The good news is that with the right pump connected to your effluent bladder, you can easily irrigate your fields and keep your effluent well-mixed, without breaking the bank on energy costs.
Firstly, it’s important to note that you might need two pumps for your effluent bladder tank: one for irrigation and one for agitation.
Irrigation Pump
For irrigation, a positive displacement (PC) effluent pump is recommended, as they are easy to automate and have lower running costs than motorised or PTO pumps. They also provide a good flow in the range of 18,000 to 36,000 litres per hour, which is ideal for in-ground systems with most effluent irrigators.
If no electricity is available, a PTO tractor powered effluent pump can be used. Alternatively a small, motorised pump can be beneficial if you don’t want to tie up your tractor every time you need to pump.
The size of your pump will depend on a number of factors, including the irrigation line pipe size, how far you’re pumping, elevation and the type/size of the irrigator. Slurry tankers or drag hose systems can also be used to empty the effluent bladder, in which case the pump would just be required for pumping effluent into the bladder.
Agitation/Mixing
Mixing the effluent in a bladder tank is important for preventing solids from building up and blocking your tank’s drain ports. Best practice is to mix the effluent at least once a month to ensure that the nutrients are well-mixed and evenly distributed. Regular mixing also maximizes the nutrient value of your effluent.
For agitation, you will want a higher volume PTO effluent pump with enough power to break up solids and keep everything in suspension. This pump is not used for irrigation, so it doesn’t need to be as efficient as the PC pump. Instead, it needs to be powerful enough to get the job done.
Effluent bladder tanks are an excellent investment for farmers looking to manage their effluent storage more efficiently. By using a PC pump for irrigation and a high-volume effluent pump for agitation, you can keep your effluent well-mixed and irrigate your fields with ease. Just remember to choose the right pump for your needs, based on factors like pipe size, distance, and the type of irrigator you’re using. If in doubt, give the friendly team at Nevada a call. We’re happy to help!
