[MartHale7]

I went with a 1000 gal tank 🙂 with a rain event there can be a deluge of water and a 55 gal will fill up fast. I have seen people link several together, but I guess you have to plan on where the water will go once they are all full. You can design and over flow that pipes to another locations once the barrels are full.

[LotsaKidz]

I made a simple system in two different places on my house where the rain pours down heavily. Didn’t want to mess with downspouts since I don’t already have them, so I covered the “catcher” barrel (actually $20 WalMart trash cans) with window screen secured with a bungee cord. I followed the directions from this YT video to cut holes and connect them, using the linked gaskets he recommended and mounted a spigot at one end from which to fill my watering cans.

I have 7 barrels, in one spot and on the other side of the house I had room and attached 14 together = 21 x 32 gallons each trash can allows me to store 672 gallons of rainwater!

I will say they were tough to assemble because it’s hard to get the pipes in those gaskets, but we’ve had no leaks whatsoever!

Video link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BI6LPNxFPdU

[Acm]

Where did you get your gaskets?

[LotsaKidz]

I bought the exact ones he linked in the YT video, from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072QR9KR6/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=purposedri002-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B072QR9KR6&linkId=e01d7ce56ed3b92eb5a541c9e5428319

[JerseyGiantChick]

US link Amazon but German link kindle?

[LotsaKidz]

Sorry, I just copied it from the YT video so I could get a reply out quickly. When you’re trying to figure something out, you want answers fast! 🙂

[R-N]

Thank you LotsaKidz! That was exactly what I was asking. Thank you for all the info! Have a great and wonderful day!

[KenJr]

I use one of these 42 gallon Brute cans as a reservoir for my chicken nipple watering system. Works well and no light can penetrate to grow algae.

[Squashmania]

This style saves space, collects 165 gallons, barrels are dark to prevent algae growth, and take advantage of the gravity for the spigot at the bottom.

[Stitchinglady]

TY for this pic!!!

[SuzieqNC]

That’s awesome! How do you keep leaves and pine straw out of your gutters, so it does not clog up into your barrows?

[R-N]

Leaf Gutter Guards or similar work good for me.

[Bonnie-Blue]

What kind of trash cans? I noticed he used brute but will any brand work or are they not strong enough?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by  Bonnie-Blue.

[LotsaKidz]

I used these from WalMart. I’ve used them as real trash cans for years, so I knew they were sturdy, and I’ve had this system going since last summer and all can were full and no leaks or bulges or collapses, so I’m pleased.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-Tough-32-Gallon-Indoor-and-Outdoor-Trash-Can-Black-TI0070/17203827?athbdg=L1102

[Bonnie-Blue]

Thank you!

[JerseyGiantChick]

We use ibc 1000 l tanks, if you can get your hands on them.

[EvW]

Does anyone paint IBC tanks black? I did not, and I get algae!

[Dana-FantailValleyHomestead]

can you retrospectively paint them? our unpainted one ended up with about 6 inches of sludge in the bottom and it would clog the tap. Since then our new ones we take the tank out of the frame, wrap in black plastic and put back in the frame, so far so good

[JDP]

You can buy a fitted black outdoor UV “fabric” cover on Amazon with the hole/flap in the top and Velcro or zipper closures costing US $15-20. Hubby tried spray painting one black and after one can decided it wasn’t worth his time or the cost to paint it.

[Hippocrates_Garden]

I would like to interject a possibility here, for those that end up with significant Alge or inches of “sludge” in the system.
Perhaps, it has less to do with light than with “nutrient load”

Alge is alive, it needs to eat. If there is little or no food, no amount of light will produce significant populations of Alge.

Start at the roof (material is less important than many think, but not completely irrelevant) and determine how many places material such as leaves, dust, etc there are (if any) to remove it prior to arriving in the tank.

One of the below leaf diverters in line between the gutter downspout and the tank (preferably at a level you can easily and often walk by and check if it needs to be cleaned off) has two screens, one to stop leaves and larger bits, and one to trap much smaller material) as well as a 1mm-ish where the water drops into the tank (as well as ANY place bugs or other critters might possibly be able to access the innards of the tank) should suffice.

