RainWater Harvesting Lessons Learned

Links to other rainwater videos and an Amazon Parts list is below the Description.
Learn from my mistakes! You do NOT have to make the same mistakes. This RainWater Harvesting Lessons Learned video outlines some of the mistakes I made when putting in a rain water harvesting system so you can learn from my mistakes. This video covers how to properly bend downspouts, sizing of the first flush system drainage holes, moving water away from structures, use extra glue on your first flush system, design an overflow mechanism into your system, paint the totes black, and put bigger holes in the IBC Tote caps.
See some of our other Rainwater Harvest videos here:
DIY Rainwater Harvesting System: • DIY Rainwater Harvesti...
Large Rainwater Harvesting System Design: • Large Rainwater Harves...
Rainwater Harvesting Lessons Learned: • RainWater Harvesting L...
More Rainwater Harvesting System Lessons Learned: • More Rain Water Catchm...
Rainwater Harvesting Winterization: • Rainwater Harvesting W...
Rainwater Harvesting Spring Preparation: • Rainwater Harvesting S...
Large Rainwater Harvesting System Upgrade - 1200 Gallon to 4500 Gallon: • Large Rainwater Harves...
First Flush Downspout Water Diverter Product Review: • First Flush Downspout ...
Leaf Eater Product Review: • Leaf Eater Product Review
Rainwater Harvesting System in Action Catching rain from Tropical Storm Ida: • Rainwater Harvesting S...
Permaculture Rainwater Harvesting Swale - How to Dig a Swale with a 2-Bottom Plow: • Permaculture Rainwater...
Rainwater Swale 1-Year Update: • Permaculture Rainwater...
Rainwater Harvesting System2: • Rainwater Harvesting S...
Video Tour of Another Completed Rainwater Harvesting Project: • Rainwater Harvest Vide...
How to Stop Algae from Growing in you Rainwater Harvest Tank: • How to Stop Algae From...
Polyethylene Water Tank Repair: • Polyethylene Water Tan...
Where to purchase: (We are an Amazon affiliate and may earn a commission on products you purchase. There is no additional cost to you!)
Leaf Eater Advanced Rain Head- 3 in. Round: amzn.to/3MbgcN6
Downspout First Flush - 3" - amzn.to/3dtUkJK
Rain Harvesting First Flush WDAC02 Filter: amzn.to/2UioB6F
Scotts 25-year pro fabric, 3 by 150-feet: amzn.to/2UCoiSV
0:00 Introduction
0:30 Summary of Topics Covered
3:40 Color of the Tote Matters
4:35 Cap Issue with Large Rainfalls
6:04 Downspout Fit and Bending
7:29 First Flush Hole Size
8:37 First Flush Hole Clogged
10:37 Divert First Flush Drain away from Buildings
11:49 Use Extra Glue on First Flush
13:54 Design an Overflow Mechanism
14:39 Overflow Installed
16:30 Conclusion
#rainwaterharvesting #rainwater #rainwatersystem

[@WhiteFox011]

It can not have been easy to make this video. You are painfully honest with all of this. I doubt that anyone who watches this video can honestly claim not to have made some or many of the mistrakes that you have listed. Thank you. All of us, if we are very lucky, "Learn from our mistakes and those of other honest people."

[@greatescapefarms]

Jeffory, thank you for the kind words. I have to respond to many folks that are quite negative and it is refreshing to see that someone appreciates our work here.

[@SevenSproutsFarmstead]

Very educational, thanks! And thanks for sharing the "mess ups" so we can be sure to avoid those!! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@scottolson9923]

Thank you for documenting your experiences! We bought land with cabin and water catchment system in place, but after reviewing your videos, gave me lots of updates that I need to make to our system! I appreciate your time to share and thoughtfulness in how you constructed your system!

[@lucasdog1]

Good vid. On the first flush system, make the fill connection to the storage tank with a wye fitting rather than a tee. I found that larger, heavier debris may not make it off the roof right away in a light rain, only to be rinsed down after the first flush pipe is full. This makes it a straight path to the storage tank. By using a wye fitting, the debris has to travel up hill for a short distance, where if it's heavier than water it drops back down into the first flush leg.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@SullivanFamilyHomestead]

Thanks for this video! We've got our tank and we're ready to get it set up. This has plenty of helpful information. :-)

[@greatescapefarms]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@alexhewett9324]

I like the overflow system! I was thinking of using a drain pan, but that looks way more practical.

[@gilliansudano3463]

Thanks from Cape Town South Africa - where we are stricken by drought - and water harvesting is a whole new ball game. For us DIYers this was super helpful!

[@greatescapefarms]

I'm glad it helped. Good luck with the drought and water harvesting!

