Rain Barrels

[Apollo]

Here in Phoenix AZ. we have some really bad tasty city water ( hard water ) lot of calcium, chlorine, sodium. etc. I decided to use rain water for my Aquaponics to cut down on the hard water build up. Even though we get very little annual rain fall about 6.25 inches per year, it works but would work better in a wetter climate.

My system made from 55 gal food safe barrel, I used white barrel but found out later that dark blue barrel let in less light. Light will promote algae growth which in return will deplete or lower your oxygen level. Live and learn...the darker the better.

Rain gutter drains into a smaller barrel used as a pre filter for the main rain barrels. This barrel will be empty after each rain storm to make room for the next "roof rinse". When smaller barrel gets full, water will back up the down spout to the 1 1/2" PVC pipe. This pipe empties into a new 5 gal bucket, passes though a vinyl screen to fill my first 55 gal barrel. When barrel is full, water will exit the top though one of factory openings & will flow to the next barrel. When it's full, water will just move on down the line. PVC piping can be sealed with plumbing goop from Home Depot or any suitable caulking. Water can be drained from the hose bibs mounted at the bottom of the barrels. There is still a another factory sealed removable opening on the top, this can be used to assess the barrel to rinse it out or to add any drops to the water if used as an emergency water source.

Sorry, picture got posted backwards.

______________________________________________

I HAVE NOT FAILED. I'VE JUST FOUND 10,000 WAYS THAT WON'T WORK. Thomas A Edison

[JCO]

very ingenious idea...thanks for sharing the photos

[dead_sled]

Very nice! Wow, 6.25 inches of rain a year! That is dry.

[Apollo]

Sorry, for the miss information...I guess I was going from past memories. Looked it up and found out that it's 8.3 inches per year, don't want the world to think it's really dry here.

[eddiemigue]

Nice setup and love the DIY first flush system.