water container

[upgw]

The terrible draught continues in the NE... I was thinking of using the 'gray water' from the washing machine to water the trees with, especially the ones too far to reach with the hose. Do the septic tank a favor as well. I'm looking for a 50 to 75 gallon plastic container I can run the washer output into. I'll sit it in my dump cart, then haul it with the BX over to the trees, and just gravity water them with a hose... anybody know where a simple polyethylene (or whatever) container can be had? Clearly, it would need to accept a standard hose connection for output. I don't need a pump.

Saw some at TSC, but they had real big output fittings (3 to 4 inch). Can't imagine what goes on there, some type of pump I'd guess.

Thanks
- Patrick W.

 

[normde2001]

If you have a petroleum company nearby they will probably sell you a brand new 55 gal. steel drum for about $20. I bought 2 from a place and screwed a standard faucet with garden hose threads into them to gravity feed kerosene. They may rust out in 20 or 30 years, however. There is a 2" hole on one side for filling and a 1" on the other side. both have pipe threads.

 

[knucklehead]

I'd also go for a cheaper alternative, like one of those discarded blue water tanks from a household system. here's a link to some <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/LLCategoryDisplayView?storeId=6970&langId=-1&catalogId=4006970&PHOTOS=on&TEST=Y&productId=797686&categoryId=0>poly tanks</A> on the Northern Tool site, however.

I would mention that water weighs about 8-1/3 lbs per gallon, or just under 62.5 lb per cubic foot. Could be a safety consideration.

 

[rmorgan]

Patrick--

So sorry that your drought continues. We had 1" of rain from June 1 until September 10, but have had 6" in the past 10 days. Whew!! But to your question, if the container does not need to be closed, you can get a Rubbermaid stock tank at Tractor Supply, 100 gallon about $80. I put one in my loader bucket to mix up aluminum sulfate for pond application, but did not move it full more than a few feet.

 

[upgw]

We got some good rain the week we went on vacation (of course!), but not 1 drop the 10 weeks before, and virtually none since.. it's really bad, I'm seeing parts of ponds I've never seen before.....

That may be the tank I saw when I was up at TSC, but it didn't have a standard hose connection...

Thanks for the info (everybody).

- Patrick

 

[rmorgan]

Here's a link to the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.rubbermaid.com/hpd/consumer/product/detail.jhtml?prod=HPFG424200+GRAY&attributeId=&nextType=&currentType=&locationId=&thirdMenuIndex=>Rubbermaid</A> tank. The description says it has a 1.5" drain; might be able to reduce it with some PVC, but 55 gallon drums are probably a better idea . . . I guess you probably don't want to use 1.5" hose to water your trees.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"I guess you probably don't want to use 1.5" hose to water your trees"</font color=blue>

Unless they're on fire... /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[DocHeb]

I've picked up the blue 35 and 55 gallon poly tanks from a local carwash. The soap and rinse agents come in them, and these contents are water soluble so they rinse out easily.

 

[rozett]

Patrick,

Here is a supplier for FDA Food Grade Reconditioned 55 gallon plastic barrels for only $30 each. They may not have a hole at the bottom, but it would be pretty easy to add one with some stuff from the nearest plumbing department.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bayteccontainers.com/index.html>link</A>

 

[Scott_in_WVA]

Thats funny.........I have one of those Rubbermaid 100 gallon I just give my German Shepherd a bath in today,I also have 2 of the 300 gallon tanks as well.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I've seen some squarish 275 gallon food grade tanks around here that come in/with metal cages for sale between $60-$110. They look as though they'd be easy to transport but they'd weigh well over a ton full of water so a light utility trailer might not be the way to go. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

 

[gerard]

I use a 325 gal tank for water hauling in my pickup, bought at tsc and that only has a 2 inch threaded outlet. Sounds like a 55 gal plastic drum would work for you. Look around and you can get them for about $10. Buy a bulkhead fitting, whatever size you want 1" 1.5" etc and thread a hose to that. Put in an in line valve and you'll be able to gravity feed no problem.

 

[rozett]

Guess it depends on which color tractor you buy. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
My Cub Cadet 7360 has a 3pt lift capacity of 3410 pounds. So 275 gallons of water is no problem.

 

[MLB]

Put a gate or ball valve on it before the hose to control the flow. If the terrain allowed it, higher flow would be a blessing. Watering trees with 3/8" garden hose sux, gravity fed, even worse. If it's just a few favorite trees I'd rake a nice ring of soil around the tree, damming the water so it can't run off, then fill the dam quickly with high flow.

 

[JRP]

Even Wal Mart has some poly Rubbermade storage containers. A good sprayer supply house, such as Wylie sprayers will have bulhead fittings and valves. I'd think about the garden hose idea. Watering a tree with a garden hose is a good excuse for time to read a novel. We have a 300 gallon sprayer with 1 1/2" hose. It does not drain fast enough. Adding a little gasoline pump allows you to fill from a creek or pond.

Sorry about the lack of rain. Fay brought us 9" in one evening, and we have had another 8" since. Lots of mosquitos right now.

 

[gws]

I have a couple of 55 gallon drums tashed to my carry all from time to time to move water around. Pump water out of the cistern or well or other holding taking. Take the tractor out to the garden and let the water drip out or pump it out.