[@margerycook6621]

Moral of the story...set up your father-in-law's system first. LOL

[@greatescapefarms]

I didn't plan it that way, but I did learn a lot by doing his first :)

[@denttech5135]

do you know the difference in "in-laws" and "out-laws".......out-laws are "wanted" LOL

[@barlitedotcom]

Good video full of information! I took my IBC totes out of their frames and "hit them" with a 200 grit double action sander (it's a lot faster than you might think), then rolled on Rust-oleum black paint, it's holding on to the plastic very well!

[@greatescapefarms]

Well thank you! I'll be painting mine in the fall when I empty them for the winter.

[@jumbicat1929]

Thanks for the update. Kicking the idea of setting up system for "just in case" scenario. The sun can knock the grid down so water would be an issue. Any pumps will need to be DC optioned. Watch the sun updates every morning before heading out to work. It's coming folks. Prepare!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@CubasAutomotive]

Definitely some lessons learned. Thanks for sharing your own mistakes, even though people can be rough & critical. I've definitely gained quite a few pointers from you & hopefully save me from wasting too much of my own money. Take care sir!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome!

[@enginerebuilderssupplyco.4874]

Thanks for sharing "after the fact" thoughts. That's almost more useful than the original posting of how you were doing it. Great to hear the things that can go wrong to help others not make the same mistake. Big thumbs up.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you for the kind words. I'll have another series coming out later this fall as I move from a 1200 gallon system to a 5800 gallon system.

[@rickvangunten4800]

Thanks for the tips. Just getting started setting my system up. Lots of ideas out there. Yours Helped.

[@greatescapefarms]

Great! Glad the video helped!

[@elliottspence7929]

Glad I found your video. Not only did you explain very clearly the problems you ran into, you also explained a very good system. Thank you very much for that. I am soon to have 6 of these totes and I am planning to hook up four or five for rainwater catchment and one is going to get water from the rainwater catchment system for making compost tea. This should be plenty of capacity to feed my small vegetable garden and some plants on my front porch which is already hooked up with a drip irrigation system. Appreciate ya! Really enjoyed how instructional your videos are and I recognize quality work when I see it.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you so much for the kind words and taking the time to give feedback!

[@thegreenviking1422]

Loved the info. thank you for sharing. Will apply some of these fixes to my own system.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome!

[@mcanning51]

Excellent video and explanation of dynamics of water flow. Thanks for sharing your experiences with rain eater collection.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thank you for the kind words and for watching.

[@johnward4930]

That is the best overflow option that I have ever seen! Thanks for the great vid. Will check out your other vids.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you!

[@candicekingpalgut9947]

thank you so much, you have saved me from a lot of mistakes. we are just about to put a system in and this is VERY helpful

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome!

[@rustyknightjustme]

Just a suggestion on the overflow blocking the valve handle. If it's difficult to re-due the plumbing, just shorten the valve handle a bit.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@beesmeadschristmastrees]

Thank you for the information! What about using a valve at the bottom of the first flush system? This would allow for adjustable draining but also quick flushing the flush system.

[@IanMikrut]

Learning Curve is a Beech, Thanks for the Knowlage!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thanks for commenting.

[@Ricky16317]

I like your overflow system, much more functional than a lot of other ideas I've seen

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you for the kind words and for commenting!

[@JJE2010MO]

We plan on doing this at our new farm, thanks for the great information!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@spiderobert]

I only just found your channel. I really appreciate sharing the information in a nice, easy to understand way. I really want to get a setup like you have :P

[@greatescapefarms]

Good Luck!

[@carolynconnelly3395]

Thank you for the vlogs about the rainwater system. They gave me some new ideas.

[@greatescapefarms]

Awesome! You are welcome!

[@matthewgalvan7639]

Thank you Todd for compiling these videos!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome.

[@kidada128]

Great Video. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise. You made it so easy to follow and to understand.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are Welcome!

[@ryanchristie5349]

Thanks for the double glue tip on the first flush system.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome. That one cost me 30 bucks for a new first flush system. After I bought the new one, someone commented below to use a heat gun to get the old fitting off so I could re-use it. I still have to try that little trick.

[@TexasLocalProduce]

I just discovered your channel....5 yrs AFTER you made this video! What a treasure! I just built a metal 'She Shed' that is 90' wide x 140' long, so I have 8 downspouts on each side of my building. Since I got 7 free totes & I can buy more @ $40 ea. I am placing 2 totes per downspout on one side (16 total). For the other side I am hoping to get four 2500 gal tanks + 8 totes for the remaining 4 downspouts. Looks like I have a lot of work ahead. I am most likely sanding the totes & then painting green to match color of my building. It's too hot here in Texas to use black plastic liner. We have triple digit tempts & my 16 future totes will be on the West side. I looked @ your playlist & you have many interesting videos, so u just got a new subscriber. Thanks!

[@greatescapefarms]

Wow, that is quite the 'She Shed' :) Thanks for subscribing and good luck with your system.

[@TexasLocalProduce]

@@greatescapefarms Thanks! Keep ur videos coming. You are valuable and we are very lucky to learn from you.

[@greatescapefarms]

@@TexasLocalProduce I'm blushing :) Thanks!

[@mrsteama]

I'm sure three years later you've stumbled across some better ideas to your issues you were having. One, being the overflow from your first flush. I purchased a drain diverter and put under the bottom of the first flush PVC pipe. Instead of putting a plastic hose on the end, i capped mine and unscrewed it just enough so that the water could drain slowly. The drain diverter catches the excess water and diverts it away from my foundation. I use 7 55 gallon barrels vice the totes only because there are more PVC fittings for the barrels than the IBC totes, however my preference was to use totes vice barrels due to space. Very informative video and i did have the same issue as you with the downspouts!! Nice trick. I too found that out by watching other vidoes. Hope all is well with your system now!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks

[@jhung1010]

Thanks for your experiences. Very helpful tips. Regarding the tap not being able to open fully I suggest you can cut off the end of the handle to clear the way. Hopefully enough on there to still be able to open and close

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@heterodox3487]

Thanks Todd, I've been watching many videos and believe I've learned more from this one. Will be looking for more great ideas of yours!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the vote of confidence :)

[@gregmarquis1886]

Thank you so much for all the info. I'm still looking for a IBC tote. Then I'll get going.

[@greatescapefarms]

I use to use CraigsList, but it seems everyone is using FaceBook market place now. You may want to try there.

[@adrianpatrillo1521]

Like the videos man, keep it up

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@michaellohre1470]

Great job Todd and very helpful!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@RBMawby]

Thanks for the learnin' for my system next year.

[@toddmccree5186]

You are most welcome!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks.

[@cowpieinthesky3198]

nice system! thanks for posting and thanks for the tips

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@PreparingForSHTF]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's invaluable information.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome! Thanks for commenting!

[@richardvandyke9578]

Just put a ¼ inch tape down the front before you paint the tanks. Pull the tape off after you paint and you will have a ¼ inch clear spot to read the water level.

[@greatescapefarms]

Hi Richard. That is a neat idea. It would work, but would need light on the back side to show the level. If the tank was completely dark, which is the idea to keep algae from growing, then you wouldn't be able to see the water level through the clear spot. However, if the cap of the tank was removed, then it would give enough light to see the water level.

[@oldchickenlady]

+Great Escape Farms I have a tote wrapped in a black tarp. I cut a 2 inch wide opening vertically in the tarp from top to bottom and have been able to see the water level very well

[@Just-SomeGuy]

Great Escape Farms you could insert a tube in the top with a pop bottle inside connected to a rod that sticks out the top. The pop bottle could rise inside the tube as the water level changes and you could have a ping pong ball on the top of the rod as a visual marker of how high the water is.

[@pcguysoffgridcabin]

I like how you did the overflow. I'm thinking you can vent the tank and have the overflow as one that way.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks! I think there are lots of ways to do it. I'm sure there are better ways, but this way worked well for me!

[@hikerbro3870]

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@anchorageprepper9008]

Slick system! Really appreciate you sharing your build and especially capturing your lessons learned. 👍👍

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome. Thanks for commenting.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome.

[@familyplans3788]

i love this video and just a suggestion , if you block up those anti-siphon holes, when you want to either empty or winterise the tote , then when it rains it will automatically empty the tote and dump the water down your black pipe , it would then refill the tote and empty it when its full , maybe an idea for an upgrade (for others as well as you , is to either have a tap (fawcet) or a screw water attachment (not described that very well ) where your anti-siphon holes are and have it open or shut to purely let air in

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you!

[@sandyb1184]

Very informative video! thanks!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome, Sandy!

[@chocalatekid8024]

These are rhe kind of videos i like...real experience!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thank you!

[@Jthornton64]

I like your set up. New sub

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@royamberg9177]

nice and neatly done

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks Roy!

[@royamberg9177]

Seen a lot of chopped together project. Hate poor workmanship

[@greatescapefarms]

I know. I try to do the best I can especially since I'm videoing what I'm doing.

[@sindrome303]

I am going to build a huge tote water tank system. but you must try keep the plastic out of direct sunlight. Uv will slowly degrade the plastic, not to mention the algae build up. I plan to clad mine with mini orb corrugated iron. also you can stack them 2 high and still fill them. This gives you a decent amount of head pressure. to fix the tap that doesn't open all the way, just close the valve and cut the end of the handle off. then open all the way. I like your system. it looks nice and clean

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for your thoughts. I would have figured that the UV wouldn't cause issues with the IBC totes because I see so many out in the sun. I plan on painting them in the fall, so that will block the UV from reaching the plastic itself. Thanks again.

