Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

I had two 500 gallon holding tanks for rain water. They were fiberglass and
I could see the water turning lovely shades of green as the summer
progressed. Didn't hurt a thing. You're only using it to water your plants,
right? I did toss in a few feeder gold fish every year as soon as the temp
was above 50°. They are excellent, non toxic skeeter control. I never fed
the fish and they thrived until I emptied the tanks in the fall before the
hard freeze.

BTW, if you are looking for a very inexpensive holding tank check out septic
tank companies. I got two 500 gallon septic tanks for $20 each. They had
been cracked when delivered to this company so couldn't be used for the
intended purpose but I just got a patch kit and fixed the cracks when I got
them home. Worked great.

Val

wrote in message
...
Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

wrote:
Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?


Indefinitely if you exclude mosquitos with a functional lid.

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.


No, it may grow some algae if light gets in but that will not harm plants.
There is no need to treat it like drinking water.

If by "barrel" you mean 50-100 gallons it will be of very limited use. If
you want to support your garden rather than a few pot plants you will need a
much bigger tank (1000 gal plus) and to reorganise your roof plumbing to
fill it. Depending on the size and layout of your property, the soil and
other considerations a ground tank (ie small dam) may be cheaper and more
effective. This is quite a complex issue.

David

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:15:49 -0800, wrote:

Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

Are we making mash? Then chlorine is not recommended unless you plan
to drink it.

On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:13:00 -0800, "Val"
wrote:

I had two 500 gallon holding tanks for rain water. They were fiberglass and
I could see the water turning lovely shades of green as the summer
progressed. Didn't hurt a thing. You're only using it to water your plants,
right? I did toss in a few feeder gold fish every year as soon as the temp
was above 50°. They are excellent, non toxic skeeter control. I never fed
the fish and they thrived until I emptied the tanks in the fall before the
hard freeze.

BTW, if you are looking for a very inexpensive holding tank check out septic
tank companies. I got two 500 gallon septic tanks for $20 each. They had
been cracked when delivered to this company so couldn't be used for the
intended purpose but I just got a patch kit

What kind of patch kit? Must be strong to resist that water pressure.

and fixed the cracks when I got them home. Worked great.

Val

Wow - not too shabby! May I ask your area? Sounds like a place with
a real winter. I am in So. Cal coastal...usually not much winter.

I assume you had to pick them up?
to pick them up?

Persephone

wrote in message
...
Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

wrote:
On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:13:00 -0800, "Val"
wrote:

I had two 500 gallon holding tanks for rain water. They were
fiberglass and I could see the water turning lovely shades of green
as the summer progressed. Didn't hurt a thing. You're only using it
to water your plants, right? I did toss in a few feeder gold fish
every year as soon as the temp was above 50°. They are excellent,
non toxic skeeter control. I never fed the fish and they thrived
until I emptied the tanks in the fall before the hard freeze.

BTW, if you are looking for a very inexpensive holding tank check
out septic tank companies. I got two 500 gallon septic tanks for $20
each. They had been cracked when delivered to this company so
couldn't be used for the intended purpose but I just got a patch kit

What kind of patch kit? Must be strong to resist that water pressure.


Not specially. A small tank only has a head of water of one or two metres.
Compare (say) with a quite modest irrigation pump that gives a head of 40m,
big systems can be much more.

David

wrote in message
...
Wow - not too shabby! May I ask your area? Sounds like a place with
a real winter. I am in So. Cal coastal...usually not much winter.

I assume you had to pick them up?

Persephone


I was in the nw corner of Montana, Purcell Mtns, alt.5,700. It was very hot
during the day in the summer and very long, cold winters. I made two trips
getting the tanks home. One just fit in the bed of the pick-up. Had good
grunt labor (my hunting buddies) waiting to unload and reposition the tanks.
They weighed a couple hundred pounds each. I used a solar powered stock tank
pump when I used the water. I had one tank collecting water off 'the shed'
which was an old barn/garage building and one collected from the house. We
didn't get much rain in the summer but when we did it would really pour and
filled the tanks in a very short time but there was a lot of roof surface
collecting water. In all the time I was there I only used the well to water
my gardens a very few times. However I didn't use a sprinkler, it just
wastes too much water. I also didn't water grass. All of my veggie beds
where raised and the I covered the soil with black plastic and planted
through it. That and keeping the gardens well supplied with compost every
spring they really didn't need as much water as most. I also buried gallon
milk jugs with a hole punched in the bottom next to tomatoes, peppers and
squash so I watered deep and less often. The roots stayed deep and water
didn't evaporate.

I just used a fiberglass patch kit from the hardware store. It wasn't pretty
but worked well

Google 'fiberglass septic tank' and you'll see lots of places. I'm sure
you'll find one near you if you decide to check this out.

Val

That keyed my interest in looking at some old digital photos of my 3 stage
septic tank being installed here a few years ago. It was on a specialized
truck with motorized winch. Entire septic tank is coated in concrete with
flat top. Although small in relative size as far as septic tanks go, it was
pretty big at 1500 gallons total.

I'm guessing you meant the company that made a septic tank from those
individual tanks is where you got those 2 tanks.

--
Dave

CDOs are how we got here.
A modified version, new taxes in the future, is how Congress will get us
out?
"Val" wrote in message
...
I had two 500 gallon holding tanks for rain water. They were fiberglass and
I could see the water turning lovely shades of green as the summer
progressed. Didn't hurt a thing. You're only using it to water your plants,
right? I did toss in a few feeder gold fish every year as soon as the temp
was above 50°. They are excellent, non toxic skeeter control. I never fed
the fish and they thrived until I emptied the tanks in the fall before the
hard freeze.

