Columns for 2 IBC tanks stacked

[saveasteading]

You can also link more than one using tank connectors, so that one dp feeds them all.

In the winter you can even leave the tap slightly on, to dribble away and attenuate the flow. Did that on a big workshop once, as an official solution, accepted by the Environment Agency.

[Susie]

Thanks @JohnBishop.

How big was your workshop roof and how many did you use  @saveasteading or do you know any calculators for rain water collection. 
 

[PeterW]

2 hours ago, Susie said:

do you know any calculators for rain water collection.

lots available online such as this one

 

https://www.rainwaterharvesting.co.uk/tank-size-calculator/

[Susie]

Thanks @PeterW I shall compare a few they do let you click no toilet etc so just garden but the first said 120000 litres p.a. Rainfall, so I need to think how I can work out garden usage. 

[PeterW]

I had a spreadsheet somewhere that calculated rainfall from 3 years worth of met office daily data for the local area and then looked at how much was used to get the tank capacity needed. I think it was around 3,000 litres in the end but there were still days where the tanks would be empty based on that. Once I got to 5,000 litres then it started to even out the peaks and troughs. 

[SiBee]

I have three 1000L IBC`s linked together midway so that they weir into each other. Fed using a rain diverter off the roof gutter down pipe.

Heavy deposits should settle in tank one and tank three should have the least amount of suspended solids to filter out.

The original idea was to use filtered rainwater for toilet flushing and for the washing machine but this was shelved due to our local authority regs and lab testing results on water quality/ pathogens. 

We just use the harvested water for the garden and this year I intend to use it to wash the cars using a suitable filter of course. It is really surprising how quickly we can use the 3000L of stored water. We dont get many dry spells in the North West but our tanks have been emptied many times. 

You do get plenty of visible bugs too especially them tiny swimming worm looking things. Our tanks are clear but they are positioned out of direct sunlight and algae has never been an issue.

Oh, and the amount of bird crap that gets deposited on the roof and patio is amazing! put me right off and especially when the chemist at work showed me his results from my samples. 

[saveasteading]

6 hours ago, PeterW said:

Once I got to 5,000 litres then it started to even out the peaks and troughs 

Depending where you are...e g. .there is similar rainfall in Inverness and Tunbridge Wells. But the former has more wet days and drizzle, so the tank is more often topped up. The latter has more downpours so a small tank would overflow and lose the available water.

[JohnBishop]

Hi again Gents,

I have the IBC totes and I bought them black.

My new (perhaps silly) question is should I wrap it in a black plastic anyway? e.g. to prevent sun from deteriorating the container over time. I reckon sun does not mind if it's white or black.
I can be wrong but I ca imagine that since it's black it absorbs more of the rays and deteriorates quicker thank white one that reflects some of it.

 

I have a 1000 gauge DPM I could wrap it in perhaps too thick for the task but decided to ask first as it may be pointless.

Cheers

Edited September 12, 2022 by JohnBishop

[markc]

The tanks themselves are ok but if storing water then you need to fully cover them to exclude sunlight

[Temp]

We've had an IBC on an allotment for at least 6 years. The sides were wrapped with reed fencing/matting but top was left exposed. Not noticed any deterioration.

[Roundtuit]

In a previous job I had to get rid of a dozen or so IBC'S that had gone brittle and got damaged.  Not sure of timescales, but definitely several years rather than months, and I can only assume that was through weather and UV exposure.

 

Google suggests a 10yr lifespan for an HDPE IBC, so I'd either cover them, or plan to replace if and when.

[joe90]

7 hours ago, JohnBishop said:

reckon sun does not mind if it's white or black.

If I remember correctly the “black” was added to plastic to stop UV deterioration. +1 that the water needs to be kept dark to stop “growth” in the water. You can get black IBC,s

[JohnBishop]

11 hours ago, joe90 said:

If I remember correctly the “black” was added to plastic to stop UV deterioration. +1 that the water needs to be kept dark to stop “growth” in the water. You can get black IBC,s

I have black IBC tanks I just wasn't convinced if the black plastic does the job in terms of extending the life of the IBC tanks significantly e.g. double it, I know it works for algae.

