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Greenhouse Grower Talks Fertilizer Injection

January 15th, 2010

If you haven’t seen it, Greenhouse Grower ran an amazing article on fertilizer injection this month (click here to see the online version). In the article, Peter Konjoian discusses how greenhouses can use their fertilizer injector set-ups in optimum ways, and features some great installations from several different greenhouses, including our longtime-friends at Geremia’s Greenhouse. Best of all, our own Lela Kelly served as technical advisor on the article, and was instrumental in helping Peter choose these best-of-the-best installations to discuss.

If you’re looking for innovative ways to install your Dosatron, this article will give you lots of ideas. Check it out, and then come back here to discuss your installation and usage insights and questions in the comments.

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Posted in Horticulture | No Comments »

Dosatron Participates in “Campaign Dress the Troops”

January 13th, 2010
Early last month, Dosatron was contacted by Sergeant First Class Oscar Angel for help with “Campaign Dress the Troops,” a program aimed at providing soldiers on active tours of duty in Qatar with civilian clothes to wear during their Rest and Relaxation leaves.

When SFC Angel contacted us, he explained that soldiers are not permitted to bring much when reporting for active duty, and thus were dependant on “clothing banks” to provide civilian clothes to wear during the approximately 17 days of R&R they are granted in the middle of their tours. According to SFC Angel, the clothing bank at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar is in particular need, and he asked for our help in gathering items to replenish their supplies.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Dosatron employees gathered dozens of items to donate for the troops, from warm sweaters to bags and accessories. By the time SFC Angel arrived to pick up the donations, we had filled several bags and a very large box with items for our troops.

Dosatron Vice President of Sales and Marketing Pam Temko presents SFC Angel with Dosatron’s donations to “Campaign Dress the Troops.”
Dosatron Vice President of Sales and Marketing Pam Temko presents SFC Angel with Dosatron’s donations to “Campaign Dress the Troops.”

Everyone at Dosatron is proud and excited to think of our items going to Qatar to help the troops. If you wish to be involved in “Campaign Dress the Troops,” contact SFC Angel at 813-828-2706 for information.

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Dosatron Teams With Sonny’s

January 6th, 2010

In case you missed it, Dosatron and Sonny’s Enterprises made an exciting announcement yesterday: we will be partnering to offer car wash operators a 10% discount on all car wash injectors and parts purchased from Sonny’s now through February 28th.

Here’s the full story from Sonny’s:

SONNY’S Enterprises Joins with Dosatron® International to Offer Limited Time Discount

Tamarac, Florida – January 1, 2010 –  SONNY’S, the largest manufacturer of conveyorized car wash equipment, parts, and supplies in the world, has joined forces with Dosatron® International, an industry leader in water-powered, proportional chemical injectors, to offer car wash operators a ten percent discount on all Dosatron chemical dispensers and replacement parts from January 4th through February 28th, 2010.

Dosatron chemical dispensers are ideal for presoak chemicals, engine and tire cleaners, bug and tar removers, waxes, drying agents, and foaming brush cleaners. The water-powered proportional chemical injectors allow car washes to save money on chemicals, energy, and water consumption while delivering the highest quality results for your customers.

“When we first decided to do a dispenser discount for our customers, we knew we’d need to partner with a great company, ” said Barbara Piccirilli, President of Sonny’s Parts Division. “We’ve had a great relationship with Dosatron over the years and have found them to be a consistent, reliable product. They are an ideal partner to make our first promotion of 2010 a success.”

“Since we entered the vehicle wash market 17 years ago, Dosatron has been working to find improved solutions for the unique needs of car wash owners and their customers,” said Dosatron VP of Sales and Marketing Pam Temko. “Teaming with a leader such as Sonny’s to offer customers this unique opportunity is important to us in achieving our goal of being a one-stop chemical management solution for vehicle washes.”

Sonny’s will be sending their customers information on this limited time discount via print, email, and magazine advertisements. Customers can take advantage of these savings by visiting www.Sonnysdirect.com or calling 800-327-8723.

About SONNY’S Enterprises
SONNY’S The Car Wash Factory is the largest manufacturer of conveyorized car wash equipment, parts and supplies in the world. With full tunnel systems in each of the 50 United States, and equipment in countries worldwide, SONNY’S equipment delivers millions of clean, dry, shiny cars each year, around the globe. The company founder, Sonny Fazio, built his first full-serve car wash in 1949. Today, SONNY’S is a recognized industry leader, awarded as such by the International Car Wash Association. Further building upon the company’s commitment to make car washing easy for its clients, SONNY’S is the parent to four distinct divisions; Auto Pilot Car Wash Control Systems, CarWash College, BayWash In-Bay Automatic Car Wash Systems, and SONNY’S Parts Division, responsible for distributing over 14,000 car wash parts to more than 12,000 car wash businesses in the world.

