 oz) of acid

• Results of acid calibration bucket test: show that is needed of water
10 liters (2.5 gallons)
to lower the level to pH 2
• Irrigation system flow rate test: 60 m³/h (264 gpm)
• Injection time: 0.5 hours
• Injection pump: with injection capacity of 720 liters/hour (190 gal/hr)
Metric Measurements
Calculations for total volume of acid to be injected
15 ml
1. Acid/m³: = 1.5 ml/liter
10 liters
2. Multiply by 1,000
3. = 1,500 ml (1.5 liters) of acid required per m3 (1,500 ml per m3)
4. Total volume of water to be treated in 0.5 hr: 60 m³/h x 0.5h =30m³
5. Total volume of acid to be injected: 30 m³ x 1.5 liters = 45 liters of acid to be injected
Calculations for rates of injection and dilution
1. Total volume of water to be treated: 30 m³ (0.5 hr)
2. 720 liters/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (0.5 hour)
= 360 liters total volume of mixture to be injected
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (360 l) and subtract the concentrated acid (45 liters)
= 315 liters of water to be mixed with the acid in the operational tank
4. As such, there will be 45 liters of acid and 315 liters of water that is injected
As the calculation was made at the injection capacity of the pump, the 360 liters of acid + water mixture
(being 315 l of water and 45 l of acid) will be fully injected over the target 30 minutes.

MAINTENANCE
US Measurements
Calculations for total volume of acid to be injected
0.5 oz
1. Acid per gallon: = 0.2 ounces per gallon
2.5 gal
2. Total volume of water to be treated in 30 minutes: 264 gpm x 30 min = 7,920 gal
3. Total volume of acid to be injected: 0.2 oz per gal x 7,920 gal)

= 1,584 ounces of acid to be injected. 1,584 oz / 128 oz per gal = 12.4 gallons of acid
1. Total volume of water to be treated: 7,920 gallons (in half hour)
2. 190 gal/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (0.5 hour)
= 95 gallons total volume of mixture to be injected
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (95 gal) and subtract the concentrated acid (24.75 gal)
= 70.25 gal of water to be in the mixture
4. As such, there will be 24.75 gallons of acid and 70.25 gallons of water that is injected
As the calculation was made at the injection capacity of the pump, the 95 gallons of acid + water
mixture (being 70.25 gal of water and 24.27 gal of acid) will be fully injected over the target 30 minutes.
MAINTENANCE 69
How to apply acid
1. First flush the system.
2. Verify there are no water leaks in the field.
3. Verify the system is operating with the

proper pressure.

MAINTENANCE
4. Inject the acid for required time and, during the

injection, measure the pH at the end of the drip
line to ensure it is reaching the target.
5. For periodic injection regimes, after the injection

has finished, continue to irrigate after the injection
to remove the remains of the acid in the system
(minimum 30 minutes, and sufficient to reach the
last dripper treated – see travel time covered
earlier in the chapter).
6. It is recommended to check the pH is back to

normal to verify.
MAINTENANCE 71
Oxidation (chlorine/peroxide) treatment

The purpose of oxidizing treatment is:
decomposition of organic material that settle in the pipes and drippers

prevention of agglomeration of organic particles (bacterial slime and small pieces of algae
that pass through the filtration system)
oxidation of iron and manganese to avoid the formation of iron, sulfur, and manganese bacterial
slimes
elimination of sulfur and iron bacteria.
Remember: Chlorine and peroxide are not effective for dissolving mineral sediments.
25
A few comments about iron (Fe) & manganese (Mn)

Mn
Manganese
Although some treatment can be made after filtration using oxidation, the best
treatment is at the water source itself.
26
This is because oxidation will turn soluble forms of iron (Fe+2) and manganese (Mn+2) into
insoluble forms (Fe+3) and (Mn+3 or +4). If this occurs after filtration, these can clog your drip
Fe Iron
emitters.
Therefore, this oxidation should be done before filtration (either by aeration or by

injection of oxidizers).
In the system, after filtration, oxidizers serve only for the prevention of iron and sulfur
bacteria that produce a slime that clog the drippers.
Chlorine and peroxide are common oxidation agents
Peroxide is more aggressive, and its effect is faster compared to chlorine. However, it is often
more expensive, harder to source, more difficult to store, and even more care must be taken for
handling.
Furthermore, it can lose its reactivity through the course of large irrigation systems where there is
a long “travel time” from the injection to the last emitter.

MAINTENANCE
Important oxidizing treatment guidelines
• Chlorine and peroxide are dangerous substances.

Follow carefully the manufacturer’s instructions and
local regulations. All information contained in
this booklet is secondary to local laws and
manufacturer instructions.
• Contact of concentrated chlorine peroxide solutions
may cause severe burns. While handling such
materials, use suitable protective wear, including
resistant gloves and boots.
• Protective goggles must be worn all time, as contact of
chlorine / peroxide with eyes can cause severe
injuries and blindness.
• Inhaling chlorine vapor and swallowing chlorine or
peroxide solution may be fatal and must be avoided.
• Do not leave the site during a chlorine / peroxide treatment unattended. Ensure only authorized access
during treatment.
• Avoid interaction between these oxidizing chemicals and fertilizers, especially fertilizers that contain urea or
ammonium. Any storage vessels to be filled with chlorine / peroxide solution must be washed thoroughly
to ensure all fertilizer and other chemicals are removed first. A reaction may cause a dangerous
explosion.
• Do not mix acid and concentrated chlorine or peroxide solutions, this can generate deadly gas.
• Chlorine and peroxide solutions lose effectiveness during storage, especially while exposed to light. Store
concentrated chemicals and diluted mixture in the shade and do not expose to direct sunlight. Do not store
for a long period.
• Reaction and calibration tests must be determined before injecting chlorine / peroxide into your system.
• The pump sensitivity to the concentrated chlorine and peroxide should be considered.
• Before performing an aggressive chlorine treatment, always ask for the approval of the farm’s
agronomist, as high amounts of chlorine can damage sensitive crops, especially under a regime of
high frequency irrigation and growing substrate.
• The pH of the water impacts chlorine effectiveness. This is reviewed in detail later in this chapter.
Potential
Corrosive Oxidising
Danger
MAINTENANCE 73
Active chlorine and peroxide test kits
Unlike acid tests, where the focus of control is

