We've been spraying the 65wdg out of our Z-Sprays and SteelGreens for 8 or 9 years. Apply it with the 1/3gal (lavender) tips @ 40PSI @ 5MPH for an application rate of 1/3 gal per K. Experienced applicators run blue tips @ 40PSI @ 6MPH for and application rate of 1/3gal per K. We apply it at a rate of 1lb of prodiamine (.65lbs of active ingredient) per acre. We run the stock nozzle screens but do have larger main inline filters than the stock filters on the Z. The SteelGreen's come with a much larger inline filter than the Z's and we upgraded all of our Z's to this filter which really helps. The stock SG filter is about 3x the size as the stock Z filter so it goes about 3x as long before it needs cleaning. To measure the prodiamine 65wdg I use a regular chemical measuring cup and a food scale from Amazon that was about $15. Put the cup on the scale and hit the tare button to zero out the weight of the cup. Then pour in the prodiamine 65wdg until you reach your desired amount. Make a mark on the cup with a Sharpie at the the desired line and you don't need the scale anymore.
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I make up a cup for every employee. We do have machines with different liquid capacities so not every cup is the same. Cups are to be used only for measuring Prodiamine. Never put liquids in the cups or you can't use it for Prodiamine or the little granules will get stuck all over in the cup.
We do all mixing on site, our vehicle tanks only carry clean water. Our vehicles have 225gal tanks with a 5hp Honda paired with a D503 pump. We install a T fitting before the regulator that goes to a short quick fill line we use for filling our ridmoves water quickly. I can fill both tanks on my machine in just over 3 minutes. To mix the Prodiamine I start by shutting the valves off on the machine's boom, then back the regulator all the way off. This will get max agitation back into the machine. Next, select a tank to fill and make sure the valves for the other tank are off. Start filling the tank with water until you have a few gallons in it. While the tank is filling with water, start measuring out your prodiamine. By the time you have your prodiamine measured you should have a few gallons of water in your machine tank. Turn the machine's pump on. Then start to slowly pour in your prodiamine over about 15-20 seconds. Do not pour it all in at once, this is what I have found to cause clogging. Aim your fill hose to the point where the prodiamine is landing in the tank so it instantly gets a blast of water and won't stick to the tank bottom. Then add any other products you may need. Repeat the process for the other side. Then adjust you regulator back to where it needs to be, turn the boom levers back on and start spraying.
You will get occasional buildup on the filters but its not bad. I can normally go a week or two without needing to clean them and that is spraying 6 days a week for 10+ hours a day. There are some weeks where I do have to clean them a couple times in a week for some reason.
The product will settle out if it sits over night and settles out worse over the weekend. It's impractical to drain the tanks every night and it's impossible to have it work out perfectly to have enough mix to get your last stop done without having some leftover mix in the tank. The material will go back into suspension quite easily. In the morning start the machine and shut the boom levers off. Then back the regulator all the way off and turn the pump on for a few minutes per tank to help get the prodiamine back into suspension. Hop on the machine and use the hydraulics to rock the machine back and forth 5-10 times. This will really slosh the tanks around and gets the prodiamine back into suspension. The only time this can be a problem is if your tank is completely full with no airspace for the water to slosh around in.
If on a Z-Spray one mod I highly suggest doing is adding an elbow to 65wdg is up to about $95 from $55 in Dec of 2021.
