diy rain water harvesting system

ponddigger

hi all,have any one made a diy rain water harvesting system for storing water underground to use for watering plants,washing cars ect:Dponddigger:D

mk1esc

was thinking of doing one myself....problem for me is the cost of the tank for in the ground & what size to use....i was thinking of building one in blocks kinda like a basement idea but the size of a transporter trailer and around 4-5 deep....that would store plenty of water ...then theres the pump and filter system....would be interesting to know how many peeps have gone down this road as when water rates come in peeps will be going mad for them

dfbemt

I went for an overground system using a 1000lt IBC - got mine for free but I see lots of them on Donedeal for €50.

Fed from gutters off shed and off one of 4 gutters from the roof.

Main intention is to use for watering garden but will feed in to tank when the charges come in.

If 1000lts is too small will go for a 2nd one.

Including filter and pipework this is way cheaper and a lot less work. Screened off with some brushwood from Aldi a few weeks ago and you can hardly see it there.

paddy147

dfbemt wrote: »

I went for an overground system using a 1000lt IBC - got mine for free but I see lots of them on Donedeal for €50.

Fed from gutters off shed and off one of 4 gutters from the roof.

Main intention is to use for watering garden but will feed in to tank when the charges come in.

If 1000lts is too small will go for a 2nd one.

Including filter and pipework this is way cheaper and a lot less work. Screened off with some brushwood from Aldi a few weeks ago and you can hardly see it there.

My main concerns are.......

How long would it take for the tank to fill up so it could be used for flushing toilets and using the likes of a washing machine???

It would need to rain every day to replenish the water that you would use,wouldnt it???

ponddigger

hi dfbemt.have you any photos of your system.how high is the tank off the ground.and what kind of filter did you use. thanks:Dponddigger:D

slowburner

paddy147 wrote: »

My main concerns are.......

How long would it take for the tank to fill up so it could be used for flushing toilets and using the likes of a washing machine???

It would need to rain every day to replenish the water that you would use,wouldnt it???

I use a plain old water butt fed from the gutter. Even in the past dry spell, It never went below two thirds full - it was mainly for watering plants though.
I don't think it would need to rain everyday to replenish the supply. Our Irish weather is variable - drought (4 weeks - I think, without rain) is rare. And when those rare droughts are broken they are usually followed by a deluge!
Remember too that you'll be collecting water from the expanse of your roof area. Even the lightest mist will get the downpipe trickling.
I wouldn't be a fan of underground tanks - lots of labour, expense and you lose the benefit of gravity.

ponddigger

hi bfdemp, hi did your system freeze last winter in the bad weather,thanks:Dponddigger:D

ponddigger

hi all,did any one here of plastic aquablocks or plastic water blocks:Dponddigger:D

paddy147

slowburner wrote: »

And when those rare droughts are broken they are usually followed by a deluge!
.

What,like last night and this morning??:D

Good point though.

magicbastarder

paddy147 wrote: »

My main concerns are.......

How long would it take for the tank to fill up so it could be used for flushing toilets and using the likes of a washing machine???

It would need to rain every day to replenish the water that you would use,wouldnt it???

i remember reading somewhere that the average rainfall on an irish roof is more than 20 times the average water consumption.

however, as the owner of a small (100l) water butt - you run out of it just when you need it most...

Alun

I found my small water butt went quite smelly and nasty during the recent dry spell (I wasn't using a lot of the water.) I had to empty it out and power hose the slime off the inside of it.

magicbastarder

yeah, i'm planning on doing the same. i think a layer of dust built up on the roof and washed into the butt.

Corsendonk

Alun wrote: »

I found my small water butt went quite smelly and nasty during the recent dry spell (I wasn't using a lot of the water.) I had to empty it out and power hose the slime off the inside of it.

Yeah you need constant turnover of water or someway to agitate the water to stop slime developing. Near me quite a few of the commercial glasshouse owners have water tanks that collect the rain water from the roofs which they then use for irrigation but other growers don't like this method as they think they might bring disease into the glasshouse this way. I can see some of the more hightec guys investing in a UV systems to cut down on water charges.

paddy147

Corsendonk wrote: »

Yeah you need constant turnover of water or someway to agitate the water to stop slime developing. Near me quite a few of the commercial glasshouse owners have water tanks that collect the rain water from the roofs which they then use for irrigation but other growers don't like this method as they think they might bring disease into the glasshouse this way. I can see some of the more hightec guys investing in a UV systems to cut down on water charges.