acidification level, for oxidization, the test is to verify
that there is sufficient residual level at the end of the
drip lateral.
As oxidization occurs throughout the irrigation system,

and is subsequently “consumed” throughout the
system, you need to ensure that there is sufficient
concentration of oxidizer, measured in parts per million
(ppm), at the end of the laterals.
Chlorine
“Swimming pool” type test kits are a good solution for testing residual chlorine levels.
Peroxide
Most test kits contain a sticker that measures the concentration of peroxide..
Note: that mg/l, and ppm are the same measurement.

MAINTENANCE
Continuous/periodic injection regimes
For oxidization treatments, you can continuously inject in addition to periodic injections.
Continuous, preventive injection regimes Periodic (reactive) injection regime
Continuous injection regimes of low Periodic injection regimes of higher

concentration chlorine are generally defined concentration chlorine involve injection for
as one hour, every three days to create a one hour several times during the season.
surplus chlorine concentration of
0.2–0.5 ppm at the end of the last treated Another name is “shock treatment”, which
lateral. is made by a specific date or at the first
observance of symptoms of flow reduction
In many places, drinking water is chlorinated. (e.g. reported by the controller).
This treatment is similar to that made to
drinking water – a very low dose, all the The goal is to disintegrate all organic
time, to prevent build up. sediments and slime that accumulate in the
laterals and drip emitters. The objective is
to achieve 3.0–5.0 ppm concentration at
the end of the last treated lateral. Therefore,
a higher concentration is required at the
beginning to achieve this concentration by
the end of the lateral.
MAINTENANCE 75
Chlorine
Potential
Corrosive
Danger
Common chlorine substances
Sodium hypochlorite NaOCl

Available in solution. The most common used for treatments.
Calcium hypochlorite Ca(OCl)₂

Available in powder, granules, or tablets. Frequently used for treatments.
A note about chlorine and chlorides
There can be misunderstanding, so we will clarify.
The chlorine element (Cl) appears in many similar compounds. The most common form is as a chloride (Cl-),
as in sea salt (sodium chloride, NaCl).
Chloride (Cl-) specifically is a type of electrolyte, which is inert. While hypochlorite (OCl-) is active.
You will notice that the chlorines in the table above state HYPOchlorite.
Chlorides are not effective. For example, sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) are inert and
cannot be used for the purpose of treatment.
Concentration of chlorine to apply at the main head for a periodic injection regime
Preventive treatment: 5–10 ppm

Moderate treatment: 10–50 ppm
Aggressive treatment: 50–100 ppm
Unlike acid treatment where you can calibrate the required acid at the injection point, for chlorine you make
the test at the end of the drip lateral during the injection. There is no specific calibration to know the dosage
before, except to use rules of thumb like the above, and to test the end of the laterals during the injection.
The more organic matter you have, the greater the reduction of the chlorine due to the higher reaction.
That is why you must measure at the end of the line, due to the possibility that the chlorine could have fully
reacted before it reaches the end of the system.

MAINTENANCE
How to calculate the total chlorine injection

quantity for the injection period
We want to know how much of the concentrated chlorine to dilute into the tank that feeds the injection
pump.
the flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour

the flow rate of the irrigation system per hour
the concentration of the chlorine you will use (g chlorine per liter or %)
the number of hours of injection required
target ppm at the injection point.
The formula to determine the amount of chlorine per hour you need to add:
flow (m³/h) X target ppm at injection

= chlorine (liters/hour)
chlorine product concentration (%) X 10
US Measurements
flow (gpm) X target ppm at injection

= chlorine (gallons/hour)
chlorine product concentration (%) X 167
MAINTENANCE 77
How to calculate the total chlorine injection quantity according to the injection
period
Steps
1. [flow rate of the irrigation system per hour] x [the number of hours of injection required]
= the total volume of water to be treated
2. [total volume of water to be treated] x [concentration of chlorine required

(the quantity that you calculated above)] = the total volume of chlorine product required
3. [the flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour] x [the number of hours of injection required]
= the total volume of mixture to be injected by the pump
To prepare a diluted mixture for injection, we need to know how much is chlorine, and how much is water.
4. [total volume of mixture to be injected] – [total volume of chlorine required]

= the amount of water that needs to be mixed with the chlorine
into the operational tank to be injected

MAINTENANCE
Example
Scenario
• Target ppm at injection: 30 ppm

• Chlorine source concentration: 8% W/V
• Irrigation system flow rate: 60 m³/h (264 gpm)
• Injection duration: 1 hour
• Injection pump: Capacity of 500 liters/hour (132 gal/hour)
Metric Measurements
Calculations for total volume of chlorine to be injected per hour
flow (m³/h) X target ppm at injection

= chlorine (liters/hour)
chlorine concentration (%) X 10
60 (m3/h) x 30 (target ppm)

= 22.5 l/h of chlorine to be injected
8 (% use as full number) X 10
1. Total volume of water to be treated: 60 m³

