catching water

[deepNdirt]

for the past several years I have used a plastic 55 gal. barrel sitting on the corner of my barn, I installed a gutter on the lean-to with a down spout to funnel the water into the Barrel, after each good rain the barrel would of course fill and the spill over would wash out a small rut,......never knowing just how much excess water we were loosing? lately it has become little difficult for the gardener (72 year old Maw-in-law ) to lift buckets of water out from the rain barrel..... So! yesterday I decided to get a much larger water container... (275 gal.) it has a valve on the bottom to drain water from and a large fill hole at the top, we were expecting some showers thru-out the day so I thought I'd go ahead and put the Tank in the place of the Barrel to see just how long it would take to fill 275 gallons?
it rained for about 45 minutes and filled it 3/4 full, this morning I looked at it again and it is full and running over :thumbsup: I never realized just how much water came from a small amount of of shed roof.... I could see this if water coming from a valley of a house roof, but not that of only approx 20 ft. x 20 ft. shed anyway if ever anyone thinking about getting one of these and have concern if ever they could actually fill with rain water alone? I can say yes they can and will. :thumbsup: I was told that adapting the drain valve to a water hose would give equal pressure as what would come from a hose bib.... so I crack open the valve and water shot 4 ft out with plenty of pressure, The "In-law" is going to love me for this

 

[SARG]

Looks like something the "boss" would like done.

How much did the tank cost ?

 

[Mousefield]

Those make nice rain "barrels". Having some pressure rather than lifting is great. I'm all for labor saving devises. :thumbsup:

 

[deepNdirt]

Looks like something the "boss" would like done.

How much did the tank cost ?

the guy who I got it from said he been asking 125 for them, but this was his last and personal one and he was getting ready to move and need it gone quickly, so sold it to me for 75.00:thumbsup:

 

[SARG]

An excellent price indeed ............ I've looked at equal tanks and they are $4 to $5 hundred at different supply sites.

 

[deepNdirt]

I'm actually going to let her use this water up and then try and build a stand for it so the drain valve is up about 2 ft from the ground so the In-law won't have to bend quite so far over, I have about 3 1/2 ft to work with so still set low enough for the cutter down spout will fill the tank.
I this would had cost 500 bucks Maw-in-law would still be bailing the water

 

[dave1949]

Nice tank idea and it never hurts to accumulate MIL points :laughing:
Dave.

 

[sodamo]

Looks like you got about 1.1 inches rain. Nice catch. MIL is gonna be spoiled.

 

[Thomas]

Kinda recycling water..betting the plants like the warm water compare to well water..water temp shock.

 

[ElDorado]

I like the elevated platform idea.

Around here there are many remote, non-electrified camps that have water cisterns built 6 to 8 feet off the ground (one I know off has the cistern on top of a huge rock 10 or 12 feet off the ground). They use gas powered pumps to pump the "collected" rain water in up to the cistern. Many even run through gas hot water heaters with even pressure to get back up to sinks and showers. It is amazing how much pressure that volume and elevation provide.

I say build the platform as high as you can then the MIL can just use a hose like it was connected to the house. Good luck.

 

[wjoerob]

Just a suggestion: black or dark-colored rain barrels discourage the growth of algae, and light or clear-colored ones promote it. Depends, of course, on how quickly the water in the container will be used.

 

[Zick]

Looks like something the "boss" would like done.

How much did the tank cost ?

Look on Craigslist, I see these things on there all the time and usually ranging from $75-125. But just double check what used to be in the tanks, some used to be for holding oil, grease, etc.

 

[SARG]

Good tip.... I'll do that. Thanks.

 

[outinthetalgrass]

ok, here was my solution to the same issue... just wife not mil.

I found two of the 275 gallon tanks on e-bay for 40.00 each. I drove 50 miles and picked them up, took them to the quarter car wash, and washed them out completely.
I them took one and set it up on a 2' pedistal of cinder blocks. the other one I put in a compact pickup truck bed that had been made into a trailer.
the garage gutter drains into the first tank, and I use a pump to pump water into the trailer tank. then I can hook it up to the tractor, and pull it around the 2 acre yard for the wife to water her fruit trees, grape, rasberry, blueberry & blackberry vines, plus the flowers and widbreak trees. I would be all day hauling it 5 gallons at a time around the yard.
attached are pictures of the permanent tank, and the trailer

 

[dcyrilc]

I have three or four of those tanks laying around. Rented my front building out to some guys who were collecting, filtering, and selling vegitable oil for a while. They used the tanks for storage and just left them when they left. I also have quite a few 55 gallon drums.

If anyone around the Seattle area would like some, PM me.

 

[Uncle Doug]

Those crate tanks are selling for around $100 in the Houston area. Been wanting to get me one to use for the garden at the church as the garden is a couple thousand feet behind the church. I like the trailer idea also.

At home I have a 30 gal poly tank that sits below a window ac unit to catch condensate. I was amazed at how much water collects in the tank. We dip out of the tank to water a couple of fruit trees near by.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Saw a guy watering plants the other day with one of these lifted about 10' up in the air with a large lift, had garden hose attached.

I want to put a larger tank behind my barn.

 

[archerm3]

I like the elevated platform idea.

Around here there are many remote, non-electrified camps that have water cisterns built 6 to 8 feet off the ground (one I know off has the cistern on top of a huge rock 10 or 12 feet off the ground). They use gas powered pumps to pump the "collected" rain water in up to the cistern. Many even run through gas hot water heaters with even pressure to get back up to sinks and showers. It is amazing how much pressure that volume and elevation provide.

I say build the platform as high as you can then the MIL can just use a hose like it was connected to the house. Good luck.

Remember, it's just the elevation that provides the pressure. Volume just keeps the elevation at a higher level for longer.