How can a Sweetwater Sulfur Burner aid a golf course?
More and more golf courses and landscape projects are required to use alkaline, effluent, or ground water for irrigation. Irrigation water quality leads directly to turf quality. Using the Sweetwater sulfur burner to amend alkaline water can lead to improved water, soil, and turf conditions. The Sweetwater sulfur burner can reduce algae and treat alkaline conditions helping to maintain clear water and healthy turf all year long.
Some of the primary benefits of the Sweetwater sulfur burner include:
- Control alkaline conditions
- Lower pH
- Neutralize bicarbonates
- Leach salts, sodium, and fertilizer “tied up” in the soil
- Increased Micronutrient uptake by plants
- Reduce ponding and water run off
Secondary benefits of the Sweetwater sulfur burner include:
- Control Algae and pH sensitive pests
- Leach salty build up from irrigation pipes
- Improved ability to aerate
Irrigation with Effluent or Alkaline water
An increasing amount of golf courses are required to irrigate using effluent, recycled, or alkaline water for part of the irrigation season. Effluent or ground water often contains saline/sodic properties, high pH levels, and high quantities of carbonates or bicarbonates.
Carbonates and bicarbonates bond with calcium and sodium which eventually causes an accumulation of salts in the soil. This accumulation of salts and bicarbonates leads to deteriorating soil conditions. Soil deflocculates and becomes compacted and crusty. Hardened soils lead to ponding and water run off. Often fertilizers, salts, and other minerals are “tied up” in the soil. These turf conditions affect the health and the appearance of the turf.
More and more landscape projects, college campuses, parks, housing and business developments, and government buildings all around the United States see the advantages of using the Sweetwater Solution™ to control and treat irrigation water with high pH, bicarbonates, salts, calcium, sodium, and other minerals tied up in the soil.
Primary Benefits of the Sweetwater Sulfur Burner
Lower pH – The Sweetwater sulfur burner produces a diluted sulfurous acid for irrigation water amendment. A stream of raw irrigation water is introduced into the sulfur burner and sulfurous acid is discharged. Blending the *sulfurous acid with an irrigation pond or well will instantaneously begin to lower the pH of the irrigation water.
*Sulfurous acid produced on site using a Sweetwater sulfur burner is the most affordable method of acidifying irrigation water in the world. One ton of sulfur produces just over three tons of the equivalent sulfurous acid (1 ton sulfur: 3.06 tons of sulfurous acid). Sulfur is easier to ship, safer to handle, and cheaper than sulfurous acid.
Neutralize Carbonates and Bicarbonates – Irrigation using the Sweetwater sulfur burner is extremely effective at neutralizing carbonates and bicarbonates that tie up salts in the soil. The sulfur burner produces sulfurous acid on site and ready for injection into irrigation water. The acid lowers pH and thereby neutralizes carbonates and bicarbonates in water and soil. When this occurs, the bond between carbonates/bicarbonates and calcium/sodium is broken.
Leach Minerals “Tied up” in the soil – Sodium and calcium bicarbonate bonds often cause salts, fertilizers, and other minerals to amass throughout the soil profile. By lowering pH in irrigation water, the Sweetwater sulfur burner neutralizes the bond between bicarbonates and calcium/sodium. Salts are converted into a soluble form and flushed out of the soil profile. Calcium, fertilizers, and micronutrients otherwise “tied up” in the soil become available for agronomic benefits.
Improved nutrient uptake for all course foliage – Improving soil and water conditions with the Sweetwater technology improves the ability of micronutrient uptake by turf, native plants, trees, and other foliage around the course. Many superintendents have been excited by the improved health and appearance of the whole golf course after adding a Sweetwater sulfur burner.
Reduce Water Ponding and Runoff – Neutralizing bicarbonates and leaching salts and other minerals “tied up” in the soil causes the soil to flocculate leaving a porous earth behind. Porous soils allow water to penetrate deeper into the ground stimulating root growth and reducing water runoff and ponding. Less water is lost to evaporation during irrigation. Deeper and longer lasting water penetration raises the efficacy of irrigation because more nutrients are available throughout the root zone. Deeper roots with sustained nutrient absorption translate into healthier, greener turf throughout the year.
Secondary Benefits of the Sweetwater Sulfur Burner
Improved water quality and algae control – By lowering the pH of the water and reducing bicarbonates and carbonates that tie up salts, most users of the Sweetwater sulfur burner have noticed a substantial decrease of lake algae and pH sensitive pests. The reaction with algae is instantaneous and visual improvements have been seen in a matter of a few days. Customers have watched as pH or sulfur sensitive pests, rodents, insects, fungus, and algae leave courses.
*Agua Dulce is not licensed as an algaecide or pesticide and will not sell the sulfur burner strictly as an algaecide or pesticide. However, clearer water and pest treatment are significant secondary benefits that demonstrate the effective ability of the Sweetwater sulfur burner to improve water and soil conditions.
Equipment Protection – Consistent irrigation with effluent or alkaline water can cause premature corrosion of pipes, sprinkler heads, and other irrigation equipment. Calcium deposits build up in pipes, sprinkler valves, or drip irrigation emitters decreasing the effectiveness of irrigation systems.
The Sweetwater sulfur burner is so effective at neutralizing calcium carbonates and bicarbonates and lowering the pH level of the water that it can cleanse this build up from irrigation systems. Cleansing build up from pipes, sprinkler heads, and emitters helps to reduce the time, effort, and money spent on replacing parts. It can also protect and prolong the life of costly irrigation systems.
Tillage and aerating – Irrigating soils with treated water makes soils more porous. Deflocculated or crusty soils are converted into clumpier, permeable, flocculated soils which are easier to aerate.
