Going to use rainwater

[cmeg1]

Wow nice! If that is minimum temps you got it made....no winter storage?
Drops to zero where I am at.Have to put trees in the ground.

 

[cmeg1]

Set up all the fittings on the rain barrels yesterday since an extended time of warm weather is predicted.
I got about 13gal of water just from the deep fog last night
They really work good.
Supposed to get a good rain on thursday, so Probably all 5 barrels will be full.
Glad they fill up so fast.

 

[cmeg1]

Upped the Rainwater Harvesting

Will have more watering going on this year ,so added a few more drums to harvest the rain.
A total of 8 drums,four on each downspout.
240 gallons should last well over a month.
I believe I’m good to go!

 

[atlarsenal]

I added a second rain barrel to my system today.

 

[butlern]

Upped the Rainwater Harvesting

Will have more watering going on this year ,so added a few more drums to harvest the rain.
A total of 8 drums,four on each downspout.
240 gallons should last well over a month.
I believe I’m good to go!

Does the diverter you're using function properly? That is, does it shut off the bypass when barrels are full?

Is it the Earthminded brand?

My barrels are arriving soon, but I have yet to decide on a diverter.

Noah

 

[just.wing.it]

I have a barrel that I need to use in hook up. It's a plastic 55-gallon drum.

I wanted to also ask, who uses well water as opposed to city water?
Until the middle of last year, I was always using city water. Now I'm using a well. The water is very clean and pure. I love it.

 

[butlern]

Just looked closer at the design of the EarthMinded... very clear now that all you have to do is install the diverter below the "full" water level in the barrel (basically below the top of the barrel) and there's no place for the water to go... but out the downspout.

I suppose I still would like to know if water leaks and or splashes out at the installation point and saturates the soil at the foundation.

 

[cmeg1]

Does the diverter you're using function properly? That is, does it shut off the bypass when barrels are full?

Is it the Earthminded brand?

My barrels are arriving soon, but I have yet to decide on a diverter.

Noah

Earthminded they are and yes they do an excellent job diverting back down the rainspiut when barrels are full your foundations will be safe

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have a barrel that I need to use in hook up. It's a plastic 55-gallon drum.

I wanted to also ask, who uses well water as opposed to city water?
Until the middle of last year, I was always using city water. Now I'm using a well. The water is very clean and pure. I love it.

Well Water - all depends on your local geology, and how deep your well point is. What you need to know is the mineral content of your water. Well water can be very low in dissolved minerals, or it can be very high in dissolved minerals. Either way it may be great for humans to drink. Your local university USDA Extension service should have information on your local water, just tell them where you are at, and how deep your well point is. You can also get your water tested. The routine tests for potability will be good for the humans, but don't tell you much about plants.

Ask for the Total Alkalinity as percent Calcium Carbonate per liter of water, this test will run $40 to $90 to have run individually for you on your water sample by a private lab. It will tell you specifically the buffer capacity of your well water. Also ask for total dissolved solids, this should run not much more than $20 from a private lab. The two numbers should be close, but if they are not they alert you to something unique about your water supply. Most wells are in an aquifer that is usually limestone, or glacial till.

Well water testing less than 450 milligrams per liter total alkalinity as Calcium Carbonate, can be used for most plants, especially if plants get flushed with the occasional rain shower. Azalea will survive, but as Total Alkalinity goes up, will benefit from more frequent flushings with rain water. Usually water with 450 mg/liter total alkalinity will have less than 650 parts per million total dissolved solids.

Over 450 mg /liter Alkalinity and you will have trouble growing calcium sensitive species (notably trees that are listed as ''acid loving'', it is not the pH directly that is the problem, its the calcium).

Well water high in calcium can taste very good, and is healthy for humans, so testing is the only sure way to know. If you have a problem, you will quickly see lime build up on your pots and the surfaces of your soil. If you don't see this, you probably have no problem.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Probably best to take the topic of well water to a new thread titled well water.

 

[just.wing.it]

Probably best to take the topic of well water to a new thread titled well water.

Hahaha! Looks like it!
From my anecdotal evidence, I may have some iron in my water, but almost nothing else as far as my shower head and faucets look.
All I know for sure is, its very clear and tastes like bottled Spring Water like Deer Park.
Thanks Leo!

Maybe I'll look into getting mine tested and post the results!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Hahaha! Looks like it!
From my anecdotal evidence, I may have some iron in my water, but almost nothing else as far as my shower head and faucets look.
All I know for sure is, its very clear and tastes like bottled Spring Water like Deer Park.
Thanks Leo!

Maybe I'll look into getting mine tested and post the results!

Try a couple phone calls first, you might get all the info you need, without the expense of testing.

 

[It's Kev]

Dang, wish I had space to set up one of these. The school where I live has a pond/fountain thingy where I use water from, since it collects some rain, and it’s aged water, not fresh out the tap. Hope that counts for something.