[@Highstranger951]

Always twist a glue joint when connecting pvc. Too much glue will weaken the joint. Primer on both pieces, glue on the pipe, push twist and hold for 10 seconds.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the advice!

[@CounTreeGuy]

This advise applies to cpvc, not pvc

[@hulseyhomestead1552]

Knowing what you know now, is the filter between the disconnected pieces of pipe necessary? What kind of roof do you have? Do you mind me asking what you've got in fittings and pipe? We are scheduling a rain catchment project around here, and would like to have some rough budget numbers in advance. Thank you for sharing the solutions to the problems you've encountered! It gave me some ideas.

[@greatescapefarms]

I really don't know at this point. I've been working on multiple projects at the same time and the money has all been mixed in for the projects. I will figure out the cost once I nail down the final solution. As of right now, it is still changing. Next weekend I'm going to change the overflow system to a 4" pipe to handle the downpours. 2" pipe is not cutting it. Keep an eye out for that update in the next couple of weeks.

[@D45VR]

Nicely explained.

[@greatescapefarms]

Well thank you!

[@chrismarcus3943]

I have many suggestions. I give two of them now and add more as I have time. First, spend money on lumber and put your tanks up high, The weight of the water (8.33/8.35 pounds per gallon) should be enough so that you will save the money for the plumber, pumps and pressure regulators. And even more important, no need for electricity (for the pump). I have five (5) 275 gl. tanks feeding seven (7) 4ft. X 20ft raised beds with 3/4 pvc feeding 1/4 drip fittings ( for volume control)(for the big plants. Tomatoes, peppers, okra, ect.) On these same beds I also have the 3/4 pvc feeding 1/2 "cpvc (smaller diameter than 1/2 pvc) with a 3/64 (yes 3/64) hole every six (6) inches. On my system this will squirt water over four (4) feet. For the onions, carrots, and others. a simple ball valve controls the flow on the squirt distance. Second, do not paint your tanks black. Two reasons. One, you tank will absorb heat and hot water is not good for your plants. Even if you can water early in the morning, the residual heat will remain. Two algae is our friend. It grows, then it dies and turns into nutrient that are good for our crops. Even with the gravity feed (very low pressure) the amount of algae requires only a minimal amount of maintenance One last thought for now. even with the large amount of water these systems will catch and store. Using "drip" or "squirt" watering on the other end will reduce the quantity of water needed to irrigate our plants. If you have questions please contact me at [e-mail]

[@greatescapefarms]

Hi Chris, Thanks for the suggestions. I agree that it would cost less use lumber to elevate and get pressure. But I need high pressure for a mist irrigation system and gravity would not provide enough pressure. So for 99% of people out there, your suggestion would save them a ton of money. Thanks! As for the algae, going back to the mist irritation system, the nozzles are so small that the smallest amount of pressure would clog them up. So for my situation, I can not have algae. Others may, I can not speak to what it would do to their systems. As for the paint, there are quite a few suggestions on this post and many agree with what you say about black paint heating the water too much. There were a few suggestions of using white paint to block and reflect the sun light and keep the tanks cool. I may try that method. Any other suggestions? Thanks for your input!

[@chrismarcus3943]

No argument here. From the photos (in your video) of your gardens I will ask why you need the mist?

[@greatescapefarms]

Hi Chris, - The pictures don't show what the plans are. I run a nursery business and use mist heads for softwood cuttings that are taken in the summer. The pictures in this video only show my hardwood cuttings that were taken in the winter - these do not need the mist system.

[@-jeffs1801]

Nice set up. I know this is an older video so not sure you'll see this comment. Anyhow, I'd tie all the outflows together with T connectors and valves on each tank so you can pull from all or just one tank. You can also isolate the tanks so a leak in one tank won't drain your entire tank system. To fill tanks, use the overflow from one tank to fill the next tank and so on. If you want to equalize the tanks then just open up all the drain valves that connect the tanks and they will equalize.

[@greatescapefarms]

Well thank you for the idea. The way it is designed, I think I can do what you are saying. My biggest issues is I'm only at the farm on weekends and kind of need it to be automatic. However, a leak would absolutely drain all the tanks with the current setup. Thanks for the input!

[@HansQuistorff]

Suggest instead of using a flow reducer at the bottom of the first flush, use a valve at the end of the drain tube. The valve can be adjusted to the desired flow rate and if debris build up it will be visually apparent and can be flushed by opening the valve all the way.