Keep the nutrient load low, and there should not be alge. There will (and should) be a biofilm on the inside surfaces of the tank, and at the air/water interface, and yes there should be a small sludge layer at the bottom. These are normal, these are good, and these are layers of organisms that trap and possibly eat those nutrients or heavy metals thereby cleaning the water. Just make sure not to pull the water out right at the bottom (sucking in sludge), keep it about 4 inches above the bottom, and not pulling from a location that would suck in that very top biofilm layer. Those layers, if tested, SHOULD have higher levels of the icky stuff, which means they are working to keep them out of the water column you draw from.

Oh, and dumping chemicals in to kill stuff, disrupts this. If you’re needing chemicals.. something else is wrong upstream in the system.

Annual cleaning, should not be needed either.

For those wishing more than just my say so, I’ll put a reply to this reply with sources.

[Hippocrates_Garden]

Heyworth J.S., Glonek G., Maynard E.J., Baghurst P.A., and Finlay-Jones J., (2006)

Consumption of untreated tank rainwater and gastroenteritis among young children in

South Australia. International Journal of Epidemiology. 35(4): 1051-58.

Rodrigo S., Sinclair M., Forbes A., Cunliffe D., and Leder K., (2009). Drinking Rainwater:

A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Study of Water Treatment Filters and

Gastroenteritis Incidence. American Journal of Public Health. 101(5). 842-7

Cunliffe, D. A. (2010). Guidance on use of rainwater tanks. EN Health Council. Department

of Health and Ageing. Australian Government.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013). 4602 Environmental Issues: Water Use and

Conservation.

Coombes P.J., Discussion on the “influence of roofing materials and lead flashing on

rainwater tank contamination by metals” by M.I. Magyar, A.R. Ladson, C. Daiper, and V.G

Mitchell. Australian Journal of Water Resources. Vol 19: No 1. 86-90.

Morrow A, Dunstan H, Coombes P. J., ‘Elemental composition at different points of the

rainwater harvesting system.’ Science of the Total Environment; 408(20): 4542-4548.

(2010)

Dean, J. and Hunter, P.R. (2012). Risk of gastrointestinal illness associated with the

consumption of rainwater: A systematic review. Environmental Science & Technology.

46; 2501- 2507”

Martin Anthony, Coombes Peter J., Harrison Tracey Lee, Dunstan Richard Hugh, ‘Changes

in abundance of heterotrophic and coliform bacteria resident in stored water bodies in

relation to incoming bacterial loads following rain events’, Journal of Environmental

Monitoring, 12: 255-260 (2010).

Martin Anthony, Coombes Peter J., Dunstan Richard Hugh, ‘Investigating the influences

of season and coastal proximity on the elemental composition of harvested rainwater’,

Water Science and Technology, 61: 25-36 (2010)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Sharma A K, ‘The impact of diurnal water use

patterns, demand management and rainwater tanks on water supply network design’,

Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 10: 69-80. (2010).

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey Lee,

‘Extensive bacterial diversity indicates the potential operation of a dynamic microecology

within domestic rainwater storage systems’, Science of the Total Environment,

407: 5206-5215. (2009).

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Planner J, Welchman S, ‘Rainfall harvesting

and coal dust: The potential health impacts of trace elements in coal dust in rainwater’, Air

Quality and Climate Change, 43: 23-30. (2009).

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey Lee,

Martin Anthony, Morrow Abigail Cecilia, ‘Rainwater tanks and microbial water quality:

Are the indications clear?’, Australian Journal of Water Resources, 12: 143-152. (2008).

Coombes P.J. Energy and economic impacts of rainwater tanks on the operation of

regional water systems. Australian Journal of Water Resources. Vol. 11, No. 2. 177 – 192.

(2008).