BTW, if you are looking for a very inexpensive holding tank check out
septic tank companies. I got two 500 gallon septic tanks for $20 each.
They had been cracked when delivered to this company so couldn't be used
for the intended purpose but I just got a patch kit and fixed the cracks
when I got them home. Worked great.

Val

wrote in message
...
Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

"Dioclese" NONE wrote in message
news
That keyed my interest in looking at some old digital photos of my 3 stage
septic tank being installed here a few years ago. It was on a specialized
truck with motorized winch. Entire septic tank is coated in concrete with
flat top. Although small in relative size as far as septic tanks go, it
was pretty big at 1500 gallons total.

I'm guessing you meant the company that made a septic tank from those
individual tanks is where you got those 2 tanks.

--
Dave

CDOs are how we got here.
A modified version, new taxes in the future, is how Congress will get us
out?
"Val" wrote in message
...
I had two 500 gallon holding tanks for rain water. They were fiberglass
and I could see the water turning lovely shades of green as the summer
progressed. Didn't hurt a thing. You're only using it to water your
plants, right? I did toss in a few feeder gold fish every year as soon as
the temp was above 50°. They are excellent, non toxic skeeter control. I
never fed the fish and they thrived until I emptied the tanks in the fall
before the hard freeze.

BTW, if you are looking for a very inexpensive holding tank check out
septic tank companies. I got two 500 gallon septic tanks for $20 each.
They had been cracked when delivered to this company so couldn't be used
for the intended purpose but I just got a patch kit and fixed the cracks
when I got them home. Worked great.

Val

wrote in message
...
Here in So. Calif, we have had drought conditions for several
years, so now that we are having some rain, am saving every drop of
rainwater I can. I now have a large barrel full, and more may be on
the way - I hope!

Question: How long can I "safely" keep the barrel full
of H2O? Without breeding mosquitos, worst case, or..?

Is it necessary to put some chlorine in, and if so,
how much would be safe for the plants.

This may all be overkill; if we just don't get any more
rain, it will get used up fast. Have been curious about
this for some time, so turning to Your Wisdom g

Persephone

"Dioclese" NONE wrote in message
news
I'm guessing you meant the company that made a septic tank from those
individual tanks is where you got those 2 tanks.

--
Dave

They were two individual tanks, not even close to matching. Doubt if they
were even made by the same company by the looks of them. These come in many
shapes and sizes. No concrete is involved. I got them from a company that
installed septic systems, not manufacture tanks. Do a little perusing of
fiberglass septic tanks and it may become more clear to you.

Val

"Val" wrote in message
...

"Dioclese" NONE wrote in message
news
I'm guessing you meant the company that made a septic tank from those
individual tanks is where you got those 2 tanks.

--
Dave

They were two individual tanks, not even close to matching. Doubt if they
were even made by the same company by the looks of them. These come in
many shapes and sizes. No concrete is involved. I got them from a company
that installed septic systems, not manufacture tanks. Do a little perusing
of fiberglass septic tanks and it may become more clear to you.

Don't really need fiberglass septic tanks for collecting rain water for
irrigation.

http://www.watertanks.com/

"brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

Don't really need fiberglass septic tanks for collecting rain water for
irrigation.

http://www.watertanks.com/

This is very true but if you go up to my original post you'd be hard pressed
to find water tanks for the price I paid for the fiberglass septic tanks

Val

"Val" wrote in message
...

"Dioclese" NONE wrote in message
news
I'm guessing you meant the company that made a septic tank from those
individual tanks is where you got those 2 tanks.

--
Dave

They were two individual tanks, not even close to matching. Doubt if they
were even made by the same company by the looks of them. These come in
many shapes and sizes. No concrete is involved. I got them from a company
that installed septic systems, not manufacture tanks. Do a little perusing
of fiberglass septic tanks and it may become more clear to you.

Val


That's scary stuff around here. Won't hold up to all the rocky terrain,
perforations during installations.

Didn't find any that small. Here's a link for fiberglas septic tank
maker...
http://www.loomistank.com/fiberglass-septic-tanks.html

--
Dave

CDOs are how we got here.
A modified version, new taxes in the future, is how Congress will get us
out?

"brooklyn1" wrote in
:

Don't really need fiberglass septic tanks for collecting rain
water for irrigation.

of course not, but a damaged fiberglass septic tank is a hell of a
lot cheaper than a poly tank!
lee

On Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:33:23 +0000 (UTC), enigma
wrote:

"brooklyn1" wrote in
:

Don't really need fiberglass septic tanks for collecting rain
water for irrigation.

of course not, but a damaged fiberglass septic tank is a hell of a
lot cheaper than a poly tank!
lee


About these septic tanks... When set up are these placed underground
like a cistern, or left above ground for their beauty and all the
neighbors to enjoy?

I am fortunate to have a spring-fed pond (about 7,000 gallons) that
contantly runs into an underground overflow that spills into a small
stream. It never gets stagnant and has thousands of fish that take
care of the mosquitoes (read somewhere that a fish pond actually
decreases mosquito populations). Typically we get July-August
droughts and I take water from the pond to water the gardens. Since
there is no way to easily separate the fish from the pond water, the
plants get fed some fish along with the water. Maybe some day I'll
install a hand pump in the vegetable garden.