[@greatescapefarms]

Well that is certainly another way of doing this. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@azpoertner]

If you haven't already replaced the leaking fitting on the first flush pipe, there is a way to remove and reuse the fitting. Use either a heat gun or a torch. heat gun is best. cut the fitting off, leave a quarter inch extra pipe on the fitting if you can. Then cut through the pipe inside with a hacksaw blade (short hacksaw with blade extended, or just the blade) careful not to score the actual fitting. Then slowly and carefully heat up the inside pipe with heat gun constantly moving careful not to burn the pipe. This takes a bit of patience (about 5 minutes maybe), but eventually the pipe will soften up enough to where you can peel it out from the inside. grabbing with a good pair of needle nose pliers and twisting will allow it to kind of roll up around the pliers. You will need to continue to add heat to keep pvc soft until the piece is removed. If the fitting you are saving gets to bent or warped, you can insert a piece of pipe while it is soft and let it cool. once cool, clean up sanding, then re prime, and glue as needed.

[@greatescapefarms]

This sounds awesome. I did cut the bottom off leaving a few inches and did keep the old leaky piece. I will absolutely give this a try as I have more systems to install and would like to reuse the piece I screwed up. Thank!

[@championdiscusco.9648]

what adapter and size did you use to connect the switch ball valve open/close with the pvc pipe? And where can I buy that adapter. ty

[@greatescapefarms]

IBC totes actually have two different types. Some are fine threaded and are known as NPS female and work well with the 2” PVC threads, which is what I have. Others have coarse threads and are known as S60X6 and will not work with the threaded PVC pipe. I just got mine from Lowes or Home Depot. The fitting for mine was NPS, so I got an NPS to 2" PVC.

[@johnkulcsar6552]

Wonderful insight & thanks for sharing your experiences. What about 'Wintrrizing'your units?

[@greatescapefarms]

I did a separate video on that a few years back. Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHzTl5RnnZ6Bj9k

[@ThisThatLittleFarm]

Great info mate! Thank you much!

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome!

[@JoshuaMFrancis]

hello nice video. have you tried aquarium silicon sealant on the leaking first flush system?

[@greatescapefarms]

I did not. I just removed and replaced the leaky component. In the comments section someone said I could use a heat gun to remove the bad component and then reapply it. I will give that a try when things slow down a little as I did save the leaky part.

[@davidhankins5708]

I appreciate the video! I'm kicking around ideas to irrigate my lawn in Florida. We get a good bit of rain and my city will not let me drill far enough to get a steady supply of water. Living on top of a hill doesnt help! Do you have any videos on the pump system you installed? And if you don't mind me asking, what's a good ball park figure for costs on a project like this. Thank you!

[@greatescapefarms]

The rainwater system for a single IBC tote system is about $200. The pump is not included. I had that installed by a plumber and it wasn't cheap, but I'm running a commercial nursery. For a back yard gardener, you may want to try this pump: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIGrdKF5bM2tpck

[@Smittyschannel]

On your first flush pipes, most ppl just use a screw in cap, & dump it out after a rain because it fills up with debris & what not. Why do you have a hose on the end of it? are you reclaiming some of that water?

[@greatescapefarms]

The cap at the bottom is a screw in cap. It has a nipple that lets me hook up the small hose and run water off. inside the cap are two filters and a pin-hole that drains out the nipple. This allows the system to slowly drain and reset itself so I do not have to intervene after each rain.

[@cdronsmith4333]

Very helpful video! Thanks. By the way, throw a sheet of black plastic over your totes asap. Once that algae starts to grow, you will have to find a way to scrub it out.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the suggestion. Any suggestions on where to get the black plastic?

[@hulseyhomestead1552]

TSC, Lowe's, HD, Wal Mart.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@kleineroteHex]

we have 55 gal drums since we don't have enough space for a large tote. I always wondered about a flush set up, but have to say our screen seems to do great job; cleaned the drums last year and there was little to no debris in them.

[@greatescapefarms]

That's cool that you don't have to worry about it. I'm right next to several large trees and get debris from them as well as their pollen.

[@kleineroteHex]

Great Escape Farms , we get lots of pollen in the spring but we let the rainwater go into an open barrel with screen on top and just use it for the plants. It's about time to hook the barrels up again!

[@greatescapefarms]

I've seen from several comments on this post that it depends on use. I'm using mine for a mist irrigation system for starting plants and the least little bit of pollen will clog the heads up.

[@kleineroteHex]

Great Escape Farms oh yes for a mister I am sure it will!!!

[@thomasbranard6382]

Like you videos and advice

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks Thomas!

[@JGallo-pm5dq]

Thanks for sharing

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome!

[@whistleblowerlouisiana4699]

This guy loves what he does

[@greatescapefarms]

Absolutely.

[@christopheleblanc9175]

i have not tried it yet , but on my system ,,, i plan to take cedar fence boards screwed to the ibc tote metal frame for both shading as well as looks, including top boards , thus not heating the water like black paint exterior would

[@greatescapefarms]

That sounds like an awesome idea. Let me know how it works out.

