Darryle
Silver Member
I have several places in the pasture that hold water because of compaction, the problem has existed for as long as anyone can remember. The issue is that the fields are rutted up, rough and hard to maintain. There is a substantial amount of native grasses for grazing and about 15 acres of coastal bermuda that will become our hay and wintering grazing pasture.
I have subsoiled almost the entire 31 acres, some twice since I couldn't get the penetration I wanted on the first pass. I am also in the first stages of designing(trying to figure out what shape and how many spikes I will need for maximum penetration) and parts gathering for a rolling spike aerator. That will be a seperate thread.
I want to make this place as no till as possible while maintaining healthy soils and grasses. The aerator will also have an electric broadcast spreader because I want to sow wildflowers in the spring and fall since we just purchased the first two 7 frame Flow Hives, with plans to add several more.
I wanted a field roller that could do double duty as a compactor for the ranch road. The tank I purchased is approximately 54" long and 44" in diameter. I have calculated it out and I think it is 500/525 gallons. There is no plate on it, I can see where it was though. It is heavy enough that my little 3032e struggled to pick it up to load on the trailer, in fact it became a game of walking it on the trailer and off again when I got it home. I purchased the 2" cold rolled bar stock for the axle, 3" x 3" 1/4" wall square tubing for the frame and tongue and 2 2" pillow block bearings. I am going to fill it with sand versus water for the additional weight. If I calculated the volume right, that puts the ballast at approximately 6200lbs.
Pic of the unmolested tank
More to come.
I have subsoiled almost the entire 31 acres, some twice since I couldn't get the penetration I wanted on the first pass. I am also in the first stages of designing(trying to figure out what shape and how many spikes I will need for maximum penetration) and parts gathering for a rolling spike aerator. That will be a seperate thread.
I want to make this place as no till as possible while maintaining healthy soils and grasses. The aerator will also have an electric broadcast spreader because I want to sow wildflowers in the spring and fall since we just purchased the first two 7 frame Flow Hives, with plans to add several more.
I wanted a field roller that could do double duty as a compactor for the ranch road. The tank I purchased is approximately 54" long and 44" in diameter. I have calculated it out and I think it is 500/525 gallons. There is no plate on it, I can see where it was though. It is heavy enough that my little 3032e struggled to pick it up to load on the trailer, in fact it became a game of walking it on the trailer and off again when I got it home. I purchased the 2" cold rolled bar stock for the axle, 3" x 3" 1/4" wall square tubing for the frame and tongue and 2 2" pillow block bearings. I am going to fill it with sand versus water for the additional weight. If I calculated the volume right, that puts the ballast at approximately 6200lbs.
Pic of the unmolested tank
More to come.