Coombes Peter J., Barry M. E., ‘The relative efficiency of water supply catchments and

rainwater tanks in cities subject to variable climate and the potential for climate change’,

Australian Journal of Water Resources, 12: 85-100. (2008).

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey

Lee, ‘Identifying the major influences on the microbial composition of roof harvested

rainwater and the implications for water quality’, Water Science and Technology, 55: 245-

253. (2007).

Coombes Peter J., Barry M E, ‘The effect of selection of time steps and average

assumptions on the continuous simulation of rainwater harvesting strategies’, Water

Science and Technology, 55: 125-133. (2007).

Barry M E, Coombes Peter J., ‘Optimisation of Mains Trickle Top up Supply to Rainwater

Tanks in an Urban Setting’, Australian Journal of Water Resources, 10: 269-276. (2006).

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Hardy Matthew James, Geary Phillip Milton,

‘Rainwater Harvesting: Revealing the Detail’, Water Journal of the Australian Water

Association, 33: 50-55. (2006).

Spinks Anthony T, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey Lee, Coombes Peter J.,

Kuczera George Alfred, ‘Thermal inactivation of water-borne pathogenic and indicator

bacteria at sub-boiling temperatures’, Water Research, 40: 1326-1332. (2006).

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter J., Dunstan Richard Hugh, ‘Wind, rain and bacteria:

The effect of weather on the microbial composition of roof-harvested rainwater’, Water

Research, 40: 37-44. (2006).

Coombes Peter John, ‘Integrated Water Cycle Management: Analysis of Resource

Security’, Water, 32: 21-26. (2005).

Coombes Peter J., Kuczera George Alfred, Kalma Jetse Daniel, ‘Economic, Water

Quantity And Quality Impacts From The Use Of A Rainwater Tank In The Inner City’,

Australian Journal of Water Resources, 7: 111-120. (2003).

Coombes Peter J., Kuczera George Alfred, Frost Andrew James, Geoff O’Loughlin,

Stephen Lees, ‘The Impact of Rainwater Tanks In The Upper Parramatta River

Catchment’, Australian Journal Of Water Resources, 7: 121-129. (2003).

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Kalma Jetse Daniel, Argue J R, ‘An

Evaluation of the Benefits of Source Control Measures At The Regional Scale’, Urban

Water, 4: 307-320. (2002).

Coombes Peter J., Argue J R, Kuczera George Alfred, ‘Figtree Place: a case study in water

sensitive urban development (WSUD)’, Urban Water, 1(4): 335-343. (2000).

Coombes Peter J., Mitchell Grace, ‘Urban Water Harvesting and Reuse’, Australian runoff

quality: A guide to water sensitive urban design, Engineers Australia, Canberra, Australian

Capital Territory, 6.1 – 6.15. (2006).

Coombes P.J., Insights into Household Water Use Behaviours Throughout South East

Queensland During Drought. 34th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Sydney,

NSW (2012)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, ‘Improving downpipe and gutter

configuration on a residential dwelling to increase rainwater yield’, H2009: Proceedings

of H2009, the 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Newcastle, NSW (2009)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, ‘Mains water savings and stormwater

management benefits from large architecturally-designed under-floor rainwater

storages’, H2009: Proceedings of H2009, the 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources

Symposium, Newcastle, NSW (2009)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Sharma A K, ‘Residential diurnal water use

patterns and peak demands: Implications for integrated water infrastructure planning’,

H2009: Proceedings of H2009, the 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium,

Newcastle, NSW (2009)

Coombes Peter John, ‘The use of rainwater tanks as a supplement or replacement for

onsite stormwater detention (OSD) in the Knox area of Victoria’, H2009: Proceedings of

H2009, the 32nd Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Newcastle, NSW (2009)

Morrow Abigail Cecilia, Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Evans Craig

Andrew, Martin Anthony, ‘Elements in tank water – Comparisons with mains water &

effects of locality & roofing materials’, Rainwater and Urban Design Conference 2007,

Sydney (2007)

Barton Andrew Frederick, Coombes Peter John, Sharma A, ‘Impacts of innovative

WSUD intervention strategies on infrastructure deterioration and evolving urban form’,

