Irrigation is the line item procurement teams underestimate most in a hydroponic project. It is not glamorous, so it is easy to let the supplier bundle it into a lump sum. Then the pipe bursts in year two, or the drippers clog twice a week, and the “savings” on the irrigation system start costing real money. When we review commercial greenhouse irrigation systems for buyers, we look at four components — and the cheapest quote almost always skips one of them.
This page gives procurement teams the sizing logic and the specification minimums, so you can compare quotes on the same technical basis.
Where Irrigation Quotes Differ: The Four Line Items
| Component | What to specify | Consequence of cutting it |
|---|---|---|
| Filtration | Filter stages matched to water source | Clogged drippers, constant labor |
| Main & sub-main pipe | Wall thickness (SDR), pressure rating | Burst lines, pressure loss at the far end |
| Drippers / emitters | Pressure-compensating, rated L/h | Uneven watering, crop gaps |
| Control valves & timers | Electric solenoid valves, programmable controller | Manual labor, uneven zone cycles |
Rule of thumb: if the quote does not name the pipe SDR rating or the dripper type, it is a lump-sum quote wearing a spec sheet. Ask for the names.
Filtration: Match It to Your Water, Not to the Catalog
This is the single most common cause of “the drip system doesn’t work” calls we take:
- Municipal water: 120–130 micron screen filter per zone is the baseline
- Borehole / well water: add a disk filter before the screen; if you have sand, a hydrocyclone first
- Surface water (pond, river, reservoir): sand filter + disk filter + screen — three stages, no shortcuts
- Recycled nutrient solution: add a UV or hydrogen peroxide stage if you reuse drain water
Tell the supplier your water source when requesting a commercial irrigation system quote. If they do not ask, they are quoting blind.
Sizing Guide by Greenhouse Area
| Greenhouse area | Main line | Dripper flow | Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500–1,000 m² | Ø32–40 mm PE | 1–2 L/h, pressure-compensating | Timer + manual zone valves |
| 1,000–3,000 m² | Ø50–63 mm PE | 2 L/h pressure-compensating | Programmable controller, solenoid valves |
| 3,000–8,000 m² | Ø63–90 mm PE/PVC | 2–4 L/h per emitter | Controller + EC/pH dosing integration |
| 8,000 m² + | Ø90+ mm, manifold zones | Engineered per crop block | Full automation + remote monitoring |
The exact sizing depends on row length and crop. This table gives you the negotiation baseline — a quote that undersizes the main line for your area will show up as weak pressure at the end of the rows.
Drippers: The Small Part That Decides Uniformity
For row crops in a commercial greenhouse, pressure-compensating drippers are the standard. They keep flow uniform across a long row even when pressure drops. Non-compensating drippers save a few cents each and cost you yield in the far rows. If your supplier offers a “budget” dripper option, ask for the flow uniformity spec before accepting it.
For Hydroponic Projects: The Nutrient Loop Changes Everything
An irrigation system for hydroponics is not soil irrigation. In a recirculating system the pipework carries nutrient solution that must not react with the piping material, and the return line must be sized for drain flow, not just supply. We supply drip irrigation systems for dutch bucket lines and NFT channels as one integrated package — supply, return, filter and dosing — because splitting them across suppliers is where interface failures happen.
What to Demand in the Tender Document
- Itemized BOM: pipe sizes, SDR ratings, filter stages, dripper type and L/h
- Layout drawing showing main line, zones and valve positions
- Pressure and flow calculation for the furthest point in each zone
- Spare parts list: seals, drippers, valve diaphragms — with quantities
- Warranty terms and response time for after-sales support
FAQ
Q: How long do greenhouse drip lines last?
A: With UV-stabilized PE at the correct SDR rating, 8–12 years is realistic. Thin-wall “economy” lines start degrading in 2–3 years under greenhouse light.
Q: Can I retrofit irrigation into an existing greenhouse?
A: Yes. We survey the water pressure, row layout and greenhouse dimensions, then design the zone layout to fit. Retrofit projects are a large part of what we do.
Q: Do you supply pumps as part of the irrigation package?
A: Yes — pumps, pressure tanks, filters, valves and controllers are quoted together, so the system is balanced from day one.
Q: What is the minimum order?
A: We quote from single-greenhouse projects upward, including complete drip kits for dutch bucket rows and NFT channels.
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Related reading: Dutch Bucket Systems · NFT Hydroponic Systems · Nutrient Controllers & Automation