Rainwater Collecting...can you help me out?

Morning ATS,

I'm looking to for a rainwater collection tank. Checked out the ones online but most of them are plastic (everywhere particles plus algae), steel (rust), and cement (too heavy).

The biggest problem though with each one of these is cost. Almost every website claims they want to help you get started and then throw $100 on a 55 gallon barrel.

Whatever. Anyhow, I decided that my friends at ATS might be able to help me out with a solution. Maybe?

This is what I'm looking for:

1. Holds 250 - 500 gallons of rainwater.
2. Indoor tank ( not wanting to let someone have access to my water supply)
3. Color doesn't matter I don't think because it is indoors.
4. Has to be round preferably.

Rainwater collecting is something I've wanted to get started on for awhile now but I've just recently found some time to do it.

IBC containers are an option but I'd prefer something not plastic if at all possible.

Anyone have any ideas? I really don't wanna pay a ton of money on this project just yet. Not until I get it perfected.

Thanks for any help you can give!
Blend

You need to look online for a Laboratory supply house and obtain "carboys" that would hold water using inert materials that are similar to plastics. Algae will always be a problem with holding water. I don't know if they make them so big but that might be something available now.

originally posted by: blend57

Morning ATS,

I'm looking to for a rainwater collection tank. Checked out the ones online but most of them are plastic (everywhere particles plus algae), steel (rust), and cement (too heavy).

The biggest problem though with each one of these is cost. Almost every website claims they want to help you get started and then throw $100 on a 55 gallon barrel.

Whatever. Anyhow, I decided that my friends at ATS might be able to help me out with a solution. Maybe?

This is what I'm looking for:

1. Holds 250 - 500 gallons of rainwater.
2. Indoor tank ( not wanting to let someone have access to my water supply)
3. Color doesn't matter I don't think because it is indoors.
4. Has to be round preferably.

Rainwater collecting is something I've wanted to get started on for awhile now but I've just recently found some time to do it.

ICB containers are an option but I'd prefer something not plastic if at all possible.

Anyone have any ideas? I really don't wanna pay a ton of money on this project just yet. Not until I get it perfected.

Thanks for any help you can give!
Blend

a reply to: blend57


Ummm…you might want to think of a stainless bulk tank…like the ones used by dairy farmers…

There are several for sale in my area…granted…they’re used…they’re from small herd dairy’s that went out of business…

There are also…these tanks…






YouSir

a reply to: YouSir

I checked those out. A bit too costly for me here in the states ( not sure if you're in the US or not). And I need an indoor tank.

I'm gonna keep looking. There has to be something that will work. Even if I have to make it myself which would be pretty fun to do.

Thanks for the replies so far. All are helpful and you never know what suggestion will lead me to a "eureka" moment so, I'm grateful for the responses.

blend

a reply to: blend57

If you're an adventurous type... and a decent engineer...

You *could* go to a junkyard to find old 40-50 gallon water heaters. You could potentially rig them up in series via Pex tubing (and crimp rings). Maybe even install a small circulation pump to prevent algae buildup. Every tank will have a relief valve and water draw spigot near the bottom.

a reply to: blend57



I've been collecting water from my steel roof for 1 1/2 years...not like your suggested methods, because of cost and ability to store . So ,where are you going to put a large container in your house where you'll have gravity feed or some kind of pump with filtration? With what you are considering I'd guess you'd need a $1,200 or more.

I'll just show you what I did for cheap , but with some labor involved.....3 -8' sections of gutters.....2 brand new 30 gallon plastic garbage cans....1 -100 gallon stock tank.....some screening and old t-shirts for filtering on top of collectors....90-100 plastic cranberry jugs (I drink a lot of cranberry juice) to store collected water jugs stacked neatly in my house out of the way...ready to be boiled and run thru my Berkey filter. I only use collected water for the toilet and watering house plants at this time, but thought to get the hang of this before it becomes necessary.....hope this was helpful.

a reply to: Avardan

Are those tanks heavy? Doesn't sound too terrible honestly.

I'll have to think about that a bit and see what I can come up with.

Thank you!

a reply to: conspiracytheoristIAM

What I'm proposing is something similar to when I lived in Alaska.

They had water tanks inside the house and when I understand how it works because I helped set up one system is all.

Most were plastic containers though and I really don't want to go that route unless I can't find a more natural material to work with.

Currently I'm looking at tin or aluminum (thanks to Yousir's suggestion above) and seeing how cost effective they would be.

But yeah, I might have to do as you suggested and it is a good way to get started and perfect your system before investing a lot of dollars into it.

Thanks!
blend

a reply to: blend57

You'll be looking for plastic 55 gallon food barrels. I get barrels used for soft drink and food flavoring liquids. You can get these for free or very low cost (mine run $25 each). I'd suggest the usual suspects, FB marketplace, Craigs list and local papers or contact local stores.

They're easy to make into collection tanks, just cut the top off where the first ridge is and flip the top over. Also, make sure you set up a filtering system for the water. I find that a pantyhose toe end from the knee down rubber banded to the downspout works great as a filter.

a reply to: blend57

Here are a few things to think about.

1. 250 gallons of water weighs 1 ton. 500 gallons obviously weighs 2 tons. Will the floor you are going to place it on support 1 or 2 tons?

