Rain water collection

[Diamond S]

How many of you practice this? I am thinking of building a system or two, one for the garden ( catching rain from the barn roof and the second catching rain for the chickens off the roof of their coop. I have seen the calculations and it all look pretty straight forward, but I do have a question.

Do you drain your system during the winter? I guess what I am asking is will 55 gallon drum ( chicken house catchment ) be hurt in a freeze? I know I should protect the pipes, but will it ever get cold enough for long enough in Texas to freeze a 55 gallon drum full or even a quarter full?

Any info will be appreciated.

[justletmein]

Sub'd. Need info for fish camp.

[DTala]

I built two collection systems. First is off my dog kennel roof, 30 feetX15 feet into a 275 gallon tote, over flow into a second 275 gallon tote just downhill and 10 feet away. Fills off a gutter on downside of roof. This one supplies water to dogs and to garden.

Second is off my barn roof, 20 ftX40 ft, into a 275 gallon tote, over flow into a second tote 25 yards away and downhill. This one supplies water to a deer trough.

I add some clorox to keep water scum free. Never worry about freezing. It went down to 15 degrees this winter with no ill effects.

a roof will collect a LOT of water, way more than I figured on. You need an over flow drain that channels water to a safe place to run off.

[jlp04c]

Will you be using a pump, or something of that nature, to force water? If not, I wouldn't be to concerned about the unit freezing. It may be precautionary to wrap the pvc portion to prevent a freeze/thaw crack..

Another tip to eliminate freezing in the barrel (if you see it's a problem) is to take a milk jug and fill it with salt water, and just let it float around in the tank... The salt water wont freeze.. and it makes the surface harder for the freshwater to freeze , if that makes an sense?!

[Diamond S]

I built two collection systems. First is off my dog kennel roof, 30 feetX15 feet into a 275 gallon tote, over flow into a second 275 gallon tote just downhill and 10 feet away. Fills off a gutter on downside of roof. This one supplies water to dogs and to garden.

Second is off my barn roof, 20 ftX40 ft, into a 275 gallon tote, over flow into a second tote 25 yards away and downhill. This one supplies water to a deer trough.

I add some clorox to keep water scum free. Never worry about freezing. It went down to 15 degrees this winter with no ill effects.

a roof will collect a LOT of water, way more than I figured on. You need an over flow drain that channels water to a safe place to run off.

My barn area will be just off of the awning and it is 40X40 so I am looking at a 3 to 600 gallon tank. With the calculations a one inch rain will yield almost 997 gallons. So yes I will need a good overflow plan.

[hog_down]

The only advice I would give is that if you use a big container such as a 55 gallon barrel or tote, install some kind of draining device, should you ever want to empty it.

[Diamond S]

Will you be using a pump, or something of that nature, to force water? If not, I wouldn't be to concerned about the unit freezing. It may be precautionary to wrap the pvc portion to prevent a freeze/thaw crack..

Another tip to eliminate freezing in the barrel (if you see it's a problem) is to take a milk jug and fill it with salt water, and just let it float around in the tank... The salt water wont freeze.. and it makes the surface harder for the freshwater to freeze , if that makes an sense?!

Yes I will be using a pump for the garden, but I plan on building it so I can remove the pump during the winter. The next problem will be trying to calculate the amount of water pressure needed to run 4 to 6 sprinkler heads.

[Diamond S]

The only advice I would give is that if you use a big container such as a 55 gallon barrel or tote, install some kind of draining device, should you ever want to empty it.

Yes sir, they will both have a valve to drain them if and when I need to.

[Army of Dad]

I do this, but on a much smaller scale than you’re contemplating. I bought a water barrel from Sam’s Club as an easy first step. I usually try to run some water out for really cold freeze events and haven’t had any issues in the last two years.


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[Diamond S]

I do this, but on a much smaller scale than you’re contemplating. I bought a water barrel from Sam’s Club as an easy first step. I usually try to run some water out for really cold freeze events and haven’t had any issues in the last two years.


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This is one of my thoughts. If it was full ( 55 gallons ) would you want to keep it full during a freeze? my thinking is it would take a lot longer to freeze 55 gallons than 20 gallons. I know expansion and all, but in this part of Texas I am thinking unless we get another '86 or '87 freeze where it is below freezing for 8 to 10 days then the more the better. I could be wrong, but it is how I think.

[macoop]

I hope you’re not building that on the south plains. Your chickens would die from no water.

[Diamond S]

I hope you’re not building that on the south plains. Your chickens would die from no water.

No, we average about 36 inches per year, however, the last 3 years we have received more than double that. I guess it is all is due to " global warming " even if we received snow 3 times during end of '17 and start of '18 and had 3 days of below freezing for the first time in 30 years.

[Army of Dad]

This is one of my thoughts. If it was full ( 55 gallons ) would you want to keep it full during a freeze? my thinking is it would take a lot longer to freeze 55 gallons than 20 gallons. I know expansion and all, but in this part of Texas I am thinking unless we get another '86 or '87 freeze where it is below freezing for 8 to 10 days then the more the better. I could be wrong, but it is how I think.

We try to empty it to around 4/5 or full. I guessed that’s the Goldie locks zone for enough thermal mass to slow the freeze and provide enough headspace for some expansion of it does freeze.


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[Quackerbox]

Tagging.

Contemplating this for chicken and garden water

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[MasonCo.]

wheres the pics folks?