# Beginner Above Ground Help Needed! (Tier 1-1.5)



## edixon88 (Jun 18, 2020)

Hi Everyone,

I've read some of the guides and a ton of threads on here, but a lot of it is over my head and I'm looking for some very beginner advice on setting up a basic above ground system. I have a very limited budget and realistic expectations(I'm not looking for a perfectly lush green lawn all summer, I just want to do the best I can to keep it from being a fried mess during the hot/dry stretches this summer). Details and pictures below:


I only have one bib on the right side of my house where the red dot is. I did the 5gal bucket test and get about 6.3gpm at the bib, I don't know the PSI.

I currently have one 50' and one 100' version of this hose Kink Control Plus 5/8"

I currently have these two oscillating sprinklers: Melnor Mini Max and Melnor 3400

The lines in the picture aren't 100% to scale since it was done in MS paint, but the linear dimensions are accurate. For simple math's sake, the front is roughly 1500 square feet, back is roughly 4500 square feet and side is roughly 525 square feet

The front and side yard have zero shade and as you can see, the majority of the backyard is in the shade for most of the day due to my giant oak tree and my neighbor's sycamore trees. The left side of the back yard does get a decent amount of sun throughout the day though. The bushes along the 72' line have also recently been removed and seeded.

I'd ideally like to have one setup for the back and one for the front, I can manually move something over to water the triangular side section when needed. I've been looking at the Orbit H2O-6 Gear Drive Sprinklers. I don't know how many I could run with my system, but would having 3 of these in the front along the front of the house do a good enough job(understanding I won't have 100% coverage)?. For the back, due the loss of pressure with the length of hose needed, should I just stick to my two oscillating sprinklers and move them 1-2 times to get full coverage?

Edit: I've previously been using the Melnor Mini Max in the front because the adjustments on it are great but the wind tends to blow it around too much. Due to the rectangular shape, would two oscillating sprinklers at lower pressure be as good/better than something like the Orbit Gear Drive ones?

Any advice on cheap hoses/sprinklers that will help get good coverage would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!


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## edixon88 (Jun 18, 2020)

Update: picked up 3 of the Orbit H2O-6's for the front and running them now. Biggest issue is I couldn't find any 25' hoses so I grabbed a couple 15 footers and the heads are definitely too close to each other. Home Depot, Lowes and Tractor Supply don't have any 25 footers in stock and I can't seem to find any good options online for a decent price.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

This shape makes the irrigation a real challenge.


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## edixon88 (Jun 18, 2020)

g-man said:


> This shape makes the irrigation a real challenge.


Yeah, I have no idea why this neighborhood was designed with the lots on these weird angles, it makes no sense. The adjustments on the Melnor Mini Max has been super helpful for the narrow areas. The loss of pressure with two oscillators and the length of hose needed for the back yard makes it tough though.

@g-man In your opinion, do you think continuing with these would be okay for the back or should I switch to impacts or something else? I think I'll be somewhat okay in the front with these Orbit H2O-6's once I can find a 25' hose, which apparently is next to impossible.


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## BUbbaSwine (May 8, 2018)

How do you like the Orbit H2O heads and the Mini Max? I am setting up a couple PVC bases and looking to put Orbit Rotors on them for the front and back yard areas but need something for the sides.


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## BobDolesky (Jul 6, 2020)

I have a oddly snapped yard, but two bibs. My flow is bad at Almost 5GPM, but good pressure. Currently I'm using Orbit 4 outlet 1 timer dial, cost like ~$49. Because of my poor flow, I essentially can't run more than 1 sprinkler at a time, even in a series. So basically I use 4 different hoses and 4 different Orbit Brass impact 7800 sqft sprinklers cost ~$19 each. I have timer set to turn first sprinkler on at 0500, run 10 mins, then shuts off and at 0510 next one starts till it gets through all 4. The brass impacts I have, have a 100ft diameter. The timer I have in back of house has a 100ft hose 3/4 size that even goes up slight grade to one of my brass impacts on other side of driveway that covers that side of the yard and it still works well. I don't notice it not getting the reach the others on 20 ft and 50ft hoses. My plan was to move to a in ground system, but I essentially can't can't run enough heads on a line and get the coverage I need because of bad GPM.


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## BobDolesky (Jul 6, 2020)

1 more suggestion that could at least get you optimal coverage that requires minimal of moving of sprinklers, but you'll have potentially up to 8 hoses running places. Could get two of the 4 outlet timers, up to 8 of the brass impacts, 8 hoses of various lengths, probably at least 2 of them 100fters. Put a Y splitter in the Bib, connect both timers run the sprinklers at 8 different times. Ghetto, unslightly, but I think it could work. I have the orbit timer on back of my hose on a Y splitter


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## BBLOCK (Jun 8, 2020)

edixon88 said:


> g-man said:
> 
> 
> > This shape makes the irrigation a real challenge.
> ...


so why not buy 100' hose cut it into 4 sections buy some hose ends and hose clamps and make your own 25' hoses?


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## edixon88 (Jun 18, 2020)

BBLOCK said:


> edixon88 said:
> 
> 
> > g-man said:
> ...


Pure laziness haha. I actually ended up getting a couple 50 footers off facebook and my local Ace had some 25's in stock.


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## BBLOCK (Jun 8, 2020)

edixon88 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> > edixon88 said:
> ...


haha I feel u. I spent a bunch of money on hoses and sprinklers and timers this year and it is a lot fo work setting eveything up. getting it all leak free etc.

take some pics and post when u get the setup arranged

good luck


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