Now onto the important stuff. James and Shala are making a couple of rain barrels and asked if any of us had our own tank. Of course I got excited and turned into a busy body so here we go. Manly made me a rain barrel last year and I love it.
The second picture is the 3000 gallon rain tank at the KCMG Outdoor Education Center. This is the big bad boy. You can pretty much use only rainwater on a landscape with a tank that size.
The next two pictures are my rain barrel and the overflow containers I use to save water. I can water my garden and container plants for about ten days. I also fill my water garden with rainwater. This means that I don't have to treat the water for it to be safe for the fish. I am planning one more rain barrel and overflow containers. This should really cut down on the amount of city water I have to use.
For my first tank, I purchased a food grade container. It had soy sauce in it during a former life. Manly bought a pvc faucet and flex spout. He cut a square, slightly larger than the opening of the flex spout to allow the water to flow from the flex spout into the barrel. He removed the down spout from the gutters, and attached the flex spout. The end of the flex spout slipped just inside of the tank. This kept me from needing screens to keep out mosquitoes. Gutter guards were placed over the gutters to keep leaves and junk out of the barrel. He installed the pvc faucet by using a graduated drill bit making a hole in the lower section of barrel. This hole is small enough that the faucet threads had to be twisted into place. He used pvc glue as well to insure a good seal. We placed the barrel on a cinder block so the water would drain out better
Confession, the first time I emptied the barrel, I pulled on the faucet and caused it to leak. Gorilla glue fixed it up just fine. There is a little bit of sediment in the bottom of the barrel, but it comes out with the last little bit of water, no problem. The best part of this, besides the water of course, was the cost. It cost less than $20. I am getting my next barrel for free from our master gardener group. Sweet.
I found the first barrel at a local feed store and the other fittings came from a plumbing shop and hardware store.
Ingredients
55 gallon barrel
Gutter guards
Flex Spout
PVC faucet
PVC glue
Gorilla glue
I was wondering last year when you mentioned this what you did concerning mosquitoes. Now you've answered that question! Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I'm not sure about a tattoo, but I love the flowers! Your rain barrel is such a good idea. After pricing them around here, I may have to come up with something like you did.
ReplyDeleteI have a plastic 55 gal barrel, but was afraid to try to put a spout in it, afraid it would leak ~ a plumber I'm not. I may work up the courage to try it yet.
ReplyDeleteBe sure and take photos of the tat session! I love the flower you chose.
That is a pretty flower, it will hurt though. Your foot is mostly bone. Ouch! My hubby made me four for about $20-25 a piece with similar contruction as yours. Their great and the plants really respond to rainwater. :)
ReplyDeleteI have two 55-gallon barrels, which I got free from the water-processing plant. With $20 of hardware, and the extra arm of a friend (I couldn't reach my own arm down far enough to hold the washer on the inside as well as the washer on the outside spout!), I converted them to rain barrels. :) I love them. If I should ever lose, say, 50 pounds, I have a secret (um, up to now anyway) dream of having Kat von D tattoo an armband of my favor flowers on around my left upper arm. (Though I hate pain and have very sensitive skin and the prospect of losing ANY weight, let alone that much, seems daunting and impossible. Oh, hi.)
ReplyDeleteI would love a 3000 gallon rain barrel! We need a lot of water here to water all our plants. We never have rain in the summer. It is hot and dry all summer starting in May. This year has been terrible because we hardly had any rain all winter)-: But today it decided to let loose and it has been raining here for a couple hours!!!! I am so thrilled!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the flower you want is really pretty. That will look wonderful as a tat on your foot! I just got mine a couple years ago and I am 48! You are never to old. My old boss just got one and she is 70! No kidding! Just do whatever makes you happy(-: Even if your sister tells your mom!!! LOL My dad about had a heart attack but he is over it now(-: The funny part is he got one when he was in the Marines! He is almost 80! After I reminded him of that he said well that was different! Um...oh really? LOL(-:
CiNdEeS' GaRdEn
You have a nice weekend too brenda.
ReplyDeleteBeckie, My rain barrel may not be pretty, but it works great. So far we have about a fifty percent approval on the tat.
Nola, we are having rain water harvesting classes where you get a rain barrel. They class is under $30. Four hour on a Saturday. If you are interested let me know and I will get you the info.
Racquel, I can take it. Four would be better than just one. I need more.
Monica, The under arm parts are supposed to be really sensitive. Plus that's a lot of ink. Mine will be about as big as a half dollar on my foot. Much less pain I think.
Cindee, We are in pretty much the same boat in the middle of the summer. When we move to a bigger place I am going to get a big barrel so we can go longer without using city water. Thanks for the tat support.
Great idea with the rain barrels! Are you moving?? (comment back to Cindee)
ReplyDeleteLinda, not yet, but in a few years we will be buying some land and building. Then I will have the BIG garden. I think everyone needs a rain barrel.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting a rain barrel myself. Our local Master Gardeners' Educational Gardens have a huge one. I'll have to try and locate a couple of barrels.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lorilee
Gotta get me one of those rain barrels!
ReplyDeleteLike your tattoo choice, and yeah, it's gonna hurt!
Lorilee, Do find a couple. They save water and make us more aware of how we use it.
ReplyDeleteKim and Victoria, We all need at least one barrel. I am not a baby. I can take it.
I love the claradendron. I was telling my sister about it. I described it as a butterfly peeing a tear drop. LOL I have never seen it before, but my sister who works at a nursery knew what it was right away. I think it would make a cool tattoo. I would love to see it.
ReplyDeleteVery useful post, good instructions, thanks! As for the tattoo - go for it! Will wait for a picture!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbi! I have three of those 55-gallon rain barrels and they are wonderful! Love how healthy and happy your fish and water garden look, too. As for the tattoo, given the shape of the flowers, how about a trail of them in ever-decreasing size from the ankle to between the first two toes like one of those exotic "foot bracelets"? (Of course, that's easy for me to suggest, since I'm not the one being stuck by needles.) Not only would it be lovely, but it would discourage sock-wearing since you'd want to show it off!!!
ReplyDeleteTink, Thanks the decision to have it done is made. Now I just have to get an actual flower for the artist.
ReplyDeleteTatyana, thanks and I will post pictures of the whole event.
OFB, It's all about the socks. Seriously that is a good idea, but bigger than I want.
Great rain barrel instructions - thanks! That sure beats paying $100+ for one at the gardening store!
ReplyDeleteHi ginger, yes it does.
ReplyDelete