2. 500 liters/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (1 hour)
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (500 l) and subtract the chlorine (22.5 liters)
= 477.5 liters of water to be in the mixture
4. As such, there will be 22.5 liters of 8% chlorine and 447.5 liters of water that is injected over the one hour
of injection
MAINTENANCE 79
US Measurements
Calculations for total volume of chlorine to be injected per hour
flow (gpm) X target ppm at injection

= chlorine (gallons/hour)
chlorine concentration (%) X 167
260 (gph) x 30 (target ppm)

= 5.8 gal/h of chlorine to be injected
8 (% use as full number) X 167
1. Total volume of water to be treated: 15,840 gallons

2. 132 gal/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (1 hour)
= 132 gallons total volume of mixture to be injected
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (132 gal) and subtract the chlorine (5.8 gal)
= 126.2 gal of water to be in the mixture
4. As such, there will be 5.8 gal of 8% chlorine and 126.2 gal of water that is injected over the one hour
of injection

MAINTENANCE
Chlorine reactivity dependent on pH
Keep in mind that the reactivity (effectiveness) of chlorine is highly dependent on the pH of the water.
As discussed earlier, HOCl is a hypochlorite, and Cl2 is inert for the purposes that we require for treatment.
Therefore, we want the water to be at a pH that has the maximum HOCl, and the minimum Cl2.
The graph below shows the respective levels at different pH.
1.0
0.9
0.8
HOCl OCl-
0.7
0.6
Mole fraction
0.5
0.4
0.3
Cl2
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pH
MAINTENANCE 81
The pH of the water will have some effect on the biocidal activity of chlorine. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is up
to 80 times more effective than the hypochlorite ion, (OCl-). At a pH 5.0, over 90% of the chlorine is present as
HOCl. At pH 7.0, 60% is HOCl. At pH 7.5, 40%. For this reason, the water is often treated with acid to lower the
pH while injecting chlorine. The acid will also dissolve calcium carbonate deposits.
1.0
0.9
0.8
HOCl (the active form) OCl-
0.7
0.6
Mole fraction
0.5
0.4
0.3
Cl2
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pH
Desired pH
WARNING: Do not mix acid and concentrated chlorine solutions, as this will rapidly generate
deadly chlorine gas! The two materials must be injected into separate ports in the system.
Potential
Danger

MAINTENANCE
Hydrogen peroxide
Potential
Corrosive Oxidising
Danger
There are multiple benefits to using hydrogen peroxide. To start, there is no chlorine residue. Any residual
hydrogen peroxide turns into oxygen and water. It is also reactive even in higher water pH. Much less
peroxide is required when compared to chlorine. Therefore, a much smaller tank and injection pump is
required.
However, peroxide is more corrosive, and you need to ensure that the components of your irrigation system
can handle it. For this reason, it is generally recommended not to treat the system for more than one hour
in high concentrations. Furthermore, it is more hazardous for handling, and more care must be taken than if
using chlorine.
The concentration of peroxide is usually either 35% or 50%. Generally, 50% is the maximum concentration
commercially available.
Concentration of hydrogen peroxide to apply at the main head for a periodic

injection regime
Preventive treatment: 10–50 ppm

Moderate treatment: 50–100 ppm
Aggressive treatment: 100–500 ppm
Similar to chlorine, for peroxide you make the test at the end of the drip lateral during the injection. There is
no specific calibration to know the dosage before, except to use rules of thumb like the above, and to test
the end of the laterals during the injection.
The more organic matter you have, the greater the reduction of the hydrogen peroxide due to the higher
reaction. That is why you must measure at the end of the line, due to the possibility that the peroxide could
have fully reacted before it reaches the end of the system.
MAINTENANCE 83
The formula to determine the amount of hydrogen peroxide per hour you need to
add
We want to know how much of the concentrated peroxide to dilute into the tank that feeds the injection
pump.
the flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour

the flow rate of the irrigation system per hour
the concentration of the peroxide product you will use (%)
the number of hours of injection required
target ppm at the injection point.
flow rate (m3/h) x target ppm at the injection point

= peroxide (liters/hour)
% concentration of the peroxide
being used (as a whole number) x 10
US Measurements
flow rate (gal/min) x target ppm at the injection point

= peroxide (gal/hour)
% concentration of the peroxide
being used (as a whole number) x 167

MAINTENANCE
How to calculate the total hydrogen peroxide injection quantity according to the
injection period
Steps
1. [flow rate of the irrigation system per hour] x [the number of hours of injection required]
= the total volume of water to be treated
2. [total volume of water to be treated] x [peroxide to be injected (the quantity that you calculated
above)] = the total volume of peroxide required
3. [flow rate of the fertigation injection pump per hour] x [the number of hours of injection required]
= the total volume of mixture to be injected by the pump
Of this mixture, we need to know how much is peroxide, and how much is water.
4. [total volume of mixture to be injected] – [total volume of peroxide required]

= the amount of water that needs to be mixed with the peroxide into the operational tank
to be injected
MAINTENANCE 85
Example
Scenario
• Target ppm at injection: 70 ppm H2O2

• Peroxide source concentration: 35%
• Irrigation system flow rate: 90 m³/h (396 gpm)
• Injection duration: 45 minutes (0.75 hours)
• Injection pump: capacity of 40 liters/hour (10.6 gal/hour)
Metric Measurements
Calculations for total volume of peroxide to be injected per hour
flow rate (m3/h) x desired concentration at the injection point

= l/h to be injected
% (as a whole number) x 10
90 m3/h x 70 ppm
= 18 l/h to be injected
35 x 10
Note: The above is per hour. However, in this example, we are only treating for 45 minutes (0.75 hour).
Therefore, we need to convert all hourly units to 45 minutes by multiplying by 0.75.
Because of this, we multiply the 18 l/h of peroxide to be injected by 0.75 = 13.5 l to be injected.
1. Total volume of water to be treated: (90 m3 x 0.75) = 67.5 m3