About Dosatron International
Dosatron International, Inc. is an industry leader in water-powered, proportional chemical injectors. Dosatron products are manufactured according to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 standards by Dosatron International S.A.S., part of United Technologies Corporation, U.S.A.

We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Sonny’s on this special promotion. For more information, or to place your order, call Sonny’s at 800-327-8723, or visit their website at www.Sonnysdirect.com.

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The Importance of a Well-Mixed Stock Tank

December 23rd, 2009

lelaBy Lela Kelly

Recently, I paid a visit to a grower who told me that he was concerned that his Dosatron did not seem to be injecting enough fertilizer. When he showed me his stock tank, the problem became clear immediately: the grower was using a lower quality fertilizer which had not dissolved completely, leaving chunks at the bottom of the stock tank.

I run across this sort of thing from time to time. Growers, trying to save a little here and there, use this less expensive fertilizer. What they don’t consider is that this fertilizer will cost them in more ways than just the price of purchase:

  • A lower quality fertilizer that does not dissolve well will not inject properly, which means you may need to use more of it to obtain your desired results. If you spend less per bag, but use more bags total, you may actually be spending more on your fertilizer.
  • If your fertilizer leaves chunks of un-dissolved matter in the stock tank, there’s a  chance that those chunks will end up drawn into the Dosatron, where they will act as debris and possibly impair the check valve or score the inside of your injector. If this happens, you may end up facing additional costs for replacement parts or repairs.
  • If you mix your stock tank with a poorly-dissolved fertilizer, even if it does not affect your fertilizer budget or your Dosatron, it may be that your plants aren’t getting the full amount that they need, which could lead to damaged or stunted crops.

This is why it is so important to keep the big picture in mind when deciding on which products to use. We recommend high quality fertilizers with good solubility. Using an agitator pump may also help keep your stock tank mix consistent.

On a related note, I was contacted by grower recently who believed his Dosatron was over-injecting. He was injecting acid, and his pH readings seemed to indicate that the output blend contained too much acid.

Since acid is heavier than water, it needs constant agitation to keep it properly mixed with the water in your stock tank. The method I see growers use most commonly is the highly-scientific “stir it with a stick” technique. This will not work for additives that are heavier than water, and an in-tank agitator will probably yield much better results.

Your chemical manufacturer can answer any questions you have about solubility and the correct method to keep your stock tank homogenous. And if you have any questions about your Dosatron injector, we’re always here for you at 800-523-8499, or drop us a line in the comments.

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Posted in Horticulture | 1 Comment »

Lela’s Tales from the Road: Cornell University

December 17th, 2009

lelaWell, 2009 is drawing to a close, and I’m getting ready to take a short break from traveling so I can recharge before it all begins again in 2010. One of my last stops of the year was the Cornell Research Lab in Riverhead, New York, where they allowed me the pleasure of hosting two maintenance seminars this past weekend.

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We had excellent attendance, and as always, it was wonderful to meet the growers in person and discuss their fertilizer injector questions. My training centered on the importance of maintenance, as well as proper injector calibration. Many growers do not realize it, but these topics are closely related, as regular injector calibration is the key to knowing when it is time to perform maintenance on your equipment.  Without calibration, it’s almost impossible to tell if an older injector is still dispensing the proper amount of fertilizer.  If you calibrate regularly, you’ll know at once if your injector’s seals need to be replaced or if they’re still performing well. In addition to these topics, I also covered pesticide applications and safe handling practices. 

I was assisted by Charles Germano from Green Island, who is Dosatron certified in maintenance and repairs.

DSC03245s    DSC03225s

Many growers called Green Island to tell them the seminar was very helpful and they were happy they attended. That’s what makes all the traveling worthwhile for me.

Stay tuned, because I’ll be back on the road in January, visiting growers and conducting seminars. You’ll also be able to catch me at MANTS in Baltimore on January 6 – 8 (booth #2952). And of course, there will be more Tales from the Road.

Thank you all for reading.  Happy holidays, and all the best for 2010.

Lela

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Dosie on the High Line

November 19th, 2009

At Dosatron, we’re committed to green initiatives, sustainability, and the three Rs: renew, reuse, and recycle.  That’s why we were so intrigued when we first heard about the High Line, a public park built on a 1.45-mile-long elevated rail structure on Manhattan’s West Side. According to the park’s website, the High Line ceased operation as a rail line in 1980, and was slated for demolition in 1999, when a group of community activists calling themselves Friends of the High Line began working with local authorities to get the stretch of land turned into a park. The project won its first public support in 2002, and the park opened to the public for the first time in June 2009.

