"Rick McGreal" wrote in message
...
"Steve Warren @ The UK Speedtrap Guide"
wrote in :

I have a storage tank for 1939 litres. Having a few moments today I
wondered what I might be saving by collecting rain water rather than
using the hose pipe through the water meter ..

Erm....How do you get hold of a water butt?
Do people sell them?

Can I use something on the cheap?

Try the freeads, there's always plenty in those round my way, in fact I now
have 7 waterbutts, although only 5 actively collecct much rainwater, the
others are for comfrey etc composts.

A good alternative is to try and find some old loft water storage tanks, we
used to have two rectangular ones behind a 20foot greenhouse, they must have
been at least 4 foot wide by about 2 foot across and 3 foot deep, held a
load of water though I can't be bothered working it out. Two of those did a
grand job though. Back when they were bought they were cheap as well, they
were galavanised iron or steel I think, rivited together and would probably
cost a fortune today just for their "retro" chic !!!

Duncan

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Drakanthus" wrote in message
...
Erm....How do you get hold of a water butt?
Do people sell them?

snip
everything got filled! Also you could look out in skips for old iron water
tanks. People are usually not fussed about you taking stuff out of their
skips, but it might be best to ask.
snip
Steve.

This has, I am sure, been discussed at length, but once something goes in a
skip technically it belongs to the skiphire company and anyone removing
anything can be accused of theft, strangely enough this can include the
person putting the stuff in the skip in the first place. I would say
Definately ask first, just to cover your own back.
Duncan

"Mike" wrote in message
...
In article , Chris Norton
writes

Whilst we are on the subject. Whats the best way of connecting them
up? I know there are connecting kits which usually run off when the
butt is full but is there a way of using the water pressure to keep
them all at the same level?

I.E. if there`s a hose pipe from the bottom of one butt to the bottom
of another butt would the pressure from one force the water up to the
same level OR would it just stop because of the pipe going out of the
butt?

It`s a long time since I did any experiments with water levels at
school and I`m damned if I can remember.

Water finds it's own level. As such you have to join them together as
low down in the butt as possible. This presents a problem if you are
doing it yourself single handed, because you have to hold the coupler (A
bit of kit from B & Q which is a hollow tube with a thread and a flange
at one end) with one hand and reach into the other butt to put the nut
on the coupling.

If you allow the overflow from one butt into the next and so on, you
have to be able to access the taps on each butt. I cannot as my butts
are lined up behind the garage and the shed backs up to these butts. I
therefore draw off water from one butt only, the level going down on all
because of the water finding it's own level. Likewise, you only need
your gutter down pipe to enter one butt.

Mike
snip
Sounds exaclty like my sister and bro-in-laws place, they put 4 waterbutts
behind their garage and linked them all up through some old manifold he
obtained, this keeps them all at the same level, they are all raised about 3
foot high as well and when my sis wants to water parts of teh garden she
just takes the hose which comes out of the manifold and lays it down
alongside whichever plant she wants to water. Gravity does the rest, oh to
have a nice flat garden. All my water butts are by the house, and me veggie
plots and greenhouse are at least 5 feet higher due to garden slope.

I am always on the lookout for a nice old fashioned hand pump so I can just
pump water up to the greenhouse waterbutts, it's only 8x6 thus does not
collect much rainwater, then I could use it more easily where i need it.

Duncan

"shazzbat" wrote in
:

Or worms. Especially don't buy worms.
People buy worms???

How else do you get them?

(This is a serious question BTW)

In article ,
Rick McGreal writes:
| "shazzbat" wrote in
| :
|
| Or worms. Especially don't buy worms.
| People buy worms???
|
| How else do you get them?
|
| (This is a serious question BTW)

By not washing your hands before eating.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Druss" wrote in :

Can I use something on the cheap?
Try the freeads, there's always plenty in those round my way, in fact
I now have 7 waterbutts, although only 5 actively collecct much
rainwater, the others are for comfrey etc composts.

Dang.....Freeads.....Why didn't I think of that?

Druss....Your a legend....B-)

"Rick McGreal" wrote in message
...
"Druss" wrote in :

Can I use something on the cheap?
Try the freeads, there's always plenty in those round my way, in fact
I now have 7 waterbutts, although only 5 actively collecct much
rainwater, the others are for comfrey etc composts.

Dang.....Freeads.....Why didn't I think of that?

Druss....Your a legend....B-)

He he nice reference, and well the nickname just seemed appropriate.
Druss

On 30 Apr 2003 08:08:08 GMT, Rick McGreal wrote:

"shazzbat" wrote in
:

Or worms. Especially don't buy worms.
People buy worms???

How else do you get them?

(This is a serious question BTW)

They just seem to appear of their own accord.

I have read though that if you place some partially rotted compost on
the ground, then cover it with black plastic or carpet, the brandling
worms will move in.
Give it a few weeks, lift the cover and you should have worms.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk