Anybody installed a rainwater tank recently??

jaydee · 06-08-2007, 11:28 PM

I want to put in a rainwater tank and do my bit.
I was thinking of one around 500 litres. Metal/plastic or fglass?
Was wondering if anyone here as put one in because I want to know a few things like, if the water comes of the roof it's pretty dirty and bird poo etc. Do they have some sort of filter for micro organisms to make it safe drinking water.
How do you plumb it into the house? I figure you can't just hook it up to your existing plumbing, too much pressure, so how does it get fed into the house, polypipe?
And if I want to use it for the garden I presume I have to buy a small electric pump too.
Is it cost effective, I guess $700 for a tank, $200 for a pump plus extras like plumbing, I don't plan on moving for some time?
Any info welcome.

JG66ME · 07-08-2007, 12:42 AM

I have a total of 4 tanks, 100,000 litres in total. I do have some serious watering though, over 250 trees planted this year.

The water that comes of your roof is fine for drinking. Just a word, 500 liters will water your plants for about 30mins to an hour. If you want to be serious you need to get at least 3000gallons, about 12000 litres. Pumps are about $350. Anything less I belive is a waste of money and will disapoint.

Steve

XPcoupe · 07-08-2007, 10:14 AM

I just installed a 9000l tank and in one good shower I got over 1000L so 500L will fill up and will be used up as quick.
I used the roof to get the water. with leaf catchers then a sediment catcher along the pipe also know as a first flush setup. Then a micro filter on the tank. It comes out Kristal clear. then I have filter before the pump. You need a good pump spend more they are a lot quiet and better pressure. you need to put in 1 way values on the mains as you can not have you tank water going back into the main water. I have a tap to turn the tank water on and off for the toilet. my entire setup cost me about $2500.

O don't bother with the rebate you get a water catchment fee on your next rates bill if you do.

**FTE217** · 07-08-2007, 11:06 AM

XPcoupe spot on mate, I am starting renos in 2wks and new gutters and water tanks are part of the job.
jaydee 500 liters will get you no where matey, I wish I had room to fit 20,000litres but have to do with 8,000litres,something is better than nothing.

ED Classic · 07-08-2007, 12:43 PM

I put a 1300 litre in my surburban yard and its ok to give each of my dozen trees a little water but empties very quickly. I cant argue as I got it for $250, but IMHO if you are going to pay the full price, pay the extra 20-40% and go triple the size. I have got room for another and I will make sure the next one is somewhere between 3000 and 5000 litres.

500 litres is almost useless IMHO.

GTP-814 · 07-08-2007, 12:55 PM

gor for at least 5000L, as it wont cost you much more. The biggest problem I am facing is not how to get some cheap ones, but hoow to get them into the backyard of your house, when the tanks are far wider than access points.

I believe you need to get a plumber to install into existing toilets etc, so I expect this to be expensive. Best get a small pump to water your plants

2fishingdogs · 07-08-2007, 12:57 PM

I have 2 3000L of me shed for the yard and washing cars. I left a soaker hose on for about 1 and bit hours and almost emtied out one of hte tanks. Iam looking @ putting another 3000 on hte shed and at least 2 20000 for the house when I replace the gutters and replumb the house.

The Yeti · 07-08-2007, 01:02 PM

I have 3 tanks, 2 1800l slim lines under the eves and a 2500l one behind the bbq area, only 1 is plumbed in, but it does the cold water in the bath rooms and the toilets, and we cant empty the bugger, I did apply for the rebate and got it I didnt get the catchment fee, but I have noticed that my water usage has gone up considerably on my bill (sydney water are looking in to it) I wouldnt go back I have 1 pump thats hard plumbed in for the bath rooms and another Aldi special I have set up with QR fiting on the suction line so I use 1 pump between the other 2 tanks.

weenie · 07-08-2007, 01:30 PM

i have recently put in a 4000L slimline. I ran pipe to a tap out the front for washing the car & watering,as well as one out the back. We water & washdown all the time, wash the car & fill the spa up (1000L) got down to around 5-800 litres then filoled up over night. Not hooked up to grey water at all. I have the first flush on , & the water if clean as. In fact since using tank water on the garden, it has taken off. to much crap in tap water now days.