[@jay28elle]

BRILLIANT! Perfect idea. Kills 2 birds with one stone (pardon the expression). Serves the purpose of hiding the totes and reducing the sun exposure. We have redwood siding on the house and I can match the color pretty easily, and I'll paint the PVC as well to match. No need for fencing, I think. I've watched a fair number of videos and have yet to see this idea.

[@alane6555]

Or use another color other than black, green or blue maybe. One just needs to block the light from getting in that allows the algae to grow As Mr. Van Dyke said above use painters tape to leave an unpainted window to see the level.

[@whitenas]

Great content thank you sir. Curious did you use any kind of gutter guards?

[@greatescapefarms]

I did. It is shown in one of my other videos. I just used a $2 gutter guard that goes in the downspout from the local hardware store.

[@aleksandaralste6601]

Very informative video! How many litters of water I can amass per year if my roof is 50m2 and in my place, the average annual rainfall is about 500 mm2? I want to irrigate about 200 young conifers and I wonder if it's possible only by rainwater considering this fact about average rainfall per year and possibility of collecting? Can you tell me what capacity of canisters I have to install?

[@AA-rc4zr]

Thanks for the very informative video. What are your thoughts on digging a pond (25 meters radius) as a collection site?

[@greatescapefarms]

I have one of those further out in the landscape. The garage is uphill. The eventual plan is to use the water in the tanks for the food forest and mist irrigation beds right at the garage. Then I'll build a series of swales that eventually dumps into the pond further down the landscape. I may even add a few more ponds along the way. I will use any overflow / excess from the rainwater harvesting system to put into the swales.

[@AA-rc4zr]

Thanks for your reply. I am planning to use the water collected in the pond for "farming" food plants. Probably collect the water by building collection pads (billboard tarps) along the property and guid the water into the pond. Any alternative alternative suggestions on building the collection pads and also sealing the pond? I would rather use natural means to seal the pond instead of rubber lining. Where I live is very dry, 8" of rain fall per year. How inefficient is a pond for collecting water as opposed to tanks?

[@greatescapefarms]

Wow, that's a lot :) Thanks for the recommendation on the concert. I have clay, which is as hard as cement when dry, but like loose mud when it is wet. I built a rainwater collection system system on top of a hill with a tarp a few years back when I was wwoof-ing. We were all excited when a storm came to see how much water we collected, but was very disappointed that the tarp acted like a kite and ripped itself right off of the IBC tote and the mounting poles. I didn't see any way to stop this from happening during a thunder storm. As for sealing a pond, there are several options. Farmers co-ops sell bentonite clay that is used to seal ponds. If the pond is dry it is easier to seal it. You mix it with the dry soil, down to about four inches and then pack it tight. Its best to run over it with some heavy machinery to pack it down. If the pond is wet, you can just toss some in and hope that it finds any leaks, but this method is kind of hit or miss. I've heard that just by putting some ducks on a pond, their poo will seal a pond as well. I haven't tried this method. 8" of rain is not very much rain for a pond if that is your only source of water. With no spring or stream running into it, you would likely loose most of you water to evaporation. With that in mind, I'd at least try to store a little in a water storage system like an IBC-Tote or something larger. The best type of pond would really be a forest pond. This sounds weird, but in a forest with lots of mulch and shade, the topsoil and organic matter act as a pond underground. The water is stored in the organic matter under the forest and is replenished by dew drops and held there by the lack of evaporation because of the natural mulch that you get in the forest. The hardest part for you is building the forest with so little rain to get it established. Just some thoughts. Hope it helps.

[@solarsail56]

What are your thoughts about putting a 90 degree elbow on the bottom of the first flush system for easier access to the components for changing and cleaning?

[@greatescapefarms]

That would work fine.

[@jdstomper911]

Very good video.....my lesson learned: Had an overflow system similar to yours after watching the video.....except I didn't have the holes drilled in the top. Got 2" of rain and expected them to be full. They were empty. Could see where water shot out the overflow. So I knew they were full. I CREATED A SYPHON (Sorry grammar nazis is it siphon or syphon) DRILL THE HOLES

[@greatescapefarms]

Glad to have helped!

[@timrauscher3965]

Enjoyed your debug session. The only thing I think k I would have done differently would be to have used some unions to make maintenance and repairs easier.

[@greatescapefarms]

I agree. I re-did the system this year and put in 1550 gallon tanks, which necessitated re-plumbing the bottom section. I put in a lot more unions and thought into the design. Thanks!

[@lislecollett2917]

cool video. thanks

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome. Check back later in the spring as I'll be doing more videos on both a larger and a smaller system.

[@alane6555]

Look for videos on you tube for recycling pvc fittings to get more information but it works as follows. Cut the fitting off with enough pipe sticking out to be able to work with it, then heat the parts and twist the inside part out with pliers.