2. 40 liters/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (0.75 hour)
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (30 l) and subtract the peroxide (13.5 liters)
= 16.5 liters of water to be in the mixture
4. As such, there will be 13.5 liters of peroxide and 16.5 liters of water that is injected over the 45 minutes
of injection

MAINTENANCE
US Measurements
Calculations for total volume of peroxide to be injected per hour
flow rate (gpm) x desired concentration (ppm) at the injection point

= gph to be injected
% peroxide (as a whole number) x 167
396 gpm x 70 ppm

= 4.74 gph to be injected
35 x 167
Note: The above is per hour. However, in this example, we are only treating for 45 minutes (0.75 hour).
Therefore, we need to convert all hourly units to 45 minutes by multiplying by 0.75.
Because of this, we multiply the 4.74 gph of peroxide to be injected by 0.75 = 3.55 gal to be injected.
1. Total volume of water to be treated: (396 gpm x 45 min) = 17,820 gallons

2. 10.6 gal/hour injection capacity of the pump multiplied by the injection period (0.75 hour)
= 7.95 gallons total volume of mixture to be injected
3. Take the total volume of mixture to be injected (7.95 gal) and subtract the peroxide (3.55 gal)
= 4.4 gallons of water to be in the mixture
4. As such, there will be 3.55 gallons of peroxide and 4.4 gallons of water that is injected over
the 45 minutes of injection
MAINTENANCE 87
How to apply oxidation treatments
1. First flush the system.
2. Verify there are no water leaks in the field.
3. Verify the system is operating with the proper

pressure.

MAINTENANCE
4. Inject the peroxide for required time

and during the injection, measure the
concentration (ppm) at the end of the
drip line to ensure it is reaching the
target.
5. For period injection regimes, after the

injection has finished, continue to
irrigate after the injection to remove
the remains of the chemical in the
system (minimum 30 minutes).
6. It is recommended to check the

concentration (ppm) is back to normal
to verify.
MAINTENANCE 89
NUMBER 6.
LEAKAGE AND
CLOGGING PREVENTION
environment laws.

MAINTENANCE
Both leaks and clogs will lead to pressure and flow fluctuations. So when you see a pressure/flow change,
this is often the reason.
But as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Although monitoring flow and pressure is critical (there are other components that can cause the variation),
taking preventative measures to prevent leaks and clogs will hopefully minimize the occurrence of
unwelcome flow/pressure fluctuation surprises later.
Leak monitoring
Leaks happen, so you need to have a plan to monitor for leaks.
Where to look? Everywhere! From the head control to the end of the drip line.
Pressure and flow readings

assist, but one damaged
drip line will not show. Visual
inspection is required.
Managing leaks will help

prevent wastage, sediment
accumulation, drip entering
drip lines, and a big mess
(mud).
MAINTENANCE 91
Leak cause – insect damage

In some regions, insect damage to thin wall drip lines
and tapes is a major problem.
What do look for?
Look for “nibbling” – multiple small bites in

the tube itself.
There are three methods

to protect your drip line/tape:
Use a heavier wall thickness of drip lateral.

Use insecticides (spray) where permitted.
Use Rivulis Defend.
Protection of your drip lines & tapes with Rivulis Defend
Rivulis Defend is the world’s first drip line & drip tape capable to defend itself against
insect damage using patent pending technology to protect itself.
Rivulis Defend has an active insecticide substance* embedded directly into the drip
line/tape. One taste and insects won’t return – with no significant damage to the drip
line/tape.
www.rivulis.com/product/products/rivulis-defend
*Either the pyrethroid deltamethrin or bifenthrin (bifenthrin is not used in drip lines/tapes sold in the EU), which controls the pests
– the “active material”. For more information on the exact substance used, please see the product label/packaging. Rivulis Defend
is not available in all countries. Consult your local Rivulis representative to see if Rivulis Defend is available in your area.

MAINTENANCE
Leak cause – rodent damage

Rodents can damage the drip line and can be a particular problem with SDI
applications.
Prevention techniques
Start with good farm hygiene. Slashing/mowing to prevent buildup of

protein is an easy and effective starting point.
Rodent extermination programs are best conducted in the colder
months.
Be careful if you have black cracking clay soil that dries and creates paths
for rodents to the drip laterals. A relatively simple solution for these soils
is to periodically operate the system during the off-season.
Owls and other predatory birds can provide defense. Owl nest boxes
can be installed.
MAINTENANCE 93
Leak cause –
magnifying glass effect
Placement of drip laterals under transparent plastic mulch
can create a magnifying glass effect, where sunlight shines
through droplets and concentrates beams of light that
burns the tube.
Prevention methods
Use black plastic mulch instead.

If using transparent plastic mulch,
lightly bury the tube under soil.
Remember that the magnifying glass effect can also

occur during storage of the drip rolls, in particular for
drip rolls that do not have cardboard packaging and
are wrapped in a clear wrap. Do not leave these rolls/
coils in direct sunlight before installation.

MAINTENANCE
Leak cause –
damage during installation
A good reminder to adhere to the installation guidelines in Book 3. Remember
the primary causes of damage that can occur from poor condition installation
equipment– friction burns, sharp edges, burns and nicks. Daily inspection of the
equipment is required.
Poor/incorrect installation can damage tube and result in holes that will cause
leaks upon startup.
MAINTENANCE 95
Clogging cause – root intrusion
Root intrusion is a risk to be

managed, in particular for
buried systems.
It occurs when the plants do not have enough water and the roots seek out water –
which they find in the laterals, and specifically the emitter.
The two most common forms of root intrusion are caused by:
• under irrigation (insufficient irrigation scheduling)

• partially clogged emitters (due to other causes), which causes under irrigation
and therefore insufficient irrigation.