You can buy anti slime and smell pellets for water butts in any gardening shop,diy shop or builders providers.

They work a treat too.

Alun

paddy147 wrote: »

You can buy anti slime and smell pellets for water butts in any gardening shop,diy shop or builders providers.

They work a treat too.

Interesting .. I found some stuff like that online but hadn't found any in my local DIY stores. What is the name of the stuff you use?

magicbastarder

there are a few earthworms living in the bottom of mine. i always thought they'd drown in water.

paddy147

Alun wrote: »

Interesting .. I found some stuff like that online but hadn't found any in my local DIY stores. What is the name of the stuff you use?

I dont know the name,just happened to see my girlfriend with them and she put them into her rain water tanks on her allotment and they worked a treat too.

I think she got them in a gardening place.But Ive seen them before on sale in BnQ,in the past.Ive also seen them for sale over in the UK in Shires Gardening Stores.

Alun

magicbastarder wrote: »

there are a few earthworms living in the bottom of mine. i always thought they'd drown in water.

Are you sure they were alive? I found several rotting dead ones in the bottom of mine.

ponddigger

hi all.i suppose the plastic container full of water freezes in the winter so a under ground system would be better ,it would work the whole winter using a small pump:Dponddigger:D

slowburner

paddy147 wrote: »

You can buy anti slime and smell pellets for water butts in any gardening shop,diy shop or builders providers.

They work a treat too.

That nasty green sludge is the result of over enrichment of the water or eutrophication. The treatment for it in lakes and ponds is to drop in some barley straw (haven't a clue how much). As the barley straw breaks down, it produces hydrogen peroxide and it is this which kills the algal growth.
A cheaper solution than investing in UV technology, for sure.
Presumably, the tablets are a soluble form of HP?

slowburner

ponddigger wrote: »

hi all.i suppose the plastic container full of water freezes in the winter so a under ground system would be better ,it would work the whole winter using a small pump:Dponddigger:D

:Dponddigger:D

Yep, had 200 L of ice this winter. Might try insulating it or building an insulated water house with a big mofo tank for when the charges come

:Dslowburner:D

ponddigger

hi sb,got the 250 gallon tank this evening for 40 e at my local co op building it for the people to morrow.the went for over ground system.i will post photos to morrow night of the project:Dponddigger:D

slowburner

Looking forward to seeing the pics :DPD:D

slowburner

ponddigger wrote: »

hi sb,got the 250 gallon tank this evening for 40 e at my local co op building it for the people to morrow.the went for over ground system.i will post photos to morrow night of the project:Dponddigger:D

A 250 gallon tank for €40 ? Sounds like great value.

paddy147

ponddigger wrote: »

hi sb,got the 250 gallon tank this evening for 40 e at my local co op building it for the people to morrow.the went for over ground system.i will post photos to morrow night of the project:Dponddigger:D

So where is this Co Op then?????:D

ponddigger

hi .here are some photos of the diy rainwater harvesting system we put up to day:Dponddigger:D ps any questions i will try to answer

ponddigger

:Dponddigger:D

johngalway

Hi Ponddigger,

Where did you get that filter, or what type is it? Have a job to do where something like that would come in handy.

Thanks.

ponddigger

hi johngalway ,the filter is off a1 half inch foot pump ,can get them in any plummers suppliers:Dponddigger:D

Yorky

ponddigger wrote: »

hi johngalway ,the filter is off a1 half inch foot pump ,can get them in any plummers suppliers:Dponddigger:D

Hi Ponddigger, could you explain what to ask for at the plumbers merchants? Looking at it, would it not quickly clog up with all the detritus coming from the gutter?

Also, what fittings did you use on the gutter and what sort of pipe is it leading to the container?

slowburner

Yes, I'd be keen too to hear how you stop stuff clogging the filter and causing an overflow from the gutter due to blockage.
Oops just looked back at your pictures - you fitted the new downpipe at the end of the line so overflow is not going to be an issue.