[@greatescapefarms]

I have been told that. I'll have to try that when it warms up outside.

[@jkopvo]

Thanks for the video! Where do you buy used IBC totes? Thanks, John :)

[@greatescapefarms]

I bought mine from CraigsList. But now I've noticed people are using FaceBook Market Place a lot more than CraigsList.

[@blackbeardrrr]

Awesome! What did you use for the screen material at the top of the tank?

[@greatescapefarms]

Just to keep bugs and any other foreign objects out.

[@eliaschi2599]

Very helpful, thank you

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome!

[@mmccrownus2406]

ty God bless America

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks

[@johnjoycesteers9180]

I have a very similar though not quite so complicated 4 tote system using the same kind of totes shown here. I also thought of screens on top openings before and then cutting holes in the screw-down lid to allow the gutter downspout to be set in tightly. For the overflow, I have PVC pipes running out the top and into PVC pipe that just under the ground surface and leads to our garden. From there, it connects to flat sprinkler hoses which then runs through-out the garden (have one from each tote going to different areas and distributes very well. I first tried soaker hoses but they require pressure, too much for the overflow system. The soft sprinkler hoses work great. Hope this helps someone. And yes, it doesn't take much to fill them up.

[@greatescapefarms]

That sounds awesome! Do you have a video of your system? I bet a lot of folks here could benefit from one. Thanks for commenting!

[@johnjoycesteers9180]

Sorry no video. However, instead of connecting everything at the bottom, I just had hose bibs at the bottom going different directions. The tanks were connected at the top and all my PVC is 1". I cut holes as high on the walls as I could go without being affected by the curved edging. Then I got special PVC thru-connectors that would seal tight. For the overflow, I did the same. They came out at the same high level and dropped straight down. At the ground level they transitioned to 5/8" regular hose that could easily be laid in the ground and run it to the garden areas. Once in the garden, I attached the sprinkler hoses. It works great! I might also add that I built structures under the totes so they could all be raised up as high as possible and still receive from the gutter system -- that took a little engineering. One thing I learned in building the structures was that because our soil is soft, I had to put concrete under each pier block so it would remain perfectly level without sinking. Having the extra elevation also helped with the gravity feed.

[@greatescapefarms]

That all makes sense. Thanks for sharing!

[@johnjoycesteers9180]

Here's another option for shading. On Craigslist, we've found free split Redwood fencing (often originally 3x3 rough grape stakes split in half). If you cut them into the right lengths and lash them to the tote frames, you can effectively create a nice looking shade for both sides and top... just leave the center opening accessible.

[@greatescapefarms]

Another great idea! Thanks again!

[@northeastslingshot1664]

New sub!

[@greatescapefarms]

Welcome! Thanks for subscribing.

[@hideouspenguinboy]

To further perfect your system: Consider using panda film plastic, as it has a white side. That way it will reflect the sun's heat, but completely block the light.

[@greatescapefarms]

Awesome idea. Thanks!

[@gregbrucks9710]

I thought about putting on a coat of roof and foundation coating what do you think

[@greatescapefarms]

I'm sorry, I'm not following.

[@TheStavros1001]

Nuts, I forgot all about this, and it's one of the greatest things I added to my system. If you like that secondary screen, look up: Grady Barrels for water diverter. That will give you that secondary screen, and let you do the top fill/overflow system I suggested in my other comment. Or you could customize it to keep your system as is and still use the Grady Barrels water diverter.

[@greatescapefarms]

Well thank you again. Love the comments!

[@TheStavros1001]

Phooey! Forgot to mention Grady Barrels isn't on youtube, you'll need to do a web search for him. www.gradybarrels.com/downspout_diverter.html

[@greatescapefarms]

TheStavros1001 I'll check these out. Thanks!

[@andreeapitov2428]

Hello! I want to know the surface of your roof and how did you decide how many tankes you will use in your sistem. Thanks!

[@greatescapefarms]

I went over the design and sizing considerations in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ-lhWmpgb9qfrM

[@HealthSupercharger]

Do you think i could pass rain water 300 ft / 100m via 5/8 garden hose if i had about 16 ft of height on the gutter. I have a tennis building 100m away from my garden and it has a huge roof covering 2 courts. But all i have is a 5/8 inner diameter hose.

[@greatescapefarms]

Would you store the water by the tennis building? And would the storage be 16ft above the garden? If the plan was to use a 5/8 inner diameter hose to run the water directly to the garden, it may get water there, but it would now be large enough to handle the amount of water you are dealing with and you'll end up overflowing and losing most the water at the tennis building.

[@rdnn3879]

very helpful thank you sir

[@greatescapefarms]

You are most welcome.

[@amylillen5193]

Hi, what's the reason for the opening with the screen half way down the pipe against the wall? Thanks

[@greatescapefarms]

Hi Amy, I think what you are asking is the purpose of the chicken wire on the wall? That was used to prevent a groundhog from chewing on the wall there.