MAINTENANCE
Prevention is better than cure for root intrusion. Much better …
The easiest – install the drip lateral on the surface where there are no roots. Of course, this is not always
possible, but for some crops (e.g. celery, which has aggressive roots), this is the easiest solution.
Ensure the plant has enough water to meet its evapotranspiration needs (i.e. conduct an irrigation
regime that avoids plant moisture stress). This is easy for crops where you want maximum vegetation,
but when you need to deliberately stress the plant during ripening, it is a challenge and other
preventative measures need to be considered.
Herbicide injection into the drip lines is an option, but it depends on local regulations and other
considerations for your crop.
Conduct sufficient flushing and chemical treatments of the drip irrigation system.
Rivulis D5000 CX uses copper that helps reduce root intrusion into the dripper.
MAINTENANCE 97
Clogging cause – soil ingestion

This can occur after the irrigation water is stopped and the residual water in the drip laterals drains. When
this occurs, a vacuum is created around the emitters at higher elevations. However, as the irrigation system
has been functioning, there is no air around the dripper (when buried) to meet this suction. As a result, soil
particles can be sucked back into the emitter itself.
Several approaches are available to reduce the risk of clogging from soil ingestion:
Install vacuum relief valves to let air flow into the drip lines as drainage occurs.
Consider using an emitter with a slit outlet that closes when the pressure is off to keep out any
external contaminants.
If a slit outlet is not available, the use of anti-siphon (AS) or no-drain (ND) drippers helps prevent
suck-back.
AS System
Use anti-siphon (AS) drippers in conditions where risk of soil
ingestion at shut-off is high. When there is negative pressure in the
hose (i.e. a vacuum caused at system shut-off), the AS membrane
lowers against the inlet filters, which in turn slows the reverse of
water.
D5000 AS (ANTI SIPHON) Application: SDI, or on surface with sandy soil.

 Water from the pipe slowly drains reducing the suction
effect of soil particles into the dripper at system shut down.
ND System
Use no-drain (ND) where you have pulse irrigation – short and
frequent irrigation cycles where the water needs to stay in the tube
during shut-off. When the pressure drops below specified pressure,
the ND dripper seals, keeping the water in the tube, ready for the
next irrigation cycle.
D5000 ND (NO DRAIN) Application: Pulse Irrigation.
Pipe remains fill with water at system shut down.

MAINTENANCE
Clogging cause – precipitation

What is precipitation? When a reaction causes dissolved salts to
combine and become non-soluble.
Another way to look at it is that although you may only be

adding liquids (e.g. water, chemicals, and fertilizers) into your drip
system, they can interact and create solids that will block your
system.
You need to proactively avoid the risk of precipitation in your

system.
Below are some common causes of precipitation, and their

treatments.
Calcium carbonate precipitation
This is the most common form of precipitation.
Risk factors
Water with a pH of 7.5 above and bicarbonate levels (HCO3-) of 2 meq/l

(112 ppm or 112 mg/l)
Treatment during the season (when required)

Periodic injections of phosphoric acid to maintain pH under 4.0 for 30–60 minutes, which can be
done as part of the fertilizer regime of phosphorus
MAINTENANCE 99
Iron and manganese precipitation
This often occurs in groundwater where it is soluble, but oxidizes and precipitates when exposed to
atmosphere. This can cause clogging even in low concentrations.
Also, some bacteria use iron and manganese as an energy source and can create filamentous slimes.
If you see reddish stains or rust particles, this is a warning sign. Iron will be reddish, and manganese will be
darker (near black).
Risk factors
Iron 0.3 ppm or higher
Manganese 0.15 ppm or higher
10 0 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

MAINTENANCE
Treatment (iron precipitation)

Aeration and settling:
• This is the best treatment for high concentrations (10 ppm or more) and works best when water
pH is 6.5–7.5.
• Pump water into a reservoir to allow the iron to settle out.
• Additional aeration is recommended.
• Once settled, the water is safer to use.
Create chlorine precipitation and then filter:
• Inject chlorine into the water source to cause oxidization of the (ferrous Fe+2) iron, which in turn will
create precipitates (ferric Fe+3) that can be filtered.
• Of course, this chlorine injection must occur before primary filtration (media filtration recommended).
pH control:
• Lower the pH to 4.0 or below for 30–60 minutes to dissolve iron precipitates.
Treatment (manganese precipitation)

Create chlorine precipitation and then filter:
• Inject chlorine into the water source to cause oxidization of the manganese (Mn+2), which in turn
will create precipitates (Mn+3 or +4) that can be filtered (media filtration recommended).
The precipitation of manganese requires several minutes of contact time prior to filtration.
Potential
Corrosive
Danger
Acid / chlorine is dangerous and their use should be in compliance with LOCAL safety LAWS/
REGULATIONS. To learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required safety
means read the safety data sheets of such materials. Please also refer to the handling guides on
pages 65 and 73 of this booklet.
M A I N T E N A N C E 101
Clogging cause –
poor quality filtration
This is obvious, but warrants listing here as a reminder. If
your filtration is not providing adequate protection, your drip
emitters are at high risk of clogging.
For this reason, choosing the right primary and secondary

filtration (Book 2) and the right maintenance (Section 1 of this
book) is critical.

MAINTENANCE
NUMBER 7.
CORRECT FERTIGATION
REGIMES
Some chemicals and fertilizers mentioned in this section are dangerous and their use is subject
to local laws/regulations. To learn about the health and environmental hazards and the required
safety means related to such materials – refer to the safety data sheets of such materials.
Any information provided by Rivulis in this booklet about the chemical or fertilizer treatment or
chemical materials (including safety information and handling recommendations), is provided
as a general service only. Rivulis is not a treatment material or fertilizer manufacturer and
cannot guarantee that this information is sufficient, complete or accurate and cannot notify
you in case of changes in any handling guidelines. Therefore, prior to use, you must carefully
learn about the hazards related to and the safe performance and use of such treatments and
environment laws.

