This may have already have been mentioned, but you can paint the plastic totes black or wrap the totes in black plastic sheeting to block the sun rays and prevent algae from growing in the water. This will also help warm the water from the sun. You shouldn't have to worry about the water freezing in these totes as long as the totes are not completely full. The ice just needs room to expand. If you use a rubber hose (garden hose) as a connection, the hose can expand if water freezes.
I actually bought the tanks from a company in the New Bedford harbor. They used to have some kind of fish-gut-slurry in them, I think. Nonetheless, they were used so I thought I got a good deal on them - I believe I paid $150 each, but I also know that you can sometimes find them on craigslist. Wherever you live, you can easily do an online search for them - They're most commonly referred to as "330 gallon totes".
Thanks, Happy! I actually used no PVC primer - I never do. Instead, I simply apply clear PVC cleaner and then the adhesive, and that's it. I don't like the purple stains that PVC primer leaves & I find it to be unnecessary. Good luck with your system & please let me know if I can help in any way!
Awesome setup. I have taken several screen shots of your setup and will try to duplicate it. I'm off to look at totes tomorrow. I don't see any blue PVC primer adhesive. Did you not use any or did you do a really good job of applying it?
that would be a super help if its not to much trouble for you....we just recently got a lowes so ill try to figure out what you did from your pictures and hopefully that works :>
Love the setup..... Looks great, I have one question, where did you find the adaptors for the ball valve on the tanks, I just purchased two 330gal totes and have looked everywhere for some type of reducer for garden hose hook up ?
We actually just went to Lowes & picked them up. Note that there's a piece that screws onto the tank valve & then another piece that forms the union between the tank and the CPVC. We took the tank valve and the CPVC up to Lowes & hunted around until we found what we needed - And DON'T ask any of the Lowes folks for help. They told me it couldn't be done and that it wouldn't work. It WILL work & if you need close up photos of the pieces we used, let me know & we'll send them to you...!
Thanks for the suggestions, Bluezman. My tanks are in complete shade & never get any sun, so I'm hopeful that their location, coupled with a few summer doses of Simple Green concentrate added to the tanks, will keep the algae at bay. I've actually drained them to prepare for the New England winter, so next summer will be the true test. Nevertheless, I really appreciate your comments and ideas.
~ would adhere properly to the type of plastic they're made of. I hope that you take this as the helpful and constructive criticism, that it is meant to be. I can see that your work has that look that only research and careful planning produces. Nice work and good luck with your garden for the 2011 season.
~ slid them out. Cut a hole (snug fit) in the center of the plastic film and popped it over the neck of the jug, draping it like a poncho. I then folded and taped it neatly to the sides and then to the bottom. Once slid back into the frame, with the bars locked down and the valve reinstalled, your good to go. The plastic on my tanks has seen 2 full summers and 1 and 1/2 winters so far, and it looks like they'll take another 2 summers. I thought about paint , but I don't think it ~ Continued
~for the pump should you decide to install one. ( A standard soaker hose will not work without either a pump or a lot more head than you have at present. ) They do make gravity-feed drip emitters though.
The way I got around the sunlight issue was to install 6 mil. black plastic film around the jugs (plastic part of the tanks without the frames) by wrapping them up like presents. I first removed the two top bars and the valve on each tank. turned them on their sides and ~ Continued
I also have a two tote system, which is basically the same as yours. I am going through my second winter, and feel the need to give you a heads up on a few things you may not have thought to address. You need to keep the sunlight from entering the tanks. Algae grows very fast, and is a pain to clean out. If you don't have a fine screen filter or filter bag at the fill point, you will have dirt and grit entering the tank. This is not good for the valves or ~Continued
This may have already have been mentioned, but you can paint the plastic totes black or wrap the totes in black plastic sheeting to block the sun rays and prevent algae from growing in the water. This will also help warm the water from the sun. You shouldn't have to worry about the water freezing in these totes as long as the totes are not completely full. The ice just needs room to expand. If you use a rubber hose (garden hose) as a connection, the hose can expand if water freezes.