Rainwater and Urban Design Conference 2007, Sydney (2007)

Barry M, Coombes Peter John, ‘Optimisation of mains trickle topup volumes and rates

supplying rainwater tanks in the Australian urban setting’, Rainwater and Urban Design

Conference 2007, Sydney (2007)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Geary Phillip Milton, Dunstan Richard

Hugh, ‘Rainwater harvesting and wastewater reuse in peri-urban areas’, 13th

International Rainwater Catchment Systems Conference and 5th Water Sensitive Urban

Design Conference. Proceedings, Sydney (2007)

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey Lee,

Martin Anthony, Morrow Abigail Cecilia, ‘Roof harvested rainwater – Indicator organisms,

water quality and risk assessment’, Rainwater and Urban Design Conference 2007,

Sydney (2007)

Bibliography on Rainwater Quality and Rainwater Harvesting considerations

– 1 1 –

Thyer Mark Andrew, Hardy Matthew James, Coombes Peter John, Patterson C, ‘The

impact of end-use dynamics on urban water system design criteria’, Rainwater and

Urban Design Conference 2007, Sydney (2007)

Martin Anthony, Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Evans Craig Andrew,

Morrow Abigail Cecilia, ‘The passage of direct precipitation to rainwater storage: A case

study’, Rainwater and Urban Design Conference 2007, Sydney (2007)

Barton Andrew Frederick, Coombes Peter John, Rodriguez Jose Fernando,

‘Understanding ecological response in urban catchments’, Rainwater and Urban Design

Conference 2007, Sydney (2007)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Hardy Matthew James, Geary Phillip

Milton, ‘A comparative study of common uses of selected modelling tools for evaluating

rainwater harvesting strategies’, Proceedings, Melbourne (2006)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Geary Phillip Milton, ‘Continuous Simulation

of Rainwater Tank, Wastewater Storage and Stormwater Runoff: The Influence of Climate

Regimes, Water Demand and Diurnal Flow Patterns’, Conference Proceedings of Water

2006, Grand Hyatt Conference Centre, Auckland, NZ (2006)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Hardy Matthew James, Geary Phillip

Milton, ‘Evaluating rainwater harvesting: Revealing the detail using a comparison of

three models’, Conference Proceedings of Water 2006, Grand Hyatt Conference Centre,

Auckland, NZ (2006)

Evans Craig Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Harrison Tracey

Lee, ‘Identifying the Main Influences on the Microbial Composition of Roof Harvested

Rainwater and the Implications for Water Quality’, Book of Proceedings – 7th International

Conference on Urban Drainage Modelling and the 4th International Conference on Water

Sensitive Urban Design (7UDM + 4WSUD), Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

(2006)

Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Spinks Anthony T, Evans Craig Andrew,

Harrison Tracey Lee, ‘Key Messages from a Decade of Water Quality Research into

Roof Collected Rainwater Supplies’, Hydropolis Conference, Burswood Entertainment

Complex, Perth, Western Australia (2006)

Barry M E, Coombes Peter John, ‘Optimisation of Mains Trickle Topup Supply to

Rainwater Tanks in an Urban Setting’, Book of Proceedings, Grand Hyatt Melbourne,

Melbourne, Australia (2006)

Lucas Steven Andrew, Coombes Peter John, Geary Phillip Milton, ‘Realistic Simulation

of Rainwater Tank Systems: Revealing the Detail’, Proceedings, Hyatt Regency Auckland,

New Zealand (2006)

Coombes Peter John, Barry M E, ‘The effect of selection of time steps and average

assumption on the continuous simulation of rainwater harvesting strategies’, Book of

Proceedings – 7th International Conference on Urban Drainage Modelling and the 4th

International Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design (7UDM + 4WSUD), Grand Hyatt

Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (2006)

Coombes Peter John, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Spinks Anthony T, ‘An Overview of a

Decade of Research into the Quality of Rainwater Supplies Collected from Roofs’,

International Rainwater Harvesting Association, New Delhi, India (2005)

