are used to clean up water pumped from lakes, ponds, etc. & prevent clogs in pumps, sprinklers, valves, and other components.
SOME FACTS ABOUT GATOR-TUFF LAKESCREENS
OUR MISSION:
We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible filters at the best possible prices. We are constantly striving to improve our products and improve our production techniques as well. We're always open to suggestions from our customers and appreciate their feedback.
We're also proud members of the Florida Irrigation Society and support sensible water conservation policies. Life on this planet cannot exist without water; it's way much easier and more cost effective to keep it clean rather than to clean it up.
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY TO BORE YOU WITH:
dtal The first one that we performed perfectly, required NO cleaning, and lasted a full in the irrigation and pump industry for almost 30 years, served as an adjunct professor at a community college, worked closely with both of the founders of Maxijet and Hunter Industries (offering suggestions for product improvement as well as testing products) during their early years, and invented the Gator-Tuff Lakescreen in 1996.
Our former pump and irrigation business was based in central Florida in an area with 100's of lakes. Tired of getting callbacks for clogged heads, check valves, and/or pumps, we tried numerous products on the market at that time without much success.
We decided that we would have to come up with our own screen and tried many different materials, styles, configurations, etc, until we finally built the first Gator-Tuff Lakescreen.
eta The first one that we performed perfectly, required NO cleaning, and lasted a full 15 years!
We installed approximately 200 of these for our own customers and started selling them to other irrigation companies in the area. After a few years we were approached by John Deere Landscapes and started selling to them on an exclusive basis. Two years later, after the initial agreement expired, we started selling them through other irrigation and pump supply houses.
In 2009 we started building our screens on a full-time basis. Over the past nine years we have improved them dramatically (even though the original ones were pretty darn good!).
SCREENS FOR IRRIGATION vs. FOUNTAINS: What's the difference?
Irrigation systems and fountains have TOTALLY DIFFERENT filtration requirements. Irrigation systems need much finer filtration and usually have relatively short running times compared to fountains. Fountains don't usually need fine filtration and are usually run for extended periods of time (up to 24/7).
Our irrigation screens "GTL" series have slotted PVC pipe running through the center. Use one of these with a fountain and you risk the danger of the slots clogging up.
Our fountain screens "GTF" series have large holes drilled through the central pipe instead of slots. The outer fabric will use screening with a more open mesh than usual, or no screening at all (except for the 1/2" hardware cloth). If debris load is extreme, you may need a larger basket.
We stock the most popular models of our screens used for irrigation purposes. Our fountain screens are custom built based on information that you provide (i.e.: make and model, gallons per minute, number of hours in operation continuously within a 24 hour day, and water conditions).
CAN GTLAKESCREENS BE USED WITH SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS?
NO PROBLEM at all---it's actually quite simple! Think of it as a "horizontal well". The only additional materials you'll need are 2-4" elbows, a 4x3" reducer bushing, a suitable length of 4" pipe (if using PVC pipe don't use anything thinner than Sch40).
1: Plumb up the lakescreen so that the elbow attached to the screen is facing downward. 2: Attach the other elbow to the "well casing". 3: Run a piece of 4" pipe between the elbows making sure that the bottom of the lower tee is on the same plane as the bottom of the stand (to avoid stressing the pipe and fittings). 4: Glue up the entire length of the well casing and be sure that you make a mark on the top of the open end of the pipe (do this is in case the filter rocks to one side while you're pushing the "well casing" into the water). 5: Connect a "drop pipe" to the pump and be sure to make it a little longer than the well casing. 6: After wiring up the pump push the pump, wire, and drop pipe into the well casing. 7: After the bottom of the pump hits the wall of the bottom elbow pull the drop pipe back out at least 12 to 18 inches. 8: install the well seal then connect to the irrigation mainline. 9: install a valve box over the piping centering it up over the well seal. That way you can find it if the pump ever needs to be replaced. (Don't be surprised if our lakescreen outlasts the pump).
INSTALLING A GATOR TUFF LAKESCREEN
TAPE THREADS
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
1: If you have any threaded parts make sure that you use either teflon tape
or a pipe thread compound.
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
2: Install a quality check valve either made from PVC, brass, or aluminum between
12 and 24" away from outlet.
ATTACH SUCTION LINE
INSTALL CHECK VALVE
MARK END OF SUCTION LINE
3: Attach the suction line and, if possible, glue the entire line while it's up on shore.
