Rain barrel?

[Sage]

Has anyone ever made a rain barrel? I have been trying to catch rain in a few buckets that I keep near the garden, but if I don't use the water soon enough the mosquitoes find it. I was thinking of building a rain barrel, but I'm not sure where to begin.

 

[Luvkenny]

Yes we have a rain barrel - actually 2. They are just very large drums and they collect rain. The eaves run off into the barrels each time it rains. We use this water to water our flowers and veggie garden.

 

[ssamcd]

Before we had running water in our area we lived off the rain water. We had it in a huge container and it went thru a purifier before it came into the house. The rain water was so soft on the hair. The problem with this is that sometimes we would run out of water and had to go to a pump with a huge container the we would fill and bring back. I thin it was healthier than the water we get.

 

[Sage]

Yes we have a rain barrel - actually 2. They are just very large drums and they collect rain. The eaves run off into the barrels each time it rains. We use this water to water our flowers and veggie garden.

Do you have nozzles on the bottom of the barrels or how do you get the water out? I priced one at Sam's Club, but I am betting I can make my own for a whole lot less if I can figure out how to do it.

 

[xenon]

Has anyone ever made a rain barrel? I have been trying to catch rain in a few buckets that I keep near the garden, but if I don't use the water soon enough the mosquitoes find it. I was thinking of building a rain barrel, but I'm not sure where to begin.

Orange juice often comes as a concentrate in 205litre - 44gallon imp-55gallon US, drums. Yes the US gallon is smaller than the English imperial. But the drum is the same size.
Try looking in the phone book of companies that market orange juice or other juice near where you live and ask to buy these empty containers. Where I live they cost $8 each. The containers are coated with a water proof non-toxic paint. I've used them in the past one spilling into the next to collect drinking water. They have a lid that you can use and if you ask they will give you the hoop to seal the container with. Make sure you do ask as often they will just drag out the drum. Some of the drums come with a bung hole at the bottom which you can fit plumbing and a tap. I never bothered and just use a bucket. I still use one to this day to make compost tea for the garden.

 

[jason]

I've got a few 55 gallon drums off of craigslist. 8 dollars a piece and I bought some pvc and connected them all together. I think I spent less then $75 on the whole setup, including cinder blocks to have them rest on. So much better then buying one at the store for more then that.

 

[shaunche]

It would be easier to buy one. My girlfriend's family own a rainwater storage company in Australia. They are popular in Australia because of the droughts. You can buy one for around 30-50 dollars and it will last for a long time.

 

[Greenwoman]

My father started using a gargantuan old garbage can to collect rain water. He also has a few little buckets as well. It is quite annoying, because he insists on using that and not the hose- even when I ask him to water my garden with the hose...