BullittMcQueen1 1 month ago
I actually bought the tanks from a company in the New Bedford harbor. They used to have some kind of fish-gut-slurry in them, I think. Nonetheless, they were used so I thought I got a good deal on them - I believe I paid $150 each, but I also know that you can sometimes find them on craigslist. Wherever you live, you can easily do an online search for them - They're most commonly referred to as "330 gallon totes".
swestleyj60 10 months ago
Were did you fint the two tanks/ Byed them?
spazumn 10 months ago
Thanks, Happy! I actually used no PVC primer - I never do. Instead, I simply apply clear PVC cleaner and then the adhesive, and that's it. I don't like the purple stains that PVC primer leaves & I find it to be unnecessary. Good luck with your system & please let me know if I can help in any way!
swestleyj60 11 months ago
Awesome setup. I have taken several screen shots of your setup and will try to duplicate it. I'm off to look at totes tomorrow. I don't see any blue PVC primer adhesive. Did you not use any or did you do a really good job of applying it?
happygillmore 11 months ago
that would be a super help if its not to much trouble for you....we just recently got a lowes so ill try to figure out what you did from your pictures and hopefully that works :>
peeinginthewind 1 year ago
Love the setup..... Looks great, I have one question, where did you find the adaptors for the ball valve on the tanks, I just purchased two 330gal totes and have looked everywhere for some type of reducer for garden hose hook up ?
peeinginthewind 1 year ago
We actually just went to Lowes & picked them up. Note that there's a piece that screws onto the tank valve & then another piece that forms the union between the tank and the CPVC. We took the tank valve and the CPVC up to Lowes & hunted around until we found what we needed - And DON'T ask any of the Lowes folks for help. They told me it couldn't be done and that it wouldn't work. It WILL work & if you need close up photos of the pieces we used, let me know & we'll send them to you...!
swestleyj60 1 year ago
Thanks for the suggestions, Bluezman. My tanks are in complete shade & never get any sun, so I'm hopeful that their location, coupled with a few summer doses of Simple Green concentrate added to the tanks, will keep the algae at bay. I've actually drained them to prepare for the New England winter, so next summer will be the true test. Nevertheless, I really appreciate your comments and ideas.
swestleyj60 1 year ago
~ would adhere properly to the type of plastic they're made of. I hope that you take this as the helpful and constructive criticism, that it is meant to be. I can see that your work has that look that only research and careful planning produces. Nice work and good luck with your garden for the 2011 season.
Bluezman01 1 year ago
~ slid them out. Cut a hole (snug fit) in the center of the plastic film and popped it over the neck of the jug, draping it like a poncho. I then folded and taped it neatly to the sides and then to the bottom. Once slid back into the frame, with the bars locked down and the valve reinstalled, your good to go. The plastic on my tanks has seen 2 full summers and 1 and 1/2 winters so far, and it looks like they'll take another 2 summers. I thought about paint , but I don't think it ~ Continued
Bluezman01 1 year ago
~for the pump should you decide to install one. ( A standard soaker hose will not work without either a pump or a lot more head than you have at present. ) They do make gravity-feed drip emitters though.
The way I got around the sunlight issue was to install 6 mil. black plastic film around the jugs (plastic part of the tanks without the frames) by wrapping them up like presents. I first removed the two top bars and the valve on each tank. turned them on their sides and ~ Continued
Bluezman01 1 year ago
I also have a two tote system, which is basically the same as yours. I am going through my second winter, and feel the need to give you a heads up on a few things you may not have thought to address. You need to keep the sunlight from entering the tanks. Algae grows very fast, and is a pain to clean out. If you don't have a fine screen filter or filter bag at the fill point, you will have dirt and grit entering the tank. This is not good for the valves or ~Continued
Bluezman01 1 year ago
Brilliant!
zenarcherkevin 1 year ago