MAINTENANCE
The emphasis of the headline here is “correct”.
Using the correct fertigation regime in your irrigation system will yield the incredible benefits and cost
savings of drip fertigation. An incorrect fertigation regime unfortunately can clog your system.
Important: Fertilizers should not be injected at the same time that pesticides or chlorine are being injected.
Fertilizer types
Fertilizers for fertigation are available in 2 main forms – liquid and dry powder.
Liquid fertilizers
If available, liquid fertilizers are easier to handle since they are predissolved and can be injected into the
irrigation system without any additional action. However, they are not always available, might cost more, and
take up a lot more storage space.
Dry powder fertilizers
Dry fertilizers must be dissolved before application. It is recommended to use a dissolving aid – such as an air
blower, circulation pump, or a mechanical stirrer.
When using dry fertilizers take caution, some fertilizers when mixed in high concentration can precipitate
and clog the system. Phosphorus and calcium fertilizers are a good example. If in doubt always use fertilizers
compatibility chart.
In any case always make sure that the fertilizers are 100% fully water soluble (usually stated on the label).
A good rule of thumb: 20% of dry fertilizer to the volume of water in the fertilizer tank.
Bio-stimulants
Bio-stimulants are widely used in fertigation as well. As there are many forms of bio-stimulants used, make
sure to use only fully water soluble bio-stimulants.
The bucket test
1. Add 2 kg (5 lbs) of the fertilizer mixture you intend

to apply through the drip system into a 10 liter
(2.5 gallon) bucket with your irrigation water
(it must be the same water you are using in the
system), and fill to the 10 liter (2.5 gallon) mark.
2. Mix thoroughly and let it sit for 1 hour.
3. If the mixture is cloudy, or if there is a precipitate in

the jar, do not use the fertilizer in the drip irrigation
system.

MAINTENANCE
Difference in solubility with temperature change
Notice that the solubility of fertilizers varies at different temperatures.

Below is a table with some examples (g/100ml).
Potassium Potassium Potassium Ammonium

Temperature Urea
nitrate chloride (KCl) sulphate nitrate
50 °F 10 ºC 21 31 9 158 84
68 °F 20 ºC 31 34 11 195 105
86 °F 30 ºC 46 37 13 242 133
The higher the temperature, the higher the solubility of the fertilizer.
Calculation of the injection rate
1 ml or 1 g in
1 ppm = 1 pound in 119,760 gallons
1 m3 = 1 ppm
How to calculate injection rate? (metric measurements)
Injection rate Desired concentration ( ppm ) X Flow rate ( m3/hr )

( grams/hour ) =
Nutrient concentration
For example, if you require 350 ppm of urea nitrogen in two hours of water on field,
the flow rate is 50 m3/hr. Urea nitrogen = 46% of nitrogen:
Injection rate = 350 ppm X 50 m /hr = 38,043 grams/hr or 38 kg/hr

3
0.46 (Urea 46%)
How to check if the fertilizer is injected and reaching the plants?

Use an EC meter to check the delta between the water source EC and the dripper EC. The EC from the
dripper must be higher than that of the water source when fertilizer is injected.
Injection rate (IR), US Measurements
Injection rate Desired concentration (ppm) x flow rate (gpm) x 0.05

(lbs/hr) = Nutrient concentration (whole %)
For example,
if you require 350 ppm of urea nitrogen in two hours of water on field flow rate 220 gpm.
Urea nitrogen = 46 % of nitrogen:
Injection rate = (350 ppm) x (220 gpm) x 0.05 = 83.7 lbs/hr

46 (Urea 46%)
Some specific considerations to keep in mind
Here are some common fertigation items to pay attention to.
Phosphorous
Never mix concentrated phosphorous and calcium fertilizer in the same tank, as this will clog the whole
system.
Even if phosphorous and calcium fertilizers are mixed anywhere in the system, even at low concentrations,
participates will form.
Mixing of calcium with sulfate
Mixing a fertilizer containing calcium with a fertilizer containing sulfate can cause gypsum to precipitate.
One example of this would be mixing calcium nitrate with potassium sulfate. While both fertilizers are
highly water soluble, mixing them together into irrigation water will cause calcium sulfate (gypsum) to form.
Gypsum is much less soluble and will precipitate out of the water.

MAINTENANCE
Anhydrous and aqua ammonia
Injecting anhydrous or aqua ammonia will increase the pH of the irrigation water. If the pH increases to a
level above 7.5, and if the irrigation water contains at least 2 meq/L of bicarbonate, calcium carbonate can
precipitate.
Calcium
If the irrigation water has more than 2 meq/L of bicarbonate and the pH of the water is more than 7.5,
adding fertilizer containing calcium, such as calcium nitrate, may cause calcium carbonate to precipitate.
Sulfate
If fertilizers containing sulfate, such as potassium sulfate, are added to irrigation water having a calcium
concentration of more than 20–30 meq/L, gypsum (calcium sulfate) may precipitate.
Important fertilizer guidelines Potential

