By Bakri Baharom @ Koboi Tunjang
 
Should you grow vegetables, you need to water them regularly, especially in the northern region; Perlis, Kedah and P. Pinang. In the early part of the year, it is ‘summer’, with the temperature reaching 37 degrees C. While Johor and Melaka are inundated, the three states are hot and dry. Sawi and chilli thrive well during this time, provided getting enough watering. The harvesting season in Koboi Tunjang’s area is over and the irrigation rivers and streams are almost parched.
 
It is not often that tap water is used to grow vegetables for two reasons. It contains chlorine and your water bill will skyrocket. You must know that the water tariff is not a flat rate, it gets more expensive per cubic metre as usage increases. Your solution is to drill a Boring or Tube Well but still, you have to draw out the water, like your river water source. You need a pump – an understanding of how it works should come in handy.
 
Let us take Koboi Tunjang’s case. There is a tributary running nearby, at a distance of 50 ft. One end of a poly pipe is connected to a pump and the other end is at the very bottom of the stream. There are three factors to consider; firstly, the distance the water needs to move, the height between the water level and your pump and thirdly the horsepower of the equipment. These will determine whether you are successful or otherwise.
 
Since Koboi Tunjang grows vegetables as a hobby, a small electrical pump should suffice. It is single-phase, unlike the 3-phase type at those commercial farms. Or, the bigger two or four-inch diesel/petrol pump used by rice farmers. Sometimes the pump is connected to their tiller machine. However, most of the pumps used are classified as Centrifugal pumps. But, what does it mean? The following is its definition online:
 
“A centrifugal pump is a mechanical device designed to move fluid by means of the transfer of rotational energy from one or more driven motors, called impellers. Fluid enters the rapidly rotating impeller along its axis and is cast out by centrifugal force along its circumference through the impeller’s vane tips”.

Let us revisit our secondary school science experiment. Take a bucket and half-filled it with water. Tie a 5 ft long string on the handle. Try to swirl the bucket of water, around you. Start slow then faster and higher. The water is not spilt – that is due to Centrifugal Force. Release the string. The bucket of water will fly away. There are two important observations; first, the bucket of water will fly on its trajectory path (circumference) and the distance depends on the speed of the rotation. Now, you get the idea of how Centrifugal Type Pump works.
 
Look at your water pump. It has one inlet and one outlet – the former is lower than the latter. For a small pump, both are one-inch size with special connectors to your poly pipes. The pump is of Priming type too. It means you need to fill it up with water first before turning it ON. Sometimes there is a nut you can unscrew to fill up with water into the pump. It is like a “bait” when you go fishing. If there is no opening nut, then you have to unloose the intake fitting, pour some water and re-tighten. You may have to keep the poly pipe a little higher to make sure your “bait” water does not flow out.
 
Try to figure out how you can use poly pipes and connectors to supply “bait” water to your pump (priming) directly.
 
Trouble starts when your pump engine is running well, but there is no water flow from the outlet. There are a few reasons:
 

1. The distance of the water source is too far and/or too high. Read your pump specifications.
    
2. Faulty connections. Check all the connectors to make sure they are perfectly secured. Notice any water dripping from your pipe or connectors? Any air entering your piping will cause the pressure to drop. If it still fails, immerse the connectors in a bucket of water. You will see bubbles if there is any leakage. It is the same technique used to find any small puncture in your bicycle tyre tube in the old days.
    
   As far as Koboi Tunjang experience is concerned, it involves two stages of water pumping. The first is from a stream to a fish pond. Then, from the pond to water the plants. It helps the pump to reduce the height in one go. The 40 ft x 25 ft pond serves as a reservoir for the dry season as well. It has other advantages too. The villagers believe that the “residue” in pond water helps the plant to grow better. Secondly, the water is constantly replenished to keep it fresh. Having a fish pond comes with another advantage, you may stock up on rainwater or channel your rain-harvest water from your house.
    
   Koboi Tunjang uses a 3-way connector. Let us label them as A, B and C (picture below).

A – (bottom) is supplying “bait” water from the house piping system. The one-way stop-cock (A1) is to make sure no water from B and C flow into the domestic supply. Branch A has an added feature. It has a tap which will allow you to release any air trapped between A, B and C.

B – (top) is water from two sources; a pond and stream, coming by 2 of another 3-way connector. Both come with their own stop-cocks (B1 and B2).

C – (right) is going to your water pump.
 
To pump water from the stream:
Turn off B1 and B2. Turn on A1. Start the pump. Wait until it stops automatically. Open the outlet. Water starts to gush out as your pump auto-start. Turn on B2, and turn off A1 gradually until completely shut off. You are now drawing water from the stream.
 
To pump water from the pond:
Turn off B1 and B2. Turn on A1. Start the pump. Wait until it stops automatically. Open the outlet. Water starts to gush out as your pump auto-start. Turn on B1, and turn off A1 gradually until completely shut off. You are now drawing water from the pond.
 
It is Koboi Tunjang’s practice to pump up water from the stream into the pond, starting late evening and throughout the night. It will be good enough for a couple of days. Gone are the days when our elders used to carry buckets of water on their shoulders. When everything runs well, it is time to water your plants.
 
Let us mention a bit about the fish pond behind Koboi Tunjang’s house. It has been over 25 years since it was first dug out. Originally, there were 2 ponds; each one 70 ft x 25 ft. Many years later, it was reduced to only one; 40 ft by 25 ft to give more space for various types of trees.
 
The pond is only for non-exotic freshwater fishes. Starting from Talapia, then including Haruan, Keli, Puyu or even Ubi and Kaloi. It has never dried up due to drought. Every day the fish is given pallets. A fish rod is always on standby for a quarter of a century.
 
There are two main challenges to your fish pond; otters and kingfishers. Being in a rice field area, the former is plenty. You know otters had raided your pond as the water would turn murky and traces of fish left behind. A chain link fence would overcome the otter’s threat.
 
It is interesting to observe how kingfishers raided your fish pond. First, it will perch quietly at an elevated position. Once it spots a small fish, the kingfisher would dive in at high speed, plunge into the water and catch its prey. Next, the kingfisher will try to take off like an aeroplane. So, the trick is to cover up your pond with netting, as low as possible. It will deny the kingfisher the chance to make a landing as well as take off. Rest assured, kingfishers are not Harrier Jump Jet type. It has no Vertical / Short Take Off and Landing (V/STOL) option.
 
To wrap up this instalment, remember the wisdom of our forefathers. They stored their food, literally in the soil. Tubers like tapioca, sweet potato (keledek), yam or the supposedly poisonous Ubi Gadung (Dioscocera Hispida, Ubi Ara in Kedah) are edible after undergoing special processing. Fresh water and river fishes are their steady supply of protein 365 days a year. Nature helps to maintain the ecosystem of each and every species. The only tool needed is our resourcefulness.

Koboi Tunjang’s welder friend, Mazlan is taking care of a leak behind the impeller.