Watering system

[Tmag]

Looks like a great setup! I know you'll keep us posted on your improvements as time goes on.

[bar2hunter]

Update: system is doing well....except for the evaporation factor. Both troughs are in the shade but the heat (and wind I suppose) are drying them out FAST. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[raiderelkhunter]

B2H
Thanks to your posting, I built a system similar to yours, but larger, b/c I am 2.5 hours from my farm. I can't get the pics to load, so if someone can help me, I will put the pics of my system up to show.

Thanks
Josh

[BrianL]

A deer can drink a gallon of water a day, and a large hog even more. If cows can get to it, they will dain it in a day. I would guess evaporation, based on my swimming pool at about 1/4" and 1/2" of your surface area. You could reduce your drinking tank size down to help on evaporation. I used a 2 gallon metal water bucket and buried it in the ground so it would not get knocked over.

[AggieHunter]

Update: system is doing well....except for the evaporation factor. Both troughs are in the shade but the heat (and wind I suppose) are drying them out FAST. Any thoughts or suggestions?

A You could reduce your drinking tank size down to help on evaporation.

What he said or take a piece of plywood or something similar and cover up at least half of it. You use the same setup you have but reduce the surface area exposed for direct evaporation.

[bar2hunter]

Josh, if you want to send me those pics at bar2hunter@yahoo.com, I can post them for you. I'd really like to see them, too.

Brian, no cows in this pasture but I think the deer and coons are really hitting it heavy. The ground is really beat down around the troguhs. We don't have many pigs (yet) to consume a lot of the water.

Aggie, thanks!

[raiderelkhunter]

B2H, pics are on the way to you, thanks for the assitance.

[bar2hunter]

raiderbowhunter's pics....(good idea!)

[NDNRoger]

b2h...

What kind of down spout are you using to syphon the water out of the barrell? Seems to me a standard hose cut to length would mostly float and would think a ridgid hose would have to be the way to go.

Thanks!

[DavisHollow]

All good ideas. Here's what I did (only partial pics for now).

I choose to use a $35 horse waterer with built in float protected by metal plate. The $12 plastic floats you guys are using are not very sturdy. I use 1/4" plastic water line like you use under the sink. Just $0.07/foot at Lowes. I run it to a $28 42 gallon plastic trash can from Home Depot. I would prefer to use a plastic water container like you guys use, but I don't know where to get them. I bury the water line to the trash can about 100 feet away, uphill of course.

Here are some pictures, will get pics of finished job next time out. I also think you get less evaporation from the smaller waterers.

I have two, one with a 42 gallon tank, the other connected to the water line near my cabin (well water, electric).

[Luck_of_the_Draw]

I'll play..

This one's been out for 4 year now...

I've got a 275 reservoir under the stand.

[bobo]

Just so you guy's all know "for those that don't" Always put a piece of wood that will float in the water container. That way if a bird lands or falls in he can get out.

This I was told, and "Luck_of_the_Draws" picture reminded me of it.

[bar2hunter]

NDNRoger, I have PVC that comes off the pump, into a 90 degree and then down to the bottom of the barrel. I heard somebody (maybe on here) that the hose will work if you attach some weight to it.

Like your thinking DavisHollow...minimal evap that way for sure.

Luck_of_the_Draw, is your tank that much above the trough?
I've got a general sense of plumbing and gravity (most of the time ) but I've wondered about the levels of the tank vs. the trough. If both are on flat ground, float is above outlet on tank and tank water is below the float, will there be flow?

bobo, I put glavanized straps across mine for that same reason. The one I'm delivering this weekend is very similiar to raiderbowhunter's.

[bar2hunter]

BTW DavisHollow...off topic...how that PVC on your feeder legs working for ya?

[DavisHollow]

BTW DavisHollow...off topic...how that PVC on your feeder legs working for ya?

It doesn't. I made it so the PVC spins freely. I guess next step it to try vasoline on the PVC. Or carpet nail strips. This feeder is round on the bottom, kind of hard to mount a rectangular cage to it.

Having said that, there seem to be fewer coons in my pictures, so maybe it's making it a little harder for them, but this one managed ok. Where there is a will, there is a way.