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Asked by banchomaikeru ·May 11, 2022 ·7.68k readers

What pump/sprayer everyone using and any damage from knf usage?

Hi yall, I'm wondering what pump or sprayer yall using? And if yall ever got damage to internals from the salt added to many mixes? Especially the 1/10 drench. Do you use a saltwater pump when applying that? I have limited income to work with and am just worried whatever engine or electric pump I get will last at least 1 season, preferably 2 to 3 seasons would be awesome. Koshin is a major manufacturer here, and they really specify "Please avoid using this or that pump with water that has salt in it" so it just has me worried...

pump salt damage

Top answer

Drake Weinert L4 Instructor · provisional Foundation · May 15, 2022
I use a Maruyama MS75E Sprayer when on foot, and then I use a 50 gallon Gearmore Sprayer with a diaphragm pump on my tractor. By the time the solution is diluted, there should be no problem of the pump degrading from salts. Especially if you flush it out with clean water after use. I just had to replace the diaphragm on the tractor sprayer, but that is because it ripped after nearly 10 years of use, and I also had to do some work on the Maruyama to clean out the exhaust screen, but no issues with the pump unit at all as long as they are not run dry.

From the KNF library

From the KNF library Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books · Sep 2026 · 6 sources

Drake found budget kits of roughly 80 to 90 dollars. They come with a 15-gallon tank, hose, and 12-volt pump rated near 2.4 gallons per minute. That beats buying the pump alone. (Office Hours Jul 2025, 17:02)

Drake says to pick for your back and broad coverage, not high PSI. (Office Hours Ep. 13, 42:59) The library also says a battery-powered backpack sprayer beats hand-pump models. (Office Hours Aug 2025, 32:56)

On the salt, the manual's sea salt drench is 120 g of sea salt, or 1 gallon of sea water, in 30 gallons of water. (Pure KNF Manual, p. 53) Another session dilutes seawater one to 30 for pasture. (Office Hours Ep. 124, 48:01)

For clogging, flush sprinkler lines afterward or run LAB last. (Office Hours Ep. 34, 21:50)

The library does not mention a 1/10 drench. It also does not say whether salt harms pump internals.

Sources

1 more answer
dagoofman · May 12, 2022
iv been using hand pumps and hose end sprayers and never had a issue with the sprays the salt water is very diluted even in the soil soak ...iv had copper soap and neem oils clog my sprayers in the past... i just got this yr a electric hand sprayer from SunJoe that im using the KNF solutions in this yr and retiring the old one to IPM sprays so i dont worry about clogging my new sprayer  i know drake uses a large pump sprayer on his farm attached to the back of a car he mentions what brand he is using in a few vids but i cant remember but i would think anything rated for fertilizer spraying would be ok they would be tested to run salts and harsh chems like MGrow through them just fine so the KNF solutions r like water compared to that sort of stuff when it comes to the sprayer

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