Consider rubber hoses: they may all appear to
be similar, but there are many different blends of
rubber hoses. EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene-
terpolymer) rubber hoses are inexpensive, durable,
strong, and compatible for most fertilizer and
diluted chemical solutions. But petroleum
products cause EPDM hoses to fail. So if you
plan to use a rubber hose to carry petroleum
products, use one made of nitrile rubber.
Another important consideration is the
product’s concentration. Running a concentrated
product through a hose it is quite different than
running a diluted solution through it.
Consider the fertilizer additive N-Serve.
It is one of the most corrosive materials that
can pass through a hose — it has been known
to corrode stainless steel tanks. N-Serve requires
a special hose with a hard internal liner. The more
concentrated the N-Serve, the more important
this hard liner becomes.
It’s also important to remember that bulk
storage of concentrated pesticides requires special
hoses. For bulk storage, hoses usually have inside
tubes made of cross-linked polyethylene, which
offer additional protection against deterioration.
Hoses for bulk storage have heavy-duty reinforce-
ments. Even the hose cover will have a weather
and ozone-resistant EPDM covering.
(
Clockwise from
top left) Hoses can be
made from EPDM,
EVA, PVC, or
nitrile rubber.
10
Make sure hoses that carry concentrated
products are up to the job.