Because if black colour extends the lifespan of an IBC tank e.g. by 2 years only maybe it's better to wrap it in black DPM. Ideally to keep them indoors but I don't have a space and a tall enough shed to keep inside two IBC tanks stacked.

[joe90]

Can’t do any harm to wrap in another covering. I remember where I heard about the “black “ I used to work for BT and was told cables that were external had black added to counteract the effects of UV, whereas cables underground did not need that protection.

[SteamyTea]

4 hours ago, joe90 said:

remember where I heard about the “black “ I used to work for BT and was told cables that were external had black added to counteract the effects of UV

Surely black will absorb more of the spectrum than a single, non black, colour.

There are additives to make plastics more UV resistant.

[joe90]

“Carbon black is a strong, effective, and very common blocker for outdoor applications, blocking against UV rays ”
 

from https://www.fastradius.com/resources/top-uv-resistant-plastics/

[Roundtuit]

Black IBC's are used for shipping light-sensitive products.  I don't think it extends the life of the IBC itself tbh.

[joe90]

12 hours ago, Roundtuit said:

I don't think it extends the life of the IBC itself tbh.

From another source…..

Carbon blacks protect the polymer from UV degradation, act as a black pigment and improve the conductivity of the plastic. Carbon blacks also increase the performance of the plastic by enhancing the abrasion resistance, modulus, tear and tensile strength.

[Iceverge]

As a general rule wrapping anything in impenetrable plastic isn't a good policy, unless you're planning on ensiling it. 

 

You're lightly to trap moisture between the IBC and polythene if you don't leave a ventilation gap. Mould fungus etc will like this and the metalwork of the IBC will be more lightly to corrode as it'll be permanently damp. 

 

A ventilation gap would help but don't be surprised if you get little visitors becoming resident. 

 

Black plastic IBC's and a black plastic DPC sound like a recipe for lukewarm water, prime for microbial activity, even in the dark. 

 

I'd be keener to shove the IBC's in a well ventilated shed to protect them if you have one suitable. Do you have any good tree canopys that would substitute for a shed? 

 

HDPE expands and shrinks in the sun so paint doesn't stick very well.

 

The internet suggests latex paint might do the trick. A light coloured one would be best to control temperatures.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JohnMo]

Just put an IBC on the drain pipe of our 60m2 garage.  Heavy rain overnight filled it last week.  So just collected another 2 and a bunch of connectors.

 

Will look to wrap with a lean to sort of think made of pallets and then clad in wood.

 

Just need to sort a pump out now, so I can pump through 200m of irrigation drip feed pipe which on the hill above the the IBC's.

[PeterW]

6 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Just need to sort a pump out now, so I can pump through 200m of irrigation drip feed pipe which on the hill above the the IBC's.

I’ve just done similar and tbh am about to redo the solution as using a submersible pump is the easiest it doesn’t give the true pressure needed for drip or irrigation systems. I’d consider a two stage approach with a jet pump doing the high pressure bit from a secondary tank that is fed from

a submersible pump and only filter at the jet pump  

[JohnMo]

I was thinking of one these

https://www.waterpump.co.uk/tallas-d-eboost-850-booster-pump

[JohnBishop]

what do you think about these IBC covers on eBay?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125196937973?hash=item1d2651aaf5:g:X8YAAOSwMtJiLDcQ&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4J28Q2gIVQXTpVngJWFNq%2FE8Zcy1Vmhqb3cFD6BzA%2Bx2lOkgPdpacHxGqzwdG6LGC0q%2FgXgqN7lR4SA9xDPAB5P2oOF%2FFEc9myuMbAGY26qP8D%2B9pS%2Bw7skC1Ofe4HzFVj9kKSnW4JxVehi5%2F4WdFsZdy0e7jIWDdJix3cdwj3oMtt6crE3r9%2FBHIgY5DtTLwmzswA7WlwzAD3CvheME5d99oxve2yONUN9trOnUhWkvHl4YWmjTS8aMNNIRoMsccC6%2F3kfSBOjOgHjqQDPmWlRdjmd4thkD5QMl9TQ9T70D|tkp%3ABFBMrOKM3-hg