- Dilution can be the solution
- Slow down and take your time
- Ensure that products do not mix in the induction lines
There may be more pressure on farmers to get the spray jobs done this season. The later start may mean that more hectares need to be covered in a condensed time period. This can lead to more complicated tank mixes and rushing the mixing process.
The advice is to slow down and take your time. Products need time to transfer into the tank, disperse and mix. Ensure that the spray tank is around 70% full of clean water. This is the dilution suggestion. We see issues occur when the products are trying to mix in a lower volume of water that does not allow enough room to disperse and mix.
We also see problems occurring with product compatibility when the induction lines are not flushed between products. A lot of Ag Chemicals are compatible in a large volume of water, but they can be incompatible as neat products.
Do not allow products to sit in the tank without agitation.
Ensure filters are cleaned regularly. Some products can gradually block filters over time. Get into a system of checking and cleaning.
Try to avoid using nozzle filters. They are often a source of blockages and poor spray pattern. If you have good water filtration and in-line filters you will not need nozzle filters.
What can I do if the tank mix goes bad?
You may have to dump the tank and start again. Firstly, we can try a couple of strategies.
- Add additional wetter. Adding Smart Wet 1000 (200ml/100L water)
- Take out the filters and agitate
- Add more water if you can
If this has not remedied the situation, then do the following
- Add Supa Link (200ml/100L water)
- Agitate for 10-15 minutes
- If it has not fully rectified the problem, add more Supa Link and repeat agitation for 10-15 minutes
- If that works, spray it out immediately (stopping to check filters regularly)
- Thoroughly clean the tank, lines and filters before the next load
- Understand the process that led to the issues so you can avoid the situation in the future.
We can see more issues when winter hits and the water becomes cold. Products will take longer to mix in cold water.
Granules and dry products can take longer to disperse and mix than liquids. Ammonium Sulphate fits into this category. It can take up to 10 minutes to dissolve and mix. It may then take another 5-10 minutes for the chemical reaction to take place that will soften hard water. Ensure the Mixing order is correct. A tank mix guide is available from your Crop Smart contact.