how to use the Chapin hose end sprayer?

[DirtyCoconuts]

so i bought this on the recommendation of a board member and it is more complicated than i thought....

i wanted to ask if anyone could help me with the correct formulas because all i have done in the past is per gallon but here i have to figure out flow and that is like calculus and then i start shaking and crying.....

please break this down for me

i can tell you the value of the water i want coming out of it but i don't know how to figure that for the little bottle

[Keysguy]

DC-- I mentioned on that other thread how I ended up doing it. I know Ray probably had a stroke. Between mine and Clawhammers 20-20-20 thread, it's probably what put him over the edge and prompted his new thread this morning.
All good by me and zero offense taken. I never once claimed to be an expert so honestly, I really hope Ray chimes in on this one because I'd love to hear what he says and if vastly different than what I'm doing I might change. Then again, I like the results I'm getting so I might not. But I am absolutely willing to listen to someone who strikes me as a scientific expert. He might be the Dr. Tony Fauci of orchids!

[Fairorchids]

I use a similar hose end sprayer (cheapie from Scott's).

We use the 4 oz cap from a pesticide bottle as scoop/measure. Spring/summer/fall, we use full scoop of 20:20:20 (bloom booster in the fall); winter we use about 2/3 scoop. Then we set dispensing ratio on the sprayer at 4.5.

I don't know who calculated this originally, but that was the approach in the rental greenhouse I joined 8 years ago. Original tenants included a couple of well known AOS judges.

With this ratio, we get great growth, and virtually no leaftip 'burn'.

[Clawhammer]

Do you have a TDS meter? Could be a good sanity check once you get it setup. Figure out the TDS of your tap water, your manually mixed fertilizer, and then test the bottle mixed solution to ensure the Chapin is mixing as expected.

[WaterWitchin]

I'm with DC... I'm crying and shaking now. And really thought I wanted one of these. Let me know when everyone comes to a conclusion DC, and it's figured out. I can't bear to watch.

[Ray]

The Chaplin sprayer comes from the factory set to deliver 1-7 or 10 tablespoons per gallon, based upon the dial settings. A tablespoon/gallon is a 1:256 ratio. (The orifice to make that teaspoons is screwed into the top, but if you use it to apply fertilizer, you’re probably better off with the tablespoons.)

What you have to do is fill the tank with the proper concentration based upon the dial settings.

Let’s say you want to use a pesticide at 2 teaspoons/gal. That means - for dial setting 1 - that each tablespoon of solution in the Chapin tank must contain 2 teaspoons of pesticide. As there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, fill the Chapin tank with 2/3 pesticide and 1/3 water.

Alternately, you could use 1/3 pesticide and 2/3 water and set the dial to deliver 2 tablespoons per gallon - in other words, there are two teaspoons of pesticide in every 2 tablespoons of liquid in the tank.

Same is true of fertilizer. Let’s say I want to apply K-Lite @ 100 ppm N. The manufacturer tells me that takes 2.9g or about 2/3 teaspoon per gallon. To make sure my concentrate doesn’t precipitate and I’m going to need about 10 gallons of solution, I’ll set the dial to 6 (6 tablespoon/gal), add 10 x 2.9 = 29g or 10 x 2/3 = ~7 teaspoons (close enough) of fertilizer powder to the tank, then fill it to the 30 ounce (60 tablespoons) level with water.

Clawhammer - be careful using TDS to check your numbers. Sure, that will tell you if the concentration at a dial setting of 2 is half of that at 1, but it cannot tell you if either one is what you’re seeking. READ THIS

[DirtyCoconuts]

first of all, thank you guys!

here is where i get confused. the mix will be the same regardless of the flow, correct?

I am getting stymied by the adjustment knob because i can kind of control the strength based on the concentration of the mix i put in the bottle.


Or am i over complicating it, just set the dial to any number (7, right in the middle) and then figure out the concentration i want to put in the bottle?

how do you know when it is out of juice too?

i feel like a child, wandering around lost, so forgive what are infantile questions

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Ray

Clawhammer - be careful using TDS to check your numbers. Sure, that will tell you if the concentration at a dial setting of 2 is half of that at 1, but it cannot tell you if either one is what you’re seeking. READ THIS

Thanks Ray, informative article as always. I was suggesting using the TDS meter as a sanity check to compare what the Chapin dispenses to his tap and manually mixed ferts (using the same fert). Just a sanity check, not a way to dial in the Chapin.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

here is where i get confused. the mix will be the same regardless of the flow, correct?

It's supposed to be. The Chapin is probably the most accurate about that.

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

I am getting stymied by the adjustment knob because i can kind of control the strength based on the concentration of the mix i put in the bottle.

Or am i over complicating it, just set the dial to any number (7, right in the middle) and then figure out the concentration i want to put in the bottle?

You can control by both/either; whatever is more convenient.

The number on the dial tells you how many tablespoons of the tank mix will be in a gallon of the output. The tank is a quart (64 tablespoons), so can make from 6.4 (dial=10) to 64 (dial=1) gallons of final solution. Pick one and mix for that final volume.

So, if using a full quart of concentrate in the tank:
Setting 1 - add 64x the desired final concentration
Setting 2 - add 32x
Setting 3 - add 21.33x
Setting 4 - add 16x
Setting 5 - add 12.8x
Setting 6 - add 6.4x
Setting 7 - add 9.14x
Setting 10 - add 6.4x

To double the final concentration at any setting, add twice as much to the 32 ounces in th tank, or use the same amount in half the volume, giving you fewer gallons of overall solution.

Teaspoons to add = Final tsp/gal x (64/setting) x (fill ounces/32)

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

how do you know when it is out of juice too?

When the tank is empty! Fertilizers at least have a blue dye in them - when the output is no longer pigmented... You can also add food coloring, if you wish.

[Keysguy]

OK guys, I've re-done my math and I THINK this is what I'm doing. At least it's what I was attempting to get to.

In full disclosure........
My fert of choice calls for 1 tbsp/gl.
I mix 1 tbsp in 1/2 gl of water (effective 2 tbsp/gl) because I go through (4) 16 oz. sprayerfuls of solution in a feeding for all of my orchids.
I set the Chapin on 7 (7 tbsp/gl) thereby giving me (if my math is correct) roughly a 25% or 1/4/tbsp/gl end mix rate that's hitting the plants. Convoluted probably but that's how I figured out how to get to where I wanted to be ( a weak 25% rate) for a weekly fertilizer schedule without having to mix more in the big jug than I would use.

In further disclosure......I alternate 20-20-20 for 2 weeks with 6-30-30 for 2 weeks. I also include Ray's recommended dosage of Kelp Max the first feeding of every month mixed with my regular fert. (which I know he's not in favor of).
Every other feeding I include epsom salt at same rate as fertilizer (again all mixed together). I also include a few drops of a plant safe soap as a binder. In lieu of all the above for one feeding per quarter, I replace regular fertilizer with CalMag at same strength.

There, now you know all my secrets.
Well, almost all