Watering system with 55gal drums - Transferred from QDMA Forums

[yoderjac]

Anybody have any homemade setups using 55gal drums out in the field to collect rainwater then use that to water plants? Lets see pics if you have them!

I'm sure this would work:
1. Make a platform with 2 x 4's.
2. Cut the top off one end of barrel.
3. Put the barrel on the platform with the open-end facing up.
4. unscrew twist-open cap under the barrel and screw in threaded, plastic, PVC pipe with metal or plastic shut-off valve. I put a vinyl hose on the end to direct the water.
5. The barrel will fill up with the rain water and gravity will force it thru the valve. Some guys will use a 5'x5' plastic tarp with a hole on top of the barrel to catch more water. Just use conduit poles with rope to hold up the tarp. (INTERNAL IMAGE LIKE EMOTICON REMOVED)

No pics to speak of but we have three 55 gallons barrels on pallets. They are 1/2/3 Feet off the ground. The water from the eves of a small shed runs into the highest barrel. The highest barrel has a side spout so when its full it overflows into barrel 2. Barrel 2 overflows into 1. Same setup drains into the next shed into a 100 gallon barrel. I have a branched hose system to 5 Apple trees. Whenever I am there and its dry I letr rip for 15 minutes. Works well. Otherwise I have a 5 gallon pale by each tree with tiny holes in it. Dump a full pale into the slow leaking pail and walk away.

This is not in the field and not using a 55 gal drum, but is a watering collection and distribution system.

If you have a barn or any other roof like system you could set something up like this. Here is how it works:
There is a diverter on the downspout with a leaver that I can throw to take path A or B. Path A goes directly into the French drain and is dissipated. I use Path A in the winter when I don't want water to collect in the container.
Path B goes into the top of a 275 gal water tank. This could be a 55 gal drum or a series of them at different levels connected if you wanted. From there water is extracted from the bottom where I have a T. Off one side of the T is a hose that I use to water a few plants that are down hill from the tank. It is simple gravity fed. Off the other side of the T is a hose that goes to a transfer pump (shown in the next picture). Since this is at my home, I'm using an electric 110 volt pump. If you want to do this in the field, you can replace this with a PTO pump you put on your tractor. On the other side of the transfer pump is more hose and a spray wand I use.
I watering containerized seedlings.
Thanks,
Jack

I actually have a 275 gal tank like that yoder. I'm starting to think about just using that instead and take it out in the field where my trees are and setup a tarp over it as a funnel to collect rain. What adapter will I need for the 275 gal tank to hookup a water hose to the spout on the bottom?

Quote:
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Originally Posted by split toe
I actually have a 275 gal tank like that yoder. I'm starting to think about just using that instead and take it out in the field where my trees are and setup a tarp over it as a funnel to collect rain. What adapter will I need for the 275 gal tank to hookup a water hose to the spout on the bottom?
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That is very specific to the type of tote. There's a thread on here where this was discussed with links to some of the places where I found the valve and connectors. <http://www.qdma.com/forums/showthrea...highlight=tote

Quote:
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Originally Posted by split toe
I actually have a 275 gal tank like that yoder. I'm starting to think about just using that instead and take it out in the field where my trees are and setup a tarp over it as a funnel to collect rain. What adapter will I need for the 275 gal tank to hookup a water hose to the spout on the bottom?
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Different tanks are different. Mine came with a spout. I could find no connector that would fit well. Instead, I found a PVC fitting that was fit over the threaded connector fairly tightly. I then used JB plastic weld that you cut and kneed. I placed it over the threading and on the PVC fitting and bonded them together permanently.
I used a PVC fitting with a 3/4&quot; MIP threading and a short galvanized nipple that fit it. Have a T with the galvanized pipe so I can have two simultaneous connections but you don't need that. I used a 3/4&quot; FIP to MH connector I got from Lowes to go to a regular hose.
For the other branch, my pump wanted to see the female end of the hose, so at the tank I used a couple pieces to go from 3/4&quot; MIP to FH so I could use a regular garden hose between the two.
Thanks,
Jack

anybody else have any input?

I need to make the roof line bigger this year, but it works. We got 4.8&quot; the past couple nights and I collected about 50 gallons of water. This is a 275 gallon tank I pick up for $50.

 

[yoderjac]

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