MARK END OF SUCTION LINE
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
MARK END OF SUCTION LINE
4: Make a mark on top of the "pump end" of the suction line. If the lakescreen rotates to one side you can use the mark as a reference.
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
5: Use the suction line to guide the screen into place. Sometimes an air mattress tied to a piece of rope helps.
CONNECT TO PUMP
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
PUSH SCREEN INTO THE LAKE
6: Connect suction line to the oulet of the pump. Prime pump before turning on. Lakescreen will eventually sink on it's own.
INFO ABOUT THE MATERIALS WE USE :
The Outside Screening and the End Caps.....
.....keep the big stuff like fish, and leaves, and plastic bags from entering the basket. We use polyethylene hardware cloth with 1/2" squares and we know that it will last for 15+ years. The end caps are made from 1/2" thick cellular PVC sheeting and are extremely durable.
The Inside Screening.....
.....keeps most of the smaller stuff out (things like stringy algae and most other algae, water plant and leaf litter, as well as other debris). The screen is not plain old window screen. Instead we use a vinyl-coated polyester screen that WE GUARANTEE WILL NOT TEAR if snagged with a fish hook.
The picture above left tells the story: The #5 worm hook was pulled back as far as possible by someone using a pair of pliers. Only a very small hole results, not a tear.
The Slotted Pipe (Wellscreen).....
.....keeps the finer stuff from getting through. The action & velocity of the water traveling through the wellscreen slots helps the wellscreen rip up debris and shellfish larvae, etc.
The Copper Mesh (or Wires) Surrounding the Wellscreen.....
.....prevent buildup of an algae that can sometimes grow on the wellscreen (reducing flow rates) and also retards or stops the growth of other algaes and shellfish. The mesh is made from 99.9% copper wire and is non-polluting. Please don't confuse this with copper sulfate which is highly polluting and illegal. In some of our larger lakescreens we install copper pipe as well.
The Self-Cleaning feature.....
.....consists of off the shelf irrigation nozzles that spray water from the center of the basket to the inside surface of the inner screen. The nozzle used in our 3 most popular models (GTL60, GTL125, & GTL250) is 10'F; we install 2 of them in the 60's & 125's, and 4 in the 250's. Larger sized Gator-Tuff Lakescreens may have different and/or more nozzles. (See SPECS page).
The Stands.....
.....are made using Schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings exclusively. Just like everything we use making our products the stands are built to last. For our 60's, 125's & 250's we use 1", for larger models we use 1-1/2" or larger pipe. The risers that hold the basket off of the bottom of the water source are perpendicular (90 degrees) to the base of the stand. This enables the installer to easily raise or lower the height of the basket if deemed necessary.
Best-Selling Models & Specs:
GTL60
Our GTL60's are perfect for use with pumps 2HP or smaller if the water holds low to moderate amounts of debris. If the water contains extreme amounts of debris or when using with submersible pumps up to 1-1/2 hp we recommend using the larger capacity GTL125. Some contractors prefer to use the 125's no matter what.
WARNING: Under NO circumstances should you use the GTL60 with ANY pump larger than 2HP, with ANY size submersible pump, or with a fountain.
Although the GTL60 is capable of handling 60 gallons per minute we recommend that you use the GTL125 when exceeding 30 gallons per minute and/or if there are large amounts of debris in the water.
GTL60 SPECIFICATIONS:
Size of basket: 13.5" diameter X 17.5" length Size of Wellscreen: 2" Slot Size: 0.025"
Total Open Area of Inner Screen = 324 square inches (2.25 square feet)
Total Open Area of Wellscreen = 6.4 square inches (a 2-1/2" sch.40 pipe has a TOA of 4.9)
Nozzles: 2-10'F (4gpm) Outlet : 2" coupling (#429-020) Shipping Weight: 20 pounds
Distance from the bottom of the stand to the bottom of the basket = 6.5"; 20.25" to the top.
GTL125
These are real workhorses and work great with any centrifugal pump up to 5hp. GTL125's can also be used along with submersible pumps up to 2hp. If we were back in the irrigation and pump repair business this is the one that we'd use (unless we were using a larger pump then what we recommend).
