Location of pond
A site investigation before design and construction is important to ensure the pond built is structurally sound and meets regulations, says DairyNZ.
The Hawera company specialises in farm dairy effluent equipment and is an accredited effluent designer through the DairyNZ approval process.
Valuable organic matter in effluent must be agitated so as to bring it into suspension prior to pumping, so a homogenous effluent mixture can be applied to pasture, the company points out.
And pond stirring has become even more critical with the advent of synthetic lined ponds and above ground tanks. But watch out for “inferior” stirrers that can damage a pond liner, the company warns.
Its shore-mounted stirrer, with a pond liner protection kit, averts liner damage. “Nevada shore-mounted electric stirrers are rigidly mounted on a substantial foundation, eliminating the risk of harm to a pond.”
All the sediment in a lined pond must be mixed into the effluent to allow pumping out. The Nevada Typhoon propellor, “which quickly creates a strong horizontal flow across the pond, brings all solids into suspension”.
The stirrer’s depth and angle can be adjusted to ensure no areas are missed. A rack-and-pinion hand winch provides stepless adjustment onshore.
“Many farmers have installed elaborate and expensive separation systems, only to find they still need a stirrer to mix the sludge accumulating in their pond,” says Midwest Machinery.
“The best time to install a stirrer is when the pond is built. It is easier and better to avoid sludge accumulating than to try to remove a build-up. In many instances farmers would have been more prudent to install a stirrer and not a separator. With Nevada pond stirrers it is acceptable to leave the solids in the effluent stream.”
Safety and reliability are a standout with the Nevada gear, Midwest Machinery says.
Tel. 0800 464 393
