The problem
Do I need to spend a fortune on my small/med, low input farm?
“We have a very small sand trap that we have to empty all the time, daily even. Often staff don’t empty it so there’s no real point in even having it as everything ends up in the pond any way. There’s nowhere to put the solids out of the current sand trap and during busy times is a low priority and not really that easy to manage. Our irrigators block all the time, and we are always managing them, and it is time spent that we could be doing more productive things.
We constantly have to keep an eye on the irrigator to make sure it’s performing.”
The Solution
“We farm 460 cows on the Pukehina Flats where it’s very wet and are limited to what we can do. We have a 12mx4m stone trap and only have to empty it every couple of months. It goes to show if you have a decent stone trap and you manage it, it works really well.”
Problem Nitty Gritty
Irrigator blocks regularly
Daily management of our pond only system
Constant agitation of the pond to enable pumping
Regular maintenance on pumps because of stands and stones
We have a tiny sand trap that needs daily management and nowhere to put it
Too many solids in the pond taking up liquid storage
Solids in the bottom of the pond are expensive to empty.
HOW WE SOLVED IT & THE OUTCOME
Installed a custom sized stone trap with tailings bunker
Monthly/bi-monthly management not daily
Outlet pipe with a galvanised cover prevent blockages and allow liquids through to pond and solids crust to build up
Water borne solids can go to pond and stirred up and pumped to pasture
Sand, grit and stones remain in stone trap and emptied into tailings bunker to deal with later
75mm of freeboard to put hydraulic pressure on the pipe to push any blockages through
Buffer volume of 30m3 in the stone trap for emergency.