Paxton · 07-08-2007, 01:36 PM

Bugger, you guys embarrass me!

I've got one, 400 Litre Tank (yup, Four Hundred, not Four Thousand), which used to be my Garden Waste bin. I cleaned it out, and then connected it to one side of my house. I use it for the sole purpose of washing the cars. The Pressure ain't that great (it is in the high point of my Garden), but connected to my Karcher, its fine. All up, it cost me $50.

**Falcon Coupe** · 07-08-2007, 01:54 PM

I have a 5000L tank and 40l per min pump on order, just to water plants and wash the cars, i will not drink it.

Jaydee, you will need a plumber to set up the grey water system for the house, 500L is bugger all, get the biggest tank you can fit.

RG · 07-08-2007, 01:58 PM

I have a 1000l water tank just for the car and plants but my parents have one for drinking water. They don't use any fancy filters just some mesh, got it tested for quality and it came back as of much higher quality than the tap water.

MotherNatureVer2 · 07-08-2007, 02:20 PM

We only have rainwater tanks here, we have a bore & also the rain water in two different tanks.

Never heard of filtering the water ....... we never get sick ....... You must realise that there may be a few squiggly things in the tank at the bottom .... they actually are natures was of cleansing the water.

Get as bigger tank as can fit & get a decent pump. You wont regret it for a minute ;)

photn · 07-08-2007, 02:23 PM

My parents have 2x 250,000ltr tanks in the back yard!

we curently live off one and the water has never gone bellow half. and thats only with the garage connected up to the drainage pipes. the house isnt connected yet. the other tank we use for drinking water, but we seldom use it.

it feels good being able to wash your car when ever you want lol.. just wear gloves... the water i a tad bit cold ad about 4Deg

Interceptor · 07-08-2007, 02:42 PM

filters? first flush systems? wtf? has the world gone soft? best cuppa's i've ever had came from a tank that had the best part of a foot of sludge in the bottom of it, and no, you dont want to know what else they found in there when they cleaned it out.....

sad part is, the tea never tasted as good afterwards

XPcoupe · 07-08-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

Bugger, you guys embarrass me!

I've got one, 400 Litre Tank (yup, Four Hundred, not Four Thousand),

: my's bigger then yours...

Pinkbits · 07-08-2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I have 3 tanks, 2 1800l slim lines under the eves and a 2500l one behind the bbq area, only 1 is plumbed in, but it does the cold water in the bath rooms and the toilets, and we cant empty the bugger, I did apply for the rebate and got it I didnt get the catchment fee, but I have noticed that my water usage has gone up considerably on my bill (sydney water are looking in to it) I wouldnt go back I have 1 pump thats hard plumbed in for the bath rooms and another Aldi special I have set up with QR fiting on the suction line so I use 1 pump between the other 2 tanks.

What is the Aldi special pump like?
I bought one in readiness for when i get the tank. I'll only be using it for watering the garden & connected to a pressure washer.

Paxton · 07-08-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XPcoupe

: my's bigger then yours...

I paid all of $50 for my whole set-up. I don't need the tank for anything but washing the cars. The look on my Neighbour (who I don't talk to)'s face when I pulled my Karcher out was classic. :monkes:

Andrew.

**thefargo** · 07-08-2007, 07:28 PM

got 30,000 ltrs here, and use a pressure pump into the house and a pool pump for the garden. Can also put a cheap sprinkler ($2.50 cheap as chips) on without a pump, the gravity/pressure throws it about 1 mtr in a circle, which is great for vegie patch.
suggest running it into house for kitchen, laundry and hot water service. In my case the mains water for every thing else is not much really. I found just running it to hot water service really saved a lot of mains water.

jaydee · 07-08-2007, 09:26 PM

Thanks for all the info guys, given me a bit to think about.
I checked out my Uncles tank, 4,500 litres, it's bloody big, I just don't have the room for something that size. I might have to put a couple of smaller flat sided ones side by side or something.
Good to see so many people are into it.