This type of community renewal project is important to Dosatron, so we were thrilled to learn that the High Line has been using the Dosatron DosaCart this summer for applying compost tea to their densely packed landscape. The mobility of the DosaCart, which they fondly refer to as Dosie, allows the gardening team to easily transport compost tea in the DosaCart tank and plug into any of the water valves along the High Line.

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Click here to view the beautiful gardens at the High Line.

Do you have an affectionate nickname for your Dosatron? Don’t be shy – tell us about it in the comments!

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Update: Green Forest Car Wash

November 13th, 2009

green_ forest copyWhen Patricia Knott, the owner of Green Forest Car Wash decided to take the plunge and open an express wash, she relied on her extensive business background and experience. She decided, after conducting extensive marketing research, that creating a great customer experience beyond what is expected from the “normal” car wash would enhance traffic.

When it came to purchasing materials, Patricia applied that same business knowledge. She researched equipment that would operate efficiently, allowing her to focus on the operational side of the business and not worry about constant repairs. This research led her to choose Dosatron.

Why Dosatron? Patricia stated it best by saying:

My motto is: the simpler, the better. That’s why I love Dosatron pumps. They completely simplify the chemical application process. They are easy to adjust and maintain, leaving me time to focus on my operation and not the equipment.

We’re proud that Green Forest Car Wash has selected Dosatron for their fun and innovative car wash. We also want to recognized Patricia for her award as the 2009 Rookie of the Year by the Western Carwash Association (WCA). We look forward to partnering with Patricia and Green Forest for years to come!

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Dosatron Expands Our Recycling Program

October 15th, 2009
Recycling Coordinator Luz Angel

Recycling Coordinator Luz Angel

The owners of Dosatron International have long been advocates of healthy living, as well as taking care of the environment. Therefore, it came as no surprise earlier this year when Dosatron President Eddy Kelly decided it was time to add more items to our company recycling program.

The first step was deciding which materials to add to our program. Since our home city of Clearwater, Florida has an extensive recycling program, it was an easy choice to begin recycling aluminum cans, steel cans, and plastic bottles. With help from our receptionist/marketing assistant (and now recycling coordinator) Luz Angel, we prepared the recycling bin and got to work. So far, employee response has been great; the recyclables are piling up, and the whole office takes pride in the fact that these items will not end up in a landfill. It’s just one more step in Dosatron’s efforts to help foster sustainability.

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Lela’s Tales from the Road: San Marcos, CA

October 9th, 2009

Hello, readers! It’s been a crazy summer, and things are finally winding down… but I’m still on the road, trying to see as many of our wonderful customers as possible.

This week, I was in beautiful San Marcos, California, doing a maintenance seminar with our good friends at Crop Production Services.  I always love doing these seminars, because I get to see people’s injectors and how they’re holding up.  Lots of people brought Dosatrons that were over 10 years old, and still going strong.

Seminar 1

We discussed proper seal maintenance, and as always, I stressed how important it is. Many of the growers in attendance had never done any maintenance on their Dosatron, but they were all amazed at how easy it is. Changing out your seals annually really is one of the easiest, best things you can do to lengthen the life of your Dosatron and keep it working properly.

Seminar 4

After the seminar, CPS served a barbecue lunch and I got to eat with all the growers, which was a blast.  I had a great time meeting them, and getting to hear their stories.

That’s it for now; next week, I’m off to Amsterdam to attend Horti Fair 2009. Keep an eye out for my updates on the show!

Until my next tale from the road,

Lela

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Taking “Green” Car Wash to a Whole New Level

September 30th, 2009

I was recently informed Dosatron was chosen for chemical injection at the new Green Forest Car Wash in Los Angeles, CA. This fun, unique wash was designed and built by G.Thomas Ennis, CEO of NS Wash Systems. Its imaginative design takes the wash customer on  a relaxing trip through a tropical rain forest, where their vehicle is sprayed by an robotic elephant, travels through a foam waterfall and has more foam sprayed on by giant light up sunflowers! Its “green” theme is supported by the wash’s eco-friendly functionality; they recycle 100% of their water and squeeze their electrical usage to about 350 kWh per day!  We’re proud that Dosatron was selected for use in this creative and environmentally aware design!

To learn more about Green Forest Car Wash, and see some great photos of their operation, click here.

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