Moving water around between tanks.

[Jaeger_S2k]

One of my 'projects' at 'Project Bungalow' is to install rainwater harvesting.
Currently, have 3 x IBC's all clean.
I'm open to suggestions from anyone that's already embarked on anything to do with harvesting rain water.
Want to have a filtration system, to remove bugs and bits, any suggestions?

First though, I was wondering if there would be a problem taking a coolant pump, like an Osip ZV90 pump, assuming it would be 240 V, or any other like pump to just move the water around. I've got a nice Stuart Turner boost pump for garden hose and usage if required.
The main question is are there any 'pumps' that wouldn't be usable to transfer from tank to tank?

 

[Agroshield]

A thing to consider is what is known as 'first flush diverter' so that the initial water that comes off the roof, bringing leaves, dead spiders and bird poo, does not go into the tank.

If you are in no hurry for the water to be moved, a solar pump might fit in with the overall scheme.

You can do some calculations based on roof area to see how depth of rain translates into volume and then look up annual rainfall patterns in your area to see on how many days of the year any tank would overflow.

With some thought, you could arrange the tanks at different levels so gravity could move the water in one direction. If you can find a pump made by Escher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascending_and_Descending), running costs will be low.

How would you get the pump in contact with the water to be pumped? Either the pump has to fit through the hole in the top of the IBC or you have to let the water out of the IBC into something containing the pump (flexi tub?). With the second, water into the 'reservoir' has to balance water out or it will flood or run dry.

A permanent pumped ring main system with a hose between all tanks and valves could make operation painless, more so if there is an easy way of having a bi-directional pump.

 

[gaz1]

have a look here for ibc tanks

New garage questions

this is something worth thinking about also worth it

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[julianf]

I get the impression well pumps are often progressive cavity designs. Im unsure if this is for self priming or tolerance to particulates?

Probably self priming.

But, anyway, the "brand" to look for would be "mono".

They're not high flow units, and will not survive operating against a closed valve, but may give you some.convinience.

 

[julianf]

Ps they're proper money new, so look at used, and factor in the cost of a new stator.

The rotors were also, but not quickly at all. Rotors are more money than the stators and the stators ware quicker.

 

[Tom O]

Could you use pipes and valves so you could pressurize it to move the fluid?

 

[6ply]

When I had IBC rainwater collection, I used this sump pump. Plenty good enough for most uses.

 

[GRW]

I was thinking that IBC'S all have a low level outlet...... so if all the outlets were interlinked by a pipework system, with all valves open (with one extra valve as a draw-off point) then all the tanks would equalise on their own, with no pumping required.
You'd also have a decent volume & head of water, if the IBC's were raised off the ground & linked... so the draw-off valve would have a pretty decent flow/pressure (esp. If reduced to smaller bore) ....again, without any pumping needed.

 

[Agroshield]

...if all the outlets were interlinked by a pipework system ...then all the tanks would equalise on their own, with no pumping required.
You'd also have a decent volume & head of water, if the IBC's were raised off the ground & linked...

The equalisation would only occur to the extent that all tanks were on the same level. If one is down two steps from the others, you could never achieve 3000 litres capacity, but you would have the biggest water level in the world.

As it is a bungalow, the opportunity for elevation could be limited, bearing in mind that the top of the IBC would need to be below the outlet on the gutter.

 

[piman]

Hello Jaeger,

a simple centrifugal pump from such as Machine Mart is cheap and readily available (It would need to have a water proof cover as they are not waterproof). You can also buy IBC outlet valve adapters to various BSP sizes suitable for your pipw work. Look on E Bay for instance.

Alec

 

[GRW]

The equalisation would only occur to the extent that all tanks were on the same level. If one is down two steps from the others, you could never achieve 3000 litres capacity, but you would have the biggest water level in the world.

As it is a bungalow, the opportunity for elevation could be limited, bearing in mind that the top of the IBC would need to be below the outlet on the gutter.

I was aware that all tanks needed to be level, while you'd get enough height for a pretty good water flow.
Aesthetically it might not be the prettiest (though I guess if you had a plain pine end to site the IBC's you could then harvest off both roof elevations.

 

[mark roberts]

Would a pond pump be useful, even cheap ones are quite bullet proof. I've had one running continuously for 6years

 

[Ed.]

As GRW said in his post above, link the bottom of the tanks together and the tanks will always equalize themselves and not even require any electricity or pump with the exception of the pump you use to pump the water out of the tanks.

 

[gaz1]

just remember freezing weather when connected tanks together

either insulate them or drain the water between them otherwise that pipe will burst due to freezing

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

Thanks all for replying.
My 'scheme' is partially in planning, not borough planning, just mine.
2 of the IBC's will be housed in a sunken shed, insulated concrete base and sides, to a depth of around 600 -750 mm (that'll give the base frost protection), and help disguise them and to let me put a filtration tank on top.
These will be housed in 'the pump shed' and hidden behind some large flora.
The position is to the front of the house and frowned upon by planning. Low outlets on all tanks, filling will be by pump, due to positioning and not wanting frames of pipes floating around the house. Needs to be ascetically pleasing, even for me. 300 litres water buts will do the main collection at 2 points. They'll need to be pumped to the store, one of them quite a distance.
I've looked at self draining pumps, but they're terribly expensive and waste a lot of water. So thinking of solenoids and vales to achieve, pumping from water buts to storage (with some rise in the pipe, when the water but is emptied or the storage full, the pump switches off and the water exits the pipe via gravity and keeps pipes frost free.
Solar pumps look promising, if it can handle the rise, as there will few occasions when the buts need emptying for capacity, they could slowly dribble the butts empty through to the filter tank, also keeping the water moving and reduce the chance of frost/freeze.
I've also got a UV light to clean the water through the filter tank.
Lot's to think about.
The third IBC is going on the side of the (to be built) garage and collect rain fall from there. Had thought about running a supply pipe from that to and from the 'Pump Shed' (I'm putting a trench in for new plastic water supply, replacing lead, electric supply to the garage and network cables, so the opportunity is there to run some extra water through.) I'll put more up as I get going.

 

[gaz1]

to be honest your wasting your money

just do a concrete base and put a wood shed up if you want and also collect water from there

as goes for the tank size thats up to you but even full size ibcs 1000 litres x2 or x4 can be stored within a 4ft x8ft shed

if you insulate a shed will be more than ample enough to keep the cold out but in bad temps you may have to warm the shed up so its kept off freezing but stored within a shed it should remain above freezing

its the same as a house where if central heating is not used houses sufer from frezing pipes as the temp has dropped to low and therefore freezing those pipes in winter

as goes for pump a cetral heating pump is more than ample enough to pump from one tank to another and be pumped up to the higher tank

if you dig down the shed will suffer from water then you will need a submersive pump to pump out the water

can you pour the concrete base and wall as a complete unit yes you can but not to the height that your wanting so its water tight and sealed from the water from outside of the form