The GTL125 will easily handle 125gpm with almost no suction loss in CLEAR water. For moderately dirty water you can usually count on 80gpm, and 60gpm for fairly dirty water. For water containing an extreme amount of debris an/or run times exceeding 12 hours a GTL250 would be a better choice. If you're faced with water that closely resembles soup, you might want to turn around and run for the hills. Our lakescreens are designed for straining water not soup.
GTL125 SPECIFICATIONS:
Size of basket: 13.5" diameter X 35.5" length Size of Wellscreen: 3" Slot Size: 0.025"
Total Open Area of Inner Screen = 324 square inches (2.25 square feet)
Total Open Area of Wellscreen = 17.5 square inches (a 4" sch.40 pipe has a TOA of only 12.6)
Nozzles: 2-10'F (4gpm) Outlet : 3" coupling (#429-030) Shipping Weight: 20 pounds
Distance from the bottom of the stand to the bottom of the basket = 6.5"; 20.25" to the top.
GTL250T and GTL250F
Our GTL250's are built using 2-GTL125 baskets mounted side by side on a single stand and are piped together so that the outlet is a tee located in the middle of the two baskets. We use a 3" Sch40 PVC tee for the GTL250T and a 4" Sch40 PVC tee for the GTL250F. The tees swivel along the "Y-axis" (meaning that the outlet can be adjusted to any vertical angle).
GTL250 SPECIFICATIONS:
Size of each basket: 13.5" diameter X 35.5" length Size of Wellscreens: 3" Slot Size: 0.025"
Total Open Area of Inner Screens = 648 square inches (4.5 square feet)
Total Open Area of Wellscreens = 35 square inches (equivalent to a 6" pipe)
Nozzles: 4-10'F (8gpm) with 3/4" tee connection.
Outlet : GTL250T=3" tee GTL250F=4" tee. Return line connection= 3/4" tee.
Shipping Weight: 45 pounds total (shipped in 3 separate boxes).
Distance from the bottom of the stand to the bottom of the basket = 6.5"; 20.25" to the top.
GTL500
Our GTL500 will easily pre-filter 500 gallons per minute unless the water contains an excessive amount of debris. The cylindrical basket measures 24" in diameter, 47" in length. and the stand is made using 1-1/2" Sch40 pvc pipe. In the central portion of the basket we've installed three forty-four inch long 3" wellscreens manifolded together.
The outlet is a 6" coupling. A 6" Van Stone Flange complete with a gasket kit including stainless steel hardware is available as an option for a reasonable additional charge. Please use the model #GTL500FS when ordering this option.
The self-cleaning feature incorporates 8-10'F irrigation nozzles requiring a minimum of 16 gpm for proper operation. The nozzles can be easily removed for cleaning if ever necessary. The inlet for the self-cleaning feature is a 1-1/4" coupling.
The stand is made from 1-1/2" Sch40 pvc pipe. The basket is held 12" above the base of the stand by 6 risers and can be modified by the installer using 1-1/2" standard pvc couplings and/or pipe..
CUSTOM SCREENS
If you didn't see the screen you need please check this out:
We can sometimes modify one of our production models of Gator-Tuff Lakescreens to suit your needs but if that's not practical we can custom build a screen from the bottom up. This is something that we do on a regular basis and we won't charge you an arm and a leg to do that. Oftentimes we've already built a custom screen that would work for you saving the time it takes to design one from scratch. If you need one designed from scratch we normally don't charge you any additional money for that service. Please allow 1-3 days for us to produce a new design and issue a quote.
Here's a rundown of things that we need to know before we can design a custom Gator-Tuff Lakescreen:
APPLICATION: irrigation, fountain, waterfall, phosphate remediation, desalination prep, etc.
PUMP INFO: type, horsepower rating, make & model, anticipated flow (gallons per minute).
TYPE IF WATER SOURCE: lake, pond, canal, etc. TYPE OF DEBRIS PRESENT
WATER QUALITY: on a scale of 0 to 10 how would you rate the quantity of debris (0=clear)?
Please let us know if you intend to float the lakescreen,
let the stand sit on the bottom, or install it on a dock or seawall.
PHOTOS can be especially helpful.
PLEASE NOTE: FOUNTAIN SCREENS ARE CUSTOM SCREENS. WE USUALLY DON'T RECOMMEND USING OUR PRODUCTION MODELS FOR USE WITH FOUNTAINS.
Please call us first before purchasing one of our stock irrigation screens
for uses other than with use with irrigation systems!