[Big Light]

( posted in coffee lounge also)
 HI,
 We are considering getting some IBC tank's to set up a gravity fed automatic watering system for our Birds /sheep etc. Have other people used them , what are the pitfalls or benefits - algae?.
 
 Does anyone have descriptions /photos of their systems and what receptacles are they using for water troughs / small mini waterers / hanging waterers / hanging drip lines/ small cups
 
 How much head height works best and how do you get it?
 
 What /how  do others use them for water storage / polytunnel / water recycling etc?
 
 Also how many did you find you needed?
 
 Any feedback would be great
 
 Thanks
 BL
 

[RonMinch]

Hi Big Light, I am thinking about the same sort of set up. I was thinking of putting the tank on a still arrangement to give the stored water some head, (the higher it is the greater the pressure 1 foot head is = to 0.4psi I think) as long as the stored water is higher than the water troughs it will fill them. Water would be collected from a pitched roof, in my case, filterd and fed into the IBC. As you say you may have to shade the IBC to prevent algae build up. I will watch this one interest to see how others get on, you see plenty of them in use. Ron

[Big Light]

Thanks Ron, i was thinking about either pallets or sleepers to give the height but not sure with pallets re a filled water tanks weight being to much?
BL

[anderso]

Hi - you can get black IBC's - pallets will hold the weight of a full IBC approx 1tonne - if you can find a couple of old ball float values that will help you with control of the drinking areas.

[Big Light]

Thanks Anderso appreciated

[chrismahon]

1 foot head is 0.3psi Ron, 15 metres head is just one bar. That's quite low, but gravity showers will work above 1 metre head so it's useable for distribution.
 
I thought the IBC tanks held 1000Litres or one metric ton. Plus the weight of the tank and any wind effect so would suggest something substantial to stand it on.
 
In Summer our chicken drinkers start growing green slime in a week. Wondering if that would build up, dislodge and block the hoses?

[Big Light]

Not sure was wondering about covering with a tarpaulin or similar to prevent light

[katog]

Do you know where to get these tanks which have not been used for something nasty?
How much do you expect to pay?
I'm thinking of using them to irrigate the polytunnel.

[Dan]

We bought two black IBCs in cages with metal bases for £76 each on eBay. Delivery was about £30.

Just looked out the invoice: we got them from Delta Containers.

[Mel]

Precisely what I have done,pic below.I cover my Ibc's in a camo tarp which I bought off of the ebay for about £15.00,the ibc's from a local farmer £10.00 each,pallets free and the wheels I collected from of the side of the road.The galvanised troughs I have cut holed in each end to put in low pressure ballocks,about £12.00 each,in my set up,there is one trough each side of the fence,one for the chickens and one for the pigs or other livestock.If it helps,I can take some close up pics so you can see what I have done.

I have just bought another tarp off of the ebay as the last one was not tied on well enough and the wind recently made rags out of it

[escapedtothecountry]

I got my IBC for £40 each or so..... mine had wet malt in (used in the brewing industry) I had to empty the remnants out as it made the IBCs too heavy to flip them into position.... That was interesting as it appears wasps loved the sticky gooey malt!


I now have 10 of them which means I can store 10,000 litres of water. 5 are attached to downpipes from the stable block which we put guttering around. They fill up really quickly so I use a pump to them move the water from them to those none connected and have a tap put on each one to fill watering cans etc.


It means that all the mortar I have used when doing up an outbuilding used rainwater instead of having to go to the tap - and our garden as it stands can be watered as and when we like.


Photo shows one of the attached IBCs and one that is not attached to a downpipe.

[Mel]

Ok,Just been down and taken more pictures.

Mine work off guttering off of the roof which fills them up,inside the tank is a stocking filter on the end of the pipe,and also over the tap opening,results,clean water!The trough at the rear has not been used since last September so the water here is dirty as is still,I have diverted the water all to the front trough.

The two IBC's are connected with some washing machine pipe so they both fill up from the rain,IBC no 2 is actually lower than the first,but for some reason it does not affect the front trough which uses the water of both.

Hope this helps?!

[Mel]

And these :

[chrismahon]

When you connect any tanks in series the water feed needs to enter one and pass through all the others on the way to the exit. Otherwise the water will get very stale. I took 4" of slime growth from an incorretly plumbed additional loft tank. The owners had been showering from it since they moved in a few weeks earlier and were feeling unwell!!!! I had to disinfect, scrub and flush three times to remove slime and the smell.

[Big Light]

Thanks Mel for the photos great to see other folks set ups
 - Does your troughs get filled with muck?
 - Any problems with birds falling in / drowning.
 Did you have to play with your height to make it work or have you just guessed and got it working?
cheers BL