IBC tank used for rain collection
One of the easiest sustainable things anyone can do is to collect rain water. It's free, it's easy and can be used for so many things around the garden! For the first time in our lives we are doing this! The tank we are using isn't the prettiest but at 300 gallons it will hold a lot and will come in handy for watering my new raised beds.
The tank is called an IBC and we were fortunate to have a cousin who works at a water treatment facility where they have many. (thanks Kristina!) We are also going to use IBCs as part of an aquaponic system - but rain water collection right now was a priority as it was so dry the last month or so. Just with yesterday's rain we could have filled that tank 4 times! We allowed it to fill and empty a few times just to clean out any remaining residues, then closed up the spigot and allowed it to fill. It filled within hours (we have a pretty big roof on the front of the house). It is amazing to think how much water we lose when we just allow the rain off the roof to empty into the ground. Not to mention how many of you have flooded cellars that might be preventable if you collected the rain water into a barrel?
Water collection I think must be the "new cool" thing to do, as I have seen more rain barrels for sale in the last year then ever before - or at least since I was younger in the 70's. You can find them at your local DIY store, hardware stores and even online! They have some really nice looking ones too! But practicality and price (free) was why we chose to use an IBC. Although one of the full size whiskey barrels would be really cool!
What are some of the things we intend to do with the water besides the usual watering plants? Well I would love to be able to take some of this new found water and make some compost tea this year as and added bonus to keeping my gardens healthy and full of nutrients! Also I would love to set up some kind of system where it gravity feeds to a livestock tank (eventually) but I haven't quite figured out how to prevent it from going green in a clear tub yet. Which reminds me. If you do intend to collect rain water and not just use it on your plants, it would be wise to allow the first few gallons of water to empty out of the barrel prior to you saving it. This allows for any contaminants or dirt off the roof to wash away and not spoil your whole barrel.
There are some really ingenious systems that people have come up with using gutters and counter balances that can be found on you tube if you want to take the guess work out of rain collection. Just need to do a bit of research to see what will work best for you and your home. It is definitely worth the effort as who knows what Mother Nature has in store for us this summer! Not to mention how much money it could save you if you live in an area where you pay for your water!
Be well, be happy and remember to smile today!
The tank is called an IBC and we were fortunate to have a cousin who works at a water treatment facility where they have many. (thanks Kristina!) We are also going to use IBCs as part of an aquaponic system - but rain water collection right now was a priority as it was so dry the last month or so. Just with yesterday's rain we could have filled that tank 4 times! We allowed it to fill and empty a few times just to clean out any remaining residues, then closed up the spigot and allowed it to fill. It filled within hours (we have a pretty big roof on the front of the house). It is amazing to think how much water we lose when we just allow the rain off the roof to empty into the ground. Not to mention how many of you have flooded cellars that might be preventable if you collected the rain water into a barrel?
Water collection I think must be the "new cool" thing to do, as I have seen more rain barrels for sale in the last year then ever before - or at least since I was younger in the 70's. You can find them at your local DIY store, hardware stores and even online! They have some really nice looking ones too! But practicality and price (free) was why we chose to use an IBC. Although one of the full size whiskey barrels would be really cool!
What are some of the things we intend to do with the water besides the usual watering plants? Well I would love to be able to take some of this new found water and make some compost tea this year as and added bonus to keeping my gardens healthy and full of nutrients! Also I would love to set up some kind of system where it gravity feeds to a livestock tank (eventually) but I haven't quite figured out how to prevent it from going green in a clear tub yet. Which reminds me. If you do intend to collect rain water and not just use it on your plants, it would be wise to allow the first few gallons of water to empty out of the barrel prior to you saving it. This allows for any contaminants or dirt off the roof to wash away and not spoil your whole barrel.
There are some really ingenious systems that people have come up with using gutters and counter balances that can be found on you tube if you want to take the guess work out of rain collection. Just need to do a bit of research to see what will work best for you and your home. It is definitely worth the effort as who knows what Mother Nature has in store for us this summer! Not to mention how much money it could save you if you live in an area where you pay for your water!
Be well, be happy and remember to smile today!