Coombes Peter John, Kozarovski P, ‘Development of a regional model to understand

the hydrological and economic benefits of rainwater tanks across New South Wales’,

The 29th Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Engineers Australia, Canberra,

Australia (2005)

Hardy Matthew James, Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, ‘An Investigation

Of Estate Level Impacts Of Spatially Distributed Rainwater Tanks’, 2004 International

Conference on Water Sensitive Urban Design, Engineers Australia, Adelaide, Australia

(2004)

Spinks Anthony T, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred,

‘Bacterial Water Quality of Rainwater Fed Domestic Hotwater Systems’, IWA Leading

Edge Sustainability, Sydney, Australia (2004)

Coombes Peter John, Spinks Anthony T, Evans Craig Andrew, Dunstan Richard Hugh,

‘Performance of Rainwater Tanks at an Inner City House in Carrington NSW During a

Drought’, Cities as Catchments: WSUD2004, Adelaide, SA, Australia (2004)

Spinks Anthony T, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred,

‘Urban rainwater harvesting: a comparative review of source water quality’, IWA State

Conference, NSW (2004)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, ‘A Sensitivity Analysis Of An Investment

Model Used To Determine The Economic Benefits Of Rainwater Tanks’, 28th International

Hydrology And Water Resources Symposium, Wollongong, Australia (2003)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, ‘Analysis Of The Performance Of Rainwater

Tanks In Australian Capital Cities’, 28th International Hydrology And Water Resources

Symposium, Wollongong, Australia (2003)

Spinks Anthony T, Dunstan Richard Hugh, Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred,

‘Thermal Destruction Analyses of Water Related Pathogens at Domestic Hot Water

System Temperatures’, About Water, Wollongong (2003)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Kalma Jetse Daniel, ‘Economic, Water

Quantity And Quality Results From A House With A Rainwater Tank In The Inner City’,

Hydrology And Water Resources Symposium 2002, Melbourne, Australia (2002)

Coombes Peter John, Frost Andrew James, Kuczera George Alfred, O’Loughlin G, Lees

S, ‘Rainwater Tank Options For Stormwater Management In The Upper Parramatta River

Catchment’, Hydrology And Water Resources Symposium 2002, Melbourne, Australia

(2002)

Kuczera George Alfred, Coombes Peter John, ‘Towards Continuous Simulation: A

Comparative Assessment Of Flood Performance Of Volume-Sensitive Systems’,

Exploding The Myths: Stormwater Driving The Water Cycle Balance, Orange, New South

Wales (2002)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Argue J R, Kalma Jetse Daniel, ‘Costing of

Water Cycle Infrastructure Savings Arising From Water Sensitive Urban Design Source

Control’, Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Decision Making, Lyon,

France (2000)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Kalma Jetse Daniel, ‘Economic Benefits

Arising From Use of Water Sensitive Urban Development Source Control Measures’,

Hydro 2000 Proceedings Volume 1, Perth, Australia (2000)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Kalma Jetse Daniel, Dunstan H R,

‘Rainwater Quality From Roofs, Tanks and Hot Water Systems at Figtree Place’, Hydro

2000 Proceedings Volume 1, Perth, Australia (2000)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Argue J R, Cosgrove F, Bridgeman D H,

Enright K, ‘Design, monitoring and performance of the sensitive urban redevelopment at

figtree place in Newcastle’, Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Urban

Storm Drainage, Sydney, Australia (1999)

Coombes Peter John, Kuczera George Alfred, Argue J J, Argue J R, ‘Water Sensitive

Urban Redevelopment: The Proceedings Hydra Storm ‘98’, Adelaide, Australia (1998)

– 1

[Grampa-J]

Fantastic. Thanks for the references.

[Bonnie-Blue]

Thank you for the additional information. Very helpful.

[Stitchinglady]

TY SO MUC FOR YOUR INFORMATION!!!

[NonaLee]

We had three black IBC totes and two clear. We bought black covers for the white ones