[@roguewave1060]

Thanks for the vireo! How does it work out with algae, since none of the tanks aren't painted?

[@greatescapefarms]

A few weeks after the video was made, I covered the tanks with black plastic that I had laying around. After that algae was not an issue.

[@roguewave1060]

@@greatescapefarms Great to hear, good luck!

[@greatescapefarms]

@@roguewave1060 Thanks!

[@offgrid395project5]

Great Video.. Do you ever have a problem with algae since your totes are clear?

[@greatescapefarms]

Hello - This year I left the tank uncovered and it grew only a small amount of algae - not enough to clog anything up. Going forward, I likely won't worry about algae at all until it does become a problem. I have filters down the line to clean up any algae that gets into the system from the tanks.

[@joansmith3492]

nicely done. good info, but I think your overflow should be 3 inch pipe (at least the same diameter as the inflow), I believe on a big rain your overflow will not be able to keep up. I do like the U tube you have constructed for the overflow, It lets you use the full capacity of your tank. I think the french drain over flow should be angled in a "keyline fashion" so it slows the water down to let more of in sink into the landscape and decrease an erosion potential you have there.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have since redesigned the lower plumbing, put in 1500 gallon tanks, and 4" overflow pipe. The overflow is still dumping in the same area, but the long range plan is for that to be one end of a very long swale with the other end of the swale feeding into a fish pond. If only I had the time to do it all at once :)

[@Camper-ob8nm]

I painted mine black and the water got really hot (too hot for automatic watering system for garden) so I then painted them white. Another guy I know did the same thing, painted them black to block light then painted them white to keep it cool

[@robertballard626]

Are you using the water for drinking? If so what kind of filtration do you use?

[@greatescapefarms]

No, I'm not using it for drinking. I'm using it for a mist irrigation bed for propagating plants and to water the food forest.

[@robertjerge3075]

I go totes that had molasses in them (food grade is good), I rinsed them out. any more needs to be done? thanks.

[@greatescapefarms]

A rinse is all you need. Actually, food grade molasses is a great amendment for your soil. If you have any left over molasses when you are cleaning them out, just dilute it with water and put it on your soil. It will feed the soil microbes.

[@robertjerge3075]

Thanks for the reply, I didn't know that about molasses. glad I didn't use any soap or detergent.

[@jpaszkiewicz1]

you can make an cheap and easy vacuum breaker for top of tanks or just a small plumbing loop

[@greatescapefarms]

That will work. We just drilled a few small holes.

[@foundyet]

I put in a system at the end of my property of 2 tanks. Catching rainwater off my shop roof. I elevated my tanks about 18 inches up off the ground and supported 4 corners of each tank. I'm starting to wonder if I should put in more supports like under the middle of the tanks. My tanks have rough threads on their nozzles and I used a 2 in connector with threads with no problem. I plan to connect 1 in pvc schd 40 with a 3/4 in faucet and a bleeder hose to water my vegetable garden. I'm not exactly sure how to connect the 2nd tank. I have a short 3in first runoff pipe with a 2 in connected by a "T" that runs into the 1st tank and I may just seal the 1st tank hole with silicone so that when after it fills up the overfill runs into the second tank. Any suggestions would be helpful.

[@greatescapefarms]

I just saw your post. Sorry for the delay. I also saw your other post where you were making some modifications and it looks like you have installed the system. I hope it is working well for you.

[@foundyet]

I bought 2 adapters online for the IBC tanks. One is doing good and the other one leaks. I will cut the line again at a later date and I may have to use plumbers putty to stop the leaking. At present I have 3 lines connected with a ball valve on each line wherer I can water one line at a time with the other lines closed. This seems to work well. I still have to use the awl on my Swiss Army knife to make sure the 1/8 inch holes in the line are giving off enough water.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for the update!

[@shermdog6969]

My totes are clear and have never grown algae. Have had 4 years. I do live in a very low humidity state so don't know if that makes a difference.

[@foundyet]

Change of plans, instead of using a 1 inch line between the 2 IBC totes, I used a 2 inch line with a 3/4 inch ball valve spigot on a "T" in the middle. On one side my PVC connector on the tote leaks badly. I'll have to replace it and or use plumbers putty to keep it from leaking.

[@greatescapefarms]

Awesome. I use 2" as well and it has worked wonderfully for me.

[@johnkulcsar7729]

Spray painted mine with "plastic recommended paint". It didn't hold up 6 months. It soon flaked off and peeled right off. Will have to wrap the tote in heavy black plastic material.

[@greatescapefarms]

Yes, black plastic is what I used and it held up fine.

[@alphahandy2021]

Thanks!

[@greatescapefarms]

You're welcome!