Corrosive Oxidising
Danger
• Correct handling and safety of all chemicals and fertilizers is essential. Always follow the instructions of
the manufacturer and also follow local laws and regulations. Incorrect use may also damage irrigation
components, the soil, crops and the environment. All information contained in this booklet is secondary
to local laws and manufacturer instructions. Some fertilizers and chemicals might be hazardous, and might
react with other fertilizers of chemicals. Therefore, it is important to read and follow the handling and safety
instructions as supplied by the product supplier (such as Safety Data Sheet), and to follow such instructions
before using the chemcical/fertilizer.
• Always wear appropriate protective clothing, including but not limited to goggles, gloves, covered shoes,
and long-sleeved shirts and pants, to avoid skin and eye contact which can cause severe injury and
blindness.
• Mixing of different chemicals such as fertilizers, acids, biostimulants or pesticides in the same operational
tank/storage vessel might cause a dangerous reaction or precipitation. For example, interaction of chlorine
and some fertilizers can cause an explosion. Before filling the operational tank tank/storage vessel with
chemical compounds make sure that any remnants are thoroughly removed.
• In solution, some fertilizers have a corrosive effect on non-resistant parts of irrigation equipment
Interactions with chlorine can increase this corrosive effect. This risk should be evaluated before use
• Compatibility of use with the irrigaiton system and other fertilizers / chemicals must be determined before
injecting any chemical/fertilizer into your system.
M A I N T E N A N C E 10 9
When to fertigate
Inject fertilizer during the latter part of the irrigation cycle to reduce the risk of it leaching past the root zone.
However, be sure to operate the system long enough after to completely purge the fertilizer from the laterals
to avoid algae and bacteria growth. Clogging is likely to occur if algae and bacteria are allowed to grow and
feed on the residual fertilizer left in the laterals.
The “travel time” required to transport fertilizers to the end of a long (over 300 m) drip lateral can be up to
60 minutes depending on slope and flow rate. Travel times through mainlines and submains must also be
considered. Several software packages are available that calculate travel time within laterals.
Consider using the “25% rule” of fertilizer injection
During the first 25% of the irrigation cycle, only clear water is delivered through the laterals. Fertilizer is
injected for the next 50% of the cycle, then clear water is again used for the final 25%.

MAINTENANCE
Water soluble fertilizer compatibility table
Fertilizer interactions must be considered. Below are some common interactions to be aware of.
Potassium Potassium Mono Mono Calcium Magnesium Potassium Magnesium Ammonium Urea Ammonium
Nitrate sulfate (SOP) Potassium Ammonium Nitrate Sulphate Chloride Nitrate sulfate nitrate
Phosphate Phosphate (KCl)
(MKP) (MAP)
Potassium Nitrate
Potassium sulfate
(SOP)
Mono Potassium
Phosphate (MKP)
Mono
Ammonium
Phosphate (MAP)
Calcium Nitrate
Magnesium
Sulphate
Potassium
Chloride (KCl)
Magnesium
Nitrate
Ammonium
sulfate
Urea
Ammonium
nitrate
= Compatible
= Attention. Testing is required. Comparability is dependent on pH and water characteristics
= Not compatible
NUMBER 8.
MAINTENANCE OF
PUMPS AND OPEN
WATER SOURCES

MAINTENANCE
Reservoirs and other open water sources
If your water source is a reservoir, there are specific preventative maintenance tasks that must be undertaken:
Keep it clean.
Avoid organic growth.
Maintain the boundaries of the reservoir – plant vegetation that assists in the fixation of
the embankment.
Maintain clean water inlet and pumping (suction) area.
Pumps
Compared to the rest of the irrigation systems, the pump has the most moving parts. Making sure these
moving parts are lubricated and receive proper cooling is important.
Before the irrigation season
Centrifugal pumps
Where there is a trash screen, clean and install it properly. If a trash screen
or stone collector is installed – clean it.
Check the foot valve on the suction line operates properly –
pump priming depends on this.
If you are using a submersible pump – check that it’s sufficiently
submerged.
Replace bearing oil or lubricate bearings with grease.
Start pump and check for normal operation.
Electrical works must only be made by licensed professionals

and according to local laws and regulations.
Electrical
Hazard

MAINTENANCE
Internal combustion engines
Check coolant level and make sure the radiator is clean and air can flow freely through and around it.
Check oil level in crankcase and bring the level up to the proper mark on the dipstick.
Remove spark plugs and spray cylinder walls with a light engine oil.
Lubricate all engine accessories.
Start engine, run slowly for a few minutes, monitor the oil pressure, and if it fails to come up to
the correct reading, stop the engine and investigate the cause.
Electric motor
Change motor bearing oil with a special type of lubricant, do not overfill, use grease gun to
lubricate bearings.
Check that motor ventilation vents are open; clean dust and dirt from all moving parts of motor
and panel.
Check and tighten all electrical connections, replace overheated connections with new material,
check that all conduct points are corrosion free.
Operate all moving parts by hand and check they are able to move freely.
After the irrigation season
Centrifugal pumps
Drain all the water from pump and connecting pipelines; where possible, remove suction lines
and store them.
Cover the shaft and any exposed metal, and all oil or grease lubricated bearings with protective
lubricant.
Clean debris and any other material from impeller and volute.
Internal combustion engines
Lubricate all accessories and seal all openings airtight, including air cleaner inlet, exhaust outlet,
and crankcase breather tube, with weatherproof masking tape.
Spray all accessories and electrical equipment with a suitable insulating compound.
Remove the battery and store fully charged.
Where the engine is in the open, cover with waterproof material.

MAINTENANCE
Electric motors
Ensure that all bearings are well lubricated.

