M
Mr_Yan
Guest
For less than $20 I put together a 64 gallon rain barrel without having to figure out where to get a big blue barrel. These are starting their third season coupled together and one barrel has been used for going on 5 years now.
I grabbed all of these at the hardware store, farm and fleet, or lowes (I forgot which)
I used:
two standard trash cans (bought on sale for $5 each)
liquid-tight electrical conduit fittings
cut up lengths of garden hose
hose clamps
By putting the box entry liquid-tight fitting in the side wall of the trash can I now have a permanently attached hose spigot.
With some T fittings in the hose the water will fill into one barrel and seek a common level between the two barrels.
As with any water catchment this can become a mosquito breeder. I have inhibited this by keeping most of the water surface covered. I use one of the trash can lids for the second barrel and an old window screen for the barrel under the down spout.
I have space for one more barrel, which I can easily add, but have lacked motivation.
This is in a place where I don't fear the water overrun as I would with a basement. If you're placing one of these near a basement or foundation think about allowing for an overrun hose to get the excess water away from the house.
I grabbed all of these at the hardware store, farm and fleet, or lowes (I forgot which)
I used:
two standard trash cans (bought on sale for $5 each)
liquid-tight electrical conduit fittings
cut up lengths of garden hose
hose clamps
By putting the box entry liquid-tight fitting in the side wall of the trash can I now have a permanently attached hose spigot.
With some T fittings in the hose the water will fill into one barrel and seek a common level between the two barrels.
As with any water catchment this can become a mosquito breeder. I have inhibited this by keeping most of the water surface covered. I use one of the trash can lids for the second barrel and an old window screen for the barrel under the down spout.
I have space for one more barrel, which I can easily add, but have lacked motivation.
This is in a place where I don't fear the water overrun as I would with a basement. If you're placing one of these near a basement or foundation think about allowing for an overrun hose to get the excess water away from the house.