Rain Water Catchment rainwater harvesting Part 3

[gabigowriel]

out of what materials are those reservoirs made of?

I'm having some "thoughts" on building myself a tank for water from the house's roof(about 150 square meters) and still haven't decided how big I should make it , out of what material(wood, galvanized steel sheet ) or just to buy one from HDPE ...

What do you think?

Thanks!

[feelytouchy67]

@gabigowriel, I used galvanized steel water troughs (used for animal watering). They will eventually rust, but that takes in general quite a long time. None of mine leak, though I do see some minor rust beginning to form. If you can find stainless steel and want to pay the extra cost, you might want to go with that. Vitrified clay would last a long time! Any material is fine as long as you like it! :) Some use fiberglass, whether above & below ground . . .Good luck with your project! :)

[SHARKREEF2011]

@feelytouchy67 what r u going to do about radioactive water?

i recommend  bentonite clay

enviroreporter.

[lsalas300974]

good but lack of mosquito protection.

[ArizonaAdventures]

Fantastic video! Just starting out with rain barrels and now am praying for rain :)

[feelytouchy67]

Good luck, @ArizonaAdventures! I know rain will come, the question is always: "when?" :)

[Timothy2035]

that looks absolutely beautiful. God given water. LOL! 

[feelytouchy67]

Thanks Tim! Like you, I love H20!

[minijnr]

Have you thought of covering the tanks as evaporation can take its toll

[feelytouchy67]

@minijnr, haven't had an issue with evaporation even in the blisteringly hot dog-days of summer (especially this year!). Besides, since I use the water to help stave off the damaging of drought (when it is dry), the water would be used to irrigate long before it evaporated anyway.

[getrealthen]

@feelytouchy67

just make sure you treat your water from mosquito larvae.

[shanintia]

@Allen, I read that in an article some years ago. I work with wastewater reuse in Florida so I found it interesting. Water rights are different out west then they are in the southeast and even in the north where there may be no permitting for water use at all. Anyway, I believe Colorado passed a law in 2009 that allowed limited rainwater harvesting. But folks should check local laws before doing this.

[getrealthen]

@shanintia

yea, now we have to pay taxes on green living.

[bedabug0]

this vid is fun

[shanintia]

BTW--Its illegal to harvest rainwater in CO and UT. Water rights....wiskey is for drinking water is for fightin.

[Allen2045]

@shanintia Are you kidding?

[feelytouchy67]

@Allen2045 I've read -- don't remember where - that in some cases that rather than being categorically illegal, some states limit the amount of rainwater that can be harvested . . . . While it is completely understandable that there have long been limits on how much water a party can take out of a river, stream, public lake etc., the idea of limiting how much rainwater one can harvest is insane.

[getrealthen]

@shanintia

you can still just catch small amounts when no one is looking, to water your flowers, flush the commodes and wash cloths. Just hide it.

[dudewithspudgun]

yay! I love rain :)

[baldysr]

seems like mosquitos would be a huge problem

[feelytouchy67]

I use BT mosquito bits, and never have a problem. (BT stands for Bacillus thuringiensis, a common bacteria from soil that is used widely for the killing of mosquitoes in their larval stage). It has no effect on other insects, and is non-toxic to humans (unless maybe you consumed huge amounts of it by drinking the water without heating or sterializing it in some way). It is also quite cheap. I spend less than $40 a year on the bits and dunks.

[hay427]

You could try to put in some fish. It would add nutrients to the water and eat the larvae.

[feelytouchy67]

I have had fish in another one of my water catchment systems: the former "pool." (water catchment #4 etc;) The two, one a brim and the other a wide-mouthed bass, have been there for around five years. (Actually, I think the wide-mouthed bass may have finally expired, as I haven't seen him in a few weeks.)

[getrealthen]

@feelytouchy67

great option for controlling mosquitoes and their larvae

[baldysr]

interesting i had never heard of that before. no problem with stagnation affecting plants either? I am trying to create a rainwater collection system using a series of 5 55 gallon buckets. any suggestions on how to connect them or problems to consider?

[Biopyro]

Also you could just put a couple of goldfish in the tank. They love to eat the larvae and then would need almost no mainainence.

Great harvesting system man! But do you ever manage to use it all in the summer/dry season?

[feelytouchy67]

Hmm. Neat idea about the goldfish, Biopyro. I do indeed use it when we have droughts, no matter how short. The extra rainwater does indeed come in very handy.

[rednblackflame]

Yay a swimmming pool

[getrealthen]

@rednblackflame

that's the best part!

[feelytouchy67]

killer2021, I filter and UV some of it for drinking water, the rest is for irrigation.  None for toilets, sinks, etc.

[killer2021]

do u use the water for anything after you catch it? ie. toilet, drinking etc?

[trangdung1]

what's else for the next tank......lol