Water storage

[mort]

Hi, I'm cheap and don't like paying silly amounts when not needed and I've been looking at water butts lately to expand how much water I can collect. Now perhaps I'm being tight but they seem extortionate for something that is often quoted as helping to save the planet, so was wondering if anyone had any better ideas for cheaper options? Aesthetics isn't all that important if it will do the job.

I had considered building a pallet walled pond in my greenhouse under the planting stages with some pond liner. I thought this would help with humidity and keeping the green house happier in summer and slightly warmer in winter but not sure if the humidity would cause problems?

 

[noodlesuk]

What about a plastic dustbin, or plastic water tank,or second hand water butt? Facebook market place seems good for these, around the £10-20 mark.

 

[SRP3006]

Farmers quite often have excess containers. I managed to grab a 200l one for a fiver from a farmer with a tap.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all

don't like paying silly amounts when not needed and I've been looking at water butts

A <"re-conditioned IBC">? 1000 litres of storage.

cheers Darrel

 

[X3NiTH]

Good Link Darrel, Bookmarked!

If you need a custom tank to fit a space then I’ve found TanksDirect has an exceptional range. For under cupboard storage or containers with wide openings to fit equipment inside they have something for all, tapped or untapped.

 

[RudeDogg1]

Search eBay for the terracotta coloured food safe olive barrels. Need to give them a good clean first but fairly cheap and fish safe. Loads of fish keepers use them.

These ones


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283738462091

 

[lilirose]

I bought a food safe barrel from Ebay as well, but not specifically an olive barrel. It cost 13 quid. I don't want to keep it outdoors, though- it lives in my (large) kitchen, because I use RO water.
This one, if you are interested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/282973995477

 

[zozo]

not sure if the humidity would cause problems?

I've had a greenhouse in the past experimenting with hydroponics with 400-litre open water butt and every few hours watered media. Then 24/7 adequate ventilation (airflow) is best. Depending on the volume a bathroom wall/ceiling fan could do enough.

Without adequate ventilation, humidity could become a problem, especially during the darker and colder winters with mould growth. You can of course also cover it during the colder periods with those cheap plastic corrugated panels to prevent evaporation.

 

[mort]

Sorry completely forgot i started this thread. Thanks for all the suggestions, they were avenues I'd previously explored and will probably look into again. I guess I was hoping someone might have known of a crazy cheap deal on a large tub, like they seem to get in the US for patio ponds but I think European sellers are far to savvy for such bargains.

I had a couple of water butts and an ibc down my allotment but some cheeky sod decided to nick them, if not I'd have brought them home. My new plan, and I realise there is nothing more dangerous than a man with a plan, is to build a pond the length of my garage where an unused path is (well it is used but as a dumping ground currently). I can make it 5-6 meters long, a meter wide and I'm thinking a couple of foot deep. Ideally I'm getting rid of the garage late next year and then I'd like another pond on the other side the same size with a seating area between the two.
That should give me a few thousand liters of potential which I think my house roof areas should be able to fill, then I'm thinking reed bed, planted pond feel. Hopefully that would be good for wildlife, the environment and me.

I'm still thinking of how to do it and not sure if leaving them ground level is best or having them raised. I quite like the idea of raised ponds so I'm more in the middle of them, plus it would be easier to build in an overflow for excess water but don't think it would be as beneficial to wildlife although I have a wildlife pond for that. I wouldn't even be thinking along these lines if it wasn't for the amazing pond system being built on the forum, so at least I have someone to blame