Neeek · 08-08-2007, 12:50 PM

We've got a 3,000 litre one. We couldn't get a 5,000 litre one in between the stumps under our house (they're 2cm too wide to fit in there..!!! :(). Fills up nicely with an all-night downpour, and we've been hooking it up to the washing machine as a cold water supply. And of course watering what's left of the garden and washing the cars. But it's now virtually empty again... need more rain!!

Came with a pump kit and some hose, was dead easy to hook up to the gutters around the house (and the overflow pipe) and best of all it cost us virtually nothing - Federal and Local Council rebates came to the party to the tune of $1,600, I think. So it cost us a mammoth $100 or so.

400-litres is a bit small - get the biggest one you possibly can or it'll barely be worth it.

The Yeti · 08-08-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

What is the Aldi special pump like?
I bought one in readiness for when i get the tank. I'll only be using it for watering the garden & connected to a pressure washer.

I recon its great, I just contect it to the outlet ball , open the tap (I have a bunnings brass garden tap on the outlet) for a second before i power it and thats enough priming for me. then the hose goes on and we're away, it puts out better pressure than the mains for 1 hose, so its brilliant And the rise form my pump to where I wash the cars is arround 2m so that isnt gonna work in its favor but I got the pump in Jan 06 and have used it for every car wash, garden water, I even used it when i turfed the back lawn to establish it so its had plenty of use

Pinkbits · 08-08-2007, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I recon its great, I just contect it to the outlet ball , open the tap (I have a bunnings brass garden tap on the outlet) for a second before i power it and thats enough priming for me. then the hose goes on and we're away, it puts out better pressure than the mains for 1 hose, so its brilliant And the rise form my pump to where I wash the cars is arround 2m so that isnt gonna work in its favor but I got the pump in Jan 06 and have used it for every car wash, garden water, I even used it when i turfed the back lawn to establish it so its had plenty of use

Thanks, we're on flat ground here and only 10 metres or so distance to where i wash the cars, so should not have any problems.

rodderz · 08-08-2007, 04:33 PM

Yes go as big as you can fit and afford, it will not go to waste

basically a plumber will run a poly off 1 or 2 downpipes (depending on surface area running into nearest downpipe) to the top of your tank...there is a course mesh on top but it wont filter the water fully, but keep your gutters clean. Then an overflow will be connected from the top of the tank then loop back into the downpipe to drain away.

A good tip, get the plumber (or yourself) to rig up some clear plastic hose up the side of the tank from one of the outlets down the bottom, then you will be able to tell how much water is in there. Then make sure you get a decent pump so you get close to mains pressure

As a rule most garden taps run at roughly 40lt/min so a pump near that will be good for watering, washing etc with a nozzle on the hose

Pinkbits · 08-08-2007, 04:37 PM

Have a place selling tanks in town here with a corrugated profile, 3 colours, 5000L for $1150. Good price?

rodderz · 08-08-2007, 04:43 PM

It sounds good, last one I put in was 1100lt ($950) plus another $750 or so for the plumbers to install with the pump and sparky to hook up outside power point

Not sure how it compares with plastic, I spose they come with a warranty though

Pinkbits · 08-08-2007, 04:55 PM

Sorry i should have worded it better. They are coloured plastic made to look like corrugated iron.

Neeek · 08-08-2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinkbits

Have a place selling tanks in town here with a corrugated profile, 3 colours, 5000L for $1150. Good price?

Sounds about right - our 3,000 litre one was about $900, made by Polyworld up here in Redcliffe.

**Mechan1k** · 08-08-2007, 05:31 PM

I have a Bushman tank (as an addition on the back shed) colour-matched to the colourbond of the shed as well.
It's a 10,000L tank (with pump) = $1050 delivered.
$300 for a plumber to fit all the fittings and re-route the downpipes.

I am lucky I haven't had to hook the pump up yet though as I am still gravity feeding from it with success (drinking water for the horses) ... plus i don't have power to the shed yet either ... so no use having a pump down there yet.

Main house downpipes run into a 250,000L water tank (semi-inground) ... no town water here at home (yet).