Cover the motor to protect against rodents, insects, and dust, but provide sufficient ventilation.
Lock control box in “off” position and cover with a canvas when exposed in the open to protect
against moisture and dust.
Test and validate the switchboard (e.g. sealed, clean).
NUMBER 9.
SALINITY
MANAGEMENT

MAINTENANCE
Salts are found in almost all water sources.
High concentrations of salt can damage plants, so salinity needs to be managed to avoid a buildup of salt
around the plant.
Measuring salinity
Total soluble salts = the total amount of dissolved salts in the water.
This is commonly measured by the ability of water to conduct electricity – electrical

conductivity (EC).
The higher the EC, the greater the amount of salt present.
Some plants are more sensitive to salts then others
Highly tolerant Moderately tolerant Sensitive

Date palm Tomato Peas
Sugar beet Alfalfa Beans
Cotton Rice Sugarcane
Asparagus Maize Pear
Spinach Potatoes Apple
Carrot Orange
Onion Prune
Cucumber Plum
Pomegranate Almond
Fig Apricot
Olive Peach
Source: Food and Agricultural Organization Grape
Risk factors for salinity

Soil type and drainage – heavy soils have greater risk than well-drained soils. Remember, the goal is
to have salt leaching beyond the root zone (see “Salt leaching techniques”).
Frequency of irrigation – salt accumulation occurs as the soil dries out. If the drip line/tape is on
the surface or shallow buried, salts can become concentrated at the soil surface. In conditions of high
evaporation and low rainfall, it is not advisable to use light and frequent irrigation.
Climatic conditions – in Mediterranean and arid climates, where there is a distinct long dry season
followed by a wet season, at the first rain event, it is critical to operate the drip system to push the salt
through the root zone. This is required because the rain will bring the salt closer to the root zone.
Managing salinity
Salinity can be managed
Salt is added to the soil during each irrigation. Adding fertilizers can further increase salinity. Excess salt must
be removed from the root zone before it increases to a level that seriously affects yield.
Most salts are readily soluble and move with water in the soil. The salt content of the root
zone varies with depth and distance from the point in the soil where water is applied (application point).
Salinity near the application point of

irrigation water is usually low. Salt builds up
at the outer edges of the wetted area.
Depending on the sensitivity of your crop to

salt, you may need to implement a salinity
management plan.
Salt patterns caused by different lateral placements.

MAINTENANCE
Salt leaching techniques

To minimize salt buildup in the root zone, keep the wetted area at or near field capacity at all times.
For optimal salinity control, maintain a nearly continuous, slow downward movement of water and
salts. This requires more water than is necessary to maintain field capacity.
Place drip laterals as close as possible to salt-sensitive plants, and continuously leach salts outward from
the root zone.
Salt leaching is easier to do at

the start of the season as you will
have more water before the crop
requirement increases.
If planting prior to sufficient rainfall,

considering deliberate leaching.
Apply 2/3 more than normal
irrigation.
Do not move laterals after the water

application has started on salt-
sensitive crops.
Dripper
Ponding Very high salinity
You may need to run the system for Very high salinity area
salt-sensitive crops during light rain
to prevent the rain from leaching
salts into the root zone. This principal
does not apply for heavy rain. Le
a c h e d a rea
Sa
lt a on
cc u m u l a ti
Take an alkali soil test before every Ve it y
ry h
i g h s a li n
crop cycle. Salinity hazards can
H ig
build up over time. For soil samples, h s a li n it y
check at 30 and 60 cm (12 and 24 in),

depending on the crop.
CONCLUSION

MAINTENANCE
Conclusion
Drip irrigation, if well maintained and operated correctly, will provide a great return on investment on your
crop.
Follow the “Big nine” maintenance points to help maximize the longevity and returns of your system.
The big nine for drip irrigation maintenance:
1. Adequate filtration
2. Correct operation pressure
3. Correct flow rate
4. Flushing regime
5. Chemical treatment
6. Leakage and clogging prevention
7. Correct fertigation regimes
8. Maintenance of pumps and reservoirs
9. Salinity management

MAINTENANCE
THE
RIVULIS
DRIP GUIDE
GROW
BEYOND
www.rivulis.com
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THE

2 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

The complete set

Introduction to drip irrigation Overview of drip irrigation Design Maintenance

Edition: February 2023

Written by Matt Clift

The big nine 9

Number 1. Good filtration 11

Number 2. Correct operation pressure 42

Number 3. Correct flow rate 47

4 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

Number 4. Flushing regime 51

Number 5. Chemical treatment 61

Active chlorine and peroxide test kits 74

Number 6. Leakage and clogging prevention 90

6 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

Number 7. Correct fertigation regimes 104

Number 8. Maintenance of pumps and open water sources 112

Number 9. Salinity management 118

It’s exactly the same for your drip irrigation

Preventative service ensures:

• the system performs as it was designed

• protection of your equipment for longevity.

8 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

THE BIG NINE

Adequate Correct operation Correct Flushing

In this book, we will delve into

Maintenance Correct Leakage and clogging

10 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

If we monitor the pressure differential between the inlet and

First, we check the pressure differential with a “clean” filter. This

Checking this pressure differential and comparing it to the

Usually, a pressure differential lower than 0.1 bar (1.5 psi) is

12 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

• If the pressure differential is above the normal

• If the pressure differential drops below the normal

All automatic filters back-flush – by

If you have an automatic filter, whether

The filter back-flush controller will be able

14 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

Remember: All automatic filters require a minimum

If you do not have enough pressure for back-flush, an

In addition to the specific guidelines

Be sure to clean the small plastic

16 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

The irrigation controller will

Always make a manual flush by

Maintenance – hydrocyclone filters

Open the drain valve periodically and remove

Make periodic checks for leaks and to ensure

Remember that hydrocyclones require a

18 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

Maintenance – manual and semi-automatic filters

Remove the screen/discs and pressure wash them.

Maintenance – automatic screen filters

If the pressure differential counter number is large

During the cleaning process, the back-flush

20 THE RIVULIS DRIP GUIDE

During the season

Pressing the enter button shows the number

Number of flushes by time Number of manual flushes

At the end of the season