2. I currently have a 500 gallon rain water tank outdoors. It’s approximately 4 feet in diameter and 6 feet long. Impossible to fit through any normal door except a garage door.

3. If you wanted to store 250 to 500 gallons inside a residence, you would need between 5 and 10 50 gallon tanks.

4. What is your plan if some of the tanks leak? I doubt that homeowner insurance would cover something like that.

5. What is your plan for getting rain water from the roof (or wherever you’re collecting it from) to the storage tanks?

6. What is your plan for keeping the tanks from overflowing when it’s raining?

7. What do you plan to use the water for? 500 gallons doesn’t really last very long for most common uses such as washing, toilet flushing, garden watering, etc. 500 gallons could provide drinking water for a reasonable amount of time, but then you would have to take precautions to keep it potable. That means using materials that don’t leach harmful chemicals into the water and using disinfectants to suppress growth of nasty microorganisms. Depending on what kind of roof you have, there might be nasty chemicals in the water the moment it runs off.

a reply to: blend57

Only way to control algae is the same way you control other waterborne things, including disease: chlorine. You can find other chemicals, or you can use a pond approach and let wildlife like fish help control the algae and such. Goldfish are great for controlling water quality. They have been used in horse troughs for years.

Its difficult to say exactly what might fit best. As BFFT mentioned, there are some techniques when it comes to "treatment" that will dictate exactly what design might be best. A (nearly) completely closed off tank will not be suitable for some approaches and similarly, some filtration methods might need to be worked into the final design.

For cost, those food safe IBC Totes are really hard to beat.

Metal ag tanks, as mentioned, are a good option too. However, selection of the specific metal will be important for long term installation. They also make them out of various plastics, but if you are going that route.. might as well go for that IBC Tote. For long term use and storage, I honestly would probably go for some plastics before something like aluminum though. Various steels will be a much better option for metals.

Concrete is a great option too, and enables you to do pretty much whatever you want. It also enables the builder to incorporate piping and various "stuff" into the walls of the tank itself. But, will also add significant weight and need to be built properly in a process that has more likelihood for mistakes.

So, it might be good to get a bit of an idea of exactly what the system will do and how it will operate before really settling on something!

About that algae problem. Light proof vessels will help.

Boomer

Yep. I Know all that. As I mentioned is a response to one of our other members I helped build a system with an indoor tank. They're actually the norm in Alaska so, I get all the ends and outs. What I didn't realize is how expensive they are in the lower 48.

You can get a 500 gallon tank in Alaska for $600. Remember everything costs double there due to shipping and weight.

I figured I'd get one for half that price on the lower 48. This is not the case. You guys actually are double the cost on these specific items.

Then looking at other options I find that color and material affect the performance of the system and quality of the water. That is why I turned to ATS.

I figured if anyone could come up with a solution, you guys would. Not sure why these tanks are so costly down here but, they are way too high priced.

I looked at the IBC containers and they are still the best thing for the cost. Although they're made out if plastic and are starting to go up in price as more people try to get ahold of them (found some on etsy for $50 and some for $250).

BFFT:

Looking to put in a purifying system between the tank and the faucet. Not cheap but worth it. And yes, I know there will be people who say not to drink rainwater but, after years of researching, it's better for you currently than most water sources if you purify it correctly. Never used to be that way but now it is.

Serdgiam:

Looks like the IBC containers are what I'll be buying at least until I get the system running smoothly. For short term, probably the best bet.

All good thoughts to consider and thanks to everyone who took a minute to help out.

I very much appreciate you doing so,
blend57

a reply to: blend57

No problem at all, and please keep us updated

Those single trip, food safe IBC Totes are extraordinary deals for the price. At less than $100, Im not sure they have any competition.

They are very, very useful for a ton of things, particularly with modification.

a reply to: blend57

Build one yourself so that you can choose the materials.
If it never needs to be moved concrete is a good choice.

You could also use a plastic tank and coat the inside with a thin layer of cement. That way it's light and the water never touches plastic.

a reply to: blend57

As previously suggested, concrete might be a viable DIY alternative.

I would be a bit concerned about chemical leaching from the concrete into you water supply, especially if you intend to use the supply as potable water.

You might also consider either a fired terracotta or hand-laid ceramic vessel for storage.

I'd suggest you do some historical research into the methods indigenous people's employed to store water.

a reply to: Mantiss2021

Looked up ancient water catching techniques. Most involved rerouting from major water sources or building wells/tanks/holes to catch water in.

Some used ferrocement and some just dug a hole in the ground. Both of these practices are still going on today in regions that are water starved.

I also looked up membranes(referring to the cement lining idea which was a good one).They have a few options and in some states it is mandatory to use one if you collect more than 110 gallons. (Not doing this for various reasons but thought it was worth mentioning )

I think for what I'm starting with (IBC tanks) I'll be coating them with black rubber adhesive/paint on the outside and use a natural rock/coal filter system as a run through before the water enters the tank. I'll also use a secondary filtering system somewhere closer to the faucet.

Now I just need to find my supplies and figure out how I'm going to get two 250 gallon IBC tanks out to my location. No one delivers them so it's gonna take me some time to pick those up.

Thanks for all the help! Once I get it set up I'll update again (might be awhile) and/or post pics